SPE-197209-MS

An Integrated Approach Utilizing ESP Design Improvements and Real Time

Monitoring to Ensure Optimum Performance and Maximize Run Life

Hussain Almajid, Salman Al Gamber, Saleh Abou Zeid, and Marcelo Ramos, Saudi Aramco

Copyright 2019, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 11-14 November 2019.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
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Abstract
Electrical submersible pumps (ESP's) have become a necessity to support reservoir pressure and sustain
production. ESP failure and replacement is a major concern for wells with high gas oil ratio (GOR) and
erosion related issues due to the nature of the wear & tear that these ESP's undergo through its life time.
Consequently, these ESP failures have an important economic implications for oil and gas operators,
including non-productive time, high cost of ESP replacements and production deferral.
The objective of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and systematic approach to maximize the ESP
run life by optimizing both the design process and operation standards in which sand production and erosion
are growing concerns. The improved design will integrate best practices from several field applications and
downhole technology including new concepts, features, and materials that were specifically designed and
tested to withstand challenging downhole conditions. Furthermore, this paper will employ i-field data as
a proactive means to safeguard ESP health based on a numerical model of the production system which
served as a decision support tool to determine ESP frequencies that maximize oil production while honoring
multiple operational constraints and minimize preventable trips that can lead to undesired failures.
A comprehensive engineering thought process including initial installations, subsequent well
interventions, operation standards, completion improvements, ESP configuration enhancements and
equipment Dismantle Inspection and Failure Analysis (DIFA) were conducted for several cases to assemble
improved ESP components that were specifically designed, fabricated, and tested to meet well requirements.
These components were integrated and subjected to a rigorous performance based tests prior to field
application. After the comprehensive manufacturer tests, field applications were implemented for the
newly developed system and was carefully monitored to measure its effectiveness. Additionally, an
analytical framework software utilizing smart field applications was developed towards proactive ESP
performance monitoring based on data-driven predictive modeling and analysis. This framework was
utilized to automatically identify patterns and assess ESP condition in real time, thus offering detection
of impending problems before they occur for mitigation and prevention of ESP service interruptions and
consequently preserving the ESP health.
This paper will provide a detailed step by step process to create a robust ESP system that will adopt
to challenging wellbore conditions where high GOR and erosion have resulted in premature ESP failures
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and offer firm enhancements to operation standards by leveraging real-time data obtained from downhole
sensors for predicting and preventing ESP shutdowns using data analytics. Field application performance
data will be shared in which these methods were successfully implemented to extend ESP run life.

Introduction
The evolution of artificial lift methods including ESP have proven to be an efficient choice for enhanced oil
recovery as reservoir pressure continues to drop. Various improvements have been implemented throughout
the years to the existing well completion and the ESP system in general after each subsequent pull out and
DIFA activity resulting in improved ESP performance while maintaining and maximizing production from
the field. However, pre-mature ESP failure still remains a subject of peculiar interest as the world demand
for more oil and gas continues to grow. In particular, wells exhibiting high gas production at the pump intake
that is being produced from either exposed gas sands, secondary gas cap, producing the well below the
bubble point pressure or reservoir pressure decrease. A normal ESP system can handle up to 20% by volume
of free gas without any gas handling or gas separation systems incorporated into the existing completion.
Excess free gas volume inside the pump have resulted in several "gas lock" situations leading to ESP
forced shutdown where the lighter gas phase can slip apart from the heavier fluid phase and accumulates on
the low-pressure side of the impeller until gradually enough gas volume has built up that the impellers are
unable to move and the flow passage is blocked creating a gas lock situation as can be seen in Figure-1 (Stan
herl et al 2009). Once a gas lock occurs for the pump, the ESP system will continue to operate however
no fluid will be pushed from the discharge point leading to a sharp increase in the motor temperature and a
corresponding drop in the motor load until eventually either the system trips as can be seen in Figure-2 or
the motor burns out resulting in ESP failure. Typically, Gas lock can only be overcome by naturally flowing
the well (if the well is able to sustain natural flow) to allow some of the trapped gas inside the pump to
be released thus reducing the pressure inside the pump low enough that the ESP system may be restarted
again. However such techniques are not always feasible for all applications. In addition, gradually and slow
pressure drawdown are required which translates to deferred production or ESP replacement in case gas
cannot be vented from the pump.
Furthermore, sand production and fine migration propose a different kind of problem such as pump stage
erosion and stuck pump shaft due to sand fill accumulation. As field production continues, the ESP erosion
issue can be escalated as more free gas is liberated and water cut levels increase since higher gas volume
fraction (GVF) yields higher tubular velocities. Meanwhile increase in water cut level increase the potential
for more fines migration into the wellbore creating more sand fill and erosion issues with an average sand
production of 0.05 to 0.10% of volume (Zhzhuang Jiang et al 2007).

Figure 1—Free gas development within the pump impeller creating a gas lock
SPE-197209-MS 3

Figure 2—Amp chart readings for ESP undergoing gas lock

Optimization of ESP Module

ESP's are commonly utilized as the most economical artificial lift method for field development due to their
reliability, flexibility and robustness to produce well with high flowing rates. As such, the following module
was developed, evaluated and proposed to maximize the benefit from these assets. The scope of this module
aims to explore improved ways and means to cope with challenging downhole conditions while offering best
in-class operational excellence practices to further enhance ESP efficiency. The proposed model will also
incorporate real time data monitoring as proactive means to safeguard ESP and predict trips thus minimizing
production interruption and maximize run life. The module will be broken down into the following main
categories:
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1. Data collection and analysis: collect, evaluate, correlate and amass accurate surface and downhole
date for ESP design.
2. ESP design and manufacture: develop and manufacture a robust ESP system based on representative
data that is adopt to withstand challenging downhole condition.
3. Operational enhancement: offer best in-class operational excellence practices to boost production and
optimize ESP performance.
4. Real time monitoring: employ i-field data as a proactive means to optimize performance, safeguard
ESP health and minimize trips.
5. Dismantle Inspection and Failure Analysis (DIFA): implement and analyze failure reports after each
pull out to identify root cause for future enhancement.

Data Collection and Analysis

A vital stage for a successful ESP design process is the data collection and analysis including both surface
and downhole parameters to ensure reliable performance after installation. This step becomes crucial when
dealing with a variable gas flow regime as such real time monitoring of flow, pressure and temperature can
provide valuable information to aid this process. Downhole monitoring systems can be utilized to read and
transmit several vital parameters such as the motor temperature, current consumption, motor vibrations,
temperature & pressure for both the intake & discharge sections of the pump. These parameters are measured
and communicated to surface through a downhole power cable that is connected to the ESP power skid at
surface and then transmitted to control screens. In addition, vital downhole data such as flow rate profile,
water entry points and pressure distribution can be acquired through well intervention logging operations
in case additional data are required to fully assess the well performance prior to ESP installation. All these
acquired data can be used to draw a comprehensive conclusion regarding the anticipated production gain,
flowing bottom hole pressure, required total net lift, GOR, corrosive substances, well performance and
reservoir sweep strategies which help guide the ESP design process and set in place the required limitations
for the new design.

ESP Design and Manufacture

One of the major concerns for ESP deign is the ability of the pump to handle free gas production from the
reservoir. Whether the gas is dissolved in the liquid or a gas cap exists in the formation, a proper gas handling
or gas separator system/s must be incorporated. In gas handling system, an axial/mixed flow profiles are
employed at the pump intake in order to compress the gas back into the liquid before it enters the pump.
These are highly modified multistage centrifugal pumps that are designed to withstand gas production by
modifying the pressure distribution of the impeller thus creating a homogenized mixture with a smaller gas
bubble size (A. Suat Bagci et al 2010). The pressure distribution is achieved by adding axial velocity to the
flow stream via the charged up impellers that can provide the required prime to move the fluid/gas mixture
from one stage to another. By utilizing this technology, the gas is still produced through the flow conduit
thus enabling the ESP to produce gas up to 45% by volume as can be seen in Figure-3.
SPE-197209-MS 5

Figure 3—ESP gas handler installed at the pump intake

On the other hand, a gas separator is utilized in conjunction with the gas handler for more aggressive
applications where the expected free gas is beyond 75% by volume. The gas separator is installed below the
gas handler in order to separate the majority of gas volume from the liquid before it enters inside the pump
as can be seen in Figure-4. The separated gas can then be diverted back and commingled with flow stream
existing from the pump discharge point through a normal mandrel valve inside the tubing thus creating an
additional gas lift system thus further enhancing oil recovery.

Figure 4—Flow type regimes with different ESP systems for gas application
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Furthermore, ESP metallurgy was intensively investigated from all the completed DIFA's for the failed
designs in order to make the required adjustments so that the ESP is able to withstand the existing well
condition. Data was accumulated and the new ESP system was benchmarked with different metallurgy
designs to determine the optimum choice that can provide the most abrasive resistant model since the ESP
metallurgy forms an integral part of the system that can ultimately have a significant impact on the ESP run
life. As such, more adoptive abrasive resistant state metallurgy and high strength inconel alloy shafts were
utilized. Furthermore, corrosion resistant bearings with standard spacing were utilized for the pump system
to provide enhanced radial stability and reliability in abrasive well environments. The completed yard tests
showed that both Nickle and Zirconia had better overall performance in terms of robust design, durability
impact, corrosion and erosion resistant (Anton Shakirov et al 2018).
In addition, sand control completions such as gravel pack and stand-alone sand screens were utilized
to prevent/minimize sand production thus further preserving the ESP health against erosion and sand fill
accumulation issues. The installed completions were developed after collecting downhole core samples
to accurately identify the required mesh size that will minimize sand production through this interval and
optimize the pressure drawdown distribution across the entire pay zone section to improve the reservoir
sweep efficiency and maximize oil recovery.

Operational Enhancements
Several operational enhancement practices were cultivated in order to achieve optimum ESP performance
as follows:
1. Developing ESPs with a wide operating range to accommodate variable well performance constraints
especially when dealing with uncertain reservoir parameters with high amounts of produced gas as
can be seen in Figure-5.
2. The underload trip setting was by-passed initially during the ESP startup to avoid sudden shutdowns
while closely monitoring the well performance on location to allow amble time to unload wellbore
fluids prior to configuration of automated trip settings.
3. While commissioning the well, the ESP was operated at lower speeds and gradually ramp up to the
target speed to avoid sudden pressure drawdown or surging effects that may incentivize more sand
production. This was accomplished by starting the ESP at minimum speed and adjust the surface rate
through the choke to maintain pressure drawdown and avoid creating any sudden disruption to the
sand face.
4. The ESP was operated toward the left side of the pump curve to optimize the ESP performance to
counter act the presence of free gas and sand production thus minimizing the surging effects.
5. After the well was commissioned, the ESP was operated at higher speeds while restricting the choke
size to control the amount of free gas upstream of the choke.
6. A variable speed drive with flexible voltage can be utilized to provide additional means of adjusting
the ESP performance in accordance with the well operating conditions in order to control the pressure
draw, optimize power consumption and maintain the ESP operating envelope.
SPE-197209-MS 7

Figure 5—ESP design with wide operating range to accommodate changes in well performance

Real Time Monitoring

A downhole monitoring system was installed as part of the ESP bottom hole assembly (BHA) to monitor
well performance and enable proactive measures to safeguard the ESP. These downhole monitoring systems
can read and transmit several vital parameters such as the motor temperature, current consumption, motor
vibrations, temperature & pressure for both the intake & discharge sections of the pump. These parameters
are measured and communicated to surface through a downhole power cable that is connected to the ESP
power skid and then transmitted through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to
the operator control screens thus enabling real time monitoring and adjustments such as pump speed, back
pressure and well drawdown. All these adjustment can be done remotely therefore increasing the pressure
drawdown and maximizing the overall production. Minimizing these trips will help to improve run life
since an ESP has a finite life which can be directly related to the number of restarts due the incurred motor
degradation including both windings and power cable thus shortening the lifespan of an ESP (Supriya Gupta
et al 2016).
The following procedures have been utilized to generate a real time software for ESP performance
monitoring and optimization:
1. Historical data including both surface and downhole was collected for several wells in the field to
identify the trip periods and input record all associated parameters.
2. All the collected data is then correlated and corrected to the actual data from offset wells to ensure
all input data into software are representative.
3. Well completion details along with upstream and downstream flow stream size are updated in the
software for flow rate correlation across different points.
4. Data is fine-tuned and corrected to actual data from offset wells with similar ESP and surface design
parameters.
5. The collected data can then be used to create an alarm trigger in the software indicating once similar
operating parameters are reached then a trip is imminent. As such, the operator can capitalize on
this opportunity to rectify the issue acting in a proactive manner to alleviate an incoming ESP trip
(Shuwaikhat et al 2017).
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Dismantle Inspection and Failure Analysis

One of the main cornerstones for an optimized ESP model is the Dismantle Inspection and Failure Analysis
(DIFA) report performed after each pull out. The objective of this DIFA is to identify the root cause behind
the ESP failure and highlight any underline causes that may have resulted in hindered ESP performance
or equipment damage. This type of analysis is crucial to ascertain the lessons learned from the previous
installation that could be used to recognize opportunities for improvement and system enhancement.
DIFA was completed for the two understudied wells from field X and the results showed that significant
pump erosion was created due to the presence of fine sand grains from formation. Furthermore, the high
annular velocities created by the developed free gas resulted in more erosion damage to the pump system and
thus further reduce the life expectancy of these equipment as was clearly seen in the pump bearings, motor
winding, both internal and external sleeves. In addition, several pump stages were found to be full of sand
fill accumulation along with some minor scale precipitation. This heavy amount of sand fill accumulation
created a total downhole plug that prevented the movement of the impellers thus plugging the entire pump
system and loss of the ESP.
The completed DIFA also revealed that the size, hardness, shape and concentration of sand particles
played role in the erosion rate of the pump. Solid samples were collected from each failed pump system for
lab analysis and identification. When these samples were compared with the associated pump damage, it
was discovered that the sharpness of sand particle have resulted in more damage to the pump impeller and
diffuser during pump operation when compared to a more round sand grain.
Moreover, the size of the sand grain particles can create damage in different location inside the pump. For
instance, small sand grain particle have the ability to enter inside small and tight sections creating internal
wear issues. Meanwhile, larger size sand grain particles have a greater impact energy and thus create more
damage to the pump stages during transportation (Zhzhuang Jiang et al 2007).
In order to remediate these issues, the following recommendations were implemented to create a robust
ESP system that can withstand these harsh downhole condition and further enhance performance:
1. Upgrade the metallurgy of the ESP stages to abrasive resistant material such as nickle rich material
which has a substantial higher potential against abrasive material thus improving erosion resistance.
2. Upgrade the ESP system bearings to silicon carbide for the pump and motor to counter act high
vibrations created from gas slugging and wornout bearings.

Well Completion Details

Two wells from field X were selected for implementation for this optimized ESP model. Both Well-A and
Well-B are drilled in an unconsolidated sandstone formation with heterogeneous rock properties and have
tendencies to produce free gas after a short period of being placed on production. Both wells have low
porosity and permeability with low reservoir pressure thus natural flow could not be sustained and ESP's
were chosen as the optimum choice for enhanced oil recovery from this field. The upper completion for these
wells consisted of 3 ½" tubing with Y-tool assembly to provide wellbore accessibility for well intervention
operations as can be seen in Figure-6. Meanwhile, the lower completion consisted of a 4 ½" stand alone
screens in order to minimize/prevent sand production and control the pressure drawdown distribution across
the entire pay zone section. In addition, the ESP was installed at the lowest point possible inside the well
while taking into consideration the inclination angle of the pump in order to maximize the pressure at the
intake of the well and reduce the potential of free gas development inside the pump.
SPE-197209-MS 9

Figure 6—ESP design completion with y-tool bypass assembly

Field Application
The success rate for the provided optimization model was measured in terms of several factors governing
ESP performance including maximum achievable drawdown pressure, number of trips incurred, power
consumption, Equipment run life, operating system efficiency, design durability and installation costs.
Meanwhile the allocated production gain was measured utilizing the installed multi- phase flow meter i-field
devices and further verified using a portable separator for 3 phase flow measurement and rate verification.
The final well performance evaluation showed that the new applied model was able to maximize production
while minimizing the amount of produced gas and overcoming the encountered issues of gas locking with
steady amperage current as can be seen in Figure-7. Consequently, the ESP running time was improved
significantly as can be seen by the steady performance in running currents and increased pressure drawdown
while eliminating unnecessary ESP trips and preserving the run life of these equipment.
10 SPE-197209-MS

Figure 7—ESP amperage measurements post application of design improvements

Conclusion
The optimized ESP model demonstrated a comprehensive step by step process to provide reliable and robust
ESP design including data collection, design modifications, operational enhancements, real time monitoring
and optimization through DIFA. The implementation of this model showed significant improvement in ESP
performance that resulted in exceeding the average run life and successfully overcome the repetitive trips
and failures due to production of high gas volumes. The following lessons learned and recommendations
are cultivated from this design model:
1. The advanced gas handler system enabled the ESP to be operated in wells with high GOR with
stable amperage current and overall performance therefore unlocking additional capabilities for higher
pressure drawdown and enhanced oil recovery.
2. The development of real time data analytical softwares based on historical data from offset wells
empowered the user with the advantage of identifying impeding system trips so that the condition
maybe swiftly rectified and stable performance parameters can be restored and close monitoring of
ESP performance can be achieved.
3. The enhanced design modifications including the application of wider range ESP's allowed for
more flexibility to accommodate variable well performance constraints especially when dealing with
dynamic reservoir parameters with high amounts of produced gas.
4. Data collection and analysis for both surface and downhole parameters played a vital role in a
successful ESP design process. The Acquired data can be used to draw a comprehensive conclusion
regarding the anticipated production gain, flowing bottom hole pressure, required total net lift, GOR,
corrosive substances, well performance and reservoir sweep strategies which help guide the ESP
design process and set in place the required limitations for the new design.
5. Upgrades to ESP metallurgy were conducted based on the results acquired from the completed
DIFA which showed that the root cause of failure was due to excessive stage erosion and sand fill
accumulation inside the pump shaft.
SPE-197209-MS 11

Nomenclature
ESP = Electrical Submersible Pump
BHA = Bottom Hole Assembly
SCADA = Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
DIFA = Dismantle Inspection and Failure Analysis
GOR = Gas Oil Ratio
GVF = Gas Volume Fraction
i-field = Intelligent Field

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