Rig-less Electrical Submersible Pump Deployment via Segmented Motor and Rotor Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrical submersible pumps require the use of a drilling or workover rig for installation, removal, and replacement, which is inefficient and costly, especially in aged fields with high gas-to-oil ratios where natural production is insufficient.
Innovation Solution
The electrical submersible pump system is designed to be separable into two sections: a semi-permanent motor stator section and a removable motor rotor section, allowing for rig-less installation and removal through a deployment connector and anchor system that secures the pump sections to the production tubing, enabling plug-in access and power supply without exposed connectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drilling or workover rig is used for installation, removal, and replacement of electrical submersible pumps, then the pump can be securely installed and replaced, but the operational complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical submersible pump system is divided into two separable sections: a motor section that remains permanently installed in the well, and a pump section that can be removed and replaced independently. This segmentation allows the pump to be changed without requiring rig operations, reducing operational complexity while maintaining secure installation through the permanent motor section and production tubing connection
2Reliability
If a drilling or workover rig is used for pump replacement, then proper installation is ensured, but the time and cost efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the motor and pump into independent sections with the motor remaining permanently installed, the pump section can be quickly removed and replaced using simple deployment connectors and production tubing access, dramatically reducing replacement time from days to hours while maintaining proper installation through standardized connection interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The motor section is pre-installed and permanently secured to the production tubing before pump operations begin. This preliminary action creates a ready-made installation foundation that allows subsequent pump sections to be quickly attached and disconnected without requiring complex rig operations, ensuring proper installation while minimizing time loss
3Device complexity
If the electrical submersible pump is designed as a single integrated unit, then the structure is simpler, but the ease of repair and replacement worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is segmented into a permanent motor section and a removable pump section connected through standardized interfaces. This segmentation maintains relative structural simplicity within each section while dramatically improving ease of repair, as the pump section can be independently removed and replaced without affecting the motor or requiring complex disassembly procedures
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean well include a first electrical submersible pump section having an outer motor body, and a motor stator. A central bore extends through the motor body and is sized to accommodate a motor rotor assembly. A second electrical submersible pump section has the motor rotor assembly, a seal section, and a pump section. The first electrical submersible pump section has a downhole ring shaped to secure the first electrical submersible pump section to a downhole production tubing, and has an uphole ring shaped to secure the first electrical submersible pump section to an uphole production tubing. The second electrical submersible pump section has a deployment connector operable to connect to an installation line for rig-less installation and removal of the second electrical submersible pump section.