ESP Cable Deployment has Induced a New Paradigm in UAE to Turn the ESP Business into Rigless Operation, Presenting a Cost Efficient and Faster Application

Abstract

The implementation of the first pilot of the fully rigless ESP deployment in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), has successfully overcome the challenges of well availability and maintainability when using artificial lift systems. The application achieved the production potential of a standard ESP and completely replaced the requirement for a rig during its deployment. This enhanced ESP deployment is shifting the paradigm associated with ESP and rig intervention and is establishing new opportunities for the artificial lift industry. Cable deployment ESP is the only full rig-less technique allowing to complete the deployment in smaller tubing size (2 7/8" and 3 ½") compared to other kind of ESP semi-rigless deployment as coiled tubing and slickline, which are normally limited to a 4.5" production tubing and initial rig interventions. The time and resources required for rig intervention were significantly reduced. This resulted in reducing HSE risks, reducing the and the carbon footprint by more than 50%, compared to standard rig-based ESP operations. With the aim of reducing the number of inactive wells and maximizing return on investment, while also reducing the work-over cost of oil ESP wells, the cable deployment rigless ESP was introduced to eliminate the rig costs associated with the ESP work-over costs - which represent 75-85% of total costs for an onshore ESP completion. Additionally, this approach reduced the failed ESP recovery time from 200 days (mainly waiting to allocate slot in DWS (Drilling and Workover Schedule) to 30 days, which decreased deferred production by 85%. Furthermore, this technology has proved to be an efficient tool to reduce inactive wells percentage, as it can be used as a temporary solution for gas lift wells waiting on availability of surface facilities, which typically could take five years. The payback of rig-less ESP is 15 days, versus payback of 38.6 days for a rig-based solution, it also avoids an average production deferment of 275K oil barrel per well/year and drastically decreases the number of inactive wells, supporting operations teams to sustain production quotas. Based on the trial results, the cable deployed rigless ESP has created business value through the following: Successfully re-activate production in less than 1.5 days.Proven success of rig-less application (installing and pulling activities).Production delivered after 2 hours of deployment (as per ESP design/model).Reduction footprint by 60% (compared rig-based ESP)Stable operation conditions observed and achieved proposed runlife of 360 days compliant with HSE 100%.