Nodal Analysis - Well Outflow Mechanism & Performance

What is well performance and what is Nodal Analysis?

Well performance is the discipline that aims at maximizing the production of a well. It involves the understanding of the well production mechanisms known as the well inflow and the well outflow. The well inflow describes the laws that drive the flow of hydrocarbons from the reservoir to the bottom of the well. The well outflow describes the laws that drive the flow of hydrocarbons from the bottom of the well to the surface.

Both mechanisms are part of what is called the nodal analysis. Nodal analysis studies the evolution of the pressure between two system nodes. Applied to well production, the system usually starts with a node in the reservoir and finishes with a node in the surface tank or production separator. Fluid movement from one node to the other will trigger an evolution of the hydrostatic pressure and frictions (or pressure losses). The change of these two pressures (hydrostatic & frictions) will equal the difference in pressure between both system nodes. By measuring the pressure at a specific node (for instance, using a pressure gauge installed in the production separator) and using nodal analysis, the pressure in another system node can be calculated and used to decide on specific actions to increase the well production.

Well production mechanisms are among the most important things to understand when optimizing a well. Whether a well is in natural flow or uses artificial lift, mastering the concepts of inflow and outflow will allow us to understand any well behaviour and optimize it.

Our Nodal Analysis - Well Outflow course offers a comprehensive approach to analyzing and solving well production problems. We provide practical examples to help students develop the skills needed to increase the production of their wells.

This course focuses on the outflow mechanism. Students will be guided to key concepts like vertical lift performance curves (aka VLP curves), pressure losses, flow regimes, nodal analysis… The instructor will share a method to select the most appropriate multiphase flow pressure correlations to achieve a good matching with your nodal analysis software Prosper.

Well performance, reservoir and petroleum engineering will be all linked. You will be shown how PVT and other parameters impact the production of your well. Gas production will also be discussed through the concepts of critical velocity and liquid loading. The instructor will explain practical solutions that can be implemented to deliquefy a liquid loaded gas well.

By following this course, students will learn how to increase the production of any oil and gas well.

Objectives:

This course connects reservoir engineering to well performance and petroleum engineering. Participants will acquire a good understanding of the well outflow mechanism. Together with Nodal Analysis - Well Inflow, it will teach what a senior petroleum engineer should know about nodal analysis, well performance, and well production.

Curriculum:

• Fluid path from bottom to surface
• Hydrostatic pressure and pressure losses
• Vertical flow pressure curves and sensitivities to GLR & WHP variations
• Vertical lift performance (VLP) curve
• Hold up and slip velocity
• Horizontal & vertical flow regimes
• Flow pattern maps
• Impact of PVT on the outflow in oil wells (viscosity, bubble point and solution GOR)
• Gas well:
  • Impact of PVT on the outflow (dew point and CGR)
  • Liquid loading and how to avoid it
  • Turner’s critical velocity
  • Gas well deliquification
• Multiphase flow pressure correlation
  • Main correlations available and main features
  • How to select the best correlation using a nodal analysis software (Prosper)
• Effect of emulsion on viscosity
• Why you need artificial lift
• How to increase production
• Exercises: Impact of 6 different parameters variation on inflow and outflow

Designed for:

• Production, Petroleum or Well Performance Engineers to maximize their well production
• Reservoir engineers to link reservoir engineering with well production
• Field Production Personnel to understand the criticality of data
• Completion or Surface Facilities Engineers to understand what they can do to help maximizing well production

Pre-requisites:

• Basic knowledge on well architecture
• Awareness on the oilfield terms
• Understanding of the inflow mechanism