Abstract
Accelerated production, increased ultimate recovery, and reduced interventions are goals of any operating company. It is now possible to attain all of these goals simultaneously by retrofitting intelligent well technology to an existing, conventional completion. This task is much more complex when the new technology must be installed in conjunction with artificial lift, such as an electric submersible pump (ESP). However, new technology and procedures have overcome this complexity and offer a viable option for optimizing production in existing completions that use artificial lift.
Commingled or selective production from two or more zones is an ideal method of accelerating production from a single well. Traditional designs require interventions into the well to select the intervals to be produced. In most ESP wells, commingling is achieved by using "Y" blocks which allow production tubing to be run from the tubing hanger to the zones of interest. The ESP must then be downsized to accommodate this side-string, which significantly reduces available pump horsepower. This paper focuses on single-ESP wells producing from multiple pay zones. Various application patterns for use of intelligent well technology beneath ESPs are presented, especially focusing on immediate and future benefits. Theoretical examples are presented to illustrate how intelligent completions can enhance the ESP performance, add flexibility, and extend the range of application for a given pump.
