Oil and gas production wells face a number of challenges in their day to day operations. Of these challenges, one of the most significant is saltwater disposal, which is something that needs to be dealt with in any production well environment. Most companies utilise artificial lift technology to take care of their saltwater disposal, with various pumps and lift technologies used to ensure a well is operating at optimum capacity.
Any reservoir has its own reservoir pressure that it uses to force fluid to areas of lower energy potential. However, in oil and gas production, water often gets in the way of natural pressure variations, and it needs to be dealt with through artificial lift technology.
Saltwater disposal can be achieved in a number of different ways, depending on the type of production well in question and the type of material being extracted. The most common way to deal with saltwater disposal is through hydraulic pumping systems, either through reciprocating piston pumps or jet pumps. A reciprocating piston pump uses different sides of the pump to inject and pump fluids, while a jet pump uses a nozzle to create a venturi effect and push fluids to the surface. However, these are not the only methods of artificial lift and saltwater disposal, with some other pumps also used in certain applications.
Other than hydraulic pumps, some of the other devices used to create artificial lift include electric submersible pumps, progressing cavity pumps, and rod pumps. In some environments and applications, it is also possible to use the process of gas lift, where gas is injected in tubing to reduce the weight of the hydrostatic column. Each of these methods of saltwater disposal has its own advantages in terms of artificial lift, with different devices used to enhance production and reduce loss in different well environments.