Electrical Submersible Pump Analysis and Design

Case Services' software provides production optimization for a variety of different methods of artificial lift. This paper discusses the dominant factors in electrical centrifugal submersible pump design and monitoring. Emphasis is placed on three areas: • Well inflow performance behavior. • Fluid Pressure-Volume-Temperature and phase behavior. • Pump equipment performance specifications. An examination of fluid dynamics within a centrifugal pump provides appreciation for the need to analyze the pump " one stage at a time. " The importance of individual pump testing is also identified. This paper focuses on the three ESP products in the csLIFT suite, csSubmersible, csSubsAnalysis, and csSubsDesign. Methods are proposed by which the pump, motor, producing formation, and fluids are considered a complex system, which can be modeled by csLIFT computer software. csSubsAnalysis and csSubsDesign provide a basis for the prediction of the equilibrium point at which a particular set of equipment might operate under specific well conditions. csSubsDesign permits an analyst to compare a number of designs for desirability. Further discussion illuminates the value of periodic monitoring of electrical centrifugal submersible pump installations with csSubsAnalysis. Methods are proposed by which monitoring can identify changes in operating conditions which could adversely impact pump life.