Thermal and Hydraulic Performance Testing of a Novel High Temperature ESP System for SAGD under Real Conditions

Abstract

It has been about 10 years since High Temperature Electrical Submersible Pumps (HT ESPs) were first deployed at downhole temperatures of 250°C (482°F). Since then, these pumps have become one of the most popular forms of artificial lift for most Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) producers. Despite this popularity, the severity of the operating conditions in SAGD wells continues to present challenges to the development of new HT ESP technology. A Joint Industry Project (JIP) of major thermal operators commissioned this research to evaluate the performance of some novel HT ESP technology that was developed by Summit ESP a Halliburton Company. This novel HT ESP technology was specifically designed to operate in a SAGD environment. This paper describes the full-scale testing that was independently conducted by the JIP on this HT ESP technology using a specialized high temperature flow loop at C-FER. Testing was completed to better understand the performance and reliability of this novel HT ESP technology over a wide range of representative SAGD conditions. The program included several diverse tests conducted at fluid temperatures up to 250°C (482°F). This included a wide range of operating conditions, including low levels of sub cool and different multiphase fluid combinations with oil, water, gas, and steam. As noted in past experimental work conducted on HT ESPs by Waldner et al. (2012), understanding the thermal profile of the ESP system (specifically the motor) as well as the effect of multiphase flow conditions on motor heat dissipation and pump hydraulic performance when operating in a SAGD wellbore are key considerations when assessing ESP systems. For this reason, additional downhole instruments were installed to monitor the temperature profile of the ESP system in the wellbore during this test. The experimental setup also included internal pressure monitoring of the ESP motor oil volume compensation system to carefully observe the interactions between the wellbore environment and ESP system performance. This paper presents an overview of the test objectives, the experimental setup (including the instrumentation), the HT ESP system, as well as a selection of key laboratory test results. Collectively this paper provides insight into the test methodology and performance of this new HT ESP under various conditions representative of a SAGD wellbore in the field. Technical Categories: ESP Thermal Operations, New ESP Technologies