Subsurface Production Operations and Artificial Lift Technologies

The main elements of the subsurface production system include the reservoir, wellbore, tubing, perforation techniques, packer, SSSV, artificial lift equipment and wellhead. Understanding the integration between the elements of the subsurface production system along with the principles of the Inflow and outflow relationships is very important to be familiar with the well productivity and production optimization. Formation damage has a great impact on the productivity of oil and gas wells. Therefore, stimulation operations are used to remove the formation damage and enhance the productivity of the well. However, the artificial lift techniques are used to decrease the bottom-hole pressure and increase the production rate from the well. The various types of artificial lift systems along with their selection criteria should be studied to achieve production optimization.

This course provides an overview of well-performance evaluation leading to the determination of well conditions necessitating the application of artificial lift and stimulation operations. All causes of the formation damage (during drilling, cementing, production) and the remediation techniques will be presented. The practical aspects of the most important artificial lift methods will be covered. Several case studies including guidelines, approaches and procedures will be also presented for better understanding of the subsurface production operations and the artificial lift technologies.