Optimization of Beam Pumping Systems in Heavy Oil Reservoirs: Reducing Friction and Enhancing Volumetric Efficiency Through Variable Speed DriveControl
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjes.Vol14.Iss2.956Keywords:
Beam pumping system, heavy oil, variable speed drive, volumetric efficiencyAbstract
Wellbore pressures from production wells that use heavy oil beam pumping systems have low volumetric efficiencies due to problems such as excessive viscous friction, insufficient pump fillage and the inability to adapt variable speed pump drive systems to continually changing wellbore conditions while maintaining the mechanical stress/production trade-off that must be met with a fixed-speed operation. A new approach that uses a closed-loop variable speed drive (VSD) controller with a variable speed strategy allows for real-time adjustments to pumping speed based on real-time pump fillage that was inferred from surface dynamometer cards thus eliminating the requirement to use downhole sensors for this application. The combined results of a coupled dynamic simulation and field validation showed that the use of the variable speed controller reduced peak polished rod load by 22.9% and friction work per stroke by 25.0%, while the pump fillage was stabilized to between 85-95% elimination of fluid pound and volumetric efficiency increased from 78.0% to 91.2%. Additionally, the energy efficiency increased by 30% relative to the constant-speed operation providing the best scenario. The proposed controller represents the first controller to optimize both friction and volumetric efficiency for heavy oil without additional downhole instrumentation thus resolving the fundamental mechanical stress/production trade-off. Retrofitting existing units with a fillage-based VSD represents a low-cost upgrade with rapid payback due to the energy savings and reduction in rod failures leading to increased production
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