SLB has launched two artificial lift technologies in U.S. land operations: Harbison-Fischer Deka™ diamond technology for rod pump barrels and the Synthetix™ hydraulic gas lift system. The technologies are designed to address equipment wear and production optimization in challenging and mature well environments.

Deka technology uses a proprietary diamond-based coating to improve the durability of rod pump barrels operating in abrasive and corrosive well environments. Testing has shown significantly improved abrasion resistance and up to 90% hardness than conventional barrel coatings—helping enhance rod pump performance in most demanding conditions. By reducing wear on between the barrel and plunger, the technology is designed to extend equipment life and reduce the frequency of replacements and associated well interventions.

The Synthetix system enables operators to control and adjust gas injection from the surface using hydraulically actuated downhole valves. This allows gas lift parameters to be changed in response to well conditions without slickline intervention or a workover. The system also enables operators to switch between annular and tubing flow configurations from the surface.

In field deployments, the Synthetix system has delivered production efficiency improvements of 10% to 20%, including in mature and low-pressure wells. The hydraulic architecture provides real-time adjustability without requiring the downhole electrical infrastructure associated with electrically controlled gas lift systems.

“Artificial lift performance increasingly depends on extending equipment life while giving operators greater control over changing well conditions,” said Josh Jones, VP Production Systems North America Land, SLB. “Deka technology addresses wear at the material level, while the Synthetix system enables operators to adjust gas lift performance from the surface without an intervention. Together, they provide two different approaches to improving production reliability and operating efficiency.”

Deka technology and the Synthetix system expand SLB’s artificial lift portfolio, addressing two persistent production challenges: managing mechanical wear in rod-pumped wells and optimizing gas lift as well conditions change over time.