PETROLEUM PRODUCTION

ENGINEERING

• BASIC WELL COMPLETION COMPONENTS

• WELL PERFORMANCE

• ARTIFICIAL LIFT TECHNIQUES

• FLOW ASSURANCE PROBLEMS

 WELL COMPLETION
COMPONENTS
• Wellhead & Christmas tree

• Tubing & Flow control equipment

• Perforation
 WELL HEAD
A wellhead is the component at the surface
of an oil or gas well that provides the
suspension point and pressure seals for
the casing strings. It also provides an
interface for attaching x-mas tree.

Casing head - For suspending casing and

providing a seal between casing strings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbjukJWonyc&list=PLGjBr
IocIXJQz9aoHf3nyse91aJfhEHRP&index=46

https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz36OR_1l7Q&list=PLGjBrIocIXJQ
z9aoHf3nyse91aJfhEHRP&index=47
 X-MAS TREE

An assembly of valves, spools, pressure gauges and chokes fitted

to the wellhead of a completed well to control production.

Pressure rating of x-mas tree should be similar to the BOP used

while drilling the well.

X-mas tree is attached on the tubing head with the help of an

adapter.
 X-MAS TREE
Functions-

• Provide safe and controlled flow of fluids from reservoir to

surface

• Provide access to the well bore for various well intervention

operations

• Allows to adjust the flow rate of the oil and gas stream.
X-MAS TREE
TUBING

Production tubing is a tube used in a

wellbore through which production
fluids are produced.
 TUBING
Functions-

• For well killing, circulation and workover.

• Provides flow channel for production at optimum rate.

• To isolate casing from effect of high pressure, high temperature

and corrosive fluids.
• Facilitates multiple completion.

• Essential for most artificial lift.

• Essential for wireline tools.

 PERFORATION
The communication tunnel created from the casing or liner into
the reservoir formation, through which oil or gas is produced.

Perforation
PERFORATION
 WELL PERFORMANCE
ANALYSIS
Well performance (= flowrate) refers to wells production rate for a given
set of conditions.

Well performance analysis(= flowrate prediction) is done to predict

flow rates/well potential or ability of well to produce for different
operating conditions.

Productivity index – Is measure of ability of well to produce.

The productivity index is defined as the flow rate per unit pressure
drop.
J=Q/(Pr-Pwf)
 WELL PERFORMANCE
ANALYSIS
It is important to note that the productivity index is a valid measure of
the well productivity potential only if the well is flowing at pseudo-
steadystate conditions.
 WELL PERFORMANCE
ANALYSIS
Since most of the well life is spent in a flow regime that is approximating
the pseudosteady-state, J can be used for well performance analysis.

Further, by monitoring the productivity index during the life of a well, it

is possible to determine if the well has become damaged.

If a measured J has an unexpected decline, the well is possibly damaged.

 WELL PERFORMANCE
ANALYSIS
A comparison of productivity indices of different wells in the same
reservoir can also help to identify damage in the well.

Since the productivity indices may vary from well to well because of the
variation in thickness of the reservoir, it is helpful to normalize the
indices by dividing each by the thickness of the well.

This is defined as the specific productivity index Js.

Js = J/h
 PI to IPR
• Q = J (Pr - Pwf ) = J ∆P
• Pwf = Pr – Q/J

This graphical
representation of the
relationship between low
rate and bottom-hole
flowing pressure is called
the inflow performance
relationship and
referred to as IPR.
 IPR
Several important features of the straight-line IPR are-
• When pwf equals average reservoir pressure, the flow rate is zero
due to the absence of any pressure drawdown.
• Maximum rate of flow occurs when pwf is zero. This maximum rate is
called absolute open flow and referred to as AOF. Although in
practice this may not be a condition at which the well can produce.
• The slope of the straight line equals the reciprocal of the productivity
index.
IPR
 IPR
The analysis of the production performance is essentially based on the
following fluid and well characteristics:
• Fluid PVT properties
• Relative permeability data
• Inflow-performance-relationship (IPR)
 IPR
Equation reveals that the variables affecting the productivity
index
are essentially those that are pressure dependent, i.e.:
• Oil viscosity mo
• Oil formation volume factor Bo
• Relative permeability to oil kro.
IPR
IPR
IPR – Vogel’s Method
For saturated state of reservoir
IPR – Vogel’s Method

For saturated reservoir For under saturated reservoir

• Case 1 • Case 1
Pr<Pb Pr>Pb
Pwf<pb Pwf>Pb

• Case 2
Pr>Pb
Pwf<Pb
 IPR – Vogel’s Method
Data required-
• Current average reservoir pressure Pr
• Bubble-point pressure Pb
• Stabilized flow test data that include Qo at Pwf
IPR – Vogel’s Method
Pr > Pb
Pwf > Pb

Pr < Pb Pr > Pb
Pwf < Pb Pwf < Pb

Under saturated

Saturated
Vogel’s method – Saturated
Reservoir
Vogel’s method – Saturated
Reservoir
 Vogel’s method – Under-
Saturated Reservoir
Case 1 – Pr>Pb & Pwf>Pb
 Vogel’s method – Under-
Saturated Reservoir

Case 2 – Pr>Pb & Pwf<Pb

Future IPR -
Vogels
Fetkovich
Method
 Fetkovich Method

For saturated reservoir For under saturated reservoir

• Case 1 • Case 1
Pr<Pb Pr>Pb
Pwf<pb Pwf>Pb

• Case 2
Pr>Pb
Pwf<Pb
Fetkovich
Method
 Fetkovich Method –
Saturated

Pr<Pb
Pwf<Pb
 Fetkovich Method – Under
saturated

Pr>Pb
Pwf>Pb
Pr>Pb
Pwf<Pb
 Fetkovich Method – Non-
darcy flow
To account for turbulent/non-darcy flow fetkovich introduced a new parameter -

n – (.5 to 1)
1 = laminar
.5 = highly turbulent

Using log form and representation find C & n -

Slope = 1/n
C from original eq.
 Fetkovich Method – Non-
darcy flow
To account for turbulent/non-darcy flow fetkovich introduced a new parameter -

n – (.5 to 1)
1 = laminar
.5 = highly turbulent

Using log form and representation find C & n -

Slope = 1/n
C from original eq.
Future IPR -
Fetkovich
 Standing’s
Method
Rearranging the darcy eq.

Jp* - Zero-drawdown productivity index

Future IPR -
Standing
 TP
R
The pressure drop is required in the tubing for fluid flow. The frictional pressure
drop contributes the most. It is due to flow restrictions caused by sliding sleeve,
safety valve, etc.

TPR describes the relationship between bottom-hole pressure & flow rate for a given
wellhead pressure.

It describes the flow from the bottom-hole of the well to the wellhead.

TPR depends on many factors including fluid PVT properties, well depth, tubing
size, surface pressure, water cut and GOR.

Various correlations & gradient curves are available for determining the pressure
drop in tubing to draw TPR.
 CHOKE
PERFORMANCE
If flow velocity reaches the sonic velocity in fluid = sonic flow
If less = subsonic flow
Sonic flow => pressure disturbance downstream the choke doesn’t affect
the upstream flow and thus no effect on well production rate.

Determined using critical pressure ratio-

k = Cp/Cv
k =1.28(natural gas)
P ratio = .5

If pressure ratio is more or equal = sub critical (sub sonic )

If pressure ratio is less = critical
 CHOKE
PERFORMANCE
Single phase liquid flow
 CHOKE
PERFORMANCE
Single phase gas flow
 CHOKE
PERFORMANCE
Multiphase sonic flow
 CHOKE
PERFORMANCE
Temperature relation
 NODAL 1. Draw IPR(discuss definition and parameters)

ANALYSI
2. Draw TPR(discuss definition and parameters)
3. Tell how rate and pwf is decided
4. Make full pressure diagram and explain pressure dro
5. Explain why only that point is production rate

S
It refers to system analysis technique for determination of fluid production rate and pressure
at a specified node.

Nodal analysis is performed on the principle of pressure continuity, that is, there is only one
unique pressure value at a given node regardless of whether the pressure is evaluated from
the performance of upstream equipment or downstream equipment.

The performance curve (pressure–rate relation) of upstream equipment is called ‘‘inflow

performance curve’’; the performance curve of downstream equipment is called ‘‘outflow
performance curve.’’ The intersection of the two performance curves defines the operating
point, that is, operating flowrate and pressure, at the specified node.
 NODAL
ANALYSIS
 NODAL
ANALYSIS
1. Effect of perforation no
2. Effect of skin
3. Effect of dia

Viscosity
Reason for dia
Density
Pr
Pwh