Abstract
Tight oil and gas fields suffer from poor permeability and in most cases fragmentation of reservoir. As the reservoir pressure drops and water-cut increases, production from these fields becomes even more restricted. There are a number of techniques under IOR and EOR to maintain production and increase total recovery from these fields. These techniques involve major capital investments and involve some risks on the extent of benefits gained.
The use of surface jet pumps (SJPs) is a simple and cost effective way to maintain or boost production from many low pressure (LP) wells. This paper describes the key features of the SJP systems and their wide range of applications. A number of field examples, worldwide, are presented and in each case the benefits are highlighted. Payback period for the SJPs is short, a matter of a few weeks to a few months from the added revenue.
SJPs can operate cost effectively in conjunction with IOR and EOR techniques and artificial lift solutions in both oil and gas production applications. The use of SJPs is the simplest and least costly solution to maintain production and to extend the life of many wells. They are particularly beneficial for stranded satellite wells where other solutions are not cost effective because of their complexity, or the need for electric power, or continuous manning of the station. They offer other benefits such as de-bottlenecking compressors, eliminating intermediate compressors and prevention of flaring LP gas.