,

SPE

SocietqOf RtrcrkwrtEn@erm

SPE 14866
ARTIFICIAL LIH TECHNIQUES IN CHINA
by Wan Renfu
Development Department of Petroleum Industry Minsitry
by Chen Xiankan
North China Petroleum Administration

Copyright 19SS, society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper wse presenwd at the SPE 1986 International Meeting on Petroleum Engmeermg held in Betjing, China March 17-20, 1986. The material IS
subjectto correctionby the author. Permissionto copy ISrestricted10an abstract of not more than 300 words, Write SPE, P.O. Box 833636. Richardson.
Texaa 750S3-3S3S. Telex: 730+)89 SPE DAL.

160 oil fields have been put into development in Daqing,

Shengli and other oil regions in China. The reservoir rocks of these
oil fields are mainly continental sedimentation in origin characterized by multiple productive reservoirs and multiple-layers,
with great difference in permeability between reservoirs and
relatively insufficient natural energy supply. Reservoirs of this kind
generaiiy have a short period of fiowing production, quick depietion
of pressure and iow primary recovery by means of naturai energy. To
improve the effect of oiifieid development, water fiooding from an
initiai stage of development for pressure maintenance and flowing
weil production has been adopted in most of oiifields, Such a
system ensures that the annuai crude output of China reaches one
hundred miiiion tonnes and over. However, the water cut of weiis
rises continuously and the capacity of fiowing well production
decreases graduaiiy in the course of oiifieid development, Since
1960, we have converted most of the flowing wells into the artificial
iifting weils and at the same time iarge capacity pumps, hydraulic
pumps and electric submersible pumps are graduaiiy used to
repiace the conventional downhoie pumps for production. Through
fieid practice in recent years, ih? development resuit has been
further improved so that crude output of our country not oniy
remains stabie but aiso increases graduaiiy year by year.
1, WHY iS Artificial
LiFTiNG USED TO REPLACE FLOWING
PRODUCTION?
(1) Effect of a Continuous Rise of Water Cut in Crude Output
A continuous rise of water cut, an increase in
borehoie fiuid gradient, a rise of flowing press!ure causes
a decrease ot production pressure differential, resuiting in
a deciine of the crude output. For example, in 1%3(I,there
were 3672 fiowing weiis in Daqing Oiifieid with an overaii
water cut of 600/e. The chokes of producing wells had
been eniarged continuously but the producing pressure
differential did not increase strikingly. Generaiiy a rise in
the producing pressure differential of 0.4 atm wiii occur
for each water cut increase of 10/., Aithough the water
flooding has been strengthened to restore the reservoir
pressure, it couid not match with the rising speed of
fiowing pressure. So, the producing pressure differential
might not be increased and even further decreased in
some cases.
There are tvvo ways to increase the producing
pressure differential at the water cut production stage.
One way is to restore or increase the reservoir pressure
and the other is to reduce the fiowing pressure. The
change of the mode of production from flowing to artificial

2.

601

lift is, in fact, to take the second way, i.e., water injection
for pressure maintenance at a given level to ensure a
sufficient supply of the fluid to the wells, while the flowing
bottom hole pressure is greatly reduced by means of
artificial lift techniques so that the aim of increasing the
producing pressure differential to maintain a steady crude
output is achieved.
(2) inter-iayer interference Affects the Active Reserves in
Different Zones
The technique of muitipie zone injection in a singie
weii has been wideiy used in many oilfieids in our country,
As the permeability differs in various zones, their water
intake capacity differs gre-tiy. The high permeability
strata, especially those with large pore.channeis, can take
a iarge amount of water, so that the reservoir pressure is
quickly restored and the water cut in production aiso
quickiy increased in their producing weiis. However, for
the iow permeability zones the effect of water injection is
contrary. Characterized by iow water intake abiiity and the
low reservoir pressure in a singie oil weli, generaiiy the
highly permeabie zones are highly water. bearing like the
high pressure ones, with the fiowing pressure generaiiy
higher than the reservoir pressure of the iow permeabie
zones. These high pressure zones cause interference in
the normai production of the iow pressure ones so that
reserves in some of the low permeabie stratum cant be
fully utilized. Under these conditions, the oniy way is to
convert a fiowing well to an artificial iift one, to draw down
the flowing fluid Ievei, to reduced the bottom hole fiowing
pressure in order to decrease the inter. iayer interference,
resuiting in a simultaneous production of both the iow and
highly permeabie zones,
Although the above two probiems are different in
nature, the solution is the same, that is, to reduce the
flowing
pressure, increase the producing pressure
differential, and raise the rate of fiuid output to achieve
the aim of steady crude output.
APPLICATION OF Artificial
LiFT IN RECENT YEARS
At the end of 1960s the artificial lift producers amounted
for 57.3/0 of the totai welis in the whoie country but the output
amounted to oniy 27.050/0of the totai. Among the artificial iift
producers, the rod pumping weils amounted to 99,4/0 and the
others (0.6/0) were the hydrauiic pumping weiis and the
eiectric submersible pumping weils, More weiis have been
produced by artificial iifting in iast five years. in addition to the

ARTIFICIAL

LIFT TECHNIQUESIN CHINA

increase of such rod pumping wells, there has been a

significant increase in the hydraulically pumped and electric
submersible pumped wells. Up to June, 1985. the artificial lift
producers amounted to 75.5o of the total wells, and the
output, 630. Among the articificial lift producers, the rod
pumped wells amounted to 90.31 G, the electric submersible
pumped wells, 5.6/0: the hydraulic pumped wells. 4.090+; There
were a small number of gas lift producers also. In 1980, the
total fluid output was 618.8 million tonnes. It is estimated that
by 1985. the fluid output would be increased to 2.4 hundred
million tonnes (Figs. 1 & 2). Although the overall water cut
totalled from all oil fields will exceed 600 m the whole country,
the annual crude output will be kept at a level of 100 million
tonnes and higher. and at the same time the results of oilfield
development will dSO be improved accordingly. The results of
the application of the articificial lift for production in several
oil fields is described below:
(1)

Application of the electric submersible pumps in Daqing

oilfield extensively to ensure the stable peak production
of this oil filed
Daqing is the largest oilfield in our country. Its annual
crude output amounts to nearly one half of the total crude
oil produced in the whole country. The reservoirs rocks of
Daqing Oilfield are sandstones. There are two oil
reservoirs. consisting of tens of producing Iayere (sand
bodies). These reservoirs and sandbodies are fairly
and interlayer
and both
in-layer
heterogeneous
permeabilities vary greatly, generally in a range of 300 to
2500 m D. The edge water is inactive with a limited amount
of elastic energy supoliec! to the production of the
reservoir. The S$GC;;ICgravit!. of stock tank crude varies
from 0.86 to 0.68. Daqirig Oilfield has been put into
development since 1960. Artificial water flooding at the
early stage of development for pressure maintenance and
production
techniques
were
the separate-layer
emDloyed so that the flowing production had been
maintained under high reservoir pressure and the output
has risen continuously. Since 1976, the annual crude
output reached fifty million tonnes, which has been
maintained for ten yeara without interruption. Daqing
Oilfield, throught this complete suit of technology, has
resulted in a great deal of experience for the development
of the continental sedimentary reservoirs in our country
and played a very important role in the growth and
maintenance of our crude output. In a water flooding
oilfield, water breakthrough is inevitable, and at the same
time most reserves will be produced at the medium to high
water cut stages. In 1960, the overall water cut of Daqing
Oitfield reached 60/0. The output declined due to a rise in
water cut, and an increase in flowing pressure so that the
producing pressure differential in oil wells was reduced.
At this time, if the flowing production technique is used
again to maintain the stable peak output, economic
benefit will be poor. Moreover, it is ir .ossibli; !c >chieve
this objective due to some techl II*- limitations.
According to this situation, the oil well production has
been changed gradually from flowing to artificial lifting in
Daqing eince 1961.
What are the pump types preferred in this production
mode conversion? The depth of oil reservoirs lies between
1000-l&
meters. The viscosity of crude is moderate and
the fluid output is high. In Particular, after development
through water flooding for 20 years, oil reservoirs have
sufficient ability to supply fluid to the producing wells. All
the above conditions are most suitable fOr the use of the
electric submersible pumps, because this pump is most
suitable with medium to low lift and.the medium to low

SPE 14S66

viscosity liquid, A more important feature ie that they can

be used in small casings with a relatively larger capacity.
Therefore,
Daqing
Oilfield
selected
the
electric
sumbmersibte pumps as an artificial lift technique.
Since 1981, application of the electric submersible
pumps has been gradually expanded. They were run in 71
wells in 1981 and 58 wells in 1982 and31 wells in 1983. On
this basis, they were extensively used and 251 wells were
run in 1964. It is estimated that 470-500 wells will be
installed in 1985 and that by the end of 1965 a total of
881-911 wells will be installed, which amounts to ?8.2/0of
the total of the artificial lifting producers and the crude
output will amount for more thert 50V0 of production by
the artificial lifting wells. As the electrical submersible
pumps are widely used in Daqing, not only has the fluid
output increased but the crude output has increased alSO.
Up to July, 1985, the cumulative additional
crude
produced was 4.8 million tonnee and averaged 30 tonnes
per well per day. A more important feature is that when the
flowing pressure was reduced and the producing preseure
differential increased, more reserves have been put on
production with the application of electric submersible
pumps, For inetance, after the electric submersible pump
was run in well 13ei 4-8-D%6, the oil production profile
improved, and more layers were put on production (Fig. 3).
Another example is an injection well. When the sand
bodies SII 112-3 in Bei 43 67 are produced by an
electric sumbersible pump. the injection profile in a
corresponding injection well is improved. By comparison
between the injectivity curves of the intake wells before
and after running of the electric submersible pump in zone
Sha 113- IIZ+3of well Rubei 49 67, it can be clearly
observed that the water intake had been increased under
the same injection pressure (Fig. 4). After the pump is run
in a well, the reservoir pressure is maintained at a certain
level as required. It is mainly to provide a sufficient supply
of the fluid to the producer to ensure an increase in crude
output with an increase in fluid output and it is not
necessary to reetore the higher reservoir pressure.
(2) The development results of Xing Shu Gang No, 1 region,
Daqing Oilfield has been improved and all the flowing
wells have been converted to pumping wells.
This covers an area of 7.8 square Km., with an oil in
place of 17.81 million tonnes. There are two resewoirs in
this region at depths ranging from 820 meters to 1200
meters. The main reservoir consists of four layers on an
average, with an effective thickness of 2.1 meters, an
air permeability of 1386 mD and an effective porosity of
28.5& For the other reservoirs, there are 37 layers with an
effective thickness of 0.31 meter and an air permeability of
197 mD on an average. There are 37 oil producers and 20
injection wells in this region. The average initial resewoir
pressure was 119.7 atm. In this region, at very beginning,
wells flowed under the action of water injection. When the
water cut in production reached 600/o, the well head
injection pressure rose to 150 atm., which exceeds the
formation fracturing pressure. The reservoir pressure wae
generally 10 atm higher than its initial value. So it is
wervoir pressure further.
impossible to increasr
IUSlayers could not be
Moreover, as the prt
~nce between layers
restored evenly, SF
Je was observed at the
occurred and serio~.
:
same time.
With the above problems, conversion of the flowing
well to pumping production was started in July, 1981. At
that time, only some off-production or very low yield wells
were converted to pumping wells, the production decline
wae continued without any interruption. At the end of

~Dc
-.

149%
----

Wan Renfu
1983. a decision was made to convert all the wells to
pumping wells. Among 37 oil wells, there were 11 electric
submersible pumped wells and 26 rod pumped wells. The
production
situation changed and the development
results improved after a short period.
A, The flowing pressure reduced greatly & daily output
increased accordingly
According to the statistics from 34 wells after
the installation
of oil well pumps, the flowing
pressure decreased by 30 atm. on an average, with a
corresponding
increase of producing
pressure
differential from 22.2 atm. to 47.9 atm. The additional
oil recovery for each electric submersible pump run
averaged 47 tonnes per day and that for a sucker rod
pump well was 13 tonnes per day. The total daily
output of this region increased form 1162 tonnes to
1262 tonnes.
B, Reduction of the numbers of casing-damaged wells
There were six casing damaged wells before oil
well pumping, but as the injection pressure dropped
from 150 ATM. to 100.120 atm., no new casing
damaged wells were observed.
C. Improvement of the working condition
of the
reservoirs
(a) Among
34 wells
converted
to
pumping
production, the water cut of 14 wells reduced and
that of 3 wells reduced significantly. Well Xing
1-1-28, for example, was produced with a water
cut of 50.6/0 before the installation of a pump,
and it was reduced to 27.00/. after pumping. The
efficiency
of water-oil
displacement
was
improved also. For example, the slope of the
displacement curve of well Xing 1.1.28 dropped
from 213x 107 to 68x 167.(Fig. 5)
(b) Increase of the water-intake capacity of sand
bodies with retardation of the rate increase of
water cut
Under the same injection pressure, an
increase in water injection rate is observed and
the deflection of the displacement curve toward
the injection rate curve demonstrates that there
are more sandbodies intaking water and that the
injection profile has been improved. (Fig. 6).
(c) The working condition of the reservoir has been
improved and the effective thickness of zones
producing oil has increased. For example, after
well Xing 1.2.36 was converted to pumping
production, with the data from 2 production
profile logging, the flowing pressure dropped
from 110.6 atm. to 61,0 atm. and further to 52.8
atm.
The producing
pressure
differential
increased from 19.5 atm. to 45,6 atm. and further
to 62.8 atm. The thickness of zone yielding oil
increased from 6.7 meters to 10.5 meters and
further to 13.3 meters with a change of production
thickness ratio from the initial value of 37.20/. to
58.3/0 and further to 73.9/0.
D. Decrease the contamination of the reservoir formation
As the reservoir pressure through
water
injection has been restored to 10 atm higher than its
initial value, the gravity of mud used in drilling infill
weils in this region was as high as 1.45-1.70. After the
wells were produced by artificial lift, the reservoir
pressure dropped to a level of 5 atm. less than the
initial vaiue. Thus, the mud gravity aiso reduced to
1,23-1.24 accordingly with a maximum of 1.4. At the
same time the lower reservoir pressure would be
favorable
for the better quality cementing job.

Moreover. no workover fluld would be required for

downhole jobs. All these have greatly reducerY me
contamination of reservoir.
The above field pr.wlce shows that the artificial
lift techniques must be applied according to the
reservoir characteristics and the stage of oil field
development.
(3)

Raise of the production intensity through application of

the hydraulic pump in the Binnan I region in Shengli
oilfield
The Binnan I region is produced from a sandstone
reservoir covering an oil bearing area of 9.68 kmi. with
medium to low permeability and an inactive edge water
encroachment. There are four reservoirs at depths from
1666 meters to 3015 meters. The air permeability of the
reservoir is about 400 mD. The specific gravity of the crude
ranges from 0,85 to 0,89 and the paraffin content is 24?i0
and the pour point is 27C to 33C. This oilfield was put
into operation in 1970. and the oil wells flow under the
drive of natural energy. The reservoir pressure declined
very rapidly with a total pressure drop of 30 atm. after one
year operation, the well output also declined greatly.
Thus. in 1971, pumping production in combination wtih
water injection was put on operation and sucker rod
pumps were used. The output was kept stable with a low
production intensity. It is limited by the capacity of the
pumping unit so that increasing the depth of pumps and
operating under different parameters (length of strokes
and the speed of the pump) to increase the withdrawal
rate of the fluid is not feasible. Therefore the hydraulic
pumps had to be used due to deep setting and high
efficiency characteristics of the hydraulic pumps. At the
end of 1982, all the wells were installed with hydraulic
pumps for production only after three months, the results
of an increase in production had been remarkable. (Table
1).
B. The producing pressure differential increased, the
production profile improved & the production rate
increased
After use of the hydraulic pumps, the flowing
fluid level in oil wells dropped by 235-441 meters.
equivalent to an increased producing pressure
differential of 21,1.40,8 atm,, because of deep se!!ing
and high capacity of the pumps. At the same tire%
the additonal working reserves in the main pay, S11.
amounted to 162.7 thousand tonnes and the rate of
recovery increased to 2.360/0 from a value of 1S6/0
when the sucker rod pumps were in operation.
C. Decrease in the Injection Pressure& Improvement of
the Injection PrOfile
Since the installation of the hydraulic pumps,
the injection pressure has declined generally with the
water injection rate kept at the same level. At the
same time we found that some of the layers which
did not take water or took it poorly began to take
water at a higher rate (Fig. 7).
Deep setting and high efficiency of the hydraulic
pumps are favorable for increasing the production
intensity and on the other hand, the P9w@rfluid witf!
a temperature ranging between 70C and 80C can
reduce viscosity, remove wax deposits and prevent
wax from accumulation.
For such medium-low
permeable reservoirs in Binnan i region where the
paraffin content of the crude is high, application of the
hydraulic pumps yields good results.
(4) Increase in the pump size to raise the ouptut in Shengli
oil fieid
Shengli Oilfield is a heterogeneous, heavy oil field

.
ARTIFICIAL

3.

LIH

TECHNIQUES

IN

CHINA

. ...-..-,:<:
..3CI.C

submersible pumps. (Fig. 9) It can be seen from the

figure that the intersection of the three regions
deflects to the left. which is considered suitable to
the actual conditions in China. On the basis of the
designed fluid output and pump depth, and taking
the requirements for the fluid withdrawal and the
producing pressure differential of oilfields at the
middle and latter development stages into aCCOWIt.
an optimum artificial lift method can be selected.
B. Effect of Gas: Because various artificial lift methods
have different
sensitivity
to gas, a rational
submergence will be selected according to the
characteristics of the different methods and those of
the downhole gaa-oii separators in the Optimization
of the artificial method. At present, a set of computer
programmed
for the selection
of the PumP
submergence has been preliminarily compiled for
controlling the fluid-gas ratio at the suction inlet.
C. Taking the Flexibility
of Fiuid Deiivery into
Consideration
As mentioned above, water injection at the early
stage of development is used in most of the oilfields
in China. Different fluid withdrawal rate is required at
the differant development stages, and, therefore, the
requirement for the flexibility for variation in fluid
production rate must be satisfied in the optimization
of the artificial lift method.
D. Well testing requirements
Because 5VZ casing have been used in wells in
many oilfields and multiple reservoirs were produced
in combination in a single weli, it is necessary to
determine flow rate, water cut, density, pressure,
temperature etc. profile in %eparate.layer
form,
and, therefore, sufficient considerations
on the
requirements in this respect should also be given in
the optimization technique.
E. Comparisons of the economic benefit is also an
important index in optimization. It is required that an
evolution of initial investment, overhead charges,
unit energy consumption cost and other economic
irrdex should be included.
For the sake of convenience in the optimization
of the artificial lifting techniques, according to
the characteristics
of oil fields in China, the
adaptabilities of main artificial lift methods are listed
as follows (Table 3).
(2) Technical limit of conversion of flowing to pumping
production
The following factors should be considered in the
determination of the technical limit of such a conversion:
a) Level of reservoir pressure after the pumping.
b) Level of flowing pressure and producing pressure
differential between level of fluid withdrawal rate and
when the max. rate is required.
The specific technical limit in the above three
respects are as follows
A. Resewoir pressure limit
The reservoir pressure of pumping wells should
be restored and maintained at a certain level for a
sufficient fluid supply to the oil well rather than to
maintain the artificial flow in a well. It should be
noted that reduction of reservoir pressure means a
reduction of the fluid and the crude output rate,
Estimations have been made according to the field
data from Sazhong, Lamadian and Xingbei Oilfields
of Daqing Oilfield (Fig. 10).
It can be observed from the curves that for every
reduction of ? atm in the reservoir pressure, the

developed through water injection. Most oil wells are

produced by pumping; 90A of the wells re pumped,
Because the specific gravity of crude oil is high 0.9 to 0.93,
rapid breakthrough occurs after water injection and the
rate of increase of water cut is high, most of crude oil will
be recovered at the high water cut stage. Generally, the
wate~free oil recovery is only 20/. to 4/0. The average rate
of increase of water in an oil well is about 3/0, Following
a rise in water out, the well productivity index (with all
layers produced together) declines markedly and the
flowing pressure rises accordingly,
resulting
in a
reduction of producing pressure differential, leading to a
a production decline. According to statistics the water cut
rose by 10/0leading to an increase of the flowing pressure
of 0.33 atm. accompanied by a decline of the crude output
Of 1.3V0.
According to an estimation by resewoir engineering
technique, the following results have been obtained:
(Table 2)
That is to say, when the water cut is 50V0, the fluid
output must be increased two times, to maintain the
original oil production rate. Therefore, from 1972 the
diameter of oil well pump began to change from 56 mm to
70 mm or more. Up to 1980,491 wells have been equipped
with such pumps. All these not only increased the fluid
output maintaining a stable production of the field but
also improved the development results. Take Shengtuo
Region 2 aa an example. Among 32 wells of the
development unit in the No. 83-5 of S 11,the pumps
installed in 31 wells are those with diameters of 70 mm,
63 mm or 95 mm, so that the daily fluid output had
increased from 48 tonnes to 161 tonnes per well, and the
rate of recovery of 2% of this unit had been maintained
and kept a stable production for 8 years. It can be
observed clearly from the displacement curve of this unit
that the increase of fluid output twice at the different
stages of water cut makes the cuwe deflect further toward
the abscissa twice correspondingly and that the rate of
recove~ evidently increases each time. (Fig. 8)
Up to June, 1966, 1440 downhole pumps with
diameters of 70 mm, 63 mm or 95 mm had been installed
in Shengli Oilfield accounting for 31% of the total number
of pumping wells. The daily output of these wells
accounted for over 50% of that of the pumping wells. In
1964, an addition of 660 thousand tons of fluid and 241.5
tonnes of crude oii were produced. The diameters of the
pumps has been increased promptly with the continuous
increase of water cut in production so that state steady
crude output has been improved.
DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL Ll~ TECHNIQUES
In recent years, there has been a rapid progrese in the
application of the artificial lift. Some research work has been
carried out on how to give a full play to the artificial lift. It has
been used in the oilfield.
(1) Optimization of the artificial lift technique
Various artificial lift techniques have their own
characteristics and the scope of their applications is
limited to a certain extent (table 3). At present, according
to the characteristics of the oilfields in our country, a set
of techniques for the optimization of artificial lift methods
has been preliminarily established and corresponding
computer programs have been worked out.
A. TPC Method: By means of the tubing outflow
performance of various artificial lift methods, and
taking both the characteristics of oilfields developed
in China and the technological level of artificial lift
into account, optimum charts have been compiled
for sucker rod pumps, hydraulic pumps and electric

604

B.

C.

(3)

amount of Oil produced is decreased by 5/0.

Flowing pressure limit
To determine the flowing pressure after the conversion. coordination between the flowing CapaClty
of the reservoir and the f10wIn9 characteristic curve
of the well should be considered on one hand, and
the gas content at the pump SuCt10r7 inlet. not to
exceed the permissible limit specified by the pump
characteristics. should be ?onsidered on the other.
At present. the max. ability of a downhoie gas-oil
separator for separation of free gas is 10o. Beyond
this limit, large amount of gas may enter into the
pump barrel, leading to a reduction of the pump
efficiency. In the sucker rod pump gas lock may
occur and the electric submersible pump may be
stopped due to under40ading. On the other hand the
producing pressure differential corresponding to the
working
flowing-pressure
should
exceed the
threshold pressure differential of unworking layers.
Because the water flooding at the early development
stage has been adopted in most of the oilfields, with
the reservoir pressure maintained at a higher level. an
excessive lowering of the flowing pressure and an
excessively large producing pressure differential
may exceed the limiting
pressure differential
tolerable by the sand boides. This can lead to
damage to the texture of the reservoir rocks, so that
large amount of sand production or casing and other
troubles may occur. Therefore. the rational low limit
of the flowing pressure should be determined so that
no damage to the reservoir texture will occur. Thus
the specific limit of each oilfield
should be
determined by means of well testing.
Creterminatin of the Max. fluid output rate
After the water-flooding
oilfield enters the
medium to high water cut stage, the enhanced
fluid withdrawal is a key technical measure for
improvement of the development result of the oilfield.
Its main function is to change the direction of flow
through porous medium to produce those unworking
layers with low pressure and low permeability, to
enlarge the volumetric conformance and to better
flush crude oil adsorbed on the wells of the pores.
Therefore, in the determination of the max. fluid
output rate there are two technical limits, the limit of
the max. delivery, and the time when the max. fluid
output should be reached.

B.

(4)

Separate zone artificial lift technology

Production by the artificial lift system can reduce the
flowing pressure and increase the producing pressure
differential to increase the fluid output, to increase the
working thickness of pay zone and to improve the
development results. But sometimes, because as the
difference
between the permeability,
the reservoir
pressure or the physical properties of. the crude are very
significant between different pay zones, even if the
producing pressure differential is increased, there is no
way to give full play to various pay zones in the case of
simultaneous production of multizones in a single well. To
solve this problem, a system of separate zone
production technology has been studied and tested in
many oilfields.
A. Separate Zone Production by Sucker Rod Pump
(Fig. 11)
Packers have been used to separate pay zones
according to their reservoir characteristics.
Two
pumps are connected to the end of the sucker rod

605

string. Each pump is used to pump oil from a pay

section separately. The pumped crude oil can be
mixed at the top of pump and then produced in the
tubing or through tubing and the casing tubing
annulus separately.
Production of different zones alternate (Fig. 12)
A packer system is set against the oil reservoir
to divide it into zones containing serveral layers each.
A go-devil packer is set at the top of reservoir and a
sliding sleeve is set between two packers. A sucker
rod pump, an electric submersible pump or a
hydraulic pump can be set above the go-devil packer.
Open the sliding sleeve at a place where an interval
needs to be produce. For the interval which is not
recovered temporarily, the sliding sleeve is closed.
The productive intervals may be changed in this way,

Well testing and production logging techniques

After pumping production, there is a technical
problem of well testing and production logging technique.
In the flowing wells, the determination of bottom hole
pressure, production and water cut profile is quite simple.
But in case of artificial lift capacity for a pumping well,
instruments can not go through the tubing to the resewoir
to carry out downhole measurement. On the other hand,
the working condition of subsurface pumps should be
determined also by the dynamometer graph. In view of the
above two respects, some work has been done in recent
years.
A. Pressure testing:
Pressure testing through the casingtubing
a.
annulus in sucker rod pumping wells:
Reservoir pressure can be measured by a
small diameter (7/8) pressure bomb lowered
through the casing4ubing annulus by wire line
or cable (4.8 mlm in diameter) to the middle of
the reservoir. Both single point pressure and
continuous pressure profile can be measured.
Since most wells in various oilfields
are
equipped with 51/2 casing. This technique can
only be used in those wells in which small
diameter downhole pumps (@58 mlm or less) are
installed. It cannot be used in wells with @70
plm or larger downhole pumps,
b.
Pressure testing in hydraulic pumping wells:
Originally, pressure testing in hydraulically
pumped wells required that the downhole
pumps and standing valve be circulated out to
the ground surface before testing, and then put
the pressure gauge into the well for testing. This
procedure was too complicated and influenced
the production of the well.
Shengli Oilfield has developed a new tool
and techniques for pressure testing without
pulling the pump out of the well. A control
adapter is connected to the fishing head of the
downhole hydraulic pump.
When the pressure bomb is lowered into
the weli and compresses the fishing head, this
bomb communicates with the reservoir pressure
system. Both static pressure flowing pressure
as well as pressure build-up can be tested,
If a campier is used instead of the pressure
bomb, oil, gas and water samples can be taken
directly from the suction inlet of the pump.
c.
Pressure testing in electrical
submersible
pumping wells
It is found that the life of PSI (or PHD)

ARTIFICIAL

B.

C.

Ll~

TECHNIQUES

pressure testing devices originally used is fairly

short. A pressure testing valve was developed in
DaQing Oilfield for bottom hole pressure
testing. It is connected to the top of the check
valve. The valve is shut-in during pumping so
that the liquid in the casing-tubing annulus is
isolatod; and it is opened to the casting-tubing
Wmulus during pressure testing, thus bottom
hole pressure can be measured by lowering a
pressure bomb. This pressure testing valve can
be used as a draining vavle also.
Production Profile Logging:
Gas Lift Method
a.
Pull out the tubing and sucker rod string,
and run down a gas lift tubing string. Numbers
of gas lift valves used and their corresponding
depth are designed according to the PumPin9
production and related parameters.
The well is put on production induced by
gas lift. After steady state production
is
reached, a downhole flowmeter and water cut
meter can be lowered through the tubing string
irrto the well bore.
After testing, the original sucker rod and
tubing string are run in again to replace the gas
lift tubing. Note that if air lift is used, air and
gas in the well bore should be bled off before
testing to avoid the formation of an air-gas
explosive mixture.
b.
Testing while pump!ng method:
Pull OU! the sucker rod and tubing string.
Install a special-purposed pulley on the well
head.
A flowmeter and a water cut meter are
lowered into the well. Then the sucker rod and
tubing string are run down again for production.
After the well is produced by pumping
normally, the instruments are pulled out of the
hoie by a iogging truck to obtain the production
and water cut profiie.
This method can reflect the aCtUal
production behavior under subsurface pumping.
But this procedure is too complicated, accom.
panied by a longer iogging period.
The Diagnostic Techniques
Presently two kinds of diagnostic techniques of
sucker-nxi pumping have been basicaliy formed.
The Graphic Method
a.
This technique makes use of loads on the
standing and traveling valve actually measured
with a simplified calculation procedure which
reduces error. By applying the dynamic equation
of a spring equation and the spring constant,
analyses of the dynamometer card of poiished
rod is made by tle Graphicai Method, and the
actuai surface had of the pump is anaiyzed and
calculated by {( curve showing the !oad on the
traveling valve with time. The specific gravity of
the downhole liquid can also be calculated.
This method ie only avaiiable for the
shallow weil.
b.
Subsurface Dynamometer Card Method
The dynamometer cards at various depth
can be calculated by an application of the wave
equation and the damping coefficient.
A routine performance analysis can be
made and the suction
pressure can be
calculated. Besides, there is also a method for

IN CHINA

D.

606

-.. -.. . . . .
2.-Z .-ccc

the prediction of the dynamometer card of

polished rod.
Simulation
dynamometer
cards under
different degree of filling up of the pump are
predicted
and
with
correlated
those
dynamometer
cards actually measured to
analyze the performance of the pump.
As a reult of water-flooding. dynamic liquid
surface in a well bore is fairly high. the
submergence of the subsurface pump is rather
high, and the distance between pumps and
perforations is fairly large. So there are two key
problems in this diagnostic technique to be
solved the method of calculating accurately the
specific gravity of the subsurface liquid and
that. of determination of the reasonable sub.
mergence remain to be solved.
Future Prospect
Artificial lift technique has been developed
rapidly in China from 1980.1985: from the application
of sucker rod pump only to a combination of
conventional sucker rod pump. electric submersible
pump. hydraulic pump. gas lift and so on.
Optimization (for artificial lift) techniques are
developed and technical limits are proposed in order
to have a better application. Through recent years
practice, the oil production has been increased,
development results have been improved. and good
economic benefits have been gained also. But. there
are still a lot of problems to be solved.
Artificial lift technique should be developed and
improved in accordance with the further increase in
fluid production. The fluid production in lm will be
doubled in comparison with that in 1985, Artificial lift
wells will be 850/0 (of the total number of wells), and
eiectric submersible pumps and hydrauiic pumps wiil
be further developed. In some gas rich area, gas lift
methods will be developed. Sucker-rod pump
technique will also be perfected.
In the next five years. the following technique
will be developed:
Optimization in the design of sucker-rod pumps:
a,
Selection of reasonable parameters, ,a good
match between the performance of sucker rod
and downhole
pumP. Perfection
of weli
diagnostic technique and solving the probiems
in the pumping technique in the defection weiis
and directional wells.
b.
Standardization of electric submersible pump
series Development of frequency modulation
technique. Increasing the fiuid withdrawal rate
in 5/2
casing
by electric
centrifu9ai
submersible pump, extending the service life of
electric submersible pump to II fore than two
years generaiiy.
Development of the closed circuit hydraulic
c.
pumps Making use of the water based power
liquid, development
of the turbine typed
hydrauiic pumps for the requirement of the high
water-cut well.
Development of gas iift method: Optimization of
d.
the design and selection of parameters used in
gas lift wells, selection of the gas lift valve
according to different condition, forming a
complete set of techniques gradualiy,
i.e. Reeearch and development of the well
testing and logging technique of pumping wells:
With this technique the production and water-

A diagnostic technique with dynamometer card and graphic

solution
Chen Xiankan Oct., 1984
OIL JOURNAL
P7S, Fourth Issue. Fifth volume
Applying electric centrifugal submersible pumps in Da Qing
5.
Oilfield in China
Luo Wenzhao 1985
Analysing test effectiveness of exploitation
by reducing
6.
pressure in the east of the Xing Yi District of Da Qing
the Fourth Refinery of Da Qing Oilfield
Aug.. 1984
7. Summary on hydraulic pump in the Bin Yi District of Sheng Li
Zheng Dingjie July, 1985
Practice and Cognizance of exploitation using the method of
8.
drain off liquid with a big pump
Zhang Renhe July, 1983
9. Gas lift technique in Liao He Oilfield
Pan Zile July, 1983
10. Preliminary Cognizance of Changing exploitation method in Da
Qing Oilfield
Peng Pengtu July, 1983
11, Exploitation technique of an oilfield
The Exploitation Department of the Ministry of Petroleum
Industry 1984
12, Selection of artificial lift method & contrasting economic
benefits
The Exploitation DecIartment of the Ministry of Petroleum
Industry April, 1981
4.

cut profile in each layer and other parameters

will be measured that the Performance of
pumping wells will be understood in time.
In the next five years, the artificial lift
technique will be improved. to match the
increase of the fluid production
and the
increase of the oil production so that the
development efficiency will be improved and the
water flooding recovery factor will be increased.

ACKNOWLEDGEEMENT
We hereby express our thanks to Comrade Yong Wenjun and
others for their efforts in supplying and sorting out the
information.

REFERENCE
1.

2.

3.

Strengthening artificial lift and raising the level of the artificial

lift technique
Wan Renbo May, 1981
On several problems existing in the opening up of oil field and
oil production techniques
Wen Renbo July. 1982
DRILLING AND EXTRACTING OIL TECHNIQUE
P45, Fourth Issue, 1962
The r)resent extraction technicme in the oil field
Wan Renbo April. 1985
OIL KNOWLEDGE
P19, First Issue

TABLE 1
Production Statistics of Bin 1 Region Over the Years 1980-1985

Year/Month

Number of
Producing
Wells

Daily Fluid
output
(m

29

1266

34

1453

1980.6
1981.6
1982

37

1983.6
1984.6
1985.6

Water
Content

Daily Oil
output
(T)

(/0)

Daily Fluid
output (T)

Remarks

Daily Oil
output (T)
20.3

42.8

54.8

657

Yield
fell

53.4

590

Averaf
Per

Sucker Rod pump

19.3

do

18.6

Hydraulic Pump
Changed in Oct. 82

1695

690

59.3

36.8

37

1616

732

54.7

43.7

19.7

40

2213

923

58.3

55.3

23.0

do

60

2988

1485

50.3

49.8

24.7

do

Hydraulic PumP

TABLE 2
Relation between Water Cut & Fluid Output
(for a constant aid production of at T/d)
I

Water

cut

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

27.5

31.3

35.7

41.7

50

62.5

83.3

-r---1
60

90

125

250

(/0)
Fluid
output
(Tlday)

25

607

ARTIFICIAL

Ll~

TECHNIQUES

s;:

IN CHINA

. .. . .
.=OCC

TABLE 3

Well
Condition high fluid
withdrawal date
in 5% casing

Sucked Rod Pump

Hydraulic Pump

Electric Submersible
Motor Pump
I

less than 200 cu.mlday

200.500 cu.mlday

200.500 cu.mlday

low withdrawal rate

suitable for less than

20 cusnlday

suitable for about

50 cu.mlday

unsuitable

crude viscosity

less than 104)OCP150C

200 cp/50c

less than 200 CP150C

sand content

about 0.002V0

about 0.0050/0

below 0.002/0

paraffin content

about 15%

about 400/0

about 15/0

gas-oil-ratio

100 Tlcu.m.

within 200Tlcu.m.

about 100Tlcu.m,

corrosion

sensitive to corrosion

sensitive to corrosion

sensitive to corrosion

scaling

not sensitive to scaling

sensitive to scaling

sensitive to scaling

crooked holes

unsuitable

suitable

relatively suitable

deviated holes

inclination

pump depth

1600 m

about 3200 m.

less than 2000 m.

medium to deep well

most suitable

relatively suitable

suitable

temperature

applicable at 150C

applicable at 150C

applicable below 120C

more convenient

convenient

parameter adjustment
cannot be made at present

check of pump

more convenient

very convenient

inconvenient

pump efficiency

50%

750/o

5t)0/o

parameter adjustment

inclination

< 30

608

s 60

inclination

< 60

I
!
I

,
No. of Wells (well)

~
250

It

Iwy

~~

1. total wells, artlfically

lifted

/1

2. total wells, sucker rod pumped

3. total wells, electrical submersible
4. total wells, hydraulic pumped

~!

P
-<

II

-- ---

~--

-*_-+--.

-..

---

..-.

81

80

Fig. 1 Development of artificial

fluid
production

/3

Legend

/-

d--

pumped
>

/--

85 year

84

83

82
lifting wells

oii
product ion
tons)

=(MM

~tt

2.5

Legend

l:
25
# :

1. total
2. total
3. total
4. total
5. total

,!
J

2.0

fluid production, artificial lifting

fluid production, sucker rod pumping
fluid production, electric submersible pumping
fluid production, hydraulic pumping
oil produciton, artificial lifting

+
11;
11!

[ii
:[~

1.0

,5+
;~~
I!l

-..

.. .. . ...

..H
#d

~!i
11:

80

-----

----.-.
81

--- --

-- ./
----_. _. -- .4
82

Fig. 2 Crude oil production by artificial lifting

609

83

-./

./
1
84

/
0

./-

/-

/4

I
85 year

4866

ml
after cwmmng

befofe pumping
FormatIon

S.S.

Effecwe
lh[CKneSS

SI+5-E+24.4

flwd
producllOn

.vater
production

(m Id!

tm.,dl

~ A-5

3.6

7.1 6.3
35.8

1.4

1;:,,

35.8

21.6

28

4.8

I-4

16,4

PI and WIOW 2.6

[7.6

15,5

37

32.5

2.3

3.2 I

m Iug11,8
P

I&z

3.2

4.2

>

2,8 1.8

hale:
21OOUC!!W

im d)

1.3

12+3

IIWd
Droduct!on

\\\
\\
\\
\\
\

38

37.3

9.6

29.3

27.3

19.2

10.7

39,6

25

5,2

2.6

2.8

7. I

2.9

35.2

26.4

I I

Fig. 3 Production profile of well Bei 4-6-C66 before and after pumpin~

825

20

40

al

al
Daily injection (m)

Fig. 4 Injectivity curve S1lJ in Well Bei 4-9-67

610

Cumulative oil production

Fig.

5 Displacement characteristics

curve, Well Xing 1-1-28

110
i
100~
~
Fig. 6 Injectivity curve, Xing 1-1-127

Fig. 7 Injectivity curve well (all zones combined)

611

lnje~tion rate: (mId)

cumulative water produ~tiorr (104t.)

~
g

g
o

g
0

pump capacity (m31d)

-

:~

CD

cm

10<~ ~f gas content

~

ILO)--

120
100
80

1. Sazhong
2. Lamadian
3. Xingbei

60

40

\
Z&

%x \

0
20-40
-60L
o

\ I

-5

-lo
+5
-20
-25
static press. after pumping
static mess. before pumping (atm.)

Fig. 10 Static press difference Vs. production

increasement before and after pumping

/8

upper fix val

I II

3 lower
pump

4 tower
fix valve
(with switch)

rrll
Iiai!dPcker

rod pump

packer
switch

oil zone

packer
switch

creen pipe

ball seat

oil zone

ball seat

1-l
Fig. 1t 651-II type pump arrangement for
Sepante zone production

IFig. 12 Schematic string of shifting

production

613
,-.

-,

\._