This paper presents a new production method in which the reservoir energy spent to lift the production from perforation-depth to the dynamic liquid level is replaced by surface energy, and consequently the well daily rate and cumulative production is increased by 200 – 250 %. The method can be used in any well at any time.

The paper is based on the analysis of how the reservoir energy generated by the expansion of the reservoir fluids is used to produce the well:

PROFITABLE USAGE: Moves the production through the pay zone into the well bore

  • WASTEFUL USAGE: Sends the reservoir energy to:

    1. Overcome the liquid friction along the production flow path.

    2. Lift the production from perforation-depth to the dynamic liquid level.

Present production practice recognizes and reduces only the reservoir energy wasted to overcome the liquid friction through the pay zone by using better and cleaner perforations, acidizing, fracturing, and other techniques. When less reservoir energy is used to overcome the frictions through the pay zone, the well performance, in both rate and cumulative production, is increased.

To date all artificial lifting methods are spending surface energy only to lift the production from the dynamic liquid level to the surface. However, the energy needed to lift the production from perforation-depth to the dynamic liquid level, the largest waste of reservoir energy, is now overlooked and has not been recognized as the most important way to significantly increase well performance. The proposed new production method substitutes the reservoir energy by surface energy in order to lift the production from perforation-depth to the dynamic liquid level. Accordingly the well performance in day rate and cumulative production is increased by 200 – 250 % compared to the actual well performance.

The quickest and easiest way to produce the well according to the new production method, is to run a subsurface compensated plunger pump assembled from the API Spec- 11AX parts, and work with the same beam pump. A subsurface compensated pump, is a liquid lifting device, which can not be drawn by the well pressure .

Keywords:
plunger, perforation, production monitoring, reservoir surveillance, drillstem testing, pay zone, static pressure, new production method, reservoir static pressure, upstream oil & gas
Subjects:
Artificial Lift Systems, Well & Reservoir Surveillance and Monitoring, Formation Evaluation & Management, Beam and related pumping techniques, Drillstem/well testing
Copyright 2001, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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