Advanced Signal Analysis of an Electrical Submersible Pump Failure Due to Scaling

Abstract

The present paper is concerned with a study of electrical submersible pump failure due to scale build-up. From motor current signals recorded several weeks before the failure, weak fluctuations were recorded, indicating a change in the motor load. The advanced signal analysis of the motor current data revealed the presence of a dynamical character of the electrical submersible pump signal when scale started rapidly building up in the pump stages. Based on the raw data from the motor current draw a dynamical cascade was identified from the current marked with the superimposition of several characteristic frequencies added in time and developing a chaotic trend. The analysis is conducted with different signal analysis recognition tools such as Fourier transform, wavelet transform and chaotic attractors, which describe the nature of the scale signature in the current logs clearly. This analysis can be the first step towards developing real time diagnostic tools to predict ESP failures and acting accordingly.

Experimental Investigation and Analysis of Thrust(part) in V4 Submersible Pump-a Review

“…Apart from energy savings, the DCR motor also reduces the production of greenhouse gases and push down the total environmental cost of electricity generation. M. N. NouiMehidi et al [6] revealed that the ESP system before failure exhibits a gradual evolution towards a chaotic behavior that can be clearly identified through the signal analysis of the recorded data from the motor current. These results open the door on the possibility of developing a new real time diagnostics tool that could predict the failure of the ESP system due to scale build -up and allo w better management of the production protocols.…”