Submersible pump

Working principleThe ESP system consists of a number of
ESP systems are effective for pumping producedcomponents that turn a staged series of centrifugal
fluids to surface.pumps to increase the pressure of the well fluid and
A system of mechanical seals are used to preventpush it to the surface. The energy to turn the pump
the fluid being pumped from entering the motor andcomes from a high-voltage (3 to 5 kV)
causing a short circuit. The pump can either bealternating-current source to drive a special motor that
connected to a pipe, flexible hose or lowered downcan work at high temperatures of up to 300 F
guide rails or wires so that the pump sits on a "ducks(149 C) and high pressures of up to 5,000 psi
foot" coupling, thereby connecting it to the delivery(34 MPa), from deep wells of up to 12,000 feet
pipework.(3.7 km) deep with high energy requirements of up to
Applicationsabout 1000 horsepower (750 kW). ESPs have
Submersible pumps are found in many applications.dramatically lower efficiencies with significant fractions
Single stage pumps are used for drainage, sewageof gas, greater than about 10% volume at the pump
pumping, general industrial pumping and slurry pumping.intake. Given their high rotational speed of up to 4000
They are also popular with aquarium filters. Multiplerpm (67 Hz) and tight clearances, they are not very
stage submersible pumps are typically lowered downtolerant of solids such as sand.
a borehole and used for water abstraction or in waterSee also
wells.Oil well
Special attention to the type of ESP is required whenCentrifugal pump
using certain types of liquids. ESP's commonly used onEductor-jet pump
board naval vessels cannot be used to dewaterSewage pumping
contaminated flooded spaces. These use a 440 volt AReferences
C motor that operates a small centrifugal pump. It can^ a b c Lyons (ed), Standard Handbook of Petroleum
also be used out of the water, taking suction with a 2-1& Natural Gas Engineering", p. 662
2 inch non-collapsible hose. The pumped liquid is^ Other forms of artificial lift include Gas Lift, Beam
circulated around the motor for cooling purposes.Pumping, Plunger Lift and Progressive cavity pump.
There is a possibility that the gasoline will leak into theLyons, William C., ed (1996). Standard Handbook of
pump causing a fire or destroying the pump, so hotPetroleum & Natural Gas Engineering. 2 (6 ed.).
water and flammable liquids should be avoided.Gulf Professional Publishing. ISBN 0884156435. 
ESP usage in oil wellsExternal links
Submersible pumps are used in oil production toWater well pump article
provide a relatively efficient form of "artificial lift", ableESP Artificial Lift Professional Community Knowledge
to operate across a broad range of flow rates andBase
depths. By decreasing the pressure at the bottom ofSubmerged Pump system is employs is deferential
the well (by lowering bottomhole flowing pressure, orstrategies so well, combining two kind of pump in same
increasing drawdown), significantly more oil can bemachine
produced from the well when compared with naturalWikimedia Commons has media related to:
production.[citation needed] The pumps are typicallySubmersible pumpsv  d  e
electrically powered and referred to as ElectricalPetroleum industry
Submersible Pumps (ESP).[citation needed]Exploration
ESP systems consist of both surface componentsPetroleum engineering (Reservoir simulation  Seismic
(housed in the production facility, for example an oilto simulation)  Petroleum geology  Geophysics 
platform) and sub-surface components (found in theSeismic (Seismic inversion)  Petrophysics  Core
well hole). Surface components include the motorsampling
controller (often a variable speed controller), surfaceDrilling
cables and transformers. Subsurface componentsDrilling engineering  Underbalanced drilling  Directional
typically include the pump, motor, seal and cables. Adrilling  (Measurement while drilling  Geosteering) 
gas separator is sometimes installed.Drilling fluid  Drill Stem Test
The pump itself is a multi-stage unit with the number ofDevelopment
stages being determined by the operatingCompletion (Squeeze job)  Well logging  Pipeline
requirements. Each stage consists of a driven impellertransport  Tracers
and a diffuser which directs flow to the next stage ofProduction
the pump. Pumps come in diameters from 90mmArtificial lift (Pumpjack  ESP  Gas lift)  EOR (Steam
(3.5 inches) to 254mm (10 inches) and vary betweeninjection  Gas reinjection)  Water injection  Well
1 metre (3 ft) and 8.7 metres (29 ft) in length. Theintervention  Upstream  Midstream  Downstream 
motor used to drive the pump is typically a threeRefining
phase, squirrel cage induction motor, with a nameplateTechnical challenges
power rating in the range 7.5 kW to 560 kW (at 60Differential sticking  Drilling fluid invasion  Blowouts 
Hz).Lost circulation
New varieties of ESP can include a water/oilOil and gas agreements
separator which permits the water to be reinjectedProduction sharing agreements  Concessions 
into the reservoir without the need to lift it to theService Agreements  Risk agreements
surface. Major brands are Schlumberger's Reda,Data by country
Woodgroup's ESP, Weatherford BORETS and BakerTotal energy (consumption per capita  intensity) 
Hughes' Centrilift. Until recently, ESPs had been highlyNatural gas (consumption  production  reserves 
costly to install due to the requirement of an electricimports  exports)  Petroleum (consumption 
cable downhole. This cable had to be wrapped aroundproduction  reserves  imports  exports)
jointed tubing and connected at each joint. New coiledSupermajors
tubing umbilicals allow for both the piping and electricExxonMobil  Royal Dutch Shell  BP  Chevron
cable to deployed with a single conventional coiledCorporation  ConocoPhillips  Total S.A.
tubing unit.