Case study: Artificial Lift

Location: Wolfcamp Shale, Delaware Basin, Texas

Shell Extends ESP Run Life by 35% While Reducing

Solids-Related Shutdowns and Improving Restarts, Texas
Pump protection system filters sand and solids, improving ESP uptime and production
efficiency as compared with conventional desanders
Frustrated by continuing sand damage In Shell’s experience, the tailpipe fills with The increased uptime improved Shell’s
and downtime in Delaware Basin ESPs, sand after about 3 to 6 months of production, business performance, even considering
Shell sought to quantify the performance causing the ESP to fail soon afterward. the cost of the sand control systems.
of an alternative sand control system and
improve ESP performance. Filter sand and solids before the ESP The field data enables Shell to select the
The pump protection system comprises a 3D optimal sand control system, based on value,
Improve downhole sand separation filter capable of filtering out particles of 15 for ESP wells in fields known for downtime
The main objective was to improve downhole to 600 um and a valve assembly that creates caused by severe sand production.
sand separation to prolong ESP run life, reduce a secondary flow path. A MeshRite* stainless
the number and frequency of workovers, and steel wool screen catches large quantities of 90
decrease production deferment, improving sand and solids, including mesh sizes much 80
cash flow. smaller than those separated by the desander.
When the screen is plugged, a PumpGuard* 70
Extend ESP lifetime vs. desander

Percent improvement
intake screen and valve assembly opens to 60
Shell traditionally used desander tools with enable flow past the screens and into the
six joints of tailpipe and a bull plug in every ESP. The system can handle more sand as 50
ESP well as a standard sand mitigation effort. compared with a desander tailpipe, thus 40
Desanders are installed below the ESP as extending ESP run life.
part of the bottomhole assembly (BHA), and 30
centrifugal action separates solid particles Maintain production and raise run life
from well fluids and stores them in the Shell ran five pump protection systems with 20
tailpipe. When the tailpipe is full, the sand Schlumberger and third-party ESPs. The run 10
passes through the centrifugal pumps with life of the ESPs improved by an average of
the well fluid, eroding the ESP pump stages, 35%, with constant production volumes and 0
ESP run life ESP shutdown ESP restart
bearings, and shafts and causing degraded lift slow drawdowns. In addition, the number of reduction sucess
capability. In addition, sand deposition within ESP shutdowns related to sand and solids (solids related)
the pump leads to ESP motor overloading, was reduced by more than 90%, improving The pump protection system improved ESP run life,
which damages the electrical integrity of the longevity of electrical components. The solids-related shutdowns, and restart performance
ESP. When the electrical system fails, Shell success rate of ESP startups after planned and in five Delaware Basin wells as compared with wells
must pull the BHA out of the well and replace unplanned shutdowns also improved by 32%. using conventional desanders.
it with new equipment.
1 75 45 240

2,800
Motor temperature, degF

30 160
Intake pressure, psi

Drive frequency, Hz

Average current, A
Vibration, gn

2,400
38

15 80
2,000
19

0 1,600 0 0 0
July 14 July 15 July 16 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20 July 21 July 22 July 23 July 24 July 25

In one of the five test wells, the ESP intake pressure signature (blue) rises suddenly when the MeshRite screen is plugged and the PumpGuard assembly opens. This
pressure signature enables further improvements in production efficiency by predicting the impending sand-related ESP failure so replacement operations can be scheduled.

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