pump-off controllers chris patterson production group athabasca oil sub business unit canadian...

Pump-Off Controllers

Chris PattersonProduction GroupAthabasca Oil Sub Business UnitCanadian Foothills & Frontier RegionAugust 23, 2004

Agenda

Pelican Lake Overview

Theory of Pumped-Off

Current Well Optimization Techniques

What are Pump-Off Controllers?

Results from Pump-Off Controller Test

Economic Evaluation

Recommendations

Pump-Off Controllers

Pelican Lake Oil

• 500 Producing Horizontal Wells • 22,000 Barrels/Day (Heavy Oil)• Secondary Recovery – Waterflood• 180 Water Injectors

Pump-Off Controllers

What is Pumped Off?

Reservoir

1700 KPa

PUMP

300m

ΔP Inflow= 1700KPa

Pumped-Off

Pump-Off Controllers

Darcy’s EqnFlow α ΔP

Reservoir

1700 KPa

PUMP

50mStatic Pressure

=ρgh

500 KPa

ΔP Inflow= 1200KPa

Not Pumped-Off

Current Well Optimization Technique

Fluid Shot -> Change Speed -> Fluid Shot -> Change Speed

Pump-Off Controllers

Fluid Gun

Echo Meter

Calling to Change Speed

Control Room:Please speed up from

100 to 130 rpm

Pump-Off Controllers

Current Optimization Techniques

Advantages Disadvantages Standard oilfield practice

Safe and reliable

Good production

Time consuming

“Snap Shot” of fluid level

Infrequent tests

Requires testing equipment

Not completely pumped-off

Pump-Off Controllers

Project Scope

Researched potential vendors with pump-off controllers.

Installed 8 Pump-Off Controllers from 4 vendors and ran trials – No cost to EnCana.

Reviewed results.

Obtained formal quotes c/w installation costs.

Recommended pump-off controller strategy with economic justification.

Pump-Off Controllers

Vendor/Controllers Evaluated:

Pump-Off Controller Units

StellarTech

Grizzly Electric

Lufkin Automation

VFD Pump-Off Controllers (Software Upload)

Wermac Electric

Pump-Off Controllers

What we currently have

Pump-Off Controllers

Top Drive

WermacVariable Frequency

Drive SCADA

Where the Pump-Off Controller Fits In

Top Drive WermacVFD

SCADAController

Flow Sensor

Pump-Off Controllers

VFD Pump-Off Controllers

Top DriveWermac

VFD SCADA

Wermac Flow Sensor

Pump-Off Controllers

SoftwareUpload

Test Results

StellarTech – Controller unsuited for application.

Grizzly Electric – 15% increase in production. Controller algorithm requires further modification.

Lufkin Automation – Initial install problems. Just installed (no data).

Wermac Electric – 28% increase in production. Best overall Pump-Off Controller.

Pump-Off Controllers

Controller Evaluation – Wermac

Operator’s are familiar with Wermac VFD’s.

No need for physical controller.

No cost for software.

Controller algorithm is robust and versatile.

Proven in Pelican Lake field trials.

Good customer service and technical help.

Pump-Off Controllers

Results – Controller Off

RPM

Floco Flow (m^3/day)AccumulatedVolume (m^3)

Average Production:41 m^3/day

Pump-Off Controllers

Results – Controller On

Average Production:52.5 m^3/day

RPM

Floco Flow (m^3/day)

AccumulatedVolume (m^3)

Thermal Flow %

28% Increase inProduction

Pump-Off Controllers

Economic Results:

NPV After Tax @ 9%: 68 M$

After Tax ROR: 100%

Payout Period: 7.1 months

PIR @ 9%: 3.92 M$/M$

All EnCana economic hurdles met and exceeded!

Pump-Off Controllers

Pump-Off Controllers:

Advantages Disadvantages

Optimized fluid levels

Increased production

Optimize operator time

Simple to operate

Increased pump-life

Additional capital required

Increased maintenance costs

Pump-Off Controllers

Recommendations:

Continue testing of controllers.

Install Wermac controllers on new infill pad under primary production (Pad NE-65) – in progress.

Include funds in 2005 Capital Budget for Wermac pump-off control – accepted.

Test using existing floco meter to replace thermal flow sensor.

Pump-Off Controllers