Case study: Texas

Production Solution improves
daily oil production 34%,
mitigates nonproductive time
An operator in the Eagle Ford shale in
Texas was installing rod lift systems infour wells completed with 5½-in., 20-lb
casing that were no longer free flowing.
However, after three installations, it
was clear that the rod lift systems were
not effectively drawing down the wells,
which limited production. Fluid levelsin the three wells on rod lift remainedat just 600 to 1,110 ft (182 to 335 m)
below the surface. Plus, the three wells
were experiencing repeated rod-wear
failures due to the deviated wellbore
geometry. The wells averaged 9,200ft (2804 m) total vertical depth (TVD)
and 17,000 ft (5181 m) total measured
depth. Additionally, this area sufferedfrom severe scale and corrosion
issues which dramatically impacted
downhole pumping performance.
To achieve greater drawdown, a multidisciplined team of Baker Hughes
engineers analyzed the reservoir
fluids and well challenges before
recommending the slimline CENesis™
PHASE multiphase encapsulated
electrical submersible pumping (ESP)system in concert with a chemicaltreatment program using a capillaryline to prevent scale buildup in theESP system. The slimline CENesis
PHASE technology is designed to fit
wells with smaller casing sizes and tonaturally separate the high levels ofgas typical in the Eagle Ford before it
can enter the pump and potentiallycreate gas locking conditions. Basedon calculations from the Baker Hughes
AutographPC™ sizing and simulation
software, free gas in the fluid steam
was approximately 85%.
The CENesis PHASE system was alsochosen as the best technical solution
due to the low water cuts and high API
gravity of the oil in the Eagle Ford. This
combination causes the oil and gas tofoam up instead of cleanly separating
and can cause the ESP system motor
to overheat. The CENesis PHASE design
mitigated this concern by diverting
fluid past the motor to keep it cool.
Because of the known scale andcorrosion issues, Baker Hughes
scientists performed an analysis of the
produced water in the area—including
a kinetic turbidity test and dynamic
tube block test. Based on the results,
a proprietary scale and corrosion
inhibitor was selected as the mosteffective chemical treatment. The
chemical treatment was injected at
the pump intake using a capillary line.
This was a critical part of the solution
due to the severe scale and corrosion
issues experienced in this area of theEagle Ford shale, which can lead topump inefficiencies and premature
failures. Eliminating any scale buildup
or corrosion was doubly important in
the smaller flow paths of the slimline
ESP system. Delivering the combination
inhibitor directly to the intake ofthe pump helped ensure effectivetreatment. The ProductionLink™
virtual pressure meter was deployed
to optimize the operation of the ESP
system during the first several weeks
when downhole conditions tend to be
more erratic.

Challenges• Unable to adequately draw
down the fluid level in the well tomaximize production• Repeated rod failures due todeviated wellbores• Severe scale and corrosion issues
dramatically impacted downhole
pumping system performance• 5½-in., 20-lb casing limited
artificial lift options• High gas content in thefluid stream

Results• Increased production by
80 BOPD by improving fluid
drawdown in the well
• Mitigated gas interference inthe ESP system while producing
184 Mcf/D• Experienced no production
system down time due to issues
related to high gas content andoil composition• Prevented scale buildup in theESP system

Following installation of thisBaker Hughes Production Solution, theoperator immediately measured fluid
levels in the well at 3,200 ft (975 m) fromthe surface, which resulted in 80 BOPD

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(12.7 m3/d) incremental production. The CENesis PHASE ESP
system effectively managed the gas in the fluid stream; datafrom ProductionLink monitoring services indicated there was
no gas interference in the pump and the operator was alsoable to capture production of 184 Mcf/D—substantially more
gas than the three wells on rod lift were producing—providing
a secondary revenue stream from the well. The ESP-based
solution also mitigated the issues related to wellbore
deviations, eliminating the downtime and lost production
associated with rod-wear failures. Plus, the CENesis PHASE
system design alleviated any potential motor heating
concerns.
By deploying a Production Solution that combined the ESP
system with scale and corrosion treatment via a capillaryCopyright 2021 Baker Hughes Company. All rights reserved. 83244 Rev. 02/2022

tube, the operator and Baker Hughes were able to design
a commercial model that included an environmental
warranty, which expands the coverage on the ESP system
to issues related to scale buildup or corrosion. With aproperly designed capillary tube and chemical program,the warranty also was expanded to include any plugging,cracking, or stress to the capillary tube due to incompatible
chemicals. This commercial approach, which can only beoffered if Baker Hughes production experts are providingthe ESP system and the chemical treatment program as a
total solution, gave the operator greater confidence in thechallenging conditions associated with producing from theEagle Ford shale.

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