SPE 165064

First Heater Cable Installed in Colombia

W. Acosta, Hocol; C. A. Garcés, Baker Hughes

Copyright 2013, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Artificial Lift Conference-Americas held in Cartagena, Colombia, 21-22 May 2013.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract

In an effort to improve the production of heavy oil, an operator in Colombia installed the first heater cable in Colombia. This
cable is manufactured with a technology similar to the power cables used in ESP systems, the cable have specific design to
generate heat in the bottom of hole. The principle of this cable is passing the electric current through a conductor to generate
internal collisions of ions. These collisions transform the energy in heat; this heat is transferred to the fluid and well
formation to reduce the viscosity fluid to permit the fluid mobility into the tubing.

General Idea

Theoretical 1

Although the actual modeling can be complex, the fundamental principles behind heater cable products are relatively simple.
Heat is generated by passing electrical current through resistive elements. In some cases, a three conductor cable is
electrically shorted in the well using a specialized terminal block. By adjusting the source voltage on the surface, it is
possible to adjust the three phase short circuit current to a desired level. Heat transfer characteristics can be calculated by
knowing wellbore geometry, formation characteristics, well fluid properties and the flow rate. Working with these data and
specifications, the desired surface voltage level is determined.

Heat transfer analysis is the engineering science used to evaluate the suitability and power requirements for heating a well
bore using electrical resistance hardware. The heat transfer process in wells is complex. Typically a hundred or more
interacting variables must either be entered and/or calculated by computer algorithms in order to complete an analysis and, as
no two wells are the same; the analysis is unique to each well.

Heat is transferred from an object or surface of higher temperature to an object or surface of lower temperature by three
mechanisms; by conduction through contiguous solids, by convection between liquids and gases and the surfaces they contact
and by radiation between objects or surfaces in an environment transparent to thermal radiation such as gases or vacuums.
Conduction and radiation can be accurately analyzed by rigorous, theoretical mathematical models. Convection is chaotic in
nature but can be analyzed by a combination of theory and empirical, curve fitting mathematical models derived from
experiment. Often all three heat transfer mechanisms are in play in oil and gas wells. After the heat transfer analysis is
complete the electrical characteristics of the heater cable are used to set the required input voltage and resultant amperage and
electrical power requirements.
2 SPE 165064

In the list below describe the heater cable variables:

TC = Temperature of conductor and polyimide interface

T1 = Temperature of fluid A (Production fluid)
T2 = Temperature of production tubing and fluid A interface
T3 = Temperature of production tubing and fluid B + armor interface
T4 = Bulk / Average temperature of fluid B
T5 = Temperature of well casing and fluid B interface
T6 = Temperature of well casing and formation interface
T7 = Temperature of cable guard and fluid B interface
T8 = Temperature of cable guard and air gap interface
T9 = Bulk / Average temperature of air gap
T10 = Temperature of armor and air gap interface
T11 = Temperature of armor and lead interface (A, B, & C conductors respectively)
T12 = Temperature of lead and insulation interface (A, B, & C conductors respectively)
T13 = Temperature of insulation and polyimide interface (A, B, & C conductors respectively)
T14 = Formation temperature (function variant)

Figure 1. Typical heater cable application1 Figure 2, Typical heater cable application1

Typical heater cable application1

RPolyimide = Conductive thermal resistance of the polyimide layer
RInsulation = Conductive thermal resistance of the insulation layer
RLead = Conductive thermal resistance of the lead layer
RArmorOuterLeg = Conductive thermal resistance of the outer cable with armor
RArmorInnerLeg = Conductive thermal resistance of the inner cable with armor
RGuard = Conductive thermal resistance of the cable guard
RCasing = Conductive thermal resistance of the casing
RTubing = Conductive thermal resistance of the tubing
R103 = Conductive thermal resistance of the area between the armor and production tubing
R910 = Convective thermal resistance of the area between the armor and the air gap
R98 = Convective thermal resistance of the area between the air gap and the cable guard
R47 = Convective thermal resistance of the area between the cable guard and bulk of fluid B
R45 = Convective thermal resistance of the area between the bulk of fluid B and the casing
R43 = Convective thermal resistance of the bulk of fluid B and tubing
RA = Convective thermal resistance of fluid A with tubing
R108 = Radioactive thermal resistance between the armor and the cable guard
R75 = Radioactive thermal resistance between the cable guard and casing
R35 = Radioactive thermal resistance between the tubing and casing
SPE 165064 3

The circuit can then simplify into

Ri (Thermal resistance of the cable inner leg) = RPolyimide + RInsulation + RLead + RArmorInnerLeg
Rii (Thermal resistance of the cable outer leg) = RPolyimide + RInsulation + RLead + RArmorOuterLeg
Riii (Thermal resistance of the cable outer leg) = RPolyimide + RInsulation + RLead + RArmorOuterLeg
Riv (Thermal resistance of air gap between cable guard and armor) = (R910 + R98) || R108
Rv (Thermal resistance of air gap between cable guard and casing) = (R47 + R45) || R75
Rvi (Thermal resistance of air gap between tubing and casing) = (R43 + R45) || R35

Further reducing the circuit

1/(R‫=)ן‬1/Ri+1/Rii+1/Riii
Rβ = Riv + RGuard + Rv + RCasing

RƳ = RA + RTubing + Rvi + RCasing

R δ= R103 + RTubing + RA

Thermal conduction is the process of which heat flows from a higher temperature to a lower temperature within a single body
or between bodies in direct physical contact. The bodies involved may be in solid, liquid, gaseous or plasma state. Kinetic
theory defines temperature as the mean kinetic energy of its constituent molecules. Therefore, conductive heat flow is the
transfer of energy by direct molecular communication without macroscopic displacement of its molecules.

Since RPolyimide, RInsulation, RLead, RArmorOuterLeg, RArmorInnerLeg, R103, RGuard, RTubing and RCasing are
strictly conductive resistances, they can be solved directly using geometry, typical thermal data and the above generalized
equation. Note that the above equations are given in Cartesian form and are only valid for planer conduction.

The supposition of two mechanisms constitutes convective heat transfer. The first mechanism is the energy transfer due to
random molecular motion (diffusion). The second mechanism is the energy being transferred by the macroscopic motion of
the fluid (advection). R910, R98, R47, R45, R43 and RA are significantly more complex when compared to purely
conductive resistances. To determine these resistances, one would first need to determine the involved convection coefficient,
which is temperature dependent.

Well environment
• Well temperature (geothermal gradient)
• Thermal conductivity of the surrounding formation

In heat transfer, Reynolds Number determines the mode of flow. Typically, if Reynolds Number is zero, then the flow is
considered to be free convection. Reynolds Number less than three thousand dictates laminar convection. If Reynolds number
is between three thousand and ten thousand, then the convection is considered transitional. Finally, a Reynolds number
greater than ten thousand constitutes a turbulent convection. After determining the mode of convection and evaluating
whether or not free convection is a significant contribution factor, a suitable model can be chosen to determine the convection
coefficients in relation to the temperature differential. Table 1.0 provides a value range of convective heat transfer
coefficients in relation to the predominant flow pattern.

1
Figure 1. Typical values of the convection heat transfer coefficient
4 SPE 165064

The final heat transfer mechanism is radiation, which is energy emission resulting from oscillations or transitions of
electrons. These oscillations are, in turn, sustained by the internal energy, and therefore the temperature, of the matter.
Depending on the material, radiation can be described as volumetric phenomenon and surface phenomenon. Thermal
radiative heat transfer in oil well is a surface emission phenomenon. R108, R75 and R35, similarly represent the thermal
resistance due to radiation. Again, as the temperature differentials are unknown, these variables cannot be solved directly.

Abstract Results, Observations, and Conclusions2

The operator in Colombia installed “the first heater cable” in the well Don Pedro Norte 1. The well Don Pedro was drilled in
a gas reservoir being this the third well of the field. The drilling results after reach the reservoir were heavy oil instead gas,
Perforating only 60% of the inteval, the well production was 90 BOPD with 0% of BSW.

The reservoir data for this well is

DON PEDRO NORTE RESERVOIR DATA

Initial Reservoir Pressure 1025 PSI
Reservoir Temperature 106.8ºF
Crude Boiling Point 455 PSI
Crude Gas Oil Ratio @ Pb 45 CSF/STB
Bo @ Pb 1023
Oil Viscosity @ Tr, Pr 5929 CP
Oil Viscosity @ Tr, Pb 4528 CP
Gas Volumen Factor @ 350 PSI 0.0418 Bg
Gas Viscosity @ 350 PSI 0.0121 CP
API Gravity 12º API
Table 1, Well Reservoir data

The objetives to produce this well was:

• Learn about the recovery in heavy oil wells.
• Apply new technologies ti produce heavy oil (heater cable).
• Produce this well with low cost and commercial rates.

The project was divided in 2 stages

Stage 1: Cold production with diluents.

250 90 Variables Before After

Prodcution N.A 100BOPD
80

200
API Gravity 12 ° 16.5°
70

PCP Pump Torque 75% 55%

60
Diluent(Ortega’s 0 50BOPD
150
50
Oil) via annnulus
BSW (%)
BOPD

Table 2, Well conditions before/after

40
100

30

20
50

10

0 0
1/5/2011
4/5/2011
7/5/2011

3/6/2011
6/6/2011
9/6/2011

3/7/2011
6/7/2011
9/7/2011

2/8/2011
5/8/2011
8/8/2011
28/4/2011

10/5/2011
13/5/2011
16/5/2011
19/5/2011
22/5/2011
25/5/2011
28/5/2011
31/5/2011

12/6/2011
15/6/2011
18/6/2011
21/6/2011
24/6/2011
27/6/2011
30/6/2011

12/7/2011
15/7/2011
18/7/2011
21/7/2011
24/7/2011
27/7/2011
30/7/2011

Figure 2. Cold production

SPE 165064 5

Stage 2: Production with the heater cable. Without diluents

The heater cable was installed in front of perforations @2676ft. The following figure describes Don Pedro Norte completion
with the heater cable.

Figure 3. typical PCP and heater cable completion

The variables the well had before the heating were:

• RPM in the PCP system 210RPM

• Surface tempreture 99°F
• Bottom Hole temperature 109.94°F
• PCP Pump Torque 48lb/FT@100RPM
• Motor amperage 36amp@ 200RPM

During the 42 days test, the well and simulations showed satisfactory results increasing the oil production and optimizing the
artificial lift variables. The power transfered to the overall system was of 314.819Btu/h, shared on this way: 46.706Btu/h to
heat the tubing and 162.802Btu/h to heat the formation with a range of heat penetration into the reservoir from 30 ft to 150 ft.
The artificial system variables changed as follows:

• RPM in the PCP system 210RPM

• PCP Pump Torque 26lb/FT@200RPM
Motor amperage 28.3amp@200RPM

The temperature that the heater cable transferred to the system, increased the production

Variables Before With After

Diluent without
diluent and
heater
cable
Prodcution 100BOPD 221BFPD
o o
API Gravity 12 12
Torque 55% 35%
Diluent(Ortega’s 50BFPD 0BFPD
Oil)
o o
Botton hole 109 F 213 F
temperture
o o
Surface 99 F 122 F
Temperture

Table 2, Well conditions before/after

Figure 4. Production Before and After Heater Cable

6 SPE 165064

Conclusions

• The transport and use of diluent to improve the down hole oil mobility was changed for the heater cable
• Although it was necessary to use additional energy for heating the cable, this was offset by the reduction in
consumption with optimized pumping variables
• It is believed that due to the continuous heating, the wax precipitation in the wellbore was reduced as well
• Unlike to the use of downhole diluent injection, the use of heater cable increased the oil production due to the
formation heating what allowed mobilizing more oil to the wellbore.
• The use of heater cable permmited to evaluate succesfully this thermal recovery method

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of field people both from Hocol S.A. and Baker Hughes. We also wish to
thank Hocol S.A. for permission to publish this paper.

References

1. SPE 141508, Last development project utilization of heater cable in ESP production system, Cameron K.
Chung, Don Cox, Larry Dalrymple, and Brad Yingst, Baker Hughes; James Russell, British Petroleum, 2011
2. Heavy oil work shop 2012, first heater cable installed in Colombia. SPE, Wilson Acosta, Hocol, Cristian Von
Zedwits, Carlos Andres Garcés, Baker Hughes. Noviembre 2012
3. Technical and Economic Feasibility of Producing The Heavy Oil Well DP-N1: Cold, Thermal and
Chemical Recovery. Internal Communication- Wilson Acosta - Hocol S. A. December 2011.