Production and Operations Flashcards
7 cards from real SPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Production and Operations flashcards as text
What is the primary purpose of a wellhead choke in oil and gas production?
Answer: To control flow rate and maintain backpressure on the reservoir
A wellhead choke restricts flow to control production rate and maintain appropriate backpressure, protecting surface equipment and reservoir management.
In artificial lift operations, which method uses a downhole pump driven by a surface prime mover via a sucker rod string?
Answer: Beam pump (rod pump)
A beam pump (rod pump) transmits surface motor energy downhole through a sucker rod string to drive a downhole plunger pump.
What does the term 'skin factor' represent in reservoir engineering?
Answer: A dimensionless measure of near-wellbore damage or stimulation
Skin factor (S) quantifies near-wellbore pressure drop beyond Darcy flow; positive skin indicates damage, negative skin indicates stimulation.
During a production test, a stabilized flow period is followed by a shut-in period. This sequence describes which well test type?
Answer: Pressure buildup test
A pressure buildup test involves flowing the well to stabilization then shutting it in to record the pressure recovery curve for analysis.
Which chemical treatment is typically used to prevent paraffin wax deposition in production tubing?
Answer: Pour point depressant
Pour point depressants modify wax crystal structure to lower the temperature at which paraffin solidifies, preventing deposition in tubing.
In a three-phase separator, what force is primarily responsible for separating water from oil?
Answer: Gravitational settling due to density difference
Water separates from oil in a three-phase separator mainly by gravity as the denser water phase settles to the bottom.
What is the function of a gas lift mandrel installed in production tubing?
Answer: To provide a ported housing for gas lift valves that inject lift gas into the tubing
A gas lift mandrel is a special tubing joint that houses a gas lift valve, enabling injection of high-pressure gas from the annulus into the tubing to reduce fluid density.