This presentation discusses the utilization of the digital computer for load-flow analysis and optimization in computer-owned electrical distribution systems. Discussed are: A) Program Utility, B) Program Construction, C) Input Format, D) Output Format, E) Interpretation, F) Options.

This paper focuses on such energy alternatives as fossil fuels, municipal and agricultural wastes, solar energy, and nuclear energy. It also describes recent choices of alternative energy resources selected by Southwestern for close examination.

Applying horizontal well technology to improve oil recovery in reservoirs undergoing active water flooding continues to evolve with improving success. Development of remaining unswept oil reserves with horizontal wells as a method to improve conformance is a significant challenge. Evaluating and optimizing well performance to achieve economic results in a waterflood setting is a critical step in maximizing the success of a horizontal well project. Horizontal laterals expose large amounts of productive reservoir rock, benefiting certain reservoir applications while adding a major risk component to well designs planned for heterogeneous, water flooded carbonate reservoirs. Long laterals increase potential of exposing undesirable geologic conditions such as waterfilled fracture networks, zones of high water saturation and extreme permeability of thief zone intervals. A significant negative impact on well performance from high water production rates can result in lower oil rates and excessive lifting costs. This paper summarizes methods and experiences in mechanically evaluating and diagnosing fluid entry in newly drilled horizontal wells, efforts and results to control water entry and optimize well performance. Also discussed are field test results of a new tool design combining re-settable, inflatable packers and a hydraulic jet pump. Early field test results suggest this method will be a promising advance toward efficient diagnosis of fluid entry in both vertical and horizontal wells.

Since the day of its inception, artificial lifting of crude oil has confronted producers with many and varied problems. In the early days of oil production a special type sucker, or wooden branch, fitted with iron connections, was used in pumping operations. Many shallow water wells use similar equipment even today. Failures in this type of sucker rod invariably resulted from rotting, swelling, unscrewing of connections and splitting in the bradded areas.

Placement of plugging agents or stimulation fluids by mechanical means is usually unsuccessful. Fractures, erosion, behind-pipe communication delimit in-hole packers. Diverters often seal the formation face but permit unwanted vertical fluid movement. Temperature and R/A techniques provide "after the fact" data. Plugging and squeeze operations often damage the zone, requiring recompletion of the well. This paper presents the adaption of an otherwise obsolete injection profiling technique that allows continuous monitoring and control of fluid placement resulting in a properly conditioned well. Experience with over 200 wells has verified the technique.

Log-derived determination of residual oil saturation (ROS) for enhanced oil recovery projects requires accurate and reliable techniques. Therefore, special considerations have to be given to both the logging operation and associated interpretation methods. Since the statistical uncertainty limits of conventional open - and cased - hole logging techniques are not sufficient for reliable ROS values, a key parameter in the evaluation of EOR candidates, several log-inject-log (LIL) techniques based on multiple repeat logging runs are available to provide more reliable ROS values. Advantages and possible constraints of several LIL techniques will be discussed.

Formidable technical and operational problems arise in the course of drilling, testing, and producing wells which contain appreciable amounts of hydrogen sulfide. Though not the worst of such problems, wireline operations are certainly rendered more difficult and dangerous. Logging equipment is designed to perform properly in the high temperatures and pressures found in oil and gas wells. The presence of hydrogen sulfide has thrust forward a new hostile environment problem. The troubles are twofold: the threat of personnel overexposure, and the deterioration of metal components which are exposed to HS. Industrial plants have long known of the dangers to personnel who are exposed to hydrogen sulfide. Steps were taken to learn the procedures necessary for personnel safety. These procedures were then adapted for use by our logging crews, and have been effective in that no case of hydrogen-sulfide poisoning has been reported. The downhole problem created by the presence of hydrogen sulfide is harder to correct. The solution to the problem was evidently either to protect vulnerable steels from contact with the gas, or to use other materials which were not vulnerable. Both measures have been successfully applied. Protective coatings are good enough to permit the use of standard cables and downhole tools in cases of low HlS concentration, but special H2Sresistant cables are needed for severe conditions. In no case, however, should sour-gas logging operations be looked upon as routine. HS-resistant pressure-control equipment is also available. Pressures to 15,000 psi can be controlled.

Mineral scale formation is a problem for oil and gas operators that can result in deterioration of assets, increased lifting costs and lost production. Scale which forms in or at the perforations can only be prevented by placing scale inhibitor in the producing formation via some type of reservoir displacement technique commonly referred to as a squeeze. Operators desire inhibition that will last as long as possible and minimize the production interruption for treatment. In reservoir formation types that exhibit known scaling problems, scale inhibition treatment can be initiated during the completion stage using a solid inhibitor integrated into the hydraulic fracturing program. Treatments of this type can result in deep reservoir placement of inhibitor without large amounts of introduced water frequently needed with traditional squeeze treatments. Data presented in this paper illustrate the superior performance and longevity of these types of treatments.

Loss of drilling fluid to the formation is one of the most costly problems that drillers face during well construction. Common methods used in the past involved incorporating materials in the fluid or in pills to bridge permeable or fractured formations and create filter cake over these bridges. Current technology enables a comprehensive approach that complements these methods but emphasizes other aspects of the drilling operation. These include making use of drilling fluids that inherently reduce the rate of loss of fluid through modification of fluid properties like low-shear-rate viscosity; minimizing fluctuations in the fluid's equivalent circulating density; accurately modeling the rock mechanics of the formation; and strengthening the wellbore. Implementation of these techniques will be discussed, along with their impact in current drilling operations.

The Lovington San Andres Pool is located in central Lea County, New Mexico, approximately 10 miles northwest of the city of Hobbs. The 2400-acre pool was discovered by the completion of Skelly Oil Co.

Data gathering and alarm systems have historically been priced out of reach of the small oil producer. This paper deals with systems affordable to the independent operator. It explains specifications offered by suppliers and requirements needed to operate different applications. It also touches on different types of software and when it should be incorporated into the system.

Cementing production casing in partially depleted reservoirs is a common problem in the Permian Basin. The industry is continually looking for alternative slurry designs to lower annular pressures during cementing while maintaining the material properties needed for stimulation and zonal isolation. In order to be viable, the resulting technology must decrease density while preserving compressive strength, fluid loss and free water properties of the cement. Cement slurries using foam or hollow spheres are capable of meeting these requirements. The additional equipment and material cost required usually prevent these systems from being economical when mixed between 13.5 and 14 ppg (lbigal). Recent technical developments have lead to the creation of slurries weighing 13.8 ppg containing 60% pozzolan and 40% API cement. These economical slurries exhibit mechanical properties comparable to standard API slurries having much higher densities. Laboratory testing and bond logs are presented and compared along with recommended applications.

Two West Texas pumping gas wells were equipped with belt drive high efficiency C-25-30-54 pumping units, small diameter fiberglass sucker rods, and small diameter downhole pumps set at 3300 feet. These installations where originally powered by 1hp 460 volt electric motors to determine the exact power requirements. Two sources of alternative electrical energy are being tested, one is solar and the other is a thermocouple system burning well head gas. The experience gained will provide technology to go to deeper depths and larger volumes. These alternative power sources and related equipment offer advantages over the traditional gas engine for dewatering remote location gas wells.

Beam pumping systems are now operated in high speed and corrosive environments due to the ever increasing demand to produce oil in a faster and more efficient manner. Customer feedback indicates failures due to over, under, and loss of displacement. There has been significant amount of issues raised regarding the displacement values, the choice of lubricant used, and other critical factors affecting the displacement values. This paper describes the testing of various thread lubricants for Sucker rod/Coupling make up. The project uses the core engineering concepts of stress, strain, torque, and circumferential displacement. A comprehensive engineering analysis was conducted in the laboratory using an exclusive displacement testing machine which led to a selection of the best lubricant for field application. A total of 13 tests (12 lubricants + 1 no lube) were conducted under laboratory conditions.

The Levelland and Slaughter fields combined have produced over 1.6 billion bbls from 6000 wells and currently produce 6% of the oil in Texas. Most of the field is under water and CO2 flood operations. This paper investigates reservoir and petrophysical characteristics of various areas in the Levelland Slaughter field in order to assess relation to performance of secondary and tertiary recovery. The benefits would be to use this relationship to identify depositional environment/facies and relate them to flood performance. In areas where no flood has been installed, the relationships developed herein could assist in the ability to predict flood recovery and the method of development. The first objective was to divide the field into areas of like depositional environments. Once subdivided, relationships between petrophysical properties and secondary recovery rates are developed utilizing Lucia's rock fabric classification and production plot methods demonstrated by Reza Fassihi of BP.

This is a 1-hour presentation to meet the 1 hr. ethics requirement for re-certification for Professional Engineers as required by the state of Texas Board of Professional Engineers. The course covers several aspects of ethics pertaining to the engineering profession and directs the attendee to additional sources of ethics information. Basic guidelines suggested by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and the Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers (SPEE) will be presented along with case histories.

The primary object of this paper is to stress the importance in obtaining, through proper maintenance programming, the proper engine operation, performance, and reliability. For these operational problems to be seen one must have a thorough understanding of multicylinder engines. The two basic categories that should be emphasized to insure trouble-free performance with a minimum of down time are operational procedure and engine components maintenance.

The purpose of this paper is to provoke a discussion with field operating personnel in the hope of providing constructive instruction relative to low speed gas engine operation. An internal combustion engine is composed of several complete systems, all of which contribute to the engine's operation. Breaking down these systems into general headings will simplify the discussion and present field problems which you, as an operator, control.

When it becomes necessary to put an oil well on the pump, the operator is usually faced with an investment of many thousands of dollars in some means of artificial lift. By far the most successful and the most generally accepted type of artificial lift is the beam type pumping unit. Many years of research and testing have gone into the design and development of the modern pumping unit. Advancements in metallurgy and the most up-to-date machine tools go into its manufacture. All these improvements in design and technique of manufacture are of little value if the equipment is installed improperly on the well, operated incorrectly, or is poorly maintained.

Codes and standards as promulgated by the various agencies governing oil and gas production equipment have changed so dramatically since 1934 that most manufacturing companies and production companies have little or no idea what is required. These changes started with the advent of OSHA as passed into law in 1970. This paper will address the changes that have occurred since the advent of OSHA to the present day as pertaining to pressure vessels.

Tubing make-up involves the joining of two threaded joints of tubing to form a leak tight structural connection. This activity is recognized as being an important part of the effort required to produce hydrocarbons. This paper seeks to identify factors that can affect the success of the make-up process. Having identified these factors, a brief review of their impact on connection make-up is presented. With this understanding, an effective running procedure can be developed. Considered are connection design, vertical alignment, connection cleanliness the power tong, connection monitoring, the thread compound and weight transfer.

More often than not, the most difficult part of any change is "Making the Decision to Change." Corporate change is
cultural in nature, as it must be done on a level-by-level basis to become effective. It must be inclusive of all and any change must be universally embraced and implemented to be effective. Corporate change speaks to and helps define the personalities of the corporation and ultimately its leadership. This paper blends the technical aspects of defining the needs, visualizing the system, designing, building, and marketing a "clean sheet, automated, and robotic well service system" with the research-development-bottom line anatomy of corporate America. Clearly, the mission is to build the safest, most efficient, and the most accurate system to service oil and gas wells. The associated risks and rewards, as well as the "Why do it" and "How to do it" from both the service company and the oil and gas operator perspectives are discussed in this paper.

Several software programs are available to calculate a pump downhole load-position card from dynamometer data. Most of these programs use the wave equation, with various solutions (Fourier Series, Method of Characteristics, Finite Differences, etc.) to help set damping conditions. A downhole tool with strain gauges is available to measure the actual forces at the pump as well as mid-string. Use of this tool has led to providing actual downhole values much less than those predicted by the software programs. This paper will present the actual data collected by this downhole lead cell. This data will then be compared to load values calculated by these commercially available software programs.

Historically, Electric Submersible Pumps were designed and manufactured for large volume applications producing from moderate depths. Low volume production (less than 400 bpd) was considered rod pump territory. Unfortunately, due to depth limitations inherent to sucker rods, rod pumping low production wells at deeper depths often becomes uneconomic due to high failure rates. Utilizing new control technology, the advent of wider vane designs, and high pressure housings, low volume ESP's have proven successful in replacing conventional and non-conventional pumping units in today's oil industry.

Rising oil and gas prices mean more revenue for Texas producers, but they also cause electricity costs to increase. Because electricity is one of the highest costs most producers face, managing electricity costs can significantly reduce LOE. This paper will focus on the primary mechanisms producers can employ to mitigate electricity costs including procurement options, interruptible power programs and enabling technologies. The paper will compare what one producer could have paid for electricity over the last year to what it actually paid.