Artificial Lift Systems Training (ESP, Gas Lift & Rod Pump)
Once a well can no longer lift fluids to surface on natural reservoir pressure alone, the choice of artificial lift method becomes one of the most consequential production decisions a field will make — it affects run life, workover frequency, operating cost, and ultimate recovery. Burraq Consulting’s course trains production and workover teams to make that choice well and keep the chosen system running.
What Are Artificial Lift Systems?
Artificial lift systems supplement or replace natural reservoir energy to bring fluids to the surface once pressure alone isn’t enough. The three most widely used methods are electrical submersible pumps (ESP), gas lift, and rod pumps (sucker rod or beam pumping) — each suited to different combinations of well depth, fluid properties, production rate, and operating environment. Choosing and operating the right system correctly is one of the highest-leverage decisions in mature field production.
Who Should Attend
- Production engineers responsible for artificial lift selection and performance monitoring
- Field operators running day-to-day ESP, gas lift, or rod pump operations
- Workover engineers planning interventions on artificially lifted wells
Prerequisites
Basic production engineering knowledge is recommended.
What the Course Covers
- Artificial lift selection criteria based on well depth, fluid properties, production targets, and operating constraints
- ESP system components and design basics, along with the most common failure modes and how to recognize them early
- Gas lift system design fundamentals, including valve mechanics and injection optimization
- Rod pump (sucker rod) system components, with a focus on reading and interpreting dynamometer cards
- Comparing lift methods on cost, reliability, and operating envelope to support selection decisions
- Troubleshooting common artificial lift performance problems across all three methods
- Workover and intervention considerations specific to each lift type, including what tends to go wrong during changeouts
Course at a Glance
Why Train with Burraq Consulting
Burraq Consulting’s instructors bring hands-on field experience across ESP, gas lift, and rod pump operations from across the region, and this course is built around real troubleshooting scenarios — an ESP that keeps tripping on underload, a gas lift valve that won’t hold its setpoint — rather than staying at the level of equipment catalogs and design formulas.
Certification and Next Steps
This course builds practical artificial lift selection and troubleshooting competency. It pairs well with Burraq Consulting’s Fundamentals of Petroleum Production Engineering and Surface Production Facilities Operations courses for a complete production engineering skill set.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on well depth, fluid properties, gas-to-liquid ratio, and production targets — there’s no universally best method. The course teaches the selection framework so participants can make that call confidently for their own field’s conditions.
The course covers system components, design basics, and troubleshooting at a working level rather than a full field installation certification, giving participants the knowledge to work effectively with installation and workover crews.
Run life varies widely based on well conditions, fluid chemistry, and operating practices — from months in harsh conditions to several years in favorable ones. The course covers the factors that most influence ESP run life and how to extend it.
Yes. A significant part of the course is dedicated to recognizing and diagnosing common artificial lift performance problems across ESP, gas lift, and rod pump systems.
Choose the right lift method — and keep it running.
or contact us to arrange an in-house program for your production team.