American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2018 - 88

ESP Enhancements
While ESPs once were considered unsuitable for unconventional applications,
today most horizontal wells are put on
an ESP as the first form of artificial lift.
This is almost entirely because of the advancements in technology, which have
enabled ESPs to operate effectively across
greater flow ranges and improve their
gas/solids handling. Early objections to
using ESPs in unconventional applications
emphasized that the production volatility,
the high dog leg severity of the wellbore
and the potential for gas slugging to
inhibit the ESP from producing fluid as
efficiently as in a vertical well. Fortunately,
the technological developments over the
past five years have increased the ESP's
capacity to operate under these conditions.
Figure 1 highlights the primary modifications to ESPs for horizontal tight oil
wells. To withstand the presence of abrasives in the fluid, ESP manufacturers
now produce pumps with more durable
materials such as tungsten carbide and
apply coatings for enhanced protection.
Often referred to as "abrasion-resistant"
designs, these pumps also may feature
improved radial support to stabilize the
shaft as well as tungsten-carbide bearings
to reduce the impact of thrust on the

equipment and extend the operating range.
Due to the volatility of the fluid, this additional protection helps prevent excessive
wear, extending the system's run life.
Solids handling is another focal point
of ESP advancements. If sand or other
solids are present in the production fluid,
it can cause serious damage to an ESP.
Solids can build up in the pump itself,
causing blockages and consequently increasing the pressure inside the system
beyond operational limits. Additionally,
when fluid moves through the pump, it is
flowing at such a high velocity that solids
can quite literally wear through the pump
stages. To improve the ESP's solids-handling capabilities, stages can be designed
with wider vane openings to improve
flow through the pump and prevent blockages. Additional features may include a
system of internal grooves throughout the
pump, which allow even greater maneuverability for smaller particles.
Design improvements also have dramatically improved ESP's gas handling
capabilities. As noted, horizontal wells
can produce high amounts of free gas.
Because the lateral section of the wellbore
is rarely a straight line, undulations along
the lateral section of the wellbore create
hills and valleys where gas is able to ac-

cumulate until it is forced out by the production fluid. Gas slugging poses a significant challenge for ESPs because as
the gas enters the pump, the pressure
drop and absence of fluid to cool the
motor can cause gas locking, forcing a
shutdown of the equipment. However,
there are several measures that can be
implemented to alleviate this issue.
Gas separators are a special intake
device that use centrifugal force to separate
gas from the production fluid before entering the primary pump. While heavier
fluids such as the oil or water move to
the outer edges of the equipment housing
and continue flowing through the ESP
system, the gas is isolated from the mixture. After this separation, the larger gas
bubbles can be filtered out into the wellbore while smaller bubbles enter the next
phase of production: gas handling.
Installed just above the gas separator,
a gas handler takes the remaining bubbles
and homogenizes the fluid/gas mixture
by reducing the bubble size and discouraging gas separation. At this stage, the
goal is to break up the gas as much as
possible and blend it into the fluid to
reduce the amount of free gas that enters
the main pump. This way, the fluid can
maintain a certain level of buoyancy, pro-

ECHOMETER Horizontal Rod Pump
Ultimate Production System
Benefits of the System:

➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢

The UPS consists of the following:

Increased production
Lower failure frequency
Improved flow dynamics
from lateral
More full pump cards
Lower PBHP
Keeps equipment out
of curve
Excellent cost-benefit

1. Echometer Diverter Separator
2. Echometer Tool Saver
3. Slim Line TAC
4. Echometer Isolator w/Centralizer
5. Sized Macaroni Tailpipe

US Patent # 9,022,106
And Patents Pending

Contact us for more info at:
Brian.Ellithorp@echometer.com
Ph. (405) 837-0173
Jim@echometer.com
Echometer Company - 5001 Ditto Lane, Wichita Falls TX 76302 - (940) 767-4334
www.echometer.com
88 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

http://www.echometer.com

American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - June 2018