Chapter Planning for and comparison of artificial lift systems by Kermit E. Brown Tom Doll John T.Dewan 9.1 INTRODUCTION Planning for artificial lift is important; design con- siderations must begin before a well or group of wells are drilled. To provide optimum production rates by artificial lift methods at some future date, sufficient tubular clearances should be provided for. Analysis of specific installation type should begin while the wells, are still flowing. Application of a certain lift method depends upon whether a group, lease, or field will be lifted or if only an isolated well will require artificial litt ‘The type of lift required is influenced by whether or not the wells are conventional or multiple comple- tions. Multiple completions present problems: sufficient pipe clearances may not be provided for. Therefore, the choice of lift, method may be determined not by optimum design or economic criteria, but by physical limitations Included in this is producing location, Offshore pro- duction platforms are limited in areal extent, With all other conditions equal, the best lift method onshore may not be practical on a platform with limited space. Here again, multiple completions and/or deviated holes may dictate the choice of lift Also to be considered is availability of a power source for the prime mover. In some areas natural gas may or may not be available, economical, or practical. Elec- tricity has become more important due to availability and application to automation. Purchase cost, trans- portation, storage, and handling may become prohibi- tive when diesel or propane is required as the prime ‘mover power source. One exception is an isolated well, Artificial lift design depends upon producing condi- tions, also. Severe weather conditions affect the choice of lift. Extreme heat or cold, high winds, dust, or snow may limit the choice of lift. Corrosion is very impor- tant in the choice of lift methods. Sour crude, produced brine, oxygen and CO; corrosion, electrolysis—all affect artificial lift selection. Produced solids such as sand, salt, paraffin, and formation fines are to be in- cluded. Depth to the producing zone and hole deviation must be considered to provide adequate lift potential at future times. Gas-oil ratio and/or water-oil-ratio considerations may limit types of lift applicable. Inother words, the total reservoir must be considered. Long-term producing objectives are dependant. upon the reservoir's characteristics. The design and selection, of artificial lift methods must reflect these objectives. For instance, in a depletion reservoir, high initial production is anticipated. Artificial lift’ may not be required initially if wells are flowing. However, if a well may be put on lift after completion, the design considerations must be anticipated. Lower production with time is characteristic of depletion drive due to decreasing reservoir pressure and declining inflow. ‘These characteristics will dictate the lift type most, applicable. ‘In a water drive reservoir, increasing water cut with produeing life is anticipated. This characteristic re- quires larger volume capability with time. Optimum, lift, must be based on future production volumes as well as present volumes, In a gas cap expansion reservoir, changing gas-oil ratios with producing life affect the choice of lift meth- od. Gas production decreases artificial lift capacity by restricting efficiency. The choice of lift must take into account the anticipated GOR or free gas during the life of the reservoir and whether or not the gas must be vented. There may be more than one method of artificial lift applicable in a given well or group of wells. Each method may be classified from excellent to poor in accomplishing each separate objective. Depending upon economic considerations, the method of lift would be the one which satisfies or meets the majority of ob- Jectives. Two or more types of lift, may be possible for the same well or group of wells (one to be used late in the producing life of the reservoir) with economic considerations the deciding factor. 567568 9.2 METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL LIFT 921 Introduction ‘This leads to the basic methods of artificial lift in service. Based on world-wide installations the relative standing of lift methods is as follows (Q) Sucker rod or beam pumping (2) Gas lift (8) Hydraulic pumping (4) Electric submersible pumping (5) Jet pumping (@) Plunger or free piston lift (7) Other methods ‘This may differ from field to field, state to state, and country to country. 922 Choice of artifical lift system ‘The choice between the four basic artificial lift sys- tems—gas lift (GL), submersible electric pump (EP), hydraulic pump (HP), and rod pump (RP)—depends cn many factors other than installation and operating costs of the equipment. Very important is well pro- ductivity, and some obvious choices can be made as illustrated for the following conditions: >20,000 bid EP or GL 2,000-10,000 any except RP 100-1,000 any <100 any except EP where: EP = Electric Pump HP = Hydraulic Pump GL = Gas Lit Also important is reservoir pressure. Once it falls below about one-third of the hydrostatic pressure at the depth in question, continuous flow gas lift is ques- tionable because the amount of gas required to lift the liquid becomes excessive. The submersible pumps can, operate down to a few hundred PSI, and rod pumps and hydraulic pumps ean operate essentially to zero pressure with gas venting perhaps becoming a neces sity. Depth can be an important limitation, as illustrated by the following conditions: >12,000% HP only 10,000-12,000 ft any except EP (temperature limitation) <8,000 ft any High deviation essentially rules out rod pumping and favors gas lift because of minimum equipment to run. in the well. High viscosity fluid can best be handled by gas lift gr hydraulic pumping. Sand production is best handled ny ga li ‘Then there are a number of conditions, such as avail ability of gas or electric power, availability of exist- ing compressor facilities or pumping units, isolated or multiple wells, environmental restrictions, and off- shore or onshore workover costs, which can swing the choice one way or another. Johnson listed in tabular form the common problems affecting lift selection and the relative ability of each lift method to handle the problem (Table 9.1).1 _ The Technology of Artificial Lift Methods—Volume 2b TABLE 0.1 ‘COMMON PROBLEMS AFFECTING LIFT SELECTION ‘Type of in Probiom [Rod pump | Hycraute | Certriuga! | Gas it Sana Far Far Fair Excellent Paratin Poot Good. -—=—«Good_ Por High GOR Far Fair Foie Excellent Crooked hole ...! Poot Good. «== Falr = Good Corrosion God Good Fair Fair High volume Poor Good-———Exoallont “Good Dopth sss... Fair Exeollont Fair “Good Simple design... Yes No Yes No Casing size Far Fair Good Good Flexi Fair “Excellent Poor, = Good Scale Good Fair Poor Fair “Higher volumes and depths depend on greater gas pressure and volume, “Hydraulic piston pumping i rate lmed but jet hycraule pumping can handle the higher rates. Secondary factors aside, one might consider that the artificial lift system appropriate for an average well is a function of the age of the well. In the initial arti- ficial lif stages, reservoir pressure and GLR are gen- erally high, so gas lift is favored. As both pressure and GLR decline, gas lift loses its advantage and electric pumping becomes more appropriate. Finally, at very low pressures and low productivity, rod pumping and hydraulic pumping are suited. However, if reserv pressure is maintained by waterflooding, the electric pump and gas lift are both good. Table 9.2 reproduces statistical data published on artificial lift in the U.S. It is based on a 7% sampling of the 518,867 U.S. producing wells and shows that 92.7% of these wells are on artificial lift. Of these, 85% are being rod pumped, 11% gas lifted, 2% electric pumped, and 2% hydraulie pumped. However, if 383,000 stripper wells making 10 b/d or less are eliminated (all of which would be rod pumped), the breakdown on the remaining is: No.ofWels od pump oer ar Gas it Si9ee 53 Electie pump 73810 yoraute pump 70 10 Total 6146 t00% Gas lift dominates offshore and in the Gulf Coast, while electric pump utilization is growing rapidly in waterflood areas of the mid-continent. Fig. 9.1 shows artificial lift pumping systems appli- cations depending upon the volumes of oil and water being pumped. It is composed of actual well data col- lected from wells in the U.S. Bach point represents the volume of water and the corresponding volume of oil which is being produced by a given type of lift. When these two volumes are added, the result is the total fiuid (b/d) which is being produced on each well by each type of lift. The large groupings of like forms of lift illustrate that low volume wells are most likely on rod lift, intermediate volume wells see the greatest application of hydraulic lift, and high volume wellsPlanning for and Comparison of Artificial Lift Systems 569 TABLE 92 U.S. WELLS ON ARTIFICIAL LFT (YEAR 1977) Percent Average wel No.of Fasure Numborot “costo servicing wots % rallye. faluresiyt. repair Total cost. cost Subsurface odpumps «400974 852—=«CST_~—=«RHORTT~—«.07@$226657.000 60 ker rods ma ot eo sbmarste pumps are 20353907679 ——-26090,000 18 yore pumps 9470-20186 169972445 aN a.000 «40 Gast os 2144904837 71300 78 ota weiias 1000 Total US. Wels 510,007 Source: Petroleum Engineer, July, 1977 are largely the domain of submersible electric lift (gas lift was not included in this survey). Table 9.3 was prepared by Spears and Company from a survey conducted to determine running time and cause of failure of the various lift methods. The number of responses are not given and limits the value of such a survey. 93 FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF ARTIFICIAL LIFT EQUIPMENT 9.31 Introduction From the general discussion presented, there are [BARRELS OF WATER PER DAY BARRELS OF OIL PER DAY ROD xMYDRAULIC o SUBMERSIDLE Fig. 9.1. Ltt system applications by Aud mix. (Courtesy Robert B. ‘Speers and Co,) numerous factors that affect the selection of a particu- lar method of artificial lift. These factors are produc- ing characteristics, fluid properties, hole character- isties, reservoir characteristics, long range recovery plan,” surface facilities, location, available power sources, operating problems, completion type, automa- tion, operating personnel, service availability, and relative economies. 932 Producing characteristics Producing characteristics of the well requiring arti- ficial lift include inflow performance, liquid production rate, water cut, and gas-liquid ratio, 321. Inflow performance The ability of a well to produce fluids (inflow per- formance) isa critical factor in the selection of artificial lift equipment. The inflow ability of wells was dis- cussed in Chapter 1, Volume 1. The ability to produce fluids, at the present time—with or without stimula- tion—or at a future date, must be considered in the decision for the optimum method of lift. 9.322 Liquid production rate The total liquid production rate to be produced is the controlling factor in the selection of the method of lift. Extremely high rates require electrical sub- mersible pumping or continuous gas lift. For very low rates all other methods would be considered except continuous gas lift. Electrical submersibles are finding ‘more application in low production operations, but less than 200 b/d wells are normally not considered for electrical pumping unless at a very shallow depth. 9.323 Water cut The water cut directly influences the total produc- tion rate. For example, many wells must produce 2000 bid or more of water in order to obtain 100 b/d or less of oil. High water cut affects the inflow performance due to the relative permeability effect. Water also re- sults in additional pressure loss in the tubing due to greater density as compared to oil. High water cut reduces the total natural gas-liquid ratio. Therefore, high water cut dictates high volume artificial lift.