SPE 131758 ESP Performances for Gas-Lifted High Water Cut Wells

A. Suat Bagci, SPE, Murat Kece, SPE, and Jocsiris Nava, SPE, Eclipse Petroleum Technology Ltd.

Copyright 2010, Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Florence, Italy, 1922 September 2010. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract Electrical Submersible Pumping (ESP) and Gas lift (GL) are a part of the long term production sustainability solutions in the fields with increasing water cuts, and depleting reservoir energy. In order to increase the production from this type of fields and sustain the field target rates, production optimization and revisiting of the artificial lift selection proves to be the best cost effective solution. This paper summarizes the methodology used and the results of a review of artificial lift strategy in a brown field environment with severe gaslift constraints. Potential use of alternative artificial lift technologies in selected high water cut wells was justified. ESP were shown to provide particular advantages related to high water cut oil well applications and easy surveillance access in addition to operating flexibility for changing conditions. Present GL flow conditions were simulated to determine the operating envelope and the conditions at which GL flow ceases. GL vs. ESP performance comparisons were then carried out for each well over their lifecycle. The incremental revenue and cost impact of ESPs were demonstrated. For all design cases, ESPs can match or exceed the GL performance in this case for the present, middle and late life cases. Introduction The lift gas capacity is currently insufficient to optimize field production. Alternative lift use in high water cut parts of the fields may release more lift gas for utilization in prolific wells. This will help to improve the production and recovery from the gas-lifted wells. This study summarises the potential operating envelope of the suitable options, according to the selected well operating conditions, and determines the appropriate ESP design required to fulfill the field project objectives. The following methodology was applied for wells: Selected candidate wells were reviewed. PROSPER models were revised and calibrated by matching the calculated Inflow Performance (IPR) to data measured during production tests. Present GL flow conditions were simulated to determine the operating envelope and the conditions at which GL flow ceases. ESP designs were then carried out for the selected wells. GL vs. ESP performance comparisons were then carried out for each well to estimate the lifecycle operating conditions. GL and ESP performance comparisons were also carried out for late life of the wells based on low reservoir pressure with GOR = Rs, water cut values and design pressures.