Multi-Purpose Wellhead

Abstract

The conventional oil drilling process includes the drilling of a well, a reservoir having pressure and a mixture of oil/gas/water flowing out of the ground. Eventually as a well gets older and the reservoir pressured reduces, some form of artificial lift becomes necessary. For wells producing a significant amount of gas, either gas lift or a related method (plunger lift for example) tends to be the sensible solution. Ultimately, once the reservoir pressure and production levels have depleted substantially, rod pumping becomes relevant. Each production method requires a specific surface piping and valving arrangement to allow for the wellbore fluids to flow with minimum restriction as well as fluid injection as applicable. Following safety and operational protocols established by each operator, the surface arrangement should be inclusive of multiple barriers to shut down production should the need arise. Redundancy becomes a necessity to ensure compliance with safety regulations while protecting the assets. Adapting the wellhead stack to the production method requires major interventions with the associated cost and deferred production. Logistic and planning can be critical for smooth modification of the wellhead stack especially when several wells are involved. In this context, a universal piece of equipment engineered for compatibility with all production stages of the well can add value to the operation by eliminating wellhead stack modifications and minimizing deferred production through the well life cycle.