Production Operations Engineering, Vol. IV of the new Petroleum Engineering Handbook, is designed to replace the production engineering chapters found in the 1987 edition of the Handbook . There have been significant changes in technology and operating practices in the past 20 years, and these new chapters will bring you up to date in the areas of design, equipment selection, and operation procedures for most oil and gas wells.

The 16 chapters in this volume are divided into three groups: well completions, formation damage and stimulation, and artificial lift. Related subjects may be found in the other volumes of the Handbook, and specific data on equipment can be found in the American Petroleum Institute (API) Specifications and Recommended Practices or the International Organization for Standards (ISO) documents. Many of these chapters are interrelated, and references are made to other chapters. For example, tubing movement is not covered in the chapter on tubing but in the chapter on completion design. In general, the necessary tables and figures are included to make the design, but specific manufacturer data may have to be obtained from the vendors. Computer programs for design are not included, but in most cases, example problems in design are covered.

The initial chapters are concerned primarily with well completions. Chapter 1 is “Inflow and Outflow Performance,” by M. Wiggins. The first step in design is predicting or measuring the production rate of the well. Thus, predicted flow rates from the reservoir (inflow) and flow to the surface storage tanks (outflow) are needed. The fundamentals of Darcy’s law and the correlations used for typical oil- and gas-well multiphase flow are covered. A system analysis is used that allows the petroleum engineer to both analyze production systems and design well completions. “Completion Systems,” by D. Ruddock, covers the common equipment used in most well completions and states that the packer forms the basis of the cased-hole completion design. Use of standard equipment purchased from the service companies is common practice, and such equipment is often covered by API and ISO standards. Good selection of this completion equipment is essential to a successful well completion. The next chapter is “Tubing Selection, Design, and Installation,” by J. Clegg and E. Klementich. Most oil and gas wells are completed with tubing, and the proper selection is necessary for long-time, trouble-free service. Shallow wells present few problems, but deep, high-pressure, and/or corrosive wells may present significant difficulties. Chapter 4 is “Perforating,” by G. King, which covers one of the fundamentals of well completions. Openhole completions are an option, but most operators use the technique of perforating through the casing to establish flow. Understanding and selecting the best types of perforating equipment and methods is mandatory for an efficient completion. The goal of this chapter is to describe methods of creating the best flow path for a particular completion. “Sand Control,” by W. Penberthy, covers the various approaches and concentrates on gravel packs. One of the more difficult problems is completing a well that tends to produce sand without significant skin damage, initially and over time.

The next four chapters discuss formation damage problems. Chapter 6 , by M. Sharma, is entitled “Formation Damage” and covers problems in drilling, completing, and producing that result in skin damage and reduced production rates. “Matrix Acidizing,” by H. McLeod, discusses the various treatments that are commonly used to enhance the formation, mostly by removing plugging material and avoiding further damage. S.A. Holditch reviews “Hydraulic Fracturing,” which enhances the well’s ability to flow and may bypass any wellbore formation damage. Chapter 9 , “Well Production Problems,” by R. Jasinski, concerns scale, asphaltenes, and paraffin that are common in many areas and result in reduced production and increased operating costs.

There are seven chapters that deal with artificial lift—a major concern for production engineers. Chapter 10 is “Artificial Lift Systems,” by J. Lea, and it presents the common methods used to produce wells when they will no longer flow. The proper selection of the artificial lift method is essential to producing the well economically over its life. The next chapter is “Sucker-Rod Lift,” by N. Hein, and it offers a practical approach to designing, selecting, installing, and operating the most commonly used method of artificial lift, rod pumping. In “Gas Lift,” J. Blann and H. Winkler discuss in detail both continuous and intermittent gas lift. “Electrical Submersible Pumps,” by J. Bearden, reviews the use of these pumps from inception to the present and provides the reader with a general understanding of the ESP artificial lift method. The next chapter, “Hydraulic Pumping in Oil Wells,” by J. Fretwell, is a discussion of where power fluid is used to operate downhole hydraulic or jet pumps. Chapter 15 , “Progressing Cavity Pumping Systems,” by C. Matthews et al., addresses the equipment, design, application, and systems of screw pumps, a now widely used method of artificial lift. Chapter 16 , “Plunger Lift,” by S. Listiak and D. Phillips, discusses how to use the well’s energy to produce oil and gas with a free piston to enhance flow.

I thank all the authors for their time and effort in producing this volume, which should provide excellent guidance to all involved in completing and producing wells. Additional thanks to the Editor-in-Chief, Larry Lake, and to the SPE personnel involved in this work.