ARTIFICIAL Lift Company (ALC) of Houston has had its rigless electric submersible pump (ESP) technology approved for commercialisation by co-developer ConocoPhillips.
ALC has worked closely with ConocoPhillips for more than five years to develop what is touted as a “ground-breaking” artificial-lift solution for the oil&gas industry.
ConocoPhillips gave the system the green light in September and the fully commercialised rigless ESP system will undergo additional testing during the current quarter in West Texas.
The first commercial installation for ConocoPhillips is scheduled for Q2/Q3 at a location in Alaska.
John Patterson, ConocoPhillips production engineering adviser, said in a statement: “We believe ALC’s rigless ESP technology is a cost-effective solution for companies facing challenging ESP applications with high intervention costs and in areas where securing a rig can require a long downtime.
“Our main driver for Alaska was to have a system to allow replacement of sanded pumps and to clean out sand bridges in the casing below the ESP without using a rig.
“The ALC system has already been found to significantly extend the life of a well and reduces maintenance costs.”
ALC’s president, Geoff Kimber-Smith, said the commercialisation of the firm’s technology would allow it to introduce the product to markets where there is real demand for alternative ESP solutions, especially in areas where work-over costs consume a large part of the budget.
“We believe that there will be many worldwide opportunities in key global regions as this system will radically change the costs incurred in deploying ESPs.”
It is not known whether the North Sea is an early target.
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