Artificial Lift Rigless Opportunity to Re-Activate the Inactive Wells Inventory an a Middle East Mega-Field After a Successful Pilot of a Best Practices and New Technology With Jet Pump

Abstract

A Gulf oil operation company has been working to evaluate a rigless method of Artificial Lift System (ALS) suitable for its current assets and any future needs on ALS to minimize the impact of deferred production, and having the flexibility to bringing back the inactive string to production and act as a sustained production lift method. This paper describes a comprehensive study of the main objectives for a rigless Artificial Lift trial. The Rigless Jet Pump system was selected as one of the ALS fast implementation methods to activate the inactive wells. The trial was conducted in two inactive wells; across two different mega-fields, enabling both wells to produce stably and continuously with an average production rate of 650 BOPD. A thorough assessment was performed and the Rigless Jet Pump System was declared as a successful pilot providing confidence to scale up across all the company fields. The scale-up plans it will include 10 systems that can be rotated and applied where needed across all company fields. The trial implementation of the Rigless Jet Pump was evaluated based on supply and the connectivity in the field. This includes equipment mobilization (from the call-out time), availability of the field resources, the installation job, and up to the Surface Equipment connectivity plan. The evaluation also closely monitored the subsequence rig-up procedure and rigless deployment of the downhole equipment which was designed for installation straddled across an existing gas lift side pocket mandrel. Once surface and subsurface installation was completed, the wells were put on production to reactivate the inactive strings. Both wells were tested to confirm the achievement of a minimum of 80% of the designed production rates. The performance of the rigless activation of inactive wells using a jet pump has been proven successful. Both wells showed promising results while jet pump operation confirming a profitable alternative to accelerate production across fields toward achieving production mandates. The performance of the system delivered the Efficiency and Safety (HSE & Integrity) expected as part of the project KPI's. This novel practice for the Jet Pump System is linked to the rigless deployment and retrieval mechanism with topside equipment skid mounted for easy movement to other wells. This gives to the oil field operators an alternative and competitive edge over other modes of lift that required a workover program. The rigless method can be adapted to the existing in-active wells with SPM (side Pocket Mandrels) or without; by a tubing punch after a comprehensive integrity evaluation.