A Novel Scientific Approach to Compare the Effectiveness of Well Stimulation and Artificial Lifting

Abstract

Production rate decline is one of the most common challenges in production engineering. Obviously, the first step to overcome this challenge is to understand its main reason. In this article, a new approach is developed which can be used to compare the effectiveness of artificial lifting and well stimulation. The method is based on a couple of charts that summarize the results of integrated simulation of formation and well-column. In the first graph, called the flow productivity index curve, the production rate is drawn as a function of the productivity index. Some important points are also specified on this diagram which are current state, production rate at maximum possible productivity index, and production rate when the well is equipped with a pump or gas lifting. In the second graph, derivatives of the production rate of different wells are drawn as a function of the productivity index. The analysis of three actual wells with conventional inflow performance relationship-tubing performance relationship (IPR-TPR) curves and also our suggested curves are discussed in this paper. It is seen that the introduced approach can be used as a powerful tool to predict the effectiveness of well stimulation and artificial lifting and make a clear comparison between them.