Advanced Methodology for Addressing Head Deterioration in Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESPs)

Abstract

Abstract The paper introduces a novel methodology for calculating head deterioration in electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) due to mechanical wear, aiming to enhance the understanding of pump head curve performance deviations and improve ESP monitoring. The methodology is grounded in the regression of experimental data from portable separator rate tests and ESP sensor data, using over 100 data points from an oil field. Simultaneous charts and Visual Basic software were utilized to incorporate correction factors and correlations, establishing a new trend. This approach considers variables like pump intake and discharge pressure and frequency during testing, emphasizing the alignment of operational points with the catalogue curve and recognizing potential influences such as measurement errors, pump wear, and fluid property deviations. By applying the Head Derating Factor derived from the new methodology, a better match between downhole and portable separator rate test outcomes was achieved, with the deviation decreasing from 14% to 6%. The developed ESP model, based on this methodology, offers accurate historical matching to conducted rate tests, streamlining ESP diagnosis and decision-making throughout its run life. This has further facilitated improved ESP turnaround, enabling performance forecasting and equipment availability planning. This paper presents a groundbreaking ESP monitoring system, integrating oilfield correlation and all ESP parameters into a unified system. This system, underpinned by the new methodology, offers diagnostic capabilities, production optimization, and ESP well tracking. It provides a comprehensive field overview of all ESP wells simultaneously, identifying wells requiring intervention, optimization, or replacement. The system showcases a dynamic and interactive graphical user interface, offering a holistic view of all ESP wells with three primary modules. This innovation marks a significant advancement in the petroleum industry’s state of knowledge, presenting a more efficient and integrated approach to ESP performance monitoring.