Permanent instrumentation for productionoptimization and reservoir management

摘要

The application of existing pressure measurement technology in an innovative, cost effective manner provides an opportunity to obtain producing bottomhole pressure and temperatuer ove the life of a well - without impacting the producing environemt of the well. Utilizing an engineered housing design, pressure sensors are installed on the outside of production casing with special pressure ports providing access to internal and/or external pressures. A brief description of this innovative technology is provided along with comparisons to existing techniques for bottomhole pressure measurement. The application of permanent systems in vertical, slant and horizontal wells is discussed for primary, EOR and thermal recovery processes. Field results for slant and horizontal well installations are presented and discussed. Bottomhole pressure measurements of the cementing process for horizontal wells show that classic assumptions regarding hydraulic isolation may need reassessment. The role of permanent bottomhole pressure/temperature installations for production optimization and reservoir management is reviewed and discussed. Considerable effort is currently being expended to provide effective pump control options for all pumping systems (progressing cavity system, ESP and rod pumps). Permanent installations provide an ideal solution to pump control: direct input of bottomhole pressures into variable frequency drives allows pump control based on the one variable upon which pump control should be based - bottomhole pressure.