Production and Operations Flashcards
7 cards from real SPE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Production and Operations flashcards as text
What is the main purpose of coiled tubing (CT) in well intervention operations?
Answer: To deploy tools or fluids into a live well without killing it, enabling continuous operations
Coiled tubing allows through-tubing interventions—cleanouts, stimulation, logging—in live wells without a workover rig or well kill.
In produced water management, what is the main regulatory concern when disposing of produced water via surface discharge offshore?
Answer: Oil-in-water content exceeding permitted limits
Offshore discharge regulations primarily limit oil-in-water concentration (typically 30–40 mg/L) to protect marine ecosystems.
Which lift method is most suitable for a well producing less than 50 BOPD with a high gas-liquid ratio and low bottomhole pressure?
Answer: Plunger lift
Plunger lift uses gas energy already present in the well to intermittently lift liquid slugs with minimal energy input, ideal for low-rate, high-GOR wells.
What does a 'positive choke' differ from an 'adjustable choke' in surface production equipment?
Answer: A positive choke has a fixed orifice size that cannot be changed without replacing the choke bean
A positive choke has a fixed-diameter bean and must be physically replaced to change flow restriction, providing precise control but no in-line adjustability.
In production operations, what is the significance of the 'maximum efficient rate' (MER) of a reservoir?
Answer: The highest production rate that can be sustained without significantly impairing ultimate recovery
Producing above MER can cause coning, gas cap invasion, or other mechanisms that reduce ultimate recovery, so MER balances rate optimization with long-term yield.
Which test is performed to determine the injectivity of a water injection well and evaluate near-wellbore damage?
Answer: Pressure transient falloff test
A pressure falloff test—shut-in after injection—analyzes the pressure decline to calculate injectivity index, permeability, and skin of an injection well.
What is the primary mechanism by which a progressive cavity pump (PCP) moves fluid uphole?
Answer: A helical rotor turning inside a stator to create sealed cavities that progress fluid upward
A PCP's eccentric helical rotor creates progressing sealed cavities between the rotor and elastomeric stator, displacing fluid continuously upward.