Specialists of the ZARUBEZHNEFT-Dobycha Samara company successfully tested at the Orenburg field simplified technology. It makes it possible to extract oil from wells with low flow rates, which were previously prepared for mothballing, at a lower cost.
Russian engineers have found a way to give a second life to old and unproductive wells. New technology is radically changing the approach to mining. Instead of using complex and expensive tubing, experts proposed lifting oil directly through the casing that is already in each well.
This solution is especially important for so-called depleted wells. Their flow rate is small, and the use of traditional methods is often simply unprofitable. The costs of equipment and electricity ate up all profits. This problem has now been resolved.
A compact set of equipment is installed inside the existing column, including a downhole pump and a packer. This configuration has proven its effectiveness in practice. Tests at the Kirsanovskoye field in the Orenburg region showed impressive results.
The economic effect of the innovation is significant. Well development costs were reduced by 15%. The production start-up time was reduced by 20–30%. In addition, the system consumes one-fifth less electricity, reducing ongoing operating costs.
This innovation opens up access to enormous resources. There are more than 6,200 wells in Russia that were planned for abandonment due to low profitability. New technology makes their development economically feasible, allowing additional oil to be obtained where previously it was considered impossible.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @cdutek
