Why do we need Artificial Lift?

Gordon Kappelhoff

1
Typical Oil Well – Two Parts
SURFACE PRESSURE PRODUCED FLOWRATE
At Wellhead

Part 1 – The Well

Part 2 – The Reservior

WELL OUTFLOW
RELATIONSHIP

Required Po to produce desired rate

Pwf P Pwf WELL INFLOW (IPR)

o
Reservoir Pressure- Pr
WELL FACE
PRESSURE

2
 Pwh P
Psep

3500

3000
Tubing Curve
Part 1 – The Well
Flowing bottomhole pressure, psi

Part 2 – The Reservior

2500

2000

P
1500

1000

500

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500
Production rate, STB/D

Q
P
Po Pwf PI Pr

3
 Pwh = ?

Po = ?

Depth

Pr = ?
Part 1 – The Well

Part 2 – The Reservior

Pressure

4
 Well Bore Fluid Calculations
As we can see from the formula’s the most relevant
parameter to well bore calculation is pressure. Therefore
we will spend some time looking at the basics of what
pressure is.

What is pressure?

What is Force?

5
 Well Bore Fluid Calculations
In english units:

Mass = lbm
Acceleration = gravity

In English Units lbm = lbf

This is not the case in metric units

6
 Well Bore Fluid Calculations

We have discussed force – what is pressure?

This is very important in not only understanding a well, but

designing artificial lift. Because as we have seen the well is
only concerned with pressure, not force.

7
 Well Bore Fluid Calculations

What exerts more force?

a. 1000 ft of water in 2 3/8” tubing

b. 1000 ft of water in 2 7/8” tubing

What exerts more pressure?

a. 1000 ft of water in 2 3/8” tubing

b. 1000 ft of water in 2 7/8” tubing

8
 Well Bore Fluid Calculations
As stated pressure is force over a specific area, or:

P=F/A

In english units when dealing with pressure normally the units

used are:

F = lbf
A = in2

Pressure = lbf/in2 (know as a psi)

9
 When dealing with fluid in a tube what is the standard
Pressure calculation?
P = Force/Area

Area = p x (ID of Tubing/2)2 = ID Area

Force = Mass x Acceleration

Mass = volume of fluid x density

Volume of Fluid = ID Area x H
Acceleration = gravity

Force = ID Area x H x density x gravity

P = (ID Area x H x density x gravity)/ ID Area = r x g x h

10
 P=rxgxh

For pure water the english units are as follows:

r = 62.3 lbm/ft3

As mentioned 1 lbm = 1lbf at standard gravity

So r x g for water = 62.3 lbf/ft3

Gradient pressure is pressure divided by height

Rearranging the formula P/h = r x g

So therefore the pressure gradient for water is 62.3 lbf/ft3

Does that look right?

11
 We know that P = psi = lbf / in2

We know that 1 ft = 12 in

Water Grad = 62.3 lbf/ft3

= 62.3 lbf x 1 ft x 1 ft
(ft3) 12 in 12 in

= 0.433 __lbf__
(in2 x ft)

= 0.433 psi/ft

Does that sound right?

12
 So for Pure Water

P(psi) = 0.433 x h(ft)

For all other fluids we use specific gravity = sg

Sg = density of a fluid / density of pure water

Therefore the standard in English is:

P(psi) = 0.433 x sg x h(ft)

13
 Specific Gravity
Often specific gravity comes in the form of API, to covert
the following is used:

sg = 141.5
131.5+API

When two liquids of different density make one fluid, the

Specific gravity is calculated as follows:

Sp. Gr. = ( fw   w ) ( fo   o )

14
Effect of Tubing Size on Outflow

Inflow
(IPR)
Pressure at Node

Outflow

2 3/8”
2 7/8” 3 1/2”
4 1/2”

Flowrate (stb/d)
 Formulas So far
Pressure due to fluid:
P(psi) = 0.433 x sg x h(ft)

API to sg:

sg = 141.5
131.5+API
Composite sg:
Sp. Gr. = ( f
  )

( f o   )
w w o

16
 Exercise 1a
Oil Density: 30 API
Water cut: 0%
Water Density: 1.026 sg
Pres: 3765 psig
P whead: 100 psia
PI: 10 stb/d/psi
Bo: 1.33 rb/stb
TVD: 9183 feet

Find Poutflow for the above conditions

(assume no friction)

17
 Exercise 1b
Oil Density: 30 API
Water cut: 30%
Water SG: 1.026 sg
Pres: 3765 psig
P whead: 100 psia
PI: 10 stb/d/psi
Bo: 1.33 rb/stb
TVD: 9183 feet

Find Poutflow for the new water cut

18
Well Performance Pressure gradient plots
Po (0%)Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure
Po (30%) Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure

Depth

Pwh Pressure Po Po
(0%) (30%)

19
 Well Productivity

For this course we are going to make the

assumption that fluid always flows from high
pressure toward low pressure.

Some of you may recognize that this is not exactly

true.

The exactly true expression is fluid always flows

from high potential toward low potential.

20
 Well Productivity

The difference between

"pressure" and "potential" is
the elevation (or height) and
the elevation potential can be 14.7 psi
calculated from the equation
 r * g * h.

We have already seen how 6"

pressure increases with the
depth in a column of fluid.
14.9 psi

21
 Inflow – Darcy‟s Experiments
The relationship between pressure and Flow rate was first
studied extensively by the scientist Henry Darcy (1803-
1858).
He created pressure differentials across a porous media and
measured the resulting flow rates that resulted from those
pressures.
His experiments resulted in what is now known as „Darcy‟s
Law‟ (1856) and are the benchmark for permeability. In fact,
the unit of permeability is called the „Darcy‟ (D).

Fluid Properties: Permeable Medium:

Area, Length, Permeability
Viscosity, Volume Factor

P1 P0
Direction of Flow

22
 Darcy‟s Law
For general flow through porous Media:

k * A *( P0  P1 )
Q
 *L
But we‟re working with oil reservoirs, not general
porous media…

23
 Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

Pr

Pr Q=?
Pwf
Fluid Flow Fluid Flow

Reservoir
Outer "drainage"
boundary Pr

24
 Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:
For the system just described, Darcy's Law looks
like:
-3
7.08 x 10 k o h ( Pr P wf )
qo 
re
 o Bo ln S
rw

qo = flow rate ko = effective permeability

h = effective feet of pay o = average viscosity
Pr = reservoir pressure Pwf = wellbore pressure
re = drainage radius rw = wellbore radius
Bo = formation volume factor

Note: (Pr - Pwf) is the drawdown pressure

25
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:
If we make the assumption that ko, h, re, rw, Bo and
o are constant for a particular well the equation
becomes:
k 1 k2 k 3 ( Pr P wf )
qo 
k6
k 4k5 ln k8
k7
Simplifying...

qo  K (Pr  Pwf )

26
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:
Pressure - PSI

Intercept = Pr

Slope = -1/K
Pwf

0
Q - Flow Rate (BPD)
0
27
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

The Productivity Index (PI) is equal to the flow

rate divided by the "drawdown":

qo  PI x (Pr  Pwf )

qo
PI 
(P  P )
r wf

28
Example
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

Consider the following example:

Pr = 2,300 psi, and

Pwf = 1,200 psi @ qo = 1,150 bpd

What is the Productivity Index (PI) of the well?

1150
PI  = 1.046 bbl/day/psi
(2300 - 1200)
29
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

What is the maximum flow rate the well will produce?

The maximum flow rate occurs at the maximum
drawdown (Pwf = 0).

qmax
PI  or qmax  Pr x PI
(P  0 )
r

qmax  2300 x 1.046 = 2406 BPD

30
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

The straight-line PI works great for single phase fluid

(i.e. water, oil, or water/oil*) flowing into a wellbore, but
what happens if gas comes "out of solution" in the
reservoir?

* Even though water and oil are two separate phases,

they are considered single phase since they are both
liquid.

31
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

What happens when the gas comes out of solution?

Darcy's law works just as well for a single phase gas
as it does for a single phase oil.

Let's look qualitatively at what will happen to the flow

rate of gas.
7.08 x 10-3 kg h Pr P wf
qg 
re
 g Bg ln 0.75
rw

32
Pressure drops as we
move toward the
wellbore
Pb
Gas will begin
to form here

Pr
Pr
33
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:
Graphically it would look like this:

Pressure - PSI
Pr < Pb

Pwf Darcy's law

predicted
Qmax
Actual
Qmax

0
Q - Flow Rate
0 (BPD)

34
Inflow Performance Relationship - IPR:

We use instead Vogel's IPR curve. The equation

is:
2
Q Pwf Pwf
= 1 - 0.2 - 0.8
Q(max) Pr Pr

where qo(max) is the maximum flow rate the well

can produce.

35
Inflow Performance Relationship - IPR:

Consider our previous example…

Pr = 2,300 psi
Pwf = 1,200 psi @ qo = 1,150 bpd

36
Inflow Performance Relationship - IPR:
First we need to calculate Q/Qmax:

2
Q Pwf Pwf
= 1 - 0.2 - 0.8
Q(max) Pr Pr
Q 1200 1200
2 =
= 1 - 0.2 - 0.8 0.678
Q(max) 2300 2300

1150-bpd
Then… Q(max) = = 1696 bpd
0.678

37
Inflow Performance Relationship - IPR:
Compare this to the Qmax we got from Darcy's equation of 2406
bpd. The well has lost 710 bpd (~-30%) in capability due to gas
interference.

Vogel vs. PI for given test point

2500

2000
Pwf (psi)

1500

1000

500

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
38 Q (bpd)
Combined IPR

We saw that we could use Darcy's law when gas was not a
problem (Pwf > Pb).

We also saw how to use Vogel's IPR for cases where Pwf <
Pb.

What about a case where Pr is above Pb and Pwf is less

than Pb?

39
Combined IPR

All we have to do in this case is

use Darcy's law for Pr > Pwf > Pb
and Vogel's IPR for the portion where Pb > Pwf > 0.

Let's say, for our problem, we have a Pb of 1800 psi.

Graphically it would look like:

40
Combined IPR:

Pr=2300 2500
We use a straight line PI above Pb
2000
Pb=1800
1500 We use VOGEL below Pb
Pressure - psi
1000

500 Qv = PI x Pb / 1.8
Qb Qv
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Qb = PI x (Pr-Pb) Flow Rate - BPD Qtot-max = Qb + Qv

Pwf =0 .125x Pb {-1+[81-80(q-qb)/(qtmx-qb)]^.5}

41
Composite Vogel IPR:

Vogel's relationship works reasonably well for water cuts

below 50%.

For higher water cuts, a method has been developed

which takes an arithmetic average of the PI and IPR
equations to yield a "composite IPR“.

For a given PWF, therefore, Composite predicts more

flow than Vogel but less flow than straight-line PI.

42
Composite and Combined IPR:
 Finally, we can consider both combined (straight-line plus curve) and
composite on the same IPR.
 Graphically it would look like this, where qt is the composite flow:

Pressure

Oil Composite
IPR IPR

Water PI

Flow Rate - BPD

qo(max) qt(max) qw(max)
43
 The “Skin” effect
(van Everdingen & Hurst)
Skin is a wellbore phenomenon, that causes an additional pressure drop in
the near-wellbore region:

q o 141.2 q o Bo
( p) skin  S S
2p ko h ko h
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:
Why is removing skin so important?

skin

45
 Effect of Skin on IPR

Inflow
Pressure at Node

(IPR) Outflow

SKIN
10 5 0 -1 -3

qo a 1/ ln re +S
rw
Flowrate Note : Log effect
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

In some cases, the PI can also be improved slightly by

acidizing or fracturing. Acidizing cleans up "skin" on
the perforations and can improve porosity in limestone
reservoirs by making larger holes for oil flow.

Before After

Skin Damage Acid

47
Darcy's Law for radial flow into a wellbore:

Fracturing can also improve permeability by making

large cracks near the wellbore.
Before After

48
Effect of Pressure Depletion on IPR
Reservoir with no pressure support

Decreasing reservoir pressure

Pressure at Node

Inflow
Outflow

Flowrate
Well Performance Pressure gradient plots
Po (0%)Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure = 3582 psi
Po (30%) Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure = 3761 psi

This is outflow
Depth
Now let’s include inflow

Pwh Pressure Po Po Pres

(0%) (30%)

50
 If the desired flow rate is 1000 BPD do
we need artificial lift?

Calculate Pwf at 1000 BPD

51
 Remember our Data - Exercise 1a
Oil Density: 30 API
Water cut: 0%
Water Density: 1.026 sg
Pres: 3765 psig
P whead: 100 psia
PI: 10 stb/d/psi
Bo: 1.33 rb/stb
TVD: 9183 feet

Find Pwf at a flow rate of 1000 BPD

(assume no friction)

52
Well Performance Pressure gradient plots
Po (0%)Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure = 3582 psi
Po (30%) Required for 100 psi
wellhead pressure = 3761 psi
Pwf available at 1000 BPD
Depth

Pwh Pressure Po Pwf Po Pres

(0%) (30%)

53
 Artificial Lift

HOW?

Introduce a pump to reduce Pwf

or

gas lift the well

Pressure

54
 Artificial Lift Options
ESP -Creates head (P) to lower Pwf

GAS LIFT -Reduces fluid column gradient to lower Pwf

PCP -Creates head (P) to lower Pwf

JET PUMP -provides pressure drop in venturi to lower Pwf

ROD PUMP -Intermittently sucks fluid from well bore lowering Pwf

ALL INCREASE DRAWDOWN TO PRODUCE FLOW

55
 Field Development
Cash Flow

Time Artificial
Lift

• Make good wells better

• Generate more revenue earlier in the life
of a project

56
END of MODULE One