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Technology advancement in artificial lift has played significant role in contributing to achieving oil production targets. Previously, economic limit of well productivity may not be the main issue because wells can produce more oil to cover the production lifting cost. However, in Lirik field, located in Sumatera, Indonesia, which is considered a marginal field, producing oil wells profitably has been more challenging due to issues such as a reservoir low influx caused by decreasing reservoir pressure and high water cut.

Technology called Linear Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) is used, where the mechanism of this artificial lift is the combination of double acting plunger with submersible electric motor. It works using upward and downward movement like Sucker Rod Pump (SRP) but driven with submerged motor under the pump barrel similar to conventional ESP. The LESP operates at only 1 Stroke Per Minute to support the low influx reservoir and gives good pump efficiency.

The implementation of this technology is required in Lirik field due to the oil reservoir layers with low water cut are produced which mostly have low productivity. Layers with high water cut and high productivity are prioritized to be shut off in order to reduce operational cost of reinjection of produced water.

This technology has improved the oil productivity of the wells by a factor of from 18 BOPD to 36 BOPD continuously.