Getting Smarter and Hotter With ESPs for SAGD

Leismer is the first Statoil operated steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) project in the Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada. Electrical submersible pumping systems (ESPs) are the standard artificial lift method for this project. A field trial was planned for newly developed ESPs rated to 250°C. The increased temperature rating allows operating SAGD chambers at higher pressures, thus providing more operational flexibility for increasing recovery and dealing with common exploitation problems. The field trial required reliable and comprehensive down-hole monitoring, so that thorough ESP performance analysis could be performed under real field conditions. Given the extreme conditions at which ESP systems operate in SAGD, fiber optic pressure and temperature sensors were selected for real-time down-hole monitoring. These sensors were placed at the pump intake, inside the motor and at the discharge. The fiber optic gauges’ performance is comparable to standard SAGD measurement devices, but without some of the disadvantages. The sensing system configuration, ESP interface and installation will be described. This paper will also present the value of real-time ESP monitoring. The pump operation is controlled by continuously history matching performance with well performance software and adjusting parameters to changing down-hole conditions. This ensures the ESPs are run near the best efficiency point. Pump intake sub-cool is controlled to minimize steam flashing occurrence. ESP motor temperature is monitored to boost reliability and run time. Finally, discharge pressure measurement has been used for history matching multiphase flow correlations. This improves ESP performance calculation accuracy in the field’s other wells. Integrating ESP advances with fiber optic measurement has allowed effective local technology qualification under real operating conditions. This project has provided abundant information and knowledge for field-wide production optimization.

show abstract

Thermal Performance Testing of a High-Temperature ESP Motor for SAGD Applications

Waldner

Wonitoy

Klaczek

et al. 2012

SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During 2012, BakerHughes, ConocoPhillips and Nexen Inc. continued their research partnership [Waldner 2011] with a new experimental test program focused on the thermal performance of Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) systems for Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) applications, which was completed in the high-temperature flow loop at C-FER Technologies. Accurately monitoring the internal temperature of the ESP motor is a key consideration when trying to increase the operational longevity of an ESP system for any application; however, as the SAGD process develops, understanding this temperature profile has become more critical. This test program included several tests at various fluid temperatures and ESP operating conditions that helped determine the thermal performance of the ESP motor. Another unique aspect of this test program was the incorporation of two different temperature monitoring methods at approximately the same position on the internal and external base of the ESP motor: one internal probe positioned near the motor windings via a fiber optic sensor and one external skin temperature RTD positioned on the motor surface to monitor this important temperature differential. This paper presents the equipment and instrumentation used, and demonstrates some of the more interesting test results, thus providing further insight into the thermal performance of this ESP motor under representative SAGD conditions between 220°C (428°F) and 250°C (482°F).

show abstract

Getting Smarter and Hotter With ESPs for SAGD

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Determination of the temperature distribution of ESP motors under variable conditions of flow rate and loading

Determination of the temperature distribution of ESP motors under variable conditions of flow rate and loading

Real-Time Downhole Monitoring of Electrical Submersible Pumps Rated to 250°C Using Fiber Optic Sensors: Case Study and Data Value in the Leismer SAGD Project

Thermal Performance Testing of a High-Temperature ESP Motor for SAGD Applications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About