Downhole Permanent Monitoring Tackles Problematic Electrical Submersible Pumping Wells

Abstract

Permanent monitoring of downhole equipment and production in artificial lift wells is an excellent method of diagnosing conditions and determining the appropriate approach to avoid loss of production or of the well.Belayim Petroleum Company in Egypt (Petrobel) has used permanent monitoring sensors since 1994. The systematic data are used by the reservoir and production engineering staff to tackle problems such as high failure rate, sand fill-up, scale, ESP wear, and electric failures.Petrobel currently has twenty downhole gauges, and 8 other systems are waiting associated accessories before installation. Each permanent gauge sends nine measurements per minute to the surface in real time yielding an incredible volume of information.Downhole gauges supply accurate information about the reservoir, downhole, and the pumping system. This knowledge, in turn, is used to increase the run life of the artificial lift system through optimization of the reservoir pressure and artificial lift system performance.This paper demonstrates the long-term benefits of using subsurface permanent gauges to complement artificial lift equipment and provide real-time data to optimize well and/or field production. Case studies illustrate both offshore and onshore problems. Examples are given of wells that have been converted into successful artificial lift completions through proper interpretation of the gauge measurements and use of the information to optimize production. This paper brings data interpretation to a new level of prediction, which enhances economics and minimizes risk in production operations, especially offshore.