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Hizon Industries
EchoSmart, Real Time Liquid Level Gauge
Leaving production and revenue on the table due to unutilized inflow capacity
EchoSmart, the solution
Maximization of production rate
Proactive pump failure prevention
And more
Application
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Stop losing money by maximizing production rate automatically and continuously
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Monitor pump submergence continuously to protect pump by PLC
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Much more in improving field development economics, some of them have big financial benefit
Details
Most oil wells do not operate at their full production potential due to the lack of real-time, automatic, continuous liquid level measurement and autonomous use of that data. This situation is particularly serious in shale oil wells.
Why this happens?
This occurs because reservoir pressure is constantly declining for shale oil wells. Any maximization achieved at a given moment is immediately offset by changing downhole conditions, and the longer the time since the last adjustment, the further the well deviates from its optimal operating point.
Shale oil wells lose money the most
The impact is even more serious in shale oil wells, where bottom hole pressure is largely supported by the fracture network and declines much more rapidly than in conventional reservoirs, accelerating the deviation from optimal point.
For shale oil wells, initial production can be 1,500bpd, what is more important is its decline rate, usually 60-70% annually.
In ESP-lifted shale wells, pump capacity is commonly set conservatively when fluid level is unknown, to prevent pump-off and gas interference. This operating mode keeps flowing bottomhole pressure high and limits drawdown, leaving significant production on the table.
For a 2,500 m well with 25 MPa reservoir pressure, a conservatively managed fluid level at 2,000 m results in a flowing bottomhole pressure of about 20 MPa — only 5 MPa of drawdown. With real-time liquid level surveillance, the same well can be safely operated at a much lower intake pressure, increasing drawdown to approximately 20 MPa.
Because production is directly proportional to drawdown, this represents a step-change in deliverability - up to four times higher rate in this simplified example.
Real-time liquid level data therefore shifts ESP operation from risk-avoidance to performance maximization. The impact is immediate and measurable: higher production, faster payout, improved capital efficiency, and increased NPV through accelerated cash flow.
The underlying cause is not a lack of operational expertise, but the absence of real-time, continuous liquid level measurement that enables automatic and ongoing optimization — either locally at the wellsite control panel or remotely through an IoT platform.
Can EchoSmart save this loss?
Yes, EchoSmart can save this loss, especially for shale oil wells with SCADA already in place.
Please refer to how it works for the working principle of EchoSmart.
EchoSmart has RS 485 interface with Modbus-RTU protocol. Therefore it can connect to wellsite PLC easily, to receive "fire" command and send liquid level measurement result to PLC, then SCADA.
Well production maximization is a dynamic and continuous process.
1. Engineers determine what the idea submergence is for a particular well, say 200m, and input this to PLC
2. PLC sends "fire" command to EchoSmart, and get the result.
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If the pump is producing too quickly and the submergence falls below the target, EchoSmart liquid level reading signals the VFD to reduce speed, stabilizing the submergence near 200 meters.
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If reservoir pressure declines and the same pump speed would reduce submergence, EchoSmart liquid level reading signals the VFD to slow the pump further, maintaining the target submergence.
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If the pump is producing too slowly and the liquid level remains high, EchoSmart reading signals the VFD to increase speed, lifting more oil until the target submergence is reached.
What is the optimal submergence? It is the maximum production achievable without damaging the pump - the “sweet spot” for each well. Maintaining the well at this point achieves true production maximization.
No matter how reservoir conditions change—pressure fluctuations, variations in fluid supply - EchoSmart keeps the pump consistently at its optimal submergence. This prevents pump-off, avoids wasted production, and ensures the well always produces the maximum volume achievable without damaging the pump.
Without continuous liquid level data, operators can only guess. With EchoSmart, operators can see real-time downhole conditions, control the pump accordingly, and maintain every well at its own optimal production point.
For other types of wells, EchoSmart provides indispensable liquid level information, production maximization is also possible. Please contact us for more information.
What else can EchoSmart do?
In addition to stop losing money by maximizing production, EchoSmart can also
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protect pump by maintaining a proper submergence as mentioned above.
This applies to:
Applicable well types:
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Unconventional oil wells (very effective)
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Conventional oil wells
Applicable production types:
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Electrical Submersible Pumps
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Gas Lifting
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Sucker Rod Pumps
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Stripper Wells
Reserve Loss In Shale Oil Well
Recent industry reports have highlighted several warning signs of potential reserve loss in shale wells, including:
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Approaching reservoir boundaries earlier
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Reduced drainage area
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Quicker-than-anticipated production declines
These observations point to the possibility that a portion of the hydrocarbon reserves may become inaccessible.
Reserve loss is believed to result from a combination of mechanisms, such as:
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Closure of natural and hydraulic fractures
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Blockage of fractures by retrograde condensate
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Changes in gas phase behavior
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Other yet-to-be-fully-understood processes
The net effect can be severe: significant portions of the “reserve cake” may remain locked within the diminishing fracture network and the main reservoir. Operators risk losing reserves worth millions or even tens of millions of dollars, which can materially affect well economics and, in extreme cases, compromise the financial viability of the project.
Hizon is actively developing early warning solutions with EchoSmart to help operators detect these behaviors and mitigate the associated risks. We sincerely invite partners who are willing and capable to engage in field research to advance solutions that benefit the entire industry.
EchoSmart for gas well, coalbed methane and others
Hizon has developed and field proved other models for EchoSmart series of liquid level gauges, they are for:
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Detection of liquid levvel in high pressure gas wells
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Coalbed methane wells
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Underground gas storage
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Drilling operation
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SADG operation, etc.
Please contact us if you need real time, continuous liquid level information.
If you have need real EchoSmart for other applications, please let us know. We may customize one model for you.
What can EchoSmart do: