SLB has introduced two artificial lift technologies for United States land operations aimed at improving production reliability and extending equipment life in mature and challenging wells.
The technologies, announced by SLB on August 25, are the Harbison-Fischer Deka™ diamond technology for rod pump barrels and the Synthetix™ hydraulic gas lift system.
Deka technology uses a proprietary diamond-based coating on rod pump barrels to improve resistance to abrasion and corrosion. Testing showed significantly improved abrasion resistance and up to 90% greater hardness than conventional barrel coatings.
The technology is designed to reduce wear between the pump barrel and plunger. This can extend equipment life and reduce replacement frequency and associated well interventions.
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The Synthetix system takes a different approach by giving operators surface control over gas injection through hydraulically actuated downhole valves. Operators can adjust gas lift settings as well conditions change without using slickline or conducting a workover.
The system also allows operators to switch between annular and tubing flow configurations from the surface. Field deployments have delivered production efficiency improvements of 10% to 20%, including in mature and low-pressure wells.
Its hydraulic design provides real-time adjustment without the downhole electrical infrastructure required by electrically controlled gas lift systems.
“Deka technology addresses wear at the material level, while the Synthetix system enables operators to adjust gas lift performance from the surface without an intervention,” said Josh Jones, Vice President of Production Systems North America Land, SLB.
The launch comes as SLB has introduced several new technologies in recent weeks targeting different stages of oil and gas operations. On August 18, the company unveiled its QI-FWI™ seismic interpretation solution, designed to provide earlier insight into reservoir rock and fluid properties from seismic data. On August 24, SLB launched the ExaCT™ electrical coiled tubing system, which brings real-time electrical control to well intervention operations.
