SPE-211790-MS

Benefits of Hydraulic Jet Pump for Unloading a Well Over Conventional

Nitrogen Lift Method

Kamaran Azeez, Marwan Abdelbary, and Abid Ur Rehman, Weatherford International

Copyright 2022, Society of Petroleum Engineers DOI 10.2118/211790-MS

This paper was prepared for presentation at the ADIPEC held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 31 October – 3 November 2022.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
Removing fluid from a wellbore column, allowing a well to flow initially, or bringing a previous well back
online, nitrogen lifting is commonly used in north Iraq wells. Due to the inability of coiled tubing units to
be delivered on time and their high cost, operators are forced to seek for an alternative method of unloading
drilling fluid. A hydraulic Jet Pump is a technology used to complete the task.
A newly drilled well DB-H was chosen, and the drilling fluid volume calculated was 12,000 bbl. to pump
to the surface and begin production, assuming nonstop operation between unloading and producing. The
deployment of the hydraulic lift Jet Pump for both stages was planned. Well data from the operator was
collected, the process design was initiated, and Jet Evaluation Modeling Software (JEMS) was used to run
the design models. A Proper pump size was set up based on available data to meet operator expectations.
A Reverse Circulating Jet Pump (RCJP) was chosen to be installed inside a Sliding Sleeve Door (SSD) at
a depth of 2,450 ft using a slickline. injecting power fluid with a discharge pressure of 1,500 psi and a flow
rate of 1.11 bbl per minute through the casing-tubing annulus and getting the return from 3.5-in tubing.
Cleanup process, and production achieved in one run time.
Within the first three days of operation, the well had produced double than expected. The operating
parameters of the surface unit were adjusted and well tested. Data acquisitions consisted of collecting
samples to read the properties of oil and fluids. After ten days of continuous well offloading and producing,
the operator decided to pull out the downhole memory gauge to collect real data and see how the well
performance behavior changed with the jet pump operating. New data was gathered, and the jet pump
operation was resumed. Operating parameters were tuned to achieve the production target (at 1,700 psi
injection pressure and 1,690 BPD injection rate), and the net return was 1,300 BPD with 0.4 percent BSW.
This paper explains in detail the operation that saved the operator money and time by using an artificial
lift to produce hydrocarbon from a specific well, which saved USD 300,000 at an early stage of cleanup and
unloading the well. Increased production by 100 percent, generating $USD 3.5 million in monthly revenue
in the production stage with the minimal cost of lifting.
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Introduction
Normally a well is loaded with a heavy liquid to prevent any flow while conducting drilling or intervention
jobs. Once the drilling or work-over operations are completed the well needs to be opened for production.
Since it is loaded with heavy fluids, a lighter fluid is then used to decrease the density in the wellbore. Once
the weight of the wellbore fluid is less than the reservoir pressure, the well will start to flow.
The most common method used after workovers is the nitrogen lift method using coil tubing, to lift and
lighten heavy brines until the hydrocarbons with the associated gas flow into the well and begin natural
production. In this method, the nitrogen is pumped into the wellbore using a coil tubing pumping unit. The
nitrogen is brought via tankers and pumped at a calculated rate and volume. This type of application usually
requires a lot of time, as the surface rig up of equipment is extensive and the continuous pumping of nitrogen
takes an extended period. The nitrogen pumped into the well cannot be recovered, hence it is also lost. This
is a costly method; however, it has been used by the industry for a long period with positive results. Also,
the recovery of frac fluid or kill fluid is not guaranteed in this case.
The alternative to coil tubing is the jet pump lifting technique which doesn't require's less surface
equipment than coil tubing does, and the power fluid required is either water or crude oil, which is usually
available on-site as compared to nitrogen. The installation of a downhole jet pump can be easily done by
slickline. Hence hydraulic a jet pump was selected as the preferable offloading method for this well; the
design of which is discussed in the next section.

Jet pump
The surface pumping unit used in this artificial lift method takes the injection fluid from a vessel going
through a positive displacement multiplex Plunger pump or horizontal electrical multistage centrifugal
pump to increase its pressure, and also injects the pressurized liquid (known as power fluid) down - hole
through a tubing string. At the bottom of the injection tubing string, the power fluid passes via an SSD
into the nozzle of a jet pump, which has been set in the well below the producing fluid level. The surface
injection pressures typically range from roughly 1,000 psi up to 4,000 psi,. Surface injection pressures can
reach up to 4,500 psi, but are rare. An electric motor, diesel engine, or natural gas Engine is used to run the
power fluid pump and the power fluid is generally one of the liquids from the well, i.e. water or oil.
A jet pump system works on the venturi effect and uses the "Bernoulli Equation" for its operation. Figure
1 below shows a simple schematic of pressure changes occurring in the different zones of the jet pump.

Figure 1—Schematic of Jet Pump Pressure Areas

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The subsurface pump can be deployed anywhere there is communication to the casing in a wireline
installed system. It is typically installed in a sliding sleeve, although it can also be done by straddling a
mandrel used for gas lift, chemical injection, or a hole punched in the tubing. There are various ways to
install the jet pump, examples are shown the Figure 5A. in Appendix A. It is possible to operate the pump
in standard flow or reverse flow. The pump is run into the well and retrieved out of the well on a wireline.
When the operator does not want to pull the tubing string to install the standard bottom-hole assembly,
they typically employ this method of installation. These installations are popular and typically successful,
but the pump settings are frequently not optimal.
Some of the applications for jet pump systems are as follows,

• Artificial lift for the life of the well (Shale Oil)

• Multi-Well Pad from the single surface unit

• FFR (Frac Fluid Recovery)

• Production testing – stabilized flow c/w downhole recorders

• Dewatering gas wells

• CBM production

• Inflow Performance Relationship IPR Development

• Horizontal, deviated, deep, and high-temperature wells

• Reducing Wellhead Back Pressure (Surface Jet Pump)

• Extremely High-Volume productions

• Straddle system

• Concentric string production

More details about Jet Pump applications and selections can be found in other papers and books already
published its also mentioned in the reference section.

Well Introduction
The well DB-H in northern Iraq was drilled from December 1, 2021, to January 9, 2022, as the tertiary
appraisal well in the DB-North Field. The well was completed as a 3.5 in single string free flow completion
with 7 in × 3.5 in hydraulic completion packer set at 2,792 ft. In January 2022 a rig-less operation was
performed for a jet pump installation to provide a cleanup process and as an artificial lift method.
A newly drilled well was having drilling fluid losses, the volume calculation to bring the well to
produc the total lost volume that must be brought to the surface was around 12,000 bbl. Operator prepared
for nonstop operation between unloading the calculated drilling fluid and the well for producing. The
deployment of the hydraulic lift Jet Pump for both stages was planned properly. The well data from the
operator was collected, the design process was initiated, and JEMS was used to run design models which
are discussed in the below section

Selection and designing

The design process for the jet pump system began once it was determined that the jet pump would be utilized
to lift the well before being tested. Based on the well-completion accessories and applications, there are
many jet pump systems. The installation of the jet pump was made possible by the SSD that was placed
during the completion of this well (The completion diagram can be seen in Figure B. in Appendix A).
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Although the jet pump was not installed as part of the well completion, the SSD above the packer made the
jet pump deployment simpler. Using JEMS software and data from the client, the jet pump was built. The
main parameters used in table 1 jet pump design are listed below.

Table 1—Main Parameters for the design of JEMS

Parameters Value

Water cut (%) 0.4%

Oil gravity (deg. API) 17

Water specific gravity 1.05

Bottom hole shut-in pressure (psi) 1125

Bottom hole temperature (°F) 180

Tubing size (in) 3.5

Casing size (in) 7.0

SSD depth (ft) 2,450

Perforation depth (ft) 2940

Flow type Reverse

Desired production rate (BPD) 500

Separator back pressure (psi) 80

The best nozzle/throat combination for this downhole jet pump to be utilized in this well was chosen
using JEMS. Based on the available data,. The proposed injection and production parameters helped in
the identification of the optimum surface unit. Based on design criteria, a 300 hp surface pumping device
with 2-in plungers installed and a 600-psi vessel cleaning unit was chosen for the job. Inflow Performance
Relationship (IPR) curves for production rate and injection parameters are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2—IPR Curve from Design of JEMS

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Due to the production zone being far from the setting depth of the jet pump, as can be seen in the graph,
the operating range is extremely close to the cavitation zone. The jet pump can manage this minor amount
of cavitation with carefully managed injections parameters because the unloading operation is not a lengthy
one. Table 2 provides a quick presentation of the proposed parameters.

Table 2—Proposed Parameters from JEMS

Parameters Value

Production Rate (BPD) 1300

Injection Pressure (psi) 1700

Injection Rate (BPD) 1690

Injection Horsepower (hp) 54.62

Pump Intake Pressure (psi) 343

Cavitation Rate (BPD) 1165

The downhole jet pump was adapted to fit within the SSD seal bore area, which was 2.75 in ID, and
pitch length, which was 46 in. By choosing the appropriate upper and lower adapters, the pump can be
customized. The core parts of the jet pump are the same, therefore any size can be easily accommodated.

Operational procedure
To fit an SSD, the downhole jet pump was modified. It requires two sealing profiles for various flow
pathways, and they should be adjacent to the SSD seal bore sections. The injection, production, and return
fluids are kept distinct by these seals. Figure 3 depicts a schematic of the jet pump for ease of understanding.
Using the extra SSD of the same size, a surface fit test of the jet pump was conducted.

Figure 3—Schematic of an SSD Downhole Jet Pump

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The steps involved in a jet pump operation are shown below:

• Obtain the requirement from the operator and well production history and design the jet pump as
explained in the above section.
• Visit the well site and check the wellhead connections for surface setup, also the placement of the
surface equipment. Check ground leveling and energy sources
• Mobilize the equipment and spot the surface equipment as per the hazardous area placement
recommendation. Preferable away from the hazardous area.
• Connect the vessel cleaning unit (VCU) with the power unit (PU) by suction and injection bypass
lines. Connect the PU to the wellhead annulus by the injection line. Connect the tubing wing valve
to the VCU by the return line. Figure 4. Shows the process flow diagram.
• The VCU production line will be connected to the flow line of the operator and the pressure relief
line connected to the pit.
• Pressure test the lines as per specification and required operating pressures. The suction return and
production lines will be tested until 600 psi, while the injection line will be tested till 3,000 psi.
• Run gauge cutter with slickline till SSD depth of 2,450 ft to ensure that the tubing is clear of any
restriction.
• Redress the jet pump with the calculated nozzle throat combination for the well

• Run in hole (RIH) again with a shifting tool to open the SSD at 2,450 ft depth. Before opening
the SSD, first equalize the pressure in the casing and tubing. Once the tool is at the surface, check
the shear pin, then inject water from the casing to ensure the SSD is open. A sudden increase in
injection pressure will indicate that the SSD is still closed or partially opened. Make sure that the
SSD is fully opened, as the jet pump will be installed in this SSD.
• Flush the entire tubing and casing volume before installation of the jet pump. Then set the jet pump
in the X-profile at theSSD using slickline.
• Set up the X-mas tree valves and surface unit valves for the pumping operation after the slickline
is on the surface. Pumping into the well should begin, and the injection pressure should be raised
to 1,000 psi gradually. Keep an eye on the return and injection rates. There was no return from the
well at first. The well began to contribute once the injection pressure was raised to 1,300 psi since
the return rate was higher than the injected rate.
• To identify whether the water is drilling water or well production, keep measuring its fluid
characteristics. After continuing the well unloading for about 24 hours, we noticed a difference in
the salinity of the water.
• Maintaine operations to evaluate production rate and various drawdowns after it was established
from the laboratory that the water was now coming from the reservoir.
• Three additional days of the well test were completed, and production data were recorded.
SPE-211790-MS 7

Figure 4—Process Flow Diagram

Using the jet pump technology, the well continued to produce at a rate of about 1,300 BPD. Although
on this occasion redressing the jet pump was not necessary, slickline can be used to quickly retrieve and
reinstall it.

Results
A suitable pump size was set up based on available data to meet operator expectations. A Reverse Circulation
Jet Pump (RCJP) was chosen to be installed inside an SSD at a depth of 2,450 ft using a slickline to run
and set. 300 HP Quintuplex pump set up at the surface with electric drive motor to inject power fluid with a
discharge pressure of 1,700 psi and a flow rate of 1.11 bbl per minute through the casing-tubing annulus and
receiving the return from 3.5-in tubing to surface UBD underbalanced drilling separator. Cleanup process,
and production achieved in one run time.
The well was unloaded without any difficulty using the jet pump within two days and continued the
operation to test the production. The well produced around 1,300 BOPD with only 0.4% Basic Sediments
& Water (BS&W). The production from this well resulted in 3.5 MM USD per month for the operator.

Conclusion
In December 2021, the DB-H well was drilled in Northern Iraq. An unconventional method to unload
the well was suggested to the operator. The downhole jet pump was modified after the operator's side of
the design process had authorized it. Within eight hours, the surface setup was completed, along with the
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placement of the equipment at the location. Within three hours, the surface unit setup and downhole jet
pump were both installed. So, it took just nine hours to complete the setup for the operation.
The jet pump technique was effective at removing the drilling fluids from the well. The jet pump was
installed in the SSD above the production packer. After the unloading process was completed in three days,
the well test was commenced. The operational outcomes of this research demonstrated that a jet pump can
be employed successfully in further unconventional approaches.
It was simpler for the operator to decide to install a jet pump as a tried-and-true artificial lift system once
the well's natural production began to fall because it had already been tested for production on this well
using the same setup. The jet pumps have been in use in the same field for production, but this was the first
time they were used for offloading, so the operator learned about other applications for a jet pump. They
will be able to complete similar tasks with ease in the future, saving both money and time.

References
Pugh T. (2009) "Overview of Hydraulic Pumping (Jet and Piston)", Weatherford CP.
Brown, K. E., "The Technology of Artificial Lift Methods," Volume 1, Petroleum Publishing Company, 1977.
Clark, K. M., "Hydraulic Lift Systems for Low Pressure Wells", Petroleum Engineer International, February 1980.
James F. Lea, and Henry V. Nickens, Selection of Artificial Lift SPE Mid-Continent Operations Symposium, Oklahoma,
USA, 28-31 March. SPE-52157-MS.
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Appendix

Figure 5A—Different Installation Types of Jet pump

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Figure 6B—Well Completion Diagram