Artificial Lift technologies selection
Historically ALS is driven by ESP’s for high flow rate and SRP’s for low flow rate. Over the last thirty years new pump technologies arrived on the market to improve efficiency and performance such as PCP’s, jet pumps,…
Operators are well educated on ESP/SRP’s and tend to keep PCP’s only where ESP’s & SRP’s don’t work.
Here below is a comparison between the three main Artificial lift technologies: Electrical submersible pump (ESP), Sucker rod pump (SRP), Progressing Cavity pump (PCP).
ESP - ELECTRICAL SUBMERSIBLE PUMP
Centrifugal
PCP - PROGRESSING CAVITY PUMP
Volumetric
SRP - SUCKER ROD PUMP
Volumetric
9 550 m3/d
[60 000 bbl/d]
1 112 m3/d
[7 000 bbl/d]
795 m3/d
[5 000 bbl/d]
450 bar
[6 500 PSI]
330 bar
[4 800 PSI]
400 bar
[5 800 PSI]
250 °C
[482 °F]
Elasto PCP: 150 °C [300°F]
All metal PCP: 350°C [660 °F]
288 °C
[550 °F]
High CAPEX
High OPEX
Low CAPEX
Medium OPEX
Medium CAPEX
Low OPEX
35-60%
50-75%
45-60%
More energy intensive
Least energy intensive
More energy intensive
Poor
Excellent
Fair
Poor
Good
Poor
Yes
No
Yes
Good
Special care on elastomer selection
Good
Good
Good
Good
Limitation due to high viscosity
Excellent
Risk of rod fall
Minimal
Low
Heavy surface equipment
Medium to light oil
SAGD
Medium to extra heavy oil
Gas well dewatering (CBM/CSG)
SAGD/CSS
Light to heavy oil
CSS