A Statistical Approach Analytics and Considerations for Extending ESPs Run Life

Abstract

Abstract Electrical submersible pump (ESP) system has been one of the major hydrocarbon artificial lifting mechanisms globally that is used to produce and sustain required rates. To avoid production interruption caused by ESPs undesirable events, a statistical approach had been conducted to look into ESPs up-time variation to find potential remarks to extend it. Statistical analysis approach, such as probabilities distribution functions, had been conducted to analyze potential factors in electrical submersible pumps that exhibited extended running life. Multiple factors were evaluated and divided based on influences of run time, including: ESP downhole manufacturers, equipment conditions during installation, electrical motor sizes, soaking time, ESP settling environment, and ESP operation performance. This analysis helped to identify technologies, practices, and other factors that could have potential impact in ESP run life and the practicality in applying them to extend ESP run life. Statistical approach of multiple factors and their effects were analyzed and evaluated to determine their impacts on ESPs’ up-time. Based on analyses, the findings were divided and characterized into their effectiveness range on the ESPs’ life time. The factors were divided into: little to no influence on the run life variations, some criteria had some influence on run life. While other criteria are suspected to have more effective role in determining and impacting ESP life. The studied factors and resultant recommendations are listed with implementation criteria to be considered to enhance future ESP installations and replacements to exceed the threshold ESPs’ target run life. ESP running time is one of the major points to consider when it comes to fields dependent on ESP artificial lift method as the main production lifting mechanism. Therefore, extending ESP uptime can be of huge benefits in both operations and economics.