Chapter 1: Inflow and Outflow Performance

Understanding the principles of fluid flow through the production system is important in estimating the performance of individual wells and optimizing well and reservoir productivity. In the most general sense, the production system is the system that transports reservoir fluids from the subsurface reservoir to the surface, processes and treats the fluids, and prepares the fluids for storage and transfer to a purchaser. Fig. 1.1 depicts the production system for a single well system. The basic elements of the production system include the reservoir; wellbore; tubular goods and associated equipment; surface wellhead, flowlines, and processing equipment; and artificial lift equipment.