Artificial Lift Systems 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 Artificial Lift Systems flashcards as text
In a sucker rod pumping system, what does the term 'fluid pound' refer to?
Answer: The pump plunger striking liquid with incomplete barrel fill
Fluid pound occurs when the pump barrel is not fully filled with liquid, causing the plunger to impact the fluid surface violently on the downstroke.
Which artificial lift method is most suitable for high gas-liquid ratio (GLR) wells with deviated wellbores?
Answer: Plunger lift
Plunger lift is well-suited for high-GLR deviated wells because it uses the natural gas energy to lift a plunger slug of liquid to surface.
What is the primary advantage of a gas-lift mandrel with a side-pocket configuration?
Answer: Ability to retrieve and replace valves without pulling the tubing string
Side-pocket mandrels allow gas-lift valves to be kicked over and retrieved by wireline without pulling the tubing, enabling workover-free valve changes.
In ESP design, what does the term 'pump intake pressure' (PIP) represent?
Answer: Bottomhole flowing pressure at the pump suction inlet
Pump intake pressure (PIP) is the flowing bottomhole pressure measured at the ESP pump suction, which determines the available net positive suction head.
For a progressive cavity pump (PCP), what determines the volumetric displacement per revolution?
Answer: Rotor eccentricity and stator pitch length
PCP displacement per revolution is determined by rotor eccentricity and stator pitch length, which define the cavity volume swept per turn.
Which gas-lift valve type opens when the casing (annulus) pressure exceeds a set value and is primarily used as an unloading valve?
Answer: Casing pressure-operated (CPO) valve
Casing pressure-operated (CPO) valves open when annulus injection pressure exceeds the bellows charge pressure, making them ideal for unloading operations.
What is the purpose of a 'Y-tool' configuration in an ESP installation?
Answer: To allow wireline access past the ESP for well intervention below the pump
A Y-tool bypasses the ESP string, providing a wireline access path to the perforations or below the pump for logging or other interventions without pulling the ESP.