ACTIVITE EXPLORATION-PRODUCTION

DIVISION PED

DIRECTION GISEMENTS EST

DEPARTEMENT
POLE HASSI MESSAOUD

RESUME DE LA FORMATION
SUMMARY OF THE SIXTH TRAINING:

ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHODS

 REALISED BY  :

AOUANOUK Amine

June 2021

Contents

I. Definition of artificial lift :........................................................................................3

II. Artificial Lift Methods :.............................................................................................3

1-Gas Lift:................................................................................................................................3
2-Pump-assisted Lift:...............................................................................................................4
3-Reciprocating Rod Pump Systems:......................................................................................4
4-Progressive Cavity Pump:....................................................................................................5
5-Hydraulic Pump Systems.....................................................................................................5
6-Electrical Submersible Pumps..............................................................................................6
7-Plunger Lift:.........................................................................................................................6
III. Selecting Artificial Lift Method:................................................................................7

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 Artificial Lift Methods
In this topic , we learned about :

• Gaz lift and how is used to improve production performance.

• The major types of artificial lift methods.
• The basic considerations involved in selecting an artificial lift method.

I. Definition of artificial lift :

Artificial is a means of artificially reducing a well’s bottomhole pressure so that it can
produce at some improved rate.This is accomplished either by injecting gas into the
producing fluid column to reduce the density of the column and thus hydrostatic pressure
or by using a downhole pump ,plunger compressed gas slug to physically displace the
fluid to surface.
II. Artificial Lift Methods :
The major categories of artificial lift are gas lift and pump-assisted lift .

Gas Lift:

In a gas lift well, high pressure gas is injected down the well annulus, between the casing
and production tubing, and into the producing fluid column through one or more subsurface
valves set at predetermined depths .

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 This type was divided into two main types : Continuous gas lift and intermittent gas lift.

Advantages:

 It offers a flexible means of optimizing production.

 It can be used in deviated or crooked wellbores and high-temperature
environments.
 It is conducive to maximizing lift efficiency in high-GOR wells.
 Wireline-retrievable gas lift valves can be pulled and reinstalled without pulling
the tubing,making it easy and economical to modify the design .

Disadvantages:

 The availability of the gas

 The cost of compression and injection of the gas was too high.

Pump-assisted Lift:

The vast majority of wells (more than 85%) that utilize artificial lift technology use
pump assisted lift. Downhole pumps mechanically lift fluid to the surface and in turn
lower the backpressure on the formation, Pwf. These pumps fall into two basic
categories: positive displacement pumps and dynamic displacement pumps.

Reciprocating Rod Pump Systems:

Beam pumping is the most common and the most recognizable artificial lift method. It
can be used for a wide range of production rates and operating conditions, and rod

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 pump systems are relatively simple to operate and maintain. However, the volumetric
efficiency (capacity) of a rod pump is lower in wells with high gas-liquid ratios, small
tubing diameters, or deep producing intervals. Highly deviated wells also may incur
tubing wear problems due to the angle of decline. The surface equipment requires
more space than other lift methods, and the initial installation may involve relatively
high capital costs.

Progressive Cavity Pump:

A progressive cavity pump consists of a spiral rotor that turns eccentrically inside
an elastomer-lined stator.As the rotor turns ,cavities between the threads of the
pump rotor and stator move upward.The rotor is most often powered by rods
connected to a motor on the surface ,although some assemblies are driven by
subsurface electric motors.

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Hydraulic Pump Systems

It consists on injecting a power fluid –usually light oil or water –from the surface to operate
a downhole pump.Multiple wells can be produced using a single surface power fluid
installation

Electrical Submersible Pumps

An electric submersible pumping assembly consists of a downhole centrifugal pump driven

by a submersible electric motor,which is connected to a power source at the surface.

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Plunger Lift:

The plunger lift is the only artificial lift method that relies solely on the well’s
natural energy to lift fluids.The plunger ,sometimes called a ”rabbit” is automatically
dropped from the surface inside the production tubing after a reduction in pressure or
production rate due to fluid starting to accumulate in the bottom of the wellbore.Once
the plunger is dropped and reaches the bottom of the tubing ,it moves upward when
the pressure of gas bellow it is greater than the pressure of the liquid above it.

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 III. Selecting Artificial Lift Method:
The basic screening criteria used to select an artificial lift method

Design considerations and overall comparisons:

 Capital cost
 Reliability
 Downhole equipment
 Efficiency
 Flexibility
 Miscellaneous operating problems

Normal operating considerations:

 Casing size limits

 Depth limits
 Intake capabilities
 Noise level
 Testing
 Surveillance

Artificial lift considerations :

 Corrosive/scale handling ability

 Crooked /deviated holes
 Multiple completions
 Gas-handling ability
 Offshore application

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 Paraffin-handling capability

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