Subsurface and Surface production operations and Best Practices in Operations Management

Introduction

This comprehensive training course provides an integrated understanding of subsurface production operations, artificial lift, field processing, and surface production management. Effective production optimisation requires a clear understanding of the complete production system, from reservoir and well performance through artificial lift and surface processing to accurate measurement, allocation, and production planning.

The course covers reservoir inflow and well performance, formation damage, stimulation, and the selection and optimisation of major artificial lift systems, including Gas Lift, ESP, Sucker Rod Pumps, Hydraulic Pumps, Jet Pumps, and PCPs. It then progresses to field processing operations, including oil, gas, and produced water separation and treatment, dehydration, desalting, stabilisation, gas sweetening, water injection, storage, piping, and pumping systems.

The training also addresses key production management activities such as metering, production deferment, allocation, reconciliation, custody transfer, and integrated production and injection planning. Emphasis is placed on identifying production constraints, improving operational efficiency, ensuring reliable production data, and supporting effective technical and business decisions across the oil and gas asset.

This training course will highlight:

• Subsurface production and well performance optimisation
• Formation damage, stimulation, and artificial lift technologies
• Oil, gas, and produced water processing
• Gas treatment, dehydration, and water injection
• Production measurement, allocation, and reconciliation
• Production deferment and integrated production planning
• Production optimisation and asset performance improvement

Objectives

By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:

• Analyse reservoir and well performance using inflow and outflow relationships.
• Identify formation damage mechanisms and their effects on well productivity.
• Evaluate appropriate stimulation and formation-damage removal techniques.
• Assess when artificial lift is required as reservoir and well conditions change.
• Explain the design, operation and troubleshooting of major artificial lift systems.
• Explain the principles of oil and gas production and surface processing facilities.
• Apply separation techniques for two-phase and three-phase production systems.
• Evaluate crude oil treatment processes including dehydration, desalting, stabilisation, and sweetening.
• Manage gas treatment, natural gas liquid recovery, and produced water treatment systems.
• Apply operational practices for water injection systems, storage facilities, piping, pumps, and oil field chemicals.
• Explain the principles of oil and gas production and surface processing facilities.
• Apply separation techniques for two-phase and three-phase production systems.
• Evaluate crude oil treatment processes including dehydration, desalting, stabilisation, and sweetening.
• Manage gas treatment, natural gas liquid recovery, and produced water treatment systems.
• Apply operational practices for water injection systems, storage facilities, piping, pumps, and oil field chemicals.

Training Methodology

This training course combines expert technical presentations, worked examples, production scenarios, engineering calculations and system-selection exercises. Participants will analyse well-performance behaviour, diagnose formation damage and evaluate stimulation options before progressing to artificial lift design and screening. Practical examples will be used to compare system performance, operating limitations and troubleshooting considerations across different production conditions.

Organisational Impact

Organisations will benefit from:

• Improved diagnosis of well productivity and production constraints
• Better identification and management of formation damage
• More informed selection of well stimulation treatments
• Improved artificial lift screening and technology selection
• Greater reliability and performance of artificial lift installations
• Reduced production losses through stronger troubleshooting and maintenance practices
• Improve operational efficiency across production facilities
• Strengthen regulatory and environmental compliance
• Minimise production downtime through troubleshooting

Personal Impact

Participants attending this Subsurface Production Operations and Artificial Lift Technologies training course will develop:

• Stronger understanding of reservoir and well production behaviour
• Improved capability to recognise formation damage and production impairment
• Greater confidence in evaluating stimulation requirements
• Practical understanding of major artificial lift technologies
• Improved artificial lift design and troubleshooting knowledge
• Stronger judgement when selecting lift systems for changing well conditions