Electric Submersible Pump Head Correction for Well Flow Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ESP systems face challenges in accurately monitoring and managing head deterioration due to mechanical wear, leading to inefficient fluid production and reduced equipment lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that calculates head deterioration using experimental data and ESP sensor data, integrating pump intake and discharge pressure, frequency, and oil field correlations to estimate water cut and fluid specific gravity, enabling real-time diagnostic capabilities and proactive ESP management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If traditional ESP monitoring methods are used, then equipment lifespan is reduced due to undetected head deterioration, but implementing advanced monitoring systems increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors ESP performance parameters (intake pressure, discharge pressure, power consumption, flow rate) and feeds this information back to detect head deterioration. The feedback mechanism enables real-time identification of performance deviations from baseline conditions, allowing proactive maintenance scheduling that extends equipment lifespan without requiring overly complex monitoring infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes baseline performance characteristics during initial ESP operation and uses these baselines to predict future head deterioration trends. By performing preliminary characterization of normal operation, the system can detect deviations before they lead to failure, enabling preventive maintenance that extends equipment life without requiring complex real-time analysis of every parameter fluctuation
2Productivity
If real-time monitoring and adjustments are implemented, then fluid production efficiency is improved, but system complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts choke settings and motor voltage based on real-time ESP performance data and predicted head deterioration. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain optimal production efficiency across varying operating conditions and equipment states, maximizing fluid recovery without requiring permanently complex hardware configurations
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (choke opening, motor voltage, flow rate) in response to detected performance changes and deterioration trends. By adjusting these parameters, the system optimizes production efficiency at different stages of ESP life, compensating for head losses and maintaining near-optimal performance without requiring fundamentally complex control systems
3Duration of action of stationary object
If head deterioration is not accounted for, then equipment lifespan is reduced, but implementing correction factors increases calculation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified mathematical model (copy) of the ESP performance characteristics and head deterioration behavior. This model uses correction factors applied to basic performance equations to predict future performance without requiring complex finite element analysis or detailed mechanical wear modeling, thus extending predicted equipment life through computationally efficient calculations
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for producing fluid from a well can use an electric submersible pump. These approaches can include: performing a portable separator rate test in the well to obtain an operating point for the electric submersible pump in the well; receiving a performance curve for the electric submersible pump; adjusting the performance curve for the electric submersible pump based on specific gravity and viscosity of fluid being produced from the well; calculating a head correction necessary to shift the adjusted performance curve to pass through the operating point obtained from the portable separator rate test; updating a model of the electric submersible pump by incorporating the calculated head correction; and executing the model of the electric submersible pump to predict flow rates from the well at surface conditions.