A New Intermittent Pumping Design for Fluid Shortage Wells

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Reservoir Engineering
• Production Optimization

Background:

• Low oil prices necessitate cost reduction and efficiency improvements in oil production.
• Wells with deficient fluid supply (20-30% of producing wells) are common, especially in older fields.
• Intermittent production is a viable strategy to manage low reservoir inflow and reduce operational costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize intermittent pumping schemes by determining ideal shut-in and operating periods.
• To develop a method for calculating optimal production cycles based on wellbore fluid level dynamics.
• To enhance system efficiency and reduce costs for wells with limited fluid supply.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing the dynamic changes in wellbore fluid level to determine optimal operating times.
• Analyzing electrical power curves and dynamometer cards to track fluid level drops.
• Employing well inflow performance data to establish optimal shut-in periods.

Main Results:

• The study successfully identified a method to obtain the optimal operation time from fluid level dynamics.
• The optimal shut-in period was determined using the well's inflow performance.
• The proposed method demonstrated practical applicability through a field case study.

Conclusions:

• Dynamic fluid level analysis is effective for optimizing intermittent oil production.
• This approach provides a data-driven method for setting operational and shut-in times.
• The findings offer a valuable strategy for improving the economic viability of marginal oil wells.