American Oil and Gas Reporter - February 2016 - 69

SpecialReport: Improved Oil Recovery

Better Technology Increases Efficiency
By Danny Boyd
Special Correspondent
As they await the eventual return of
higher commodity prices, oil and gas operators are focusing their efforts on maximizing the efficiency and performance
of all types of producing assets. Objectives
range from reducing lifting costs to enhancing production, with the ultimate
goal of boosting recoveries over the life
of a well or field.
In response, service and equipment
providers continue to roll out innovations
and reapplications of existing technologies
to help producers make the most of their
producing properties, reduce risk while
enhancing economics, and protect the integrity of essential drilling endeavors.
"At the moment, there certainly is
more emphasis being put on maximizing
yields from existing production, either
with new technologies or continued advances in reapplying existing systems,"
observes Sven Olson, chief executive officer of Leistritz Advanced Technologies
Corp. in Parsippany, N.J.
Multiphase Pumping
One example of reapplying proven
technology, Olson says, is multiphase
pumping. The development of unconventional resource plays that yield some
combination of liquids and gas has ushered
in an era of increased multiphase production flows. The nature of multiphase
production and the concentration of wells
in pad developments create opportunities
for achieving better economics using multiphase pumps, according to Olson.
"Multiphase pumping does not require
separating oil, gas or water, so production
can be gathered and transported to a
central processing area without needing
separate flowlines, separators, heatertreaters, tanks, flares, stock pumps and
compressors," he notes. "That can have a
dramatic impact on both capital and operating expenses."
At the same time, multiphase pumps
are designed to accommodate low inlet
pressures, allowing operators to decrease
flowing back-pressure. Especially for
wells on artificial lift, even a modest
drop in back-pressure can lead to accelerated production and increased ultimate
recovery, Olson says.
"Not all reservoirs respond the same,

and that is important to know when installing multiphase pumps," he remarks.
"You target the reservoir area where you
can expect the best results and more bang
for the buck. We have worked with smaller
units for handling annulus gas pressure,
basically lowering bottom-hole pressures
to help the inflow. The wells respond by
adding production."
Advancements in multiphase pumps
are freeing gas wells of liquids-either water
or condensates-by drawing down tubing
pressure and accelerating fluid velocity,
thereby allowing wells to begin producing
gas again, Olson says. The pumps also are
effective at commingling gas production
with liquids before the stream is transported
off site for processing, he adds.
For a relatively marginal capital expenditure, Olson contends, the pumps
can help operators extend the production
plateau of a reservoir and increase total
recovery.
"The technology pretty much can be
tied into existing infrastructure," he points
out. "That is even more important now
than in years when oil and gas prices
were higher."
Operators facing challenges from formations reacting to pressure drawdown
continue to consider gas lift and other

improved oil recovery solutions, Olson
offers. But he says replacing gas lift with
multiphase drawdown of wellhead pressure
can boost production, depending on the
age of the reservoir and the extent of depletion.
"We have seen 15-30 percent improvements in oil production in the Gulf of
Mexico," Olson reveals. "Multiphase
pumping offers an alternative to traditional
methods of reducing back-pressure, including installing knockout vessels, lowpressure separators, or bigger flowlines."
Other benefits of multiphase pumping
are a reduced equipment footprint and
compliance with growing regulatory constraints on gas flaring, Olson mentions.
He adds that smaller facilities mean less
manpower, commenting that in California,
deploying multiphase pumps is reducing
the need for dehydration facilities and
lowering operating expenses.
Additionally, he says, Leistritz is focusing on gathering applications involving
a number of wells and well pads where
multiphase pumps are being used efficiently in systems that draw down flowing
pressure across an entire field.
Mobile EOR
Houston-based SURGITECH Inc. is

Multiphase pumping not only eliminates the need for redundant infrastructure to separate the oil, gas and water common in unconventional production flows, but by decreasing back-pressure, multiphase pumping can accelerate production and even increase
ultimate recoveries, points out Leistritz Advanced Technologies Chief Executive Officer
Sven Olson.

FEBRUARY 2016 69

American Oil and Gas Reporter - February 2016

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