Artificial rifts explained

What happens when an oil well's natural pressure isn't strong enough to push fluids to the surface?

What happens when an oil well's natural pressure isn't strong enough to push fluids to the surface? The well has reserves, but the natural drive is too low.

That's when we rely on Artificial Lift. It's a set of mechanical methods used to keep the well producing. It’s essential for economic production. There are two main categories: Pumping Systems and Gas Lifts.

Let's start with pumping. What's the most common system?

That would be the Beam Pump—the "bobbing" jack pump you see onshore. It’s used in over 80% of US wells. It works like a piston: a long rod moves up and down, operating a downhole pump that lifts the fluid in strokes.

What about for moving massive volumes, or from deep wells?

For high volumes, you’d use an Electric Submersible Pump. It’s a powerful centrifugal pump with an electric motor, all installed deep in the well. It just continuously pushes the fluid up.

And the other category, Gas Lift? How is that different?

Instead of pumping the liquid, Gas Lift makes the liquid lighter. We inject compressed gas down the well. This gas mixes with the fluid, lowers its density, and the well's remaining pressure is then strong enough to flow the lightened column to the surface.

So, from a simple plunger to a high-volume pump, artificial lift is the technology that keeps the oil flowing.