In order to maximise production and recovery from a major oil field a water injection project will be implemented. This will lead to increasing water production from the wells, and it will be necessary to install artificial lift in form of electrical submersible pumps (ESP) to maintain production. A key issue, and risk, for ESPs in this oil field is the current relatively high level of gas production, which, if not adequately addressed, will lead to gas interference and gas locking conditions in the pumps. Such interference conditions can trigger decreased pump efficiencies and failure of electrical components of the ESP system and thus will cause production loss from affected wells. The goal therefore is to lower the high gas volumes in the production stream before it enters the ESP system.
A study was carried out to support the client in the selection of suitable well candidates to be converted to ESPs under consideration of available gas handling technology and well integrity requirements. Completion designs & solutions for ESPs in gassy wells have been analysed and proposed to the client.
