Course content

The course contains a selection of topics in production engineering and skills needed for the planning, and operation of oil and gas wells and carbon dioxide injection wells and to understand, model and analyze their production performance. Topics typically covered in the course are: flow equilibrium, inflow performance relationship in vertical and horizontal wells, inflow control, flow in choke, tubing performance of single and multiphase flow, artificial lift and temperature calculations in wells. The course will focus on developing digital competences and will include some aspects on mechanical behavior of tubulars and skill transfer for the energy transition.

Learning outcome

Competence:

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of production engineering applied to petroleum production and carbon dioxide injection
• Constructively participate in planning production wells and operations with consideration for sustainability, health, safety, and environmental factors
• Apply engineering principles to analyze and optimize production and injection systems with consideration for sustainability, health, safety, and environmental factors
• Apply the knowledge obtained to other areas such as pipe transport and wells of hydrogen, natural gas storage and geothermal energy
• Utilize digital tools and programming to support analysis and planning in petroleum engineering

Knowledges and skills:

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of production engineering applied to petroleum production and carbon dioxide injection
• Describe the main components of production and injection systems
• Explain common well completions and artificial lift methods
• Understand the functionality of production and injection system components
• Recognize decision variables, objectives, and constraints in well planning
• Analyze inflow performance and depletion effects in wells
• Perform flow equilibrium calculations in production and injection systems
• Estimate tubing performance and inflow performance relationships
• Conduct flow calculations involving gas-lift and electric submersible pumps
• Use engineering software tools such as Excel, VBA, Prosper, Pipesim, Hysys, and Python

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory exercises.

During the course the students will develop computational workflows and routines (typically using Excel sheets). The students will also use some pre-made utilities (in Excel and Python) and commercial simulators such as Prosper, Pipesim and Hysys.

The course is taught in English.

A reference group will be established to evaluate the course.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

Mandatory courses equivalent to the first 3 years of the programme Georesources and Geotechnology (MTGEORT).

Course materials

Will be given at semester start.

Credit reductions