Prospects for Intellectualization of Oil Producing Wells

01.06.2016

Automatic control level in production fluid gathering and processing systems as well as in oil field development design and management has risen significantly over the last decade. Intellectualization rate in oil well production is not so high; so far the main achievement is the introduction of thermomanometric system (TMS) to wells equipped with electrical submersible pump unit (ESP). Pressure and temperature transducers as part of TMS provide optimal ESP performance, pressure transducer data indirectly corresponds to dynamic head in well. Safe operation of ESP motor is accomplished by a constant control of limit values of oil temperature in motor housing, frequency and rate of supply current in electrical submersible motor.

Hydrodynamic head in well is determined by the same method as 20–30 years ago. Mobile tools «Mikon» and «Sudos» create an acoustic wave at the surface, the time of wave travel through double distance to fluid level corresponds to the depth of fluid level. This method is the main in the oil production industry due to its low price and easy handling. Each gauge is set according to sound velocity in gas environment.

This value depends on composition and pressure of the associated petroleum gas (APG). Considering that well annulus is a separator of oil and gas, composition estimation according to the method of D. L. Kats shows that gas composition can vary considerably depending on pressure above the liquid phase. Associated petroleum gas composition also varies from well to well within the oilfield. That is why widely used method of hydrodynamic head evaluation has certain systematic error, which is avoidable when using smart well.

.....

Full version of the article can be downloaded here.

Scroll up