ESP: Pump Intake

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By admin February 19, 2017

As the name suggests “ Pump Intake ” is where the well fluid enters the Submersible
Pumping System. Care should be taken when designing a submersible pump intake
because it is such a vital point in the system that when not designed properly may create
all kinds of problems.

There are three types of intake Sections:

Standard Intakes or BOI (bolt on intake),

Integral (manufactured as part of the pump),
Gas Separators (static and rotary gas separators).

Standard and Integral Intakes:

Standard intakes (BOI and integral) do not separate gas. Some gas separation might
occur, but it will only be natural separation due to some of the gas not turning and going
into the intake when the rest of the fluid does. Therefore, the standard intake is for wells
that produce with a very low free gas to liquid ratio. The amount of free gas by volume at
pump intake conditions should be no more than 10% to 15% by volume (depends if it is a
radial or mixed flow stage)

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Usually, the pump intake is a separate
component that bolts onto the bottom of
the pump section. Occasionally, the
pump is built in either a lower tandem or
single configuration. In these cases, the
pump intake as an integral part of the
pump assembly.

Gas Separators:
Gas Production has been a “problem” since the early days of oil production. It limited
production on many oil wells producing with pumps.

A gas separator is still an intake, but with some special features designed to keep free gas
from entering the pump.

There are two types of gas separators being utilized by the industry at this time. They are
“static (reverse flow) gas separator” and “dynamic (rotary) gas separator”.

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1. Static Gas Separators (also named: Reverse Flow Gas Separator):

Original gas separator designs were based on increasing gas separation by forcing the fluid
flow to reverse in the well-bore. This is where the name of this type of gas separator,
Reverse Flow, comes from. Since this type of gas separator does no real “work” on the
fluid, it is also called a “static” gas separator.

As well fluid enters the gas separator it is forced to change direction. Some of the gas
bubbles continue to rise instead of turn or rise inside of the gas separator, exit the housing
and continue to rise.

Reverse flow gas separators are highly dependent on annular area, fluid velocity, and
relative specific gravity of the gas and liquid. It usually separates up to 20% (by volume)
free gas.

PS: Reverse flow gas separation can also be accomplished by a shroud unit in wells of
sufficient diameter by setting the pump below the well perforations with proper motor
cooling.

2. Dynamic Gas Separator:

Dynamic is defined in the dictionary as “Force Producing Motion”, which implies that this
type of gas separator uses force.

The rotary separator separates free gas with an efficiency of 75% to 90% under most
conditions. It should be used where the free gas available at the intake exceeds
20% unless there is abrasive material in the fluid .
The rotary gas separator design works in a similar fashion to a centrifuge. It utilizes a
specially designed rotating chamber (rotor), paddle wheel, or induced vortex to impart
centrifugal force on the fluid. The rotor or induced vortex forces the heavier fluid to the
outside & allows the free gas to migrate to the center of the chamber and exits through
the discharge ports back into the well.

Gas separator assemblies are often connected in tandem to improve the overall
efficiency in high gas applications.

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 NB: Do not design or operate a gas separator under a packer or where the casing is not vented.

Even though gas separators are very efficient in relatively high GLR wells, they have some
known limitations include:

They are not effective under slugging conditions,

Not good with emulsions,
May fail due to vibration effects at very high gas to liquid ratios,
Solids can cause catastrophic failure of separator internals.

NB: For more information related to gas separators, read SPE papers: ” Effect of Gaseous
Fluids on Submersible Pump Performance ” and ” Gas Separator Performance for Submersible
Pump Operation “

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