(03) A COMPARISON OF VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES AND PUMP-OFF CONTROLLERS IN AN UNCONVENTIONAL RESERVOIR
Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) are a popular rod lift control system for operators that are willing to pay a premium for the promise that they can squeeze every last drop from a producing formation. However, initial results from the Eagle Ford suggest that VSDs may not be worth the additional expense when compared to the performance of their less complex cousin, the Pump-Off Controller (POC). In particular, high CAPEX and maintenance costs along with performance issues on gassy, sand producing, shale wells are leading some operators to choose POCs over VSDs for unconventional reservoir applications.
Furthermore, brief disruptions in production have less of an impact on the reservoir inflow of tight shales than that of higher permeable conventional reservoirs. This study is based on the examination of the performance of Eagle Ford wells that were initially controlled by VSDs and then swapped to POCs.