ENGINEERING AND ECONOMICS USED TO OPTIMIZE ARTIFICIAL-LIFT METHODS.

Well productivities in Alberta's Judy Creek field range from very good to poor. To obtain high lift efficiency, and low-cost well performance, Imperial Oil Ltd. used engineering and economics to select three artificial-lift methods. High-capacity wells near the high-pressure gas supply are on gas lift. High-capacity wells in more-isolated areas of the field have been equipped with submersible pumps. Lower-productivity wells throughout the field are equipped with sucker-rod pumps. The choice and economics of the three systems are discussed and compared.