Subsurface Compression

Upwing Energy, a gas technology and service company, has inked a deal with Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (ENAP), the Chilean energy company, to deploy its first Subsurface Compressor System (SCS) in South America. Upwing Energy said that the system significantly enhances production and recoverability from gas assets while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions associated with production.

SCS was derived in part from the proprietary technology of former parent company Calnetix Technologies, whose high-speed rotating systems have impacted everything from motor sports, to medical procedures, to space and defense systems. Upwing’s unique system transforms a traditional methane-leaking wellhead compressor into a device that gets deployed 2 miles (3.2 km) down within the well itself, vastly increasing recoverability and boosting natural gas production. The company said that the SCS is the first tool of its kind to create drawdowns through a downhole compressor to increase gas production ranging from 20% to more than 200% and increase reserves from 20% to more than 70%, depending on well conditions, all while reducing emissions. Upwing Energy will be installing its SCS across multiple well sites for ENAP’s onshore operations in the Magallanes Basin to secure Chile’s energy resources for decades to come.

Upwing Energy has worked closely with ENAP to gather data and analyze gas assets, identifying opportunities for additional production and application of the SCS. The company will maintain and manage the SCS under its End2End solution model, encompassing analysis and predictions, planning and completions, deployment and startup, and operations and monitoring. This comprehensive model prioritizes efficient deployment and operation and eliminates the typical ambiguities that take place between equipment manufacturers and well operators.

“ENAP is a forward-thinking energy company that values data-driven decision making in order to obtain the best results,” said Herman Artinian, chief executive officer of Upwing Energy. “The SCS will empower ENAP to increase the rate of production among existing wells, ensuring natural gas assets are optimized, and further our shared mission of enabling energy security and environmental stewardship in today’s energy landscape.”

“We constantly evaluate new technologies that offer an opportunity to optimize the production of our assets, and we are convinced that, after careful analysis of Upwing’s proposal and the evidence of its results, we will work with a strong partner in our energy future,” said Exploration and Reservoir Manager Magallanes Iván Arriagada. “This initiative represents the use of cutting-edge technology and marks a significant advance for ENAP, as we are the first company outside the traditional markets of the United States, the North Sea, and the Middle East to implement this state-of-the-art technology.”