Course overview
Drilling new wells is costly, so much of the value in a mature field comes from producing more from the wells already there. Well performance optimization is the discipline of finding what holds a well back, whether reservoir inflow, lift, or flow restrictions, and choosing the intervention that adds the most barrels for the least cost and risk.
This course explains how well performance is analyzed and improved. It covers the fundamentals of well performance, analysis tools, artificial lift optimization, stimulation and production enhancement, data analytics and monitoring, and how these come together in an integrated strategy. It is built for production and reservoir staff who want a clear, practical grasp of how to diagnose underperformance and act on it.
Why this matters
A well producing below its potential is lost revenue every day it runs, and the reasons are often fixable once they are correctly diagnosed. The risk is spending on an intervention that treats the wrong cause, which wastes money and can damage the well.
Sound optimization matters because it directs effort where it pays: matching the right lift, stimulation, or operating change to the actual constraint. As fields mature and capital tightens, getting more from existing wells becomes one of the clearest sources of value. This course builds the diagnostic judgment to do it well.
What you will be able to do afterwards
By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Explain the factors that govern well performance.
- Use nodal and inflow-outflow analysis to find constraints.
- Evaluate and optimize artificial lift methods.
- Assess stimulation and production-enhancement options.
- Use monitoring data to guide optimization decisions.
Course outline
Unit 1: Fundamentals of well performance
The course opens with what controls flow from a well.
- Reservoir inflow and the inflow performance relationship.
- Wellbore flow and outflow behavior.
- Factors that limit production.
- Defining well potential.
Unit 2: Well performance analysis tools
This unit covers how constraints are diagnosed.
- Nodal analysis and inflow-outflow matching.
- Production logging and well testing.
- Identifying the limiting constraint.
- Worked diagnostic examples.
Unit 3: Artificial lift optimization
This unit covers helping wells flow.
- Artificial lift methods and selection.
- Gas lift, ESP, and rod-pump optimization.
- Matching lift to well and reservoir.
- Troubleshooting lift performance.
Unit 4: Stimulation and production enhancement
This unit covers improving inflow.
- Causes of formation damage and skin.
- Acidizing and hydraulic fracturing principles.
- Candidate selection for stimulation.
- Evaluating treatment results.
Unit 5: Data analytics and monitoring
This unit covers using the well's data.
- Real-time and surveillance data.
- Analytics for performance trends.
- Detecting decline and anomalies.
- Prioritizing wells for intervention.
Unit 6: Integrated optimization strategies
This unit covers the whole-system view.
- From single wells to field-wide optimization.
- Balancing intervention cost against gain.
- Production systems and facility constraints.
- Building an optimization plan.
Unit 7: Best practices and future trends
The final unit covers doing it well and what is next.
- Lessons from successful optimization programs.
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them.
- Digital oilfield and automation trends.
- The role of optimization in mature fields.
How the course is delivered
The course is led through structured explanation, worked technical examples, documented field case studies, and group discussion. Participants examine well data, nodal analysis results, and intervention decisions and work through how constraints are diagnosed and addressed. For the recovery side in more depth, it connects to Reservoir Engineering and Enhanced Recovery Techniques.
Who should attend
This course suits production and petroleum engineers, reservoir and well-services staff, operations and field engineers, and technical professionals who work on producing wells. It works for those newer to well performance and for experienced staff who want a sharper, more systematic approach to optimization. A background in oil and gas operations helps.
About EuroQuest International Training
EuroQuest International Training was founded in 2015 by a team with more than 25 years of combined experience in professional training. The institute has delivered over 1,000 courses to more than 15,000 participants, and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with training hubs in Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva. Courses are designed and reviewed by practitioners and updated to reflect current practice in each field.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an engineering background to attend?
A background in oil and gas operations helps, but the course explains the concepts as it goes. It suits production, reservoir, and field staff at a range of experience levels.
Does it cover artificial lift and stimulation?
Yes. Dedicated units cover artificial lift optimization and stimulation and production enhancement, including how to select candidates and evaluate results.
Is it about single wells or whole fields?
Both. It builds from single-well diagnosis to integrated, field-wide optimization, since the best intervention for one well is not always the best use of resources across the field.
Related courses
- Upstream Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
- Drilling Engineering and Well Construction Management
- Petroleum Reservoir Characterization and Modeling
- Reservoir Simulation and Performance Evaluation
Register for this course
To reserve a place or ask about scheduling and city options for the Well Performance Optimization and Production Enhancement course, use the registration and enquiry options on this page and the EuroQuest team will follow up with the details you ne
All Course Dates & Locations
27 dates · 14 cities · Oct 2026 – Jul 2027