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Intelligent ESP
Pumping Systems
Pay Off
Dick Ghiselin, Hart's E&P,
developed an interesting article summarizing the current
generation of intelligent pumping systems for electrical
submersible pumps (ESPs). Most systems have the capability to
piggyback telemetry and control signals on the power cable
itself. With a single cable serving double duty as power and
telemetry/control line, environmental feed-throughs at the
wellhead and pump are not affected. Sensors can be installed
that measure most anything. Technology providers have
developed data management, display and analytical routines to
realize the value from the data collected. Wells with
commonalities can be grouped when it makes sense, and reports
can be generated to compare results against design criteria
for a single well or group of wells.
Benefits include: protecting
pumps that occasionally pump off through automatic shutoffs
(and automatic restarts), providing automatic alarms and
exception reports to focus field resources, detecting changing
reservoir conditions, and sensing wear and predicting failure
so service can be scheduled rather than reactive.
Decreasing time between failure
is an obvious driving force, but probably equally as valuable
is avoiding an ESP pumping sub-optimally for years.
Excerpted from "Pumps Pay
Off," Hart's E&P, March 2005 viewable online at
www.eandpnet.com
/ep/previous/0305/0305
coverstory.htm.
New Higher Performance Sucker Rod Connection
Permian Rod Operations, Odessa,
Texas, has developed a new high performance sucker rod
connection, PRO/KCTM. It consists of two pins, one
coupling, and one coupling center torque button. This
connection can be applied to all new or inspected used rod
strings, API or non-API sizes.
Couplings are machined to
achieve an end-face width as large as possible for maximum pin
shoulder contact area. Pins are machined so that all pin ends
have exactly the same dimension from the shoulder to the pin
end and the shoulder and pin nose are exactly true relative to
each other. Pin ends also receive wet fluorescent magnetic
particle inspection and are shot-peened to improve
micro-finish and enhance fatigue resistance.
The torque buttons are locked
into place so the connections always break on the same side
during work over. Pre-load is confirmed by
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measuring actual pin stretch
with a dial indicator; this provides a connection with
equal contact pressure on both pin shoulders, equal pre-load
stretch of both pin necks and equal contact pressure of
both pin noses against the center torque button, creating a
pre-load stretch at the coupling center.
In tension and torque tests,
the connection outperformed standard API connections by 250%
in tension and torque tests. In fatigue testing, the
connection lasted an average of 6 times more cycles than API
connections under the same cyclic load conditions. In a 3,900
ft progressive cavity-pumped well in eastern New Mexico with
conventional rod connections, 15 failures with multiple rod
string failures had been experienced in a 38-month period when
conventional connections were used. With the new connection,
there were five failure events observed in a 13 ½-month
period, but the failures were not related to the rod
connection.
For further information,
visit Permian Rod Corporation's website
www.permianrod.com.
First Ever Rotary-Steered, Casing-Drilled Well
ConocoPhillips, Tesco Corp and
Schlumberger Ltd. successfully drilled the first ever
rotary-steered, casing drilled well in the Lobo Field in South
Texas. ConocoPhillips has been drilling vertically with casing
there since July 2001, having now casing drilled some 100
wells. Of these, only 10% have been in the directional mode
and those without rotary steering. Beyond reducing flat time
by eliminating trips, casing drilling (in the Lobo
environment) reduces trouble time—there is less lost
circulation and pipe sticking. ConocoPhillips has reduced
trouble costs from $92,000/well to about $26,000/well over the
last two years.
Part of the incentive for
"proving" the concept is taking casing drilling offshore.
Proving the concept in an onshore well whose trajectory made
moves typical of offshore wells offered advantages. In this
well a 5,500-ft interval was drilled using 7-in casing and
Schlumbergers 4 ¾-in PowerDrive rotary steerable system. The
directional profile included a build to 30º of inclination and
a drop back to 6º while making an azimuth change of 145º
simultaneously. Using a rotary-steerable assembly during
casing drilling means adding a mud motor and
measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tool. The MWD tool was placed
below the mud motor.
Excerpted from "ConocoPhillips
Achieves Industry First With Rotary-Steered Casing Drilling,"
Oil and Gas Journal, Jan. 10, 2005, and "Ready For The
Offshore Reckoning," Offshore Engineer, December 2004.
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Devon Donates $2.3 Million to Oklahoma State
University
Devon Energy recently donated
$2.3 million to Oklahoma State University to build an advanced
3-D visualization laboratory and to fund scholarships and
fellowships. The 3,300-square-foot Devon Energy Geology
Laboratory will facilitate interaction between student
recipients and Devon geoscientists working on real-world field
projects. Completion of the lab is expected by fall 2005.
The laboratory will include an
advanced graphic station, screens, projectors and Ethernet
links enabling the use of cutting-edge technology with
high-speed Internet access. In addition, two-way communication
between the laboratory and Devon research teams will enhance
interaction. In addition, the Devon Energy Scholars Program
will fund graduate geology fellowships and undergraduate
scholarships for geology and engineering students.
View full press release
online
www
2.okstate.edu/pio/devon_energy.
html.
Texas RRC Approves ASR's Hydro-Impact
Technology as Enhanced Recovery Technique
Following a review of field
performance in Oxy's Elk Hills, the Texas Railroad Commission
recently approved an application to treat Applied Seismic
Research's (ASR) Hydro-Impact Technology (HIT) as an enhanced
recovery technique, granting it tax abatement advantages.
ASR's HIT tool uses seismic
wave stimulation technology to shake loose trapped oil. It
produces shockwaves with a power ranging from 2 to 10 million
watts and a pressure at the wave front in excess of 3,000 psi.
The shockwaves are claimed to cover distances of more than a
mile. ASR's rental agreement for the U.S. market calls for an
up-front payment of $30,000, and $6,500 per month thereafter.
Oxy Elk Hills has been using
seismic waves for stimulation since October 2003. Oil
production was declining and was at 1,800 bopd before the
seismic pilot. After the seismic activity, oil production
increased to more than 2,200 bopd. Oxy Permian estimates that
in 24 months an additional 124,000 barrels of oil will be
produced, based on a 5% increase in oil cut/oil production.
ASR's modeling shows recovery could be considerably higher.
For more information, see
ASR's full press release
http://sev.prnewswire.
com/oil-energy/20041215/DAW
02415122004-1.html
or contact Bill Wooden (ph 972-381-4236).
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Tech
Transfer Track