According to the National Iranian South Oilfields Company, Ramin Hatami said the installations have so far increased oil production by 15,800 barrels per day. Under the company’s current plan, the number of installed downhole pumps is expected to reach 40 by the end of the Iranian calendar year in March, resulting in an estimated production increase of about 39,000 barrels per day.

He said that while nine downhole pumps were installed across the company’s fields throughout last year, 13 were installed in the first four months of the current year. With four additional pumps scheduled to be installed by the end of September, the total number installed during the first six months of the year will reach 17.

Hatami said the new record was achieved while the company’s technical and production operations continued without interruption despite conditions resulting from the recent war.

He said declining reservoir pressure, rising water cuts in wells and the resulting decline in flowing pressure have prompted the company’s technical affairs department to use downhole pumps as a form of artificial lift.

He added that the company has implemented coordinated planning, held management and technical meetings, conducted field inspections and applied engineering solutions to reduce well preparation times and the duration of rig-based workovers.

Hatami said the program is being implemented in cooperation with the technical affairs department and the Karun and Masjed Soleyman oil and gas operating companies. The aim, he said, is to return existing production capacity to service more quickly by reducing well preparation and workover times.

A significant portion of the pumps were localized and commercialized by domestic knowledge-based companies, drawing on local capabilities and with the participation of the NISOC.