Centrifugal Pump Head Prediction using Affinity Laws Modified for Viscosity

Patil, Abhay; Morrison, Gerald L.; Delgado, Adolfo; Casillas, Hector

doi:10.2118/190926-ms

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

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Artificial Lift Selection and Testing for an EOR Redevelopment Project – Lessons Learned from Field Pilots, Laboratory and Pump Test Facilities

Hoy¹,

Knauhs

Langbauer

et al. 2020

Day 2 Wed, November 11, 2020

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OMV Austria E&P GmbH is currently focusing on a major chemical enhanced oil recovery redevelopment project for a mature oil field within the Vienna Basin. Cost-effective and flexible artificial lift systems (ALS) for new and existing production wells within the planned polymer patterns are seen to be crucial for the economic success of this project. The selected ALS must be capable of dealing with changed fluid properties due to back produced polymer and achieve the target production rates with a reasonable run life. Prior to final selection and following field rollout, the production capabilities of the selected ALS must be demonstrated. Field experience and an extensive testing program supplied most essential information and data for the necessary design adaptations for future polymer back producing wells. The ALS were screened according to their rate capabilities and flexibility, OMV Austria's in-house experience, necessary surface networks and design constraints. Uncertainties regarding reservoir and production system behaviors in a future enhanced oil recovery (EOR) full-field application were identified. A literature review showed that there is only limited information available about the required adaptations and mitigation measures for the pump designs for polymer back producing wells. The consecutive risk assessment demonstrated the necessity of testing the pump performance in the in-house laboratory, OMV Austria's fields, and pump test facilities sponsored by OMV. Existing polymer pilot patterns are used to derive information and lessons learned, which are continuously implemented in the artificial lift basis of design for the field rollout. The effects of chemical and rheological behavior of the polymer solution on the production system were analyzed and clearly demonstrated the complexity of handling non-Newtonian fluids. The combination of all requirements described above resulted in the decision to select electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) and sucker rod pumps (SRPs) as the desired artificial lift methods. The ESP test facility gives clear indications for severe derating of the pump performance when pumping polymer. The polymer ESP pilot wells are providing the most realistic input data, feeding into the final pump and motor design. The influence of polymer concentration on SRPs was shown with polymer spiking tests and a SRP test facility. From field experience several conclusions on the properties of the back produced polymer could be derived. Especially the degree of mechanical degradation of the polymer solution is essential for the artificial lift designs. Also, challenges regarding aspects of flow assurance were experienced; their reasons and potential remedies are currently analyzed in the laboratory. This paper describes the selection, testing program and pilot experience of ESPs and SRPs under the most realistic conditions within OMV Austria. The necessary design adaptations due to the chemical and rheological behavior of the back produced polymer are identified. The sum of all test activities should prepare OMV Austria for one of the largest field redevelopment projects in its history.

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Artificial Lift Selection and Testing for an EOR Redevelopment Project – Lessons Learned from Field Pilots, Laboratory and Pump Test Facilities

Hoy¹,

Knauhs

Langbauer

et al. 2020

Day 2 Wed, November 11, 2020

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Experimental Study on the Performance of Electrical Submersible Pump Operating with Ultraviscous Oil

et al. 2022

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Summary The production of high-viscosity crude oil can be challenging owing to portfolio limitations and lack of energy efficiency in artificial lift systems, especially for ultraheavy oil in deepwater fields. In recent decades, the electrical submersible pump (ESP) has improved significantly, and this technology is commonly applied in this context. However, few studies in the literature discuss the behavior of these pumps with nonconventional oils such as ultraviscous ones. This work investigates the performance of a 10-stage ESP, when it operates with a single-phase flow of ultraviscous oil. For this purpose, an experimental circuit was set up; the pump was submitted to tests in which the viscosity of the fluid varied from 8 to 4,170 cp and rotational speed between 1,200 and 3,500 rev/min. A subsequent analysis compared the pump’s experimental viscous performance and the theoretical performance calculated by the methods available in the literature. This analysis highlighted the lack of precision of the existing correction performance models, and new empirical correlations are proposed to correct the ESP performance with viscous fluid. There were doubts at first as to the possibility of ultraviscous block, but the ESP model tested handled fluid with a viscosity up to 4,170 cp. Finally, the performance parameters of the ESP were calculated using a phenomenological 1D model based on the loss analysis developed by the authors, which revealed good results and a powerful tool to adjust the size of the ESP for definitive production system.

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Prediction of Viscosity Correction Factors for ESP in Viscous Applications

Sheth

Long

2022

Day 3 Thu, August 25, 2022

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Electric submersible pumps (ESPs) are currently being tested in the service company's newly built viscous lab testing loop; whereby, the viscous performance of each pump stage type is analyzed at multiple speeds and viscosities. This viscous lab testing loop is capable of speeds up to 70 Hz, 30,000 B/D of fluid, with a maximum of 500 HP, and can manage fluid viscosities up to 2,500 cP. Four pumps were tested at speeds ranging from 40 to 70 Hz, in 10 Hz intervals, and up to 2,500 cP fluid viscosity. The viscosity correction factors, for each operating speed and viscosity, were developed for each pump stage and compared with the stage-specific speed. The effects of viscosity and operating speed on flow, head, and horsepower were observed. An increase in viscosity deteriorates pump performance, while an increase in rotational speed reduces the rate of deterioration; therefore, increased operating speeds improve the performance of an ESP pump in viscous applications. Additionally, diameter and specific speed effects (a "dimensionless[DL1] " number for pump design criteria) on viscosity are being investigated as a design criterion. A correlation is being developed for the effects of the specific speed on the viscosity correction factors. The new correlation will help obtain viscosity correction factors for other pumps with different diameters, operating at different speeds and viscosities, based on the specific speed relationship. The service company's Research and Development department's viscosity testing program, its results, analysis, and new findings are discussed in this paper.

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Centrifugal Pump Head Prediction using Affinity Laws Modified for Viscosity

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

Artificial Lift Selection and Testing for an EOR Redevelopment Project – Lessons Learned from Field Pilots, Laboratory and Pump Test Facilities

Artificial Lift Selection and Testing for an EOR Redevelopment Project – Lessons Learned from Field Pilots, Laboratory and Pump Test Facilities

Experimental Study on the Performance of Electrical Submersible Pump Operating with Ultraviscous Oil

Prediction of Viscosity Correction Factors for ESP in Viscous Applications

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