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TUALP Abstract
 

 

 

  

Edgar A. Solano (Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering)
Viscous Effects on the Performance of Electro Submersible Pumps (ESP’s)
Directed by Dr. Mauricio Prado
130 pp., Chapter 6: Conclusions and Recommendations
(288 words)

Electrical submersible pumps (ESP’s) have been increasingly used as an artificial lift method for producing medium to heavy oils in deep offshore fields. The pumps may be located inside the well or even above the seabed in order to diminish intervention costs. For instance, when an ESP is located on the seabed, the fluids may be at a temperature below the reservoir temperature. Hence, the heat generated by the viscous dissipation inside the ESP, which contributes to reduce the fluid viscosity and increase its performance, is partially lost to the surrounding cold water. Additionally, when an ESP is at the sea level, pressure reduction at the pump inlet may increase the free gas ratio (GOR), which depletes the pump performance as well.

This is just one of the multiple issues that the petroleum industry is facing now, thus the influence of fluid viscosity on a centrifugal pump performance has received much attention for many years.

In this work a dimensionless analysis based on of the conservation equations was verified in order to be implemented as a method for calculating ESP viscous performance. Having completely understanding of ESP pumps with viscous fluids at different rotational speed will help ESP’s manufacturers in designing more efficient pumps for viscous applications, which will bring improvement of field design and field productivity.

The construction of an experimental facility was required, in which an ESP (7 stages) was tested using a viscous fluid (Aquamarine oil 460). Tests were conducted a three different specific speed values, one at best efficiency point and other at the upper and lower recommended pump operating range. This work provides the first step in getting a better understanding of the complex subject that involves the viscous fluids effects on ESP’s.

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Last updated September 04, 2012