11th Annual Sucker Rod Pumping
Workshop
Renaissance Hotel
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
September 15 - 18, 2015
Maximize or Optimize Production
using
Sensorless Artificial Lift Technology
John Lesnick
Power Management Controls, Inc.
Kerry Cooper
DistributionNOW
Maximize or Optimize Production
• Problem
– Conventional controls for Artificial Lift Systems provide less than
optimal results.
– Efforts to Maximize or Optimize production lifting costs are
negatively impacted by regenerative power losses, peak demand
charges, labor-intensive production optimization, and costly
failures/repairs.
– Add-on controls are available but costly and do not necessarily
provide the desired results for today’s well formations.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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Maximize or Optimize Production
• Objectives
– Maintain or increase net oil production.
– Lower direct OPEX through reduced power consumption and
elimination of labor intensive mechanical speed changes.
– Reduce Tubing Failures that cause pump pulls.
– Reduce Rod failures that cause pump pulls.
– Extend mean time between Pump Failure….
…. Only pull pump once barrel/plunger fit causes production decline.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
3
Maximize or Optimize Production
• Solution
– A Well Automation and Control System that minimizes energy
consumption, helps reduce mechanical failures, maximizes or
optimizes production, and is cost effective.
– A control system that automatically makes intuitive adjustments to
match the well’s productivity, prevents loading violations, and
minimizes costly shutdowns.
– An automation system that helps mitigate well intervention,
minimizes energy consumption, and provides a more favorable
return on investment.
..... Sensorless Artificial Lift Technology (SALT™)
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
4
Field Operations Overview
• This presentation covers a case study performed to
address the Objectives in the previous slide.
– Field of >1000 wells with ~900 producing wells.
– Beam Pump and Progressive Cavity Pump wells.
– Formation depths from 2950 to 4500 feet.
– Primary and Secondary recovery (Waterflood).
– Vertical, Directional, and Horizontal wells.
2
2
– 28 API Oil; trace H S, mild CO , Brine 80,000ppm, high water cut
(average 85%+).
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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Field Operations Overview
• Beam Pumps
– Initially Pump Panels with Starters and a crew to periodically
change sheaves and balance weights were used to control Beam
Pumps.
– Attempted use of basic VFD to make manual speed changes.
– Results: Insignificant changes to Production, Failures,
Maintenance, and Energy Consumption.
• Progressive Cavity Pumps
– Attempted use of VFDs with wedge flow meter to control PCP.
– High capital cost coupled with recalibration or replacement of the
wedge meter proved expensive.
– In addition, pumping more fluid in a water flood zone did not
produce optimum results.
– Concluded that controlling the inflow rate to produce the most oil
vs. water produces the best results.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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Sensorless Artificial Lift Technology
• Power Management Controls, Inc., a proven leader in
Patented Technology Solutions for the Oil and Gas
Industry for nearly forty years, patented the use of Variable
Frequency Drives (VFD’s) for power management and
pump control to operate Beam/Rod Pumps in 2002.
• Sensorless Artificial Lift Technology (SALT™), Patent No.
6,414,455, eliminates the need for Resistors or
Regenerative VFD’s, decreases Peak Demand charges and
reduces Power Consumption.
• Installed in over 6,000 locations world-wide, SALT™ has a
Lower Installed Cost, is Easy to Use, and Minimizes
Energy Usage, Increases Production, and Reduces
Failures.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – 3 Well / Single Battery Pilot
• In 2011, a 3 well pilot test was performed using SALT™.
– The 3 wells chosen were high oil cut, low total volume candidates
that experienced routine pumped off conditions.
– With SALT™, production on one well changed from 14.5 bbl oil/day
to 19.4 bbl oil/day, a 34% increase.
– An overall energy reduction of 30% and a production gain of 20%
average per well was realized on the 3 wells using SALT™.
– Producer realized a 32% reduction in pump strokes creating
potential for 30%+ increase in MTB Pump Failures.
– A 5-month payback on the hardware was achieved through Net
Results and Power Savings.
– Additional SALT™ units installed throughout the field over the next
2 years bringing total in service to 155 by YE2013.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – OSC and POC Study
• SALT™ Optimum Stroke Control (OSC) provides the ability
to modify the stroke of a conventional pumping unit and
tailor it to the unique pump/well combination.
• SALT™ sensorless Pump Off Control (POC) allows a much
broader range for pump off conditions, resulting in
maximum drawdown while automatically adjusting speed
to match variable fluid volumes, and reacting rapidly to
partial pump filling, gas, sand, friction, and stress.
• Utilizing SALT™ OSC and sensorless POC, oil production
can be maximized or optimized on each well.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
9
SALTTM – OSC and POC Results
• In 2012, three independent wells were studied utilizing
SALT™ OSC along with SALT™ POC and produced the
following results….
– Well 1 - High Oil Cut - 80%
• +21% Oil (11bbl/d), +35% Fluid, 80% Cut to 71% Cut, Fluid Level
lowered 18 joints, SPM increased from 3.1 to 5.0
– Well 2 - High Oil Cut - 85%
• +28% Oil (8bbl/d), +33% Fluid, 85% Cut to 82% Cut, Fluid Level
increased 14 joints, SPM increased from 5.8 to 6.2
– Well 3 - Low Oil Cut - 2%
• +51% Oil (1bbl/d), -13% Fluid, 2% Cut to 4% Cut, Fluid Level lowered 53
joints, SPM lowered from 6.0 to 5.0
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
10
SALTTM – 75 Well / Single Battery Study
• November 2013 – Approved use of data on installation of
(75) SALT™ units feeding a single battery.
– February 2014 – Power Consumption Baseline: Power measured
for 10 days from 37 power meters feeding the field of 75 wells.
– April 2014 - SALT™ installed, power measured for 10 days, wells
operated as they were before…. Shoot fluid level, Manually change
SPM via SALT™.
– May 2014 - With power consumption baselines established, SALT™
was switched to Automatic to control the pumping system for 30
days after which power was measured again.
– Production by well and into the battery was also recorded to
correlate back to each stage of the project.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – 75 Well / Single Battery Results
Daily Avg
Daily Avg kWh
Energy Savings
February
Oil
Water
per well
per well
bbl/d
bbl/d
14
184
114
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
Fluid
per well
bbl/d
199
Daily Avg
Daily Avg kWh
Energy Savings
April
Oil
Water
per
per well
well
bbl/d
14
179
94
-17%
Fluid
per well
bbl/d
193
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
Daily Avg
Daily Avg kWh
Energy Savings
June
Oil
Water
per
per well
well
bbl/d
13
164
96
-16%
Fluid
per well
bbl/d
177
12
SALTTM – 75 Well / Single Battery Results
6.289811
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Water
Average per well; bbl/day
Total
Water
Oil
183
168
14
192
178
14
190
177
13
193
179
14
199
186
14
172
158
13
176
164
13
186
172
13
186
170
16
Production Results
250
Line break end of May resulted in reduction through Aug….
All wells back on line end of Aug
200
168
178
177
186
179
150
158
164
172
170
100
50
14
14
13
14
14
13
13
13
16
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
0
Oil
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
Water
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Long Term Study
• Pumptracking data and scheduled KPI meetings held to
target pump pulls that may be deemed preventable
• Objective to reduce most costly rig-jobs (tubing failures),
reduce incidents of questionable rod parts and ultimately
extend mean time between pump failures.
• Performance scorecards included tracking of Run Days by
Pump Pull Cause...non pump related such as rod failures,
tubing failures, well work, etc and Mean Time Between
Pump Failure are primary
• How would we see the results of SALT™ on pump OPEX?
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Long Term Study Summary
• In 2011, SALT™ was installed on a few wells with
acceptable results through an informal test.
• Over the next several years, more SALT™ units were
installed on wells throughout the entire field to improve
production, reduce failures, and minimize energy use.
• In 2014, a field with 75 producing wells, including a mix of
sucker rod pump and progressive cavity pump wells
producing into a single battery, was selected for testing.
Dedicating the complete section of wells allowed accurate
measurements of power consumption and produced oil,
water and solids over a long term period.
• Today over 230 SALT™ units operate in this area.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
15
SALTTM – Change in Pump Pull Results
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Pump
Failure
187
217
228
176
137
100
136
Rod
56
48
38
54
38
46
34
Tubing
94
86
96
95
82
66
56
Total
337
351
362
325
257
212
226
Pre- SALT
Post SALT
Jobs x Primary Pull Reason
400
350
300
362
86
96
337
94
250
56
200
150
351
325
95
48
38
217
228
54
257
82
212
66
187
176
38
46
137
100
226
56
34
136
100
50
0
2008
2009
Pump Failure
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2011
2010
Rod
2012
2013
2014
Tubing
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Improved Frequency Failure Results
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Ave Run
Days
544
620
696
639
705
778
917
Jobs
337
351
362
325
257
212
226
Failure
Frequency
0.67
0.59
0.52
0.57
0.52
0.47
0.40
Pre- SALT
Post SALT
Jobs - Run Days - FF
1000
900
917
0.67
0.59
700
600
0.70
778
800
620
0.57
705
0.60
0.52
696
544
0.47
639
0.52
0.50
0.40
500
400
0.80
0.40
337
351
362
325
0.30
257
300
212
226
0.20
200
0.10
100
0
0.00
2008
2009
2010
# jobs
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2011
avg run day
2012
2013
2014
Failure Frequency
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Run Days by Pump Pulls Results
>>> SALT™ Installations >>>
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Increased MTB Pump Failure Results
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Jobs
187
217
228
176
137
100
136
MTBF
658
698
702
716
788
769
932
F.F
0.55
0.52
0.52
0.51
0.46
0.47
0.39
Pre- SALT
Post SALT
Jobs - MTBF - FF
1000
932
0.55
0.52
900
0.52
0.51
0.46
800
698
700
702
0.60
716
658
0.47
788
769
0.50
0.39
0.40
600
500
0.30
400
0.20
300
187
219
228
175
200
136
100
132
0.10
100
0
0.00
2008
2009
2010
Jobs
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2011
MTBF
2012
2013
2014
Failure Frequency
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Rod Failure Reduction
Results
SLIDE 19
rod failures
56
48
38
54
38
46
34
2008-2010 vs 2011-2014
-9%
year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Sucker Rod Failures
60
56
54
48
50
46
38
38
40
34
30
20
10
0
2008
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2009
2010
2011
2012
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
2013
2014
20
SALTTM – Tubing Failure Reduction Results
SLIDE 20
tub ing failures
94
86
96
95
82
66
56
2008-2010 vs 2011-2014
-19%
year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Tubing Failures
120
100
96
94
95
86
82
80
66
56
60
40
20
0
2008
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2009
2010
2011
2012
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
2013
2014
21
SALTTM – Objective Results
• Objective
– Maintain or increase net oil production.
• Average per well Oil production increase of 14%
• Average per well Water production decrease of 9%
– Lower direct OPEX through reduced power consumption and
elimination of labor intensive mechanical speed changes.
• Average per well Power savings of 17%
• Elimination of manual sheave changes
– Reduce Tubing Failures that cause pump pulls.
• Reduced incidents of collar/tubing wall contact associated with fluid
pound and/or compressive rod loading/buckling
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
22
SALTTM – Objective Results
• Objective
– Reduce Rod failures that cause pump pulls.
• Reduced incidents of collar/tubing wall contact associated with fluid
pound
• Reduced incidents of bend type failures that result from compressive
rod loading/buckling
– Extend mean time between Pump Failure….
…. Only pull pump once barrel/plunger fit causes production decline.
• Optimum pumping speed to match inflow increases pump run life
through extending the cycles between component failure
• Failure Frequency Improvement:
2008 = 0.67
2014 = 0.40
• Failure Frequency Forecast:
2015 = 0.32
2016 = 0.28
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Future Study
• Outstanding…..
• Shift in Primary Pump Pull Causes:
– Projection of significant reduction in rod and tubing failure related
pump pulls, with a corresponding increase in overall average run
days, leading to a decrease in Failure Frequency.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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SALTTM – Summary
• Many methods of well automation exist, all or most say or
imply they can achieve these results.
• This is a presentation where the producer provided the
data to say it did…. not the supplier.
• How many producers would readily accept a predictable
decrease in rod failures, tubing failures, and pump failure
frequency complimented by an increase in oil production,
a decrease in water production and a reduced power cost?
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
25
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they refer to the Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop where it was first
presented.
Sept. 15 – 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
26
Disclaimer
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Continuing Education Course. A similar disclaimer is included on the front page of the Sucker Rod
Pumping Web Site.
The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council and its officers and trustees, and the Sucker
Rod Pumping Workshop Steering Committee members, and their supporting organizations and
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Sept. 15 - 18, 2015
2015 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop
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