Abstract
Ultra-High-Speed (UHS) Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP) Systems have grown in popularity in recent years for providing synergy benefits of high-speed rotation and centrifugal pumping concept. This study intends to demonstrate how UHS operation can leverage its advantages beyond traditional approach to address issues in oil and gas wells through application of various pump types. Authors reviewed three revolutionary concepts for future UHS pumps including Vortex, Helico-axial and Boundary Layer design, to validate their application range at ultra-high speeds. In addition, to highlight the enhanced capabilities and performance of Centrifugal UHS ESPs under varying operational conditions. Authors conducted in-depth case studies in three fields, one each from Africa, Europe, and North America.
Features of UHS operation (10,000-15,000 rpm) can be found across different components of the downhole system. The research has brought more focus on pump and pumping method design for sand containing gas-liquid mixtures. Various designs of multiphase pumps and their combinations may deliver unique features that cannot be reached with standard-speed applications. Study results represent detailed application range matrix for high gas, high sand and traditional centrifugal pump designs under ultra-high-speed operating conditions.
Results of this study demonstrate the superiority of ultra-high-speed pumps over their standard counterparts resides in their capacity to meet the increasingly stringent demands of modern industrial applications. This advantage stems primarily from their enhanced efficiency and performance metrics, which manifest across multiple operational dimensions. Project findings have brought new insights and perspectives into pumping fluids for both oil and gas/gas-condensate wells, with some of them having been partially tested.
