SPE

Society of Petroleum Engineers

SPE 21696

Artificial Lift Methods for Marginal Fields

K. Kahali, R. Rai, * and R.K. Mukerjie, * Oil & Natural Gas Commission
SPE Members

Copyright 1991, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Production Operations Symposium held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 7-9,1991.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE Program Committee following review of information contained in an abstract sUb~itted by the author(s). Contents of t~e parer,
as resented have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The matenal, as presen!ed~ does no! necessanly re !ect
an:position the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Papers presented at SPE meetings are subject to publication review by
Co!"mlttees of the SOCIety
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of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Publications Manager, SPE, P.O. Box 833836, R,chardson, TX 75083-3836 U.S.A. Telex, 730989 SPEDAL.

~f

Edl~onal

ABSTRACT

also doubtful and reservoir limits are to be

established by extended production tests. The
driv~ mech?nism is no+mally depletion, with f?st
decllne
ln reserVOlr pressure necessltatlng
pressure maintenance/water
injection
in the
very first year in many cases, lf feasible. The
self
flow period is generally very small,
necessitating application of artificlal
lift
right
from the begining of
the
field
development. All
these parameters effect the
economlCS
of marginal
field
development
needing cheaper production technologies.
The conventional fixed platform has not been
favoured for development of such field since it
has many demerits :

Production
from offshore fields has
been
dominating in the past and will continue to
dominate ln the future. It is e~ected that more
than
50% of the production win come
from
the
deeper waters.
Most of
the
new
discoveries in the Indian offshore have
been
marginal
in
nature . where
economics
dictate selection and appi ication of production
systems.
As
a part of the develoIXOOnt, many
wells are being cQIIIPleted subsea. Due to the
marginal nature of the fields, the self flow
from these wells has been minimal, necessitating
application of artificial lift at the earliest
ana in many cases right from the begining. In the
present study, an attempt has Oeen made to
evaluate the suitability of the available lift
systems with special reference
to
its
application
in marginal fields of
Indian
Orrshore.
Also
some case histories of
applications of different artificial lift modes
have
been reviewed which provide
important
parameters to evaluate their suitability and the
field proven technology.

INTIDOUC1'ION :
The marginal
fields
are normally smaller
fields. The most simple definition has been
given as "one that is on the borderline between
economic to develop and not being economic to
devel<;>p".
The
word
"marginal"
has
certainly acqUired the COnnotatlon of "nonconventional" implying that the conventional
technolqgy
for developing offshore fields may
not be feasible and cheaper hardware designs ana
systems need to be aaopted. Marginal fields
have many technical limitations.
Normally the
geological and recoverable reserves are lower.
Some of the marginal and small fields of our
country
are as shown in table
1.
The
permeability and thickness is also lower making
wells of pqorproductivity.
There are many
instances of marg inal fields where not only
productivity is a problem but recovery factor is

The
time
between
the decision to
develop the
field and
first
oil
production
is
typically
four to six
years.
It
involves major
capital
outlays
for
an extended period before
any cash
flow
is
generated. This
time becomes
very
important
when
the
results
of
production
tests
effect
the future geological
models
dependant wells.
and drilling of other
It has therefore
been the endeavour of
a cQIlll:>any to
put
the
wells
on
extendea
production
through early
production systems.
Fixed
rigid
platform is extremely
capital intensive Oecause of the massive
size of
structures. Decreasing
the
top
side
loads,
for
smaller
fields,
does
not
result
in
p~oportional
decrease in the
size of
the platform,
and
hence cost. This
is Oecause
upto
80% of
the mass
of the structure is acting
to resist
the environmental forces -waves, current
and wind. The capital cost
is a major
dictating
factor
for
devel~nt
of
marginal
fields.
Fixed
platform is
site
specific.
When a
field is
depleted,
a fixed
structure becomes a major
liability for
marginal "field whicfl may only produce

---------_._---References and illustrations at end of paper.

597

ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHOD FOR MARGINAL FIELDS

SPE 021696

applications (lower than 150 m3!D), this type of

11ft is likely
to qualify
for
applicati9n
in depleted
platform completed
wells
In
offshore areas due to its
compactness,
low
weight and low X-mas tree load.

for
a few years.
All these necessitate
completing wells subsea rather than platform
completion.
The depression in the crude
market during
1986 onwards
has
pushed many small and
isolated
pools
below
commercial
threshhold. trowever, with the Gulf crisis since
August 1990 1 this scenario is changing.
As a
result of thIS,
the concept of early production
system was evolved.
Todate IlOSt early
production
systems
are
floaters,
semisubmersibles and jack-up production platforms
with wells completed subsea.
Subsea completion
has
become
a feature of marginal
field
development schemes and it is particularly true
of the North Sea,
offshore Brazil and in some
Indian offshore.
The
reasons include
the
relatively low cost and its
retrievability
which
allows
economical production
from
marginal fields.

Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP)

ESP suits the best for high liquid production
rate
high water cut, low gas liquid ratio and
shaliow depth.
But it has severe limitations
for
application
in offshore and for subsea
wells - because of its low mean time between
high
repair
cost
(as
it
repairs(MTBR),
requires
work-over
rig
deployment
and
complete
replacement) and
large
starting
current.
The performance of ESP is
also
influenced
by gas,
sand,
wax, corrosive
fluids
high temperature etc.
It
requires
s~iai
c~letion
and christmas
tree
for
subsea wells
as shown
in figure
1.
The
major
problems have
been with cable joint
faIlures 1 at christmas tree and p~ IlOtor, and
pump f?11ures due to its less flexibility in
productIon rate.
Dudley [2]
provides
information
9n
performance
of
ESP
installed
In
Montrose field
North
sea,
209 Kilometre
east of
Aberdeen,
Scotland operated by
AI!OOO (UK)
'Ibtal 15 producing wells completed
with ESP/y-tool/TCP at a depth of about
2350
to 2650 meters have been producing about 318
m3/D (2000 bbl/D) liquid with
water cut of
about 60% from a very low pressure reservoir. A
installed work over rig handles all
permanently
work-over Jobs since ESP suffers from large workover job requirements.
Nolen [31
further
confirms that ESP
suffers
from nigh
energy requirement and high repair
costs
because of: its frequent
break-down.
Lochtef4]
mentions
that
averaga MTBR is
normally one year for ESP which further reduces
in case of subsea wells. In another case ESP has
been used with floating drilling vessel for
testing of heavy oil (6 to 12 deg.
API) from
offshore exploratory wells as
reported by
Crossley [5]
Few IlOre
cases
have been
reported by Visser[6].
These
are
some
sporadic cases of platform completed wells with
no
noteworthy case reported
for
subsea
application so far.
However,
there are large
number of case histories
on
successful
a~lication
of ESP in many onshore fields.

ARrIFICIAL LIFT
Selection of one s~cific artificial lift IlOde
for
marginal offshore field is one of
the
IlOSt oomplex tasks.
There are four
t~s of
lifts
coffiIlOnly considered for
any
field,
ie.
Rod
Pumping,
Electric Submersible
P~s
(ESP),
Hydraulic turbine and jet pumps
and Gas Lift.
Rod Pumping
Rod
PUIllRing
is
normally
not considered
for
offshore applications mainly because,
it requires large surface structure - with high
dead weight which is one of the IlOSt limiting
factors
for
offshore.
Installation of
subsurface safety valve is not P9ssible.
It is
a low volume moae making unsuitable
for IlOSt
offshore wells.
However~ in some cases it
is
considered
for
depletea
field
production.
Problems
in obtaining
reliable
and regular
measurement of
bottom
hole
pressures,
eliminating cheaper
wire
line
technics,
problem in handlIng wax,
sand,
corrosive
fluids and oils with high GOR and
unsuitability
in higher
inclination and higher well depth
all
together eliminate this IlOde of
11ft
for
application in offshore
and s~cially
for subsea completions.
However,
hydraulic
rod
pumping
unit has
been
installed
in
offshore platform completed wells
because of
its
smaller size and suitability in lifting
low ,production rates and low suction pressure
requuement.
The first case history has been reported by
Pickford [1] for application of hydraulic rOd
pump
in OUter COntinental Self
by Philips
Petroleum Co.
located
4.8
km.
offshore
Southern Santa Barbara County in about
50 m.
water depth. The oil of 26 degree API
was
produced from well depths ranging from 823
to
1615 m. with peak production rate of 5087.4 m3/D
(32000
bbl/D).
Earlier
gas
lift
was
Installed which was subsequently replaced by
hydraulic
rod pump
when
total production
dropped down to 222.5 m3/D (1400 bbl/D). The
compact
and
light weight hydraulic unit
was
considered optimum mOde for these low
rate wells and first unit was
installed
in December
1984 as a pilot and subseqtlently
3 IlOre
units were installed in 1986. During
21 months of trial production
downhole pump
was pulled once
and there was problem of
gas locking. The average production
rate was
3.97 to 6.83 m3/D (25 to 43 bbl/D).
The wells
had maximum deviatIon of 41 degree and dogleg
of 7 degree per 30 m.(lOO feet).
It was
concluded
that
the
pumps
performed
satisfactorily.
The wells
were
platform
completed.
No
case history has
been
reported
so far for application
in subsea
completed wells.
Also no case history
is
avaIlable for application of progressive cavity
rod pump (screw pump). But due to the recent
success In onshore
fields
for
low
rate

Hydraulic Jet Pump

The
main
merits
of
Hydraulic Jet
Pumps[7,8,9] have been good
flexibility
on
rates,
use
in
deviated
wells,
retrievability
(if X-mas tree is designed for
the
same) and deeper well depth applications.
It has been used in 5486 m (180UO feet) depth in
SOuth Louisiana.
The Jet pumps are better as
compared to positive displacement t~ hydraulic
pumps or ESP for cases of fluid prOducing sand,
corrosive fluids and high GOR wells.
It has
however,
very low MTBR (about six IlOnths),
requiring frequent replacement. It requires a
high pressure power fluid.
The
power fluid
may be oil or water.
Water is favoured
in
offshore as
power fluid
due
to
safety
and environmental
reasons.
But corrosion and
scale formation
are problems
with water and
oxygen scavanger,
corrosion
and
scale
inhIbitors
need to be used.
SOlid content of
power
fluid is very important for pump life.
It is usually about 10 ppm for oil of 30-40
degree API and about 15 micron for water as
power fluid for normal_pumP life.
The pressure
r~uirement of ~er fluid
is over 206.8 bar
(3000 psi).
The offshore
subsea
well
completions
will r~uire dual or
tripple
p?rallel string depending upqn use of Qpen or
closed
system.
Normally dual co~letion is
adopted
for
offshore
applications.
The
power
fluid rate is normally 1.5 to 2 times
the produced fluid
rate.
Therefore,
the
598

SPE 021696

KISHORE KAHALI,RAMASHISH RAI,R.K.MUKERJIE

production
rate is
restricted
due
to
addition of ~r fluid, mainly
because the
production string size
is res~ricted due to
aual
CO!DPletion.
However,. the
production
string
has
to carry bom
the
produced
and
power
fluids together
r~iring
its
handli!'19 capacity from 2.5 to 3
times the
productlOn
rates.
Further,
~r
fluid
bandling
at
deck level is also important.
In case of subsea tree
it
becomes l10re
cdllPlex
when
access
is
required
for
proouction, annulus and pressurised ~er fluid
(figure 1).
In
rel1Dte
sattelite locations
the pressure loss in the power fluid
line
is too great to provide an economic
solution
for subsea application.

formations.
Gas lift is therefore, a major
contender for every offshore/subsea application.
EXPERIENCE IN INDIAN FIELDS

lift has been selected as prime mode of

artificial lift
for
major
Indian offshore
fields in the Arabian sea.
Already about 30
wells
are operating in Bombay High and over 150
wells
will become 9PErative by the
end of
1991.
Gas
lift has
been selected as the
prime mode for most of the other fields
of
India.
'1tle experience in onshore also has been
verY encouraging for this mode of lift which is
selected as the dominant mode of lift in l10St
of the fields.
Gas

Hydraulic Turbine Pump

Electrical Submersible Pumps were installed in

three
offshore platform completed wells of
Indian offshore in the Arabian sea in Apil 1989
as a pilot R&D project. The average colJPletion
cost was about US $150 thousand per well.
The
The
pumps were supplied by Canco-Reda Inc.
reservoir pressures of"these wells were about
89.6
bar (1300 psi) and ~ttom hole temperature
of about
115C.
(240 F). The water cut in
the two wells were about 3% and about 60%
in
the third well.
The problem
started during
the
testing
after the installation,
due to
failure
of
electrical
feed
through
connector
(sea
board
make).
After
replacement,
the wells were put on production.
But
withm
two months
arter putting
on
production,
the transformer of one well was
burnt and electrical feed through connector
of
other
wells went
wrong.
Since then
the
wells have been closed.
The production from
these three wells with ESP has been
82,
294
1849 and 561 bbll of
and 89 cubic meter (514,
oil respectively.
The
experience of these
pilot
applications
have
not
been
enco1,1raging. I t will re@ire rethinking for its
appllcation
in
any ot:her
Indian offshore
fields
unless
some
technical
breakthrough
is achieved
for
minimising
the
failures
and reduction in requirement of
work over jobs due to high work over cost.

Hydraulic
turbine pump is one of the latest
developments.
'1tlis bas main merits of having
higher MI'BR (about 2 years).
High pressure
power
fluid lS used to drive turDine
t~
motors
which
is
used to drive centrifugal
pump
at down hole to pump produced
flUld.
It
is considered more
reliable,
flexible
and
robust
form of
downhole
purgp
as
mentioned
I;>y Manson [10]
The power fluid may
be
well fluid
crude oil or water.
Power
fluid may be of fow pressure high flow rate
or
high pressure low rlow rate.
The completions
are generally similar to hydraulic jet pump. The
main limita~ions of the ~
have been
its
low gas
handling capacity (about
2%
at
intake pressure),
the higber intake pressure
requirement
(noramally aoove
bubble wint
pressure) and mininum produced fluid
haooling
rate
of about 167 m3/day (1050 bbl/D).
The
average cost of the pump in 1990 is repqrted
to be about U8$205 thousancrfor 318 m3/d
(2000
bbl/l;
production
rate.
This
excludes
conpletion cost.
'1tle other arrangement for
transporting QQWer
fluid and handllng
power
is
and produced rluids together at deck level
similar to that of the jet pump.
Over 25 to 30
wells have been put on thlS ~ype of lift mode
so far,
but mostly for
water production.
However,
this has no~ been applied in offshore
and subsea wells so far.
Gas

There
is
no
experience
for
hydraulic
turbine
/jet p~s either
in onshore
or
offshore
ln India.
No case
histo~y
is
available
for its
application in ofrshore
specially
in
subsea
wells.

Lift

Gas Lift is the most common type of

lift
used
in
the onshore
offshore and subsea
wells. There is not a big impact on subsea tree
design for installing gas lift (figure 1). Gas
lift
for subsea well in North
sea has
been standardised J;>y adding
another
SCSSV
on
short
tubing extension
on
annulus
passage at tubing hanger
level.
The gaslift
lS not favourable in case of lifting heavy oil
due to
high solution GOR~ in the
conditions
of low formation GLR ana where gas is
not
available
in the field.
Gas
lift
is
favourable
for
offshore
locations
mainly
because of its rate flexibility,
high MTBR
retrievability,
need
of
conventional
weI!
caTQ'2letion,
no problem with sand
ability to
haoole
corrosive fluid,
suitability at high
tenperature, high GLR,
water cut etc. several
case
histories are available for application
of
gas
lift
in offshore and subsea wells.

In one of the onshore fields in India,

three
major modes ie. gas lift, sucker rod pumping and
electrical subnersible p1JllIps have been put on
several
wells.
In
order to
analyze
the
performance, a detailed study was carr led out
by the autnors.
For ESP.
46 well samples
were prep?red.
It
was observed that average
MI'BR lS about 8 months. For 39% of the cases
the MTBR is about 3.16 l1Onths~
for 37% cases,
the MTBR is 7.65 months and ror 24% cases
it
is
16.8 months.
The maximum MTBR was as high
as
60 months
for
one
well.
About 44.8%
failures were
due
to current cable leakage
at cable joints, 16% due to motor defect, 27%
failures due to pump
and
bleeder
valve
problems and in 12% railures the reason could
not be established. The average
coefficient
of
exploitation
(ie.
the
ratio
of
~rating time
to actual calendar time) was
0.72 WhlCh indicates that about 26%
of
the
time,
the wells were idle.
Further,
it was
reflected
that
ESP motors/pl,UllPs were only
replaced
and
never
repaired.
It
is
uneconomic to repair since there is no Indian
manufacturer for this system.

Gas Lift was installed in

the Argyll field
[5 11]
UK
Block
- 30/24
located
320
Kilometres (200 miles) offshore in the central
sector of North sea. The design was aimed at
simultaneously lifting
from the five
subsea
wells at an mjection rate of 28317 m3/day (
1 million standard ft /0) per well and a aual

In
case
of rod pIlI!1ps,
about 23 complete
well samples were collected where average MTBR
was l711Onths.
In 10% cases it was 35 months,
30% cases,
MTBR was 23.5 months, 18% cases ic
was 16 months, 12%
cases it was less than
9
l1Onths.
The
average
coefficient
of
exploitation was 0.53 indlcating
that about
4'n
of the time the well was idle mainly
due
to _~er failures.
About 25% of the cases
the failure was rod snapping,
28% cases due to

~ij~so~3i~id (funirilio~y~f~a~as~~'i1D)f~i
206.8
hooked

bar
(3000 psig) was installed
and
up in Septemor 1985 on Deep Sea Pioneer
System.
Since then adai tional wells
have been put on gas lift
and
pEi!rforming
satisfactorily.
Because
of high
injection
pressure and low sea bed
tell'iprature,
care
bas
been
taken
to
prevent
hydrate

Floati~

599

ARTIFICIAL LIFT METHODS FOR MARGINAL FIELDS

pump
jamming/gas locking and in 47% cases the
reasons were not recorded.
In the case of gas lift the average MTBR was over
60 months. only a few records were available to
indicate wrong gas lift valve operation. Many
wells
have not failed even after its
initial
installation
and operation of
five
to
eight years.
the coefficient of exploitation
was therefore nearly 100 %.

SPE 021696

For
selection
of artificial lift,
it
was desired
that artificial
lift
system
MTBR since
frequent work
should have high
over rig deplo~nt is very costly.
Also it
should be
a field proven technolqgy
for
subsea application with minimum Irodiflcations
to the normal subsea tree and flowlines.
The
field is expected to have fast decline
in
reservoir pressure. Also the lift system should
in rates,
be flexible for handling variations
reservoir
pressures and GOR.
The wells have
shown low prouction rates,
possibily
of
paraffin wax
deposition. Therefore, need of
Inhibitor
injectIon also exists.
Few mre
wells are being drilled in this field which
is
kept
in view
while designing.
Above
factors
along
with characterIstics
of
the
lift
systems
outlined
earlier,
therefore,
narrowed down the choice to gas
lift,
since other systems have not
been
tested
for
subsea wells.
The
injection
pressue
has been _preffered at about 137.8
bar (2000
PSI)
fOr
better
operational
flexibility
and single point
Injection.
Oonsidering
5 wells
in operation,
a
total
cQIl!!?ression capability
of
150
thousand m3/day (5.29 mIllion standard ft /D
with discharge pressure of about 151.7 bar
(2200 psi)
is
being considered
for gas
lift in this
field.
The compressor
is to
be put on FPF and 101.6 mm (4
m.)
flexible
gas
injection line is considered adequate
for gas lift operation with dual X-mas tree in
this field.

SE:LEX:TION OF MODE OF LIFl' FOR XD MARGINAL

OEESHORE HELD :

on the western and eastern coast of India,

a number
of marginal structures have been
discovered !Table 1). Of these, XD oil bearing
structure IS located at about
65 KIn from
Bombay High.
'!he water dE!pth
is
about
90
m.
The early prodUction
system
consisting
of the semi submersible
based
floating
production
facility
(FPF)
was
commissIoned in June 1989 with
two subsea
wells,
well no.
2 and 3 connected by subsea
flexible lines to the FPF.
The well no.
2 is ~rforated in the interval
of 2991-2988 m.
am completed with 2445and
889 mm. (3
1778 nIn. (9 5/8"-7") liner
1/2") tubing. The FPF is located just above
this well. In last testing in December
1989
the
well produced 192 m3/day (1209 BOPD)
with GOR of ~4 v/V and no water at flowing
THP of 240 psi at FPF.
The initial reservoir
pressure was 288.4 bar (4183 psi) and PI is 3.84
m3/D/Kg/cm2
(1. 7
bbl/D!PSI)
However,
the
well
ceased
after
subsequentlY
pogucmg "for about six mnths.
The
other
well, well no.
3 is perforated at 2919-2914 m.
and nas similar CX?J!Pletion.
The well is at
a distance of 3 Kilametres(1.875 miles)
from
the FPF and is connected with flexible pipe.
During
the initial testing this well praouced
64
163
m3/day (1025 bbl/D) with GOR of
vol/vol.
The flowing THP and bottom hole
pressures were 18.27 bar (265 psi) and 192.7 bar
(2795 psi) respectively. The Initial reservoir
pressure and PI were 291.8 bar (4233 psi} and
1.62 m3/D/Kg/cm2 (0.718 bbl,lD/PSI)reSpE!ctlvely.
The well
ceased
to
flaw
subsequently
after
2 mnths
of production
due
to
paraffin deposition in the flowline/tubing.
The
flowline was then flushed out and the
well
was put on production.
The last test
data indicated FTHP of 12.13 bar (175 psi)
with a rate of 125.9 m3/D (792 bbl/D) and a GOR
of 41 V/v and
with
no water cut. Another
well, well no. 4 which is coll1pleted subsea at
a distance of 2.4 Kilometres(1.5 miles) from the
FPF has similar history.
The well no.
2 and 3 were analysed.
The
tubing intake curves (TIC) were prepared (figure
3&4). It was concluded that both the wells were
at
the
borderline
of
self
flow
ceasure
during
initial
testing.
This is
evident from figure 3 & 4 that the intersection
of TIC with Inflow performance
relationship
curve (IPR) is in the unstabilized flow region of
TIC and decline in the reservoir pressure will
result in no intersection between the
two
curves.
The faster decline in flowing THP
and
flow
rate confirmed
that the
field
is producing
under depletion drive
and
ceasure of self flow in a short ~riod is
expected.
The well behaviour also indicated
marginal nature of
the
field
whose
initial
estimated
geological reserve is
about 13,000 million kg.
Tne analysis
of
inflow
and
outflow
~rformance
curve
further indicated that
the wells
need
artificial
lift right at
this stage and
higher stabilized flow could be obtained by
increasing the GLR,
ie.
by injecting gas.
There was no increase in the GOR since
the
reservoir pressure was above the bubble point
pressure which is about 82.39 bar (1195 psi).
The general field parameters are given in the
table no. 2.

xpy Structure

This structure is located at about 18 km. in

the
in the east coast of
Indian Offshore.
The field is being developed with
4 legged
well production platform and onshore based
proceSSIng facility.
FOur exploratory wells
have
been drilled.
Well 1 produced oil at
the rate of 155 m3/D (980 bbl/D) with GOR of 138
viVo
The
reserVOIr pressure is 366 bar (5310
psi) at 3450 m. The other general field
parameters are given in the
table
3. After
reservoir
simulation study
it was
found
that
the reservoir pressure declined down to
172.
bar (2500 psi}
within one year of
production and artifiCIal lift is requIred at
the end of the first year itself.
After
analysis of all available Irodes of lift as
explained earlier,
gas lift was selected
for implementation. The compressed gas from land
based "facility will be transported through 203
mm. (8 in.) pipeline to the platform and then
will be injected into the wells. These studies
however confirm that although gas lift is better
suited at
the Iroment
for these marginal
fields, the ill1proved and cheaper Irode of lift
has not been rorth coming to replace gas lift
specially for low potential wells.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

1.

2.

600

Several
marginal
fields
have
been
discovered
in
Indian offshore.
The
need
for
artificial lift
in
subsea
wells
of
XD which
is
completed
presently producing with FPF is already
established.
Further,
for XPY structure~
the
requirement comes after one year or
production.
AIrong
the available
lift Irodes,
case
histories
are
only available
for
application
of gas
lift
in
the
subsea completed wells.
Also, technically
and economically
it
is suitable and
flexible system for its
application
to XD and XPY structures.
Thererore, gas
lift has been planned for application WIth
small skid munted compreSSIon
facility
to
be placed at floating processing
facility presently operating in the XD
area. In XPY struccures, to reduce cost of
development,
land
based
processing

KISHORE KAHALI, RAMASHISH RAI, R. K. MUKE RJIE

SPE 021696

facility and
injection
gas compression
facility
is being
developed with well
platform, in the field.

3.

Although, gas lift at the moment is finding

its appllcaEion in Indian marginal fields,
no other economic and flex iDle mode
has
been
coming forth specially
for
low
potential sunsea wells.

ABBREVIATIOOS

ESP:
MTBR :
IPR:
GLR:

~:

Electrical submersible pump

Mean time between repair
Inflow ~rformance relationship
Gas liquid ratio
water cut

REFERENCES

1.

Pickford,
K.H.,
"Hydraulic
Rod-Pumping
Units
in
Offshore
Artificial-Lift
Applications", SPE Production Engineering,
May 1989.

2.

Dudley,
R.W. , "Reperforation
of
North
Sea
Electric Submersible-Pump Wells With
An ESP/Y-'lbol/'KP
System", SPE Production
Engineering,
May
1989.

3.

Nolen,

K.B.,

"Analysis

of

ElectricalProduction

Su~rsi9le-Pumping'Systems",SPE

Engmeenng, May 1989.

4.

Lochte,
Glen
E.,UNDP
Consultant
to
I<.X;PT,
India, "Second
Mission
Report",
OCtober 1989.

5.

Crossley,
E.G. ,
"Experience
With
Electrical
Submersible Pumps for Testing
Heayy
Oil
Reservoirs
From
floating
Drilling Vessels",
18Th. Annual O'IC (May
5-8 1986)

6.

VisserJ.R.C. ,"Offshore production of Heavy

Oil",bTh. Annual O'IC,(April 27-30,1987)

7.

Michael
Clark,K.' "Hydraulic Lift System
For
Low
Pressure
Wells"
Petroleum
Enginner International,
February
1980.

8.

Petric,
H.L.,
Wilson,
P.M. and smart,
E., "Jet Pumping Oil wells-oesign Theory,
Hardware
Options
and
Application
Considerations", World Oil, November 1983.

9.

Jet
Pump Technical Mannual,
Dresser
Industries, Inc.

10.

Manson,
OM & Borland GS,/ Weir Pump Ltd.
"Developments
in
offsnore
pumping
technolggy
"Trans
ES,
Vol.
131
(1987/88), SCOtland.

Ii.

Huber D. S. , "The
Subsea
System of
the
Argyll Area Fields", 20Th. AnnualO'IC (May
2-5, 1988)

Guiberson

601

$PE

21696

TABLE 1
IJIportant Marginal Fields of ONGC'
Field

Date of
Disoovery

XDl

1976

XD

NA

"

XB78

Apr' 84

XB74

May'85

'II
'II
'II

,
'II
11

11
11
'II
11

,,
,
11

11
11

Area

(Sq. KIn)

Estimated
GeoJ.9gical oil
(billlon kg)and
tas reserve
million m3)

20

30.16

SMALL

13.55

6
13.6

Status of
Developnent

1(

7 wells have been drilled. Feasibility

study being carried out

'II
'II
'II
4 ~loratory wells have been put on
'II
~r uction to EPS. Wells completed sub-sea,
ater depth - 80 m.
11
3 wells have been drilled.
the field is to be developed

Oil - 6.57
Gas - 2000
Oil - 2.32

Gas - 2539

'!he field is to be developed

Oil - 1.71

To be developed

XB34

Jul'87

3.6

XB72

Nov'87

2.86

4 exploratory wells have been drilled

Water Depth : 50 m. .

XB79

Mar'87

2.6

1 exploratory well drilled

water Depth : 50 m.

XB80

Aug'87

3.5

1.04

1 exploratory well drilled

11
11

,"
,
,

,,i
,
i"

11
11
11

,,.,"
'II

~
~

,
,
,
,
11
11

XCA

NA

small

canbined
XCA+XCD

1 exploratory well drilled

Water Depth : 35 m.

11

XCD

NA

small

Oil- 7 to 8

1 exploratory well drilled

11

XSD1

NA

small

cOmbined
XSD1+XSD4

1 Exploratory wei1 drilled

"1111

XSD4

NA

small

Oil - 3.0

1 Exploratory well drilled

11

XRI1A

1987

small

14.0

Bei~ deve~

with tripod and land

bas
grocessi~ facility
Water epth - 1 m.

""11
11

XPY

1988

small

~2.0

BR2

1980

small

12.0

Bei, develo~ with production ~latform

and and based g::ocessing facili y
Water depth - 8 100 m.
Under deve10pnent

,"

BR3

1980

small

10.4

Under deve10pnent

BR4

1980

small

3.2

Under developnent

11

11

""
"11

,
11
11

"

602

'I

"1111
11

11
'II

11
'II
11

'II

"

SPE

TABLE 2

sane

Important Parameters of XD Structure

Oil API Gravity: .

39 API
0
0.9 0 (at 754 nun. of mercury and 29.6 C)

Gas Gravity :

Bottan Hole Tellperature

Pour Point :
.
Wax % wt:

l5g C

12 C
9.0

TABLE 3

General Fluid Parameters

Water Depth :

85 to 123 m.(28o-405 ft.)

Average Reservoir Pressure :

(after one year of production)

172.4 bar (2500 psi)

Well Depth :

3450 m. (11316 ft)

Crude API :

48 degree

Average Productivity Index

3.48 m3/day!kg/cm2

Gas Gravity(air=l) :
Pressure maintenance

By water injection

0.8016

TUbing Head Pressure --

~.

i.

Sub sea wells

34.47 bar (500 psi)

ii.

Deck level platform :

24.13 bar (350 psi)

of wells cx:mpleted at platform : 8

Subsea
: 2

Maxm. Liquid production Rate/well

318 m3/D (2000 bbl/D)

TOtal Injection Gas Rate :

85016 m3/D (3 milliOn std ft3)

Injection Gas Pressure :

68.94 bar (1000 psi)

Reservoir Tenp : 122 C

(25t F )

Reserve : 22 billion kg

603

21696

SPE 2169&

PRODUCTION
TREE

PRODUCTION TREE
WIT H GAS LIFT

PRODUCTION TREE
WITH DOWNHOLE
HYDRAULIC PUMP

PRODUCTION TREE
WITH ELECTRIC
SUBMERSIBLE PUMP

i
HVDRAUL''11-----J
PUMP

ILECTRI~

PUMP

PRODUCTIOft

FIG.i.
TREE SCHEMATICS FOR
NORMAL PRODUCTION ARTIFICIAL LIFT

PRODUCTION

SPE

Pressure(psl)

5000 r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ' - - ' - - - - - - ,

. GLA VIV

45

4000

-+-

100

-*-

-+-

300

-A- IPA

150

SOOO

2000

1000

Water cut-3'l> ; Tublng-3 1/2 In.; THP-240 pSi

O'------'-----~----'--.L.----'---L----l-----'

500 1000 1500 2000 2500S000 3500 4000

LIquid Aate(bbI/D)

Flgure-2
TIC for Well-2. Field XD

Pressure(PSI)Thousands

5,----------------------,
GLA VIV

45

-+-

200

-+-

100

-*-

300

-A- IPA

150

SIitM~---".,....--------------_i

Water cut-3'l> ; TUblng-3 1/2 In. ; THP-265 psi

O'-------'---L----'----'-----''------..L-----'
o
600
1000 1600 2000 2600 SOOO 3600
LIquid Aate(bbI/D)

Figure S
TIC for Well-S. Field XD

605

21696