Pre-Conference Schools

This one-day pre-conference school will examine representative laboratory data associated with the selection, monitoring, and optimization of corrosion treating chemicals. We will examine lab data and key performance indicators (KPIs) pertaining to tracking the effectiveness of corrosion inhibitors. We will be discussing produced water analyses, suspended solids analyses, deposit analyses, corrosion coupons, amine residuals and iron/manganese levels. We will review standardized procedures for the sampling and determination of the various monitoring techniques, define and identify possible anomalies that can occur within the data and discuss possible interferences that can impact the various test methods utilized. We will work through various corrosion scenarios as a group to help identify what types of samples and analytical testing should be gathered and performed to help in addressing the corrosion challenge presented.
 
The objectives of this pre-conference school are to review each analysis type used by chemical vendors in corrosion monitoring and discuss the interpretation and application for each test utilized.
 

“Fundamentals of Sucker Rod Lift” is a one-day seminar on the principles and operations of sucker rod lift. Components of the sucker rod lift system including the pumping unit, rods, tubing, pump, downhole gas separator and prime mover are presented. Each component of the sucker rod lift system is discussed by one of eight (8) leading industry experts. How the components function and interact with each other is presented so that the attendee can understand the entire operating system and how the components interact. An understanding of the reservoir and its production potential and behavior is also presented so that the attendee can optimize the well’s performance. Attendees will learn the principles of sucker rod lift systems and how to produce wells efficiently. The results of application of this information in the field will be an increase in production, a reduction in operating expense and greater profits.

Topics

1. Tubing, Anchors, and Rods

2. Downhole Pumps

3. Partial Pump Liquid Fillage

4. Dynamometer Analysis

5. Acoustic liquid level Analysis

6. Pump-off-controllers

7. Pumping Units and Torque

8. Motor, Power and Efficiency

This 2-day course is intended to provide operations personnel with a general understanding of gas lift wells, with a particular emphasis placed on operational issues. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to: (1) describe the key components of gas lift wells and facilities and explain their purpose, (2) explain the process of safely unloading a gas lift well, (3) describe the various slickline operations used in conjunction with gas lift wells, (4) list the various troubleshooting tools and techniques used to support gas lift operations.

Plunger Lift has always been recognized as the most economical form of Artificial Lift for removing liquids from natural gas wells and producing higher GLR oil wells.  With the recovery of oil and natural gas prices plunger lift has become an increasingly popular lift choice.  When combined with gas lift (PAGL) it can increase the efficiency and extend the economic life of wells. This school will cover the various applications across different production parameters.  Topics will include the following:
•    Brief History of the Technology
•    Liquid Loading in Flowing Wells 
•    Various Plunger Lift Applications
•    Identifying & Qualifying Candidates
•    Surface & Down Hole Considerations
•    Surface & Down Hole Completions
•    Installation/Startup/Optimization
•    Plunger Types & Applications
•    Field Operations & Maintenance
•    Electronics/Automation/Telemetry

This course will cover the use of automation and host software to monitor, analyze, and optimize a sucker rod pumping system. Discussion will include the operation and configuration of rod pump controllers and variable speed drives, key operating parameters, and how those parameters change under varying well conditions. This information is used with dynamometer cards to analyze well performance and determine the appropriate optimization steps. This course is intended for lease operators, well analysts, lift specialists, production engineers, and any other personnel involved in the operation of sucker rod pumping wells.

The basics of hydraulic fracturing will be covered from reservoir characterization to fracture mechanics to frac treating pressure analysis. The class agenda will include frac theory, current trends in limited entry, and key production drivers. Students participating in the class will solve problems throughout the day and get overviews of all operational phases of horizontal well completions. Additionally, there will be overviews of hydraulic fracture modeling and horizontal well economics. 

Topics that will be covered:
1. Reservoir characterization for fracturing 
2. Rock mechanics and hydraulic fracturing 
3. Wellbore hydraulics
4. Treating pressure analysis
5. Hydraulic fracturing execution including a discussion of limited entry techniques
6. Fracturing fluids and diverting agents
7. Proppants and fracture conductivity
8. Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing: operations
9. Multi-stage hydraulic fracturing: design
10. Fracture modeling, production forecasting and economic evaluation

Sessions Schedule 
Session 1 – An Overview of Hydraulic Fracturing and Unconventional Reservoir Development
Session 2 – Fracture Modeling and Design 
Session 3 – Proppants and Fracture Conductivity 
Session 4 – Fracture Economics
Session 5 – Horizontal Well Completion Operations and Q&A
 

This course will cover the use of rod design software to design a rod pumping system. Attendees will design a system for an example well while learning the use of the software, recommended default settings, and how to design for conditions such as sideloading and buckling. Additional topics include rod and pump material selection, differences in pumping unit designs, and bottomhole assembly designs for gas and sand.

This advanced technical training course is designed for Artificial Lift and Petroleum Engineering professionals responsible for working with or managing ESP (Electric Submersible Pump) systems.

Effective ESP trend analysis and optimization are crucial for achieving longer run life, maximizing production, and reducing lifting costs per barrel of oil. Indicators such as rising pump intake pressures, elevated motor temperatures, and erratic motor currents often signal an ESP system in distress and in need of optimization.

By mastering trend analysis and remote intervention, you can prevent costly shutdowns and minimize production losses due to downtime while waiting for on-site technicians. Additionally, high gas-liquid ratios frequently challenge ESP systems. Operating modes like PID and gas lock recovery can address these challenges effectively—but only when properly configured.

• Learning Level: Intermediate-Advanced
• Course Length: 1 Day (8 hours)
• Participants will receive 0.8 CEUs for completing this 1-day course.

Why Attend?
By attending this course, you will:
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of how ESP pumps function.
• Learn to analyze trends and troubleshoot wells requiring intervention.
• Master the configuration of ESP PID and Gas Lock operating modes for optimized performance.
• Develop skills in local intervention and optimization techniques.
• Apply your knowledge through practical class exercises and real-world examples.

Who Should Attend?
This course is ideal for Artificial Lift and Production professionals involved in daily ESP operations or continuous improvement initiatives.

In “Oilfield Operational Challenges Managed with Chemical Solutions” Fadi, a ConocoPhillips employee, will describe real world high-impact challenges associated with oilfield production that he has experienced in unconventional completions, such as early life scale/solids/sand erosion, corrosion and organic deposits. Becky will explore the various chemical solutions pros and cons that are available to address these challenges. The class will emphasize the importance of understanding system conditions and constraints to ensure analytical and product performance testing are conducted under system conditions, to best replicate system conditions as closely as possible. Challenges to be included are, but are not limited to, iron sulfide, mineral scale, sand production, corrosion, paraffin and asphaltenes.

This one-day Remedial Acidizing course discusses formation damage of carbonate producing formations, including types of damage associated with the life cycle of a well.  This will include a discussion on both inorganic and organic depositions.  Stimulation techniques of carbonate producers will be covered Including a discussion on acids and additives utilized in both matrix and acid fracturing treatments.

This Short Course presents analysis techniques used to determine the distance to the liquid level in oil and gas wells with normal or unusual conditions.   Acoustic fluid level technology has resulted in being able to undertake acoustic measurements to investigate the status of oil and gas wells.  

Acquiring acoustic data (fluid level shots) to troubleshoot an oil or gas well is a quick, inexpensive and non-intrusive process.  Based on analysis of acoustic data obtained at the surface without entering the wellbore and yields accurate representation of the conditions existing on the surface, within the wellbore and within the reservoir.

Techniques for acoustic liquid level analysis are discussed where unusual conditions exist such as horizontal wells, very shallow liquid levels, very deep liquid levels, noisy wells, high bottomhole temperature, and low or high surface pressures.  Gas-Lift wells have gas lift mandrels, where tubing holes, leaky valves and check valve leaks can be identified using the Dual Shot method.  Rod Pump and other artificial lifted wells have tubing anchors, liners, multiple zones of perforations, flush pipe and other conditions which result in the acquisition of difficult to interpret acoustic traces.  Example acoustic recordings are presented, where the tests are performed on shut-in or flowing or producing wells acquired down the tubing or the tubing/casing annulus.  Acoustic instrument is a low-cost tool that can be used to trouble shoot wells and analyze the well’s performance.

Several different well’s datasets of data will be presented where well performance was monitored over an extended time period.  Use of the cloud allows long term monitoring of wells in remote locations from any other location in the world.  Fluid level test can be acquired and used to analyze challenging wells without requiring the operator to be present at the wellsite.  The operator can automatically acquire precisely time stamped high frequency data using an acquisition schedule or acquire individual test on demand.