Overcoming High Flow Line Pressure by Successful Installation of First Surface Jet Pump

Abstract

The year 2020 has been challenging for the whole world due to the COVID pandemic. The unprecedented impacts of the world's recent lockdown and volatility of oil and gas markets tested the leadership and resilience of business models and repositioned strategies that will shape the industry for the next decade. Business survival has become critical during these unprecedented times, especially in the energy industry which has taken a significant hit due to the oil price fall and supply gluts. Existing plans are under observation, as it is vital to identify more efficient approaches and solutions for building future business resilience. Modern technologies can be used to support energy transition. The surface jet pump is one of the newest technologies that help lower the wellhead pressure of the well. It also reduces back pressure on the well. Thus, it enhances the flow rate. Additionally, the surface jet pump overcomes the flow line pressure into the existing pressurized flow lines without creating back pressure on the reservoirs. This technology can be utilized for many applications, including well-bore cleanup after completions, de-liquefying gas wells, producing heavy, viscous, or corrosive liquids, producing CO2 and natural gas wells. This paper is about the successful installation of the first-ever surface jet pump in the country. The pump was deployed in the Northern Iraq region to reduce the backpressure on the wells caused by the central production facility. The pump parameters were designed on Jet Evaluation and Modeling Software (JEMS) and 13G was selected as the optimum nozzle and throat combination for this project. The pump worked successfully, and the wellhead increased from 310 to 355 psi. And gross production from a single well was increased to around 850 BPD from 550 BPD generating about 0.4 Million USD/Month additional revenue. With the long-term impact of the recent pandemic on the energy market, it's clear that companies are more focused than ever on picking the best solutions to ensure the long-term viability and survival of their operations. The surface jet pump is one of the technological advancements for such solutions that have been successfully tested at this location. This paper goes on the technicalities of the technology and project.