Recent Advances in Artificial Lift Methods for Onshore Unconventional Developments

Deep Dive is our new generation of highly interactive and focused courses. Our Deep Dive – Artificial Lift training gathers industry thought leaders for in-depth instruction and discussion on recent advances in artificial lift technology for onshore unconventional developments. For this course, we provide a wide-ranging view of the artificial lift landscape for unconventional developments with emphasis on the latest thinking and concepts for lift systems. Our instructors provide objective third party and end-user perspectives. Select vendors will relay their latest product offerings in detailed technical sessions facilitated by our industry leading instructors.

Forming an Artificial Lift Strategy – Key Take Aways from the Deep Dive -Lift First!

Intermediate to Advance

2 Days

You will receive state-of-the-art instruction on the recent advances in artificial lift for onshore unconventional developments. The course provides a forum for discussion of successful artificial lift approaches currently in use and emerging technologies. It provides an opportunity to learn what strategies are working to provide value over the production lift-cycle. Proper selection of the artificial lift method is critical to sustaining production and achieving best-in-class performance in the key areas of Lifting Cost and Lease Operating Expense (LOE).

Production, completion, production and reservoir engineers as well as operations staff will benefit from this course. The course provides an intermediate to advanced level of knowledge and is best suited for students who have a basic level of knowledge or experience in oil & gas production operations including some experience with artificial lift methods. Due to the strategic nature of the discuss, managers of unconventional developments will also benefit from the course.

Lee Norris (Lift ETC Advisor)

Lee will discuss transient dynamics in horizontal wells in unconventional developments using field data to reveal the "terrain slugging” created in the horizontal section of the wellbore. He will discuss how artificial lift methods, such as gas-lift and rod-pumps can help stabilize slugging and under what conditions each method provides the best result.  Use of intermitters and plunger lift will be discussed as a pathway toward longer-term energy added forms of artificial lift.

Dr. Stuart L Scott (PetroleumETC)

Dr. Scott will facilitate the Deep Dive course including the panel discussion sessions. He will provide the scene-setting presentation and outline the goals and instructional objectives for the course. Dr. Scott will provide an overview of current and emerging technologies for mitigating gas-well liquid loading. He will also serve as primary instructor for topics related to recent advances in ESP technology, wellhead/pad compression and surface facility considerations in support of the artificial lift strategy.

Paulo Wartrich (LSU)

Paulo J. Waltrich is Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University in the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering. Previously, he worked at Whirlpool Corporation (in Brazil) and at Petrobras America Inc. (in the US). His research interests include multiphase flow in pipes, artificial lift systems, liquid loading in gas wells, worst-case-discharge calculations, flow assurance, and managed pressure drilling. Waltrich has authored and coauthored more than 35 technical papers and holds one US patent. He holds a BS and MS degree in mechanical engineering from Federal University of Santa Catarina, and a PhD degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University. Waltrich is a member of SPE and ASME, and is Associate Editor for the Multiphase Technology and Science journal.

• The Inherent Slugging Tendencies of Horizontal Wells in Unconventional Reservoirs
• Stabilizing Horizontal Wells using Gas-Lift and Rod Pumping Lift Methods
• Usefulness of Intermitters & Plunger Lift to Transition between Natural Flow and Energy-Added Artificial Lift Methods
• Recent Advances in ESP Gas-Handling Capabilities and Emerging Changes in ESP Design to Improve Reliability
• Understanding ESP Erosion from Frac Sand Flowback
• The New Liquid-Assisted Gas-Lift (LAGL) Method and Improvements in Gas-Lift Valve Reliability
• Current and Emerging Methods to Mitigate Liquid Loading in Gas-Wells
• New Approaches for Wellhead and Pad Based Compression as Artificial Lift Methods
• Surface Facility Considerations in Support of a Pad Based Artificial Lift Strategy