Artificial Lift Methods Overall Comparison

Artificial Lift Methods Overall Comparison
Rod Pumping

ESP

Jet Pump

18% of total population.

Low to moderate. Cost increase with depth and
larger surface units.

High for power generation and cabling. Relatively
low capital cost if electric power available. Costs
increase as horsepower increase.

Relatively low to moderate. Cost increases with
higher horsepower. Wellheadequipment has low
profile. Requires surface treating and high
pressure pumping equipment.
Low for shallow to modium depth (1500 psi.

Excellent: can be easily analyzed. ?Improved
analysis by use of dynamometers and computers.

Fair, electrical checks but special equipment
needed otherwise.

Good/fair, down hole performance can be
analyzed from surface power fluid rate and
pressure, SPMand producing rate. Pressure
record can be run and retrived on free pump.
Downhole ESP equipment restricts access. A
Good. If set in a sliding sleeve, the jet pump can
logging bypass can be installed but this complicates be retrieved by wireline allowing access to
the equipment and downsizes the ESP. Remedial
reservoir.
work requires a full workover. Coil tubing deployed
ESP can solve somereservoir access problems,
but pulling the ESP would be required.

Good/excellent, can be analyzed easily. BHP and
production log survyes easily obtained.
Optimization and computer control being
attempted.
Gas lift results in simple completions that allow
ready access to the reservoir for surveillance and
remedial work.

Recommended for single or more. Cost of power
equipment will bereduced and rationalised as the
number of wells completed increases.
Change out of total completion required for ESP
failure. Average run life approximately two years.
Remedial work will require completion to be
removed.
Well suited to vertical wells Good for deviated,
requires long raduis wellbore bends to get through.

Single wells are the most common. Multiple wells
operating from onesingle surface hydraulic
package greatly reduces lift cost.
A free jet pump can be circulated to the surface
without pulling the tubing or it can be retrieved by
wireline.

As the number of wells increases the cost of the
compression facilities becomes more economic
on a well by well basis.
For gas lift valve changeouts slick line
intervention >5 years.For remedial work as
required withthe ability to perform through tubing
workovers.
Excellent, for vertical or deviated. Few wireline
problems up to 70 degree deviation for wireline
retrievable valves.

A complicated system is required. Larger casing
require. Possible run & pull problems.

Not recommended.

Number of welis Recommended for single or more.
Well intervention Workover or pulling rig. Run time efficiency isStart up

Gas Lift

Fair if little free gas (I,e 350 psi to 5000 ft with low GLR.
pressure). Poor if pump must handle above 5% free
gas.

surveillance log.

Duals
completion

Jet Pump

Full workover could be required every two years
(industry average), hence safety risk is higher than
gas lift. Electrical fire risk is increased.

Reservoir access No reservoir access. Cnnotrun any type of

Well inclination

ESP

Workovers to change out rod string could be
required every 1-1/2 year. If it is highly deviated
well, frequent workovers could be required to fix
broken rod string. As frequent as once every 6-8
months.
Excellent: 70^). Not recommended for
horizontal well.
Not recommended.

Once power is available to the facility, rod pump
system will be ableto be run.

More risk of injection and production lines rupture. Safety risk is low. More risk of blow out and gas
fire with hifh-pressure gas lines required.

Excellent, for vertical or deviated completion.

Historically wells are successfully completed as
multi-string with gas lift. The optimum is apply
continuous system in one side and intermittent
system in other side.
Once power...