Increasing the Time between Failures of Electric Submersible Pumps for Oil Production with High Content of Mechanical Impurities

Abstract

The main principles of hydroabrasive wear of parts of the pumping stages of well’s electric submersible pumps are considered in this article. The concentration, grain-size distribution and shape of solid particles have the greatest impact on the abrasion ability of particles of mechanical impurities interacting with the parts of pumping equipment. The implementation of filters is the most effective and affordable way to protect borehole electric submersible pumps from hydroabrasive wear. Filters reduce the concentration and decrease the average grain-size of mechanical impurities going through the pumping stages. The authors propose variants of constructive and schematic solutions of self-cleaning slot filters, providing an increase in the operating time of electric centrifugal pump units during production of well fluid with a high content of mechanical impurities. The operating principle of the proposed filters is described. The results of calculations of deformation of tubing string during the increase in pressure at the oil wellhead are presented, confirming the possibility of restoring the permeability of spring filter elements without lifting the pump unit to the surface.

Keywords

• electric submersible pump unit (ESP)
• borehole oil production
• mechanical impurities
• hydroabrasive wear
• self-cleaning filter
• increased time between failures