IEEE Std 1017-1985

IEEE Recommended Practice for

Field Testing Electric Submersible Pump Cable

Published by The institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc 345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017, USA
December l b , 1 9 8 4
SH09779
 IEEE
Std 1017-1985

IEEE Recommended Practice for

Field Testing Electric Submersible Pump Cable

Sponsor
Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee of the
IEEE Industry Applications Society

Approved June 14, 1984

IEEE Standards Board

Approved September 18, 1985

American National Standards Institute

OCopyright 1984 by

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc

345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017, USA
No part of this publication m y be reproduced i n any form,
i n a n electronic retrieval system or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
 IEEE Standards documents are developed within the Technical Com-
mittees of the IEEE Societies and the Standards Coordinating Comniit-
tees of the IEEE Standards Board. Members of the committees serve
voluntarily and without compensation. They are not necessarily mem-
bers of the Institute. The standards developed within IEEE represent
a consensus of the broad expertise on the subject within the Institute
as well as those activities outside of IEEE which have expressed an in-
terest in participating in the development of the standard.
Use of an IEEE Standard is wholly voluntary. The existence of a n
IEEE Standard does not imply that there are n o other ways to pro-
duce, test, measure, purchase, market, or provide other goods and ser-
vices related t o the scope of the IEEE Standard. Furthermore, the view-
point expressed at the time a standard is approved and issued is subject
to change brought about through developments in the state of the art
and comments received from users of the standard. Every IEEE Stan-
dard is subjected to review at least once every five years for revision
or reaffirmation. When a document is more than five years old, and has
not been reaffirmed, it is reasonable to conclude that its contents,
although still of some value, do not wholly reflect the present state of
the art. Users are cautioned to check to determine that they have the
latest edition of any IEEE Standard.
Comments for revision of IEEE Standards are welcome from any
interested party, regardless of membership affiliation with IEEE. Sug-
gestions for changes in documents should be in the form of a proposed
change of text, together with appropriate supporting comments.
Interpretations: Occasionally questions may arise regarding the mean-
ing of portions of standards as they relate to specific applications. When
the need for interpretations is brought to the attention of IEEE, the
Institute will initiate action to prepare appropriate responses. Since
IEEE Standards represent a consensus of all concerned interests, it is
important to ensure that any interpretation has also received the con-
currence of a balance of interests. For this reason IEEE and the mem-
bers of its technical committees are not able to provide an instant re-
sponse to interpretation requests except in those cases where the matter
has previously received formal consideration.
Comments on standards and requests for interpretations should be ad-
dressed to :
Secretary, IEEE Standards Board
345 East 47th Street
New York, N Y 10017
USA
 Foreword

(This Foreword is not a part of IEEE Std 1017-1985, IEEE Recommended Practice for Field Testing Electric Submersible Pump
Cable.)
This recommended practice, under the jurisdiction of the IEEE Industry Applications Society,
Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee, may be used by anyone desiring to do so and is
presented as minimum criteria for construction of this class submersible cable. It is not intended to
restrict innovation or to limit development of improvements in cable design. Every effort has been
made to assure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein; however, the Committee
makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee in connection with the publication of this
specification and hereby expressly disclaims any liability or responsibility for loss or damage resulting
from its use, for any violation of any federal, state, or municipal regulation with which it may conflict,
or for the infringement of any patent resulting from the use of this document.
At the time this recommended practice was approved the Downhole Working Group of the Petroleum
and Chemical Industry Committee had the following membership:

M. 0. Durham, Chairman Joseph E. Vandevier, Secretary

Rolf Beer J . D. Hunt Frank Vatalero
Lynn Boyer Steve Nelson Olin Willis

At the time this recommended practice was approved, the Petroleum and Chemical Industry
Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society had the following membership:

R. M. Jackson, Chairman R. J. Fritz, Vice Chairman

D. C. Azbill, Secretary
J. A. Adkison R. A. Hazlewood B. M. Polkinghorn
S. P. Axe H. N. Hickok G. D. Rock
W. Beard F. P. Hogan E. Saavedra
V. Burkhardt J. W. Kilgore F. D. Shaw
J . D. Campbell P. M. Kinney J. D. Shimble
A. J. Chapman J . C. Lacour W. A. Short
B. J . Comingore W. H. Levers H. Sibley
E. T. Crimmins J . J. Mares H. D. Slief
J . B. Dwyer B. McDaniel A. W. Smith
H. B. Dygert E. F. Merrill E. E. Smith
B. E. Ewers R. W. Mills T. B. Smith
E. F. Fagan W. Moser J. A. Stewart
F. P. Gertson R. L. Nailen P. 0 . Teter
B. E. Gilman K. Nicholas E. B. Turner
D. Grant M. R. Ogden A. L. Verheil
G. R. Griffith T. P. Pearson W. E. Withers

When the IEEE Standards Board approved this standard on June 14, 1984, it had the following
membership:

James H. Beall, Chairman John E. May, Vice Chairman

Sava I. Sherr, Secretary
J. J. Archambault Daniel L. Goldberg Donald T. Michael"
John T. Boettger Donald N. Heirman John P. Riganati
J . V. Bonucchi Irvin N. Howell Frank L. Rose
Rene Castenschiold Jack Kinn Robert W. Seelbach
Edward J . Cohen Joseph L. Koepfinger Jay A. Stewart
Len S. Corey Irving Kolodny Clifford 0 . Swanson
Donald C. Fleckenstein George Konomos W. B. Wilkens
Jay Forster R. F. Lawrence Charles J . Wylie

*Member emeritus
 Contents
SECTION PAGE

1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.1 Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2 Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.3 Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 . Definitions and Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.1 Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Current . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.3 Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.4 Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5 Electrical Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.6 Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3 . References ................................................................. 9
4 . General Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1 Environmental Influences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.1 Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.2 Environmental Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.1.3 Well Liquids and Gases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.2 Test Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.2.1 dc High Potential Tester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.2.2 Insulation Resistance Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.3 Safety of Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.4 EquipmentSet Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5 . TestMethods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.1 Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5.2 Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
6. Evaluation of Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6.1 Current-Time Relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6.2 Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6.3 Dielectric Failure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6.4 Current Comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
7. Continuity Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
8. Mechanical Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
FIGURE
Fig 1 Typical Electric Submersible Pump Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
TABLE
Table 1 Test Voltages for ESP Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
 IEEE Recommended Practice for
Field Testing Electric Submersible Pump Cable
1. Introduction
1.1 Background. Guidance for the field and
maintenance testing of conventional power ca-
bles is available in ANSUIEEE Std 400-1980,
but nothing has been available to guide in
assessing the condition of electrical submersible
pump (ESP) cable. By adopting some of the
principles set forth in ANSUIEEE Std 400-1980
and applying others developed from field experi-
ence, this recommended standard for submers-
ible cable testing will assist those with the
responsibility for determining the dielectric con-
dition of this type of cable.
This recommended practice proposes the use
of dc because of its advantages over ac. These
advantages are as follows:
(1) No harmful or accumulative effects on the
insulation;
(2) Smaller test equipment;
(3) Does not destroy information that may be
obtained from fault examination.
This recommended practice is for cables with-
out a connecting motor lead extension cable or
surface connecting cable, and it is primarily for
armored cables; however, unarmored cables can
be tested by submersing them in water.
This recommended practice does not require
that testing be performed, either at the time of
installation or periodically thereafter for accept-
ance or maintenance. It sets forth the consensus
of presently known good practice in testing
methods, with interpretation of results.
1.2 Purpose. The purpose of this recom-
mended practice is as follows:
(1) To provide uniform procedures for per-
forming high-voltage acceptance tests and
maintenance tests on electric submersible pump
cables in the field;
7
(2) To provide guidelines for evaluation of the
test results;
(3) To define terms that have a specific mean-
ing in the guide.
1.3 Scope. This document presents proce-
dures and test voltage values for acceptance and
maintenance testing of ESP cable systems. It
applies to cable systems rated 3000 V and 5000
V. It is intended t o apply only to this special
purpose cable.
2. Definitions and Terminology
2.1 Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP).
This term refers to deep-well electric submers-
ible pumps as commonly used to lift fluids from
subsurface formations. Refer to Fig 1for typical
assembly.
2.2 Current
absorption current. Current resulting
from charge absorbed in the dielectric as a result
of polarization.
capacitance current. Current required to
charge the capacitor formed by the dielectric of
the cable under test.
conduction (leakage)current. Current re-
sulting from conduction through the cable insu-
lating medium or over surfaces. Corona dis-
charge from external energized elements will be
indicated as conduction current.
2.3 Voltage
rated voltage. The rated voltage is ex-
pressed in terms of phase-to-phase voltage of a
three-phase system.
IEEE
Std 1017-1985 IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR FIELD TESTING

POWER CABLE
(TYPICALLY ROUND)

MOTOR LEAD EXTENSION

(TYPICALLY FLAT)

Fig 1
Typical Electric Submersible Pump Installation

8

ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP CABLE
2.4 Field. The term field or in the field may
include cable not yet installed or cable that has
been removed from its operating environment.
2.5 Electrical Tests
acceptance test. This test is intended t o
detect damage prior to the initial installation of
new cable.
maintenance test. This test is made after
removal of the cable from the well. It is intended
to detect deterioration of the cable to determine
suitability for reuse.
2.6 Cable
ESP cable. Three-conductor power cable is
installed in the well for the purpose of transmit-
ting power from the surface to the motor lead
extension cable.
motor lead extension cable. Three-con-
ductor cable running from above the pump to
the motor including motor connecting plug.
surface connecting cable. Power cable con-
necting the ESP cable to surface equipment.
3. References
[ l ] ANSIiIEEE Std 400-1980, IEEE Guide for
Making High-Direct-Voltage Tests on Power
Cable Systems in the Field.
[2] API RP 11R, Recommended Practice for
Electric Submersible Pump Installation, 1st ed,
March 1980.'
[3] IEEE Std 1018-1985, IEEE Recommended
Practice for Specifying Electric Submersible
Pump Cable-Ethylene-Propylene Rubber Insu-
lation.
[4] IEEE Std 1019-1985, IEEE Recommended
Practice for Specifying Electric Submersible
Pump Cable-Ethylene-Propylene Rubber Insu-
lation.
[51 DURHAM, M.O., BOYER, L., and BEER, R.
Field Testing of Submersible Cable. IEEE
Transactions on Industry Applications, vol
1A-16, NoviDec 1980, pp 783-787.
'API documents are available from the American Petroleum
Institute, 2101 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037.
9
IEEE
Std 1017-1985
4. General Considerations
4.1 Environmental Influences
4.1.1 Temperature. The dielectric strength
of cable insulations is reduced at elevated tem-
peratures. Therefore, cable tests should be con-
ducted after the cable has cooled to surface
ambient temperatures.
4.1.2 Environmental Conditions. High
humidity and conditions favoring condensation
on exposed surfaces can affect test resclts to a
marked degree. Contamination can greatly in-
crease conduction current and reduce flashover
levels. Relative air density affects the measure-
ment of test voltage and flashover at termina-
tions. At elevations higher than 3300 ft, addi-
tional insulation of the cable ends is required t o
withstand the prescribed test voltages. Wind
can cause erroneous current readings. Conse-
quently, these factors should be considered in
conducting cable tests.
4.1.3 Well Liquids and Gases. Well liq-
uids and gases are entrained in ESP cables
which have been applied in service. The conduc-
tivity of these materials will increase the leak-
age current. The entrained gas may ignite dur-
ing high voltage testing. Consequently, caution
should be exercised when performing cable high
voltage tests.
4.2 Test Equipment
4.2.1 dc High Potential Tester. Equip-
ment should provide:
(1) The maximum voltage required
(2) Means of increasing voltage continuously
or in small steps from zero to the maximum
limit
(3) Satisfactory voltage regulation
(4) Sufficiently filtered direct voltage
( 5 ) Voltage and current indicators
(6) Negative polarity to the cable conductor
4.2.2 Insulation Resistance Meter. Resist-
ance-measuring instruments are not recom-
mended for testing ESP cable. The output volt-
age is insufficient to establish a conductive path
across insulation defects. The purpose of testing
is to supply sufficient voltage to detect insula-
tion weak spots likely to cause failure.
4.3 Safety of Personnel. High-voltage test-
ing of cables embodies all of the normal hazards
associated with working on energized circuits.
Cable circuits will normally have one or more
IEEE
Std 1017-1985
ends remote from the test area and these ends
must be cleared and guarded for personnel safe-
ty. Cables have high capacitance and dielectric
absorption. Particular attention and special
techniques are required in discharging cables
after testing to eliminate personnel hazards.
Following application and subsequent dis-
charge of a dc test voltage, a charge build-up can
result in a cable from which the ground has been
removed. Because of this hazard, conductors
should be discharged again before handling.
4.4 Equipment Set Up. Check the operation
of the test set in accordance with the manufac-
turers’ recommendations. The equipment leak-
age current indication can be checked by con-
necting a short piece of small, uninsulated wire
to the test lead. Raise the voltage until corona is
heard on the ends of the wire and check for a
current reading on the microammeter. Then,
isolate test lead and cover with plastic material,
if necessary, to reduce corona. Raise the voltage
to the test value. If leakage current in the test
equipment is substantial, this current should be
measured and subtracted from the test current
readings.
5. Test Methods
5.1 Precautions. Barriers, enclosures, or
watchmen should be used to prevent anyone
from coming into accidental contact with the
cable during testing. The ends require separa-
tion from all elements not subject t o test by
distances not less than 6 in.
It may be desirable to reduce corona current
at the bare metal extremities of cable by cover-
ing these with plastic envelopes or electrical
putty to reduce stress concentrations.
Environmental conditions as outlined in 4.1.2
can cause erroneous meter readings. In addi-
tion, conducting cable tests in high humidity,
snow, rain, or in cases where actual precipita-
tion is present on cable surfaces can be hazard-
ous to equipment and personnel, due to the
likely chance of flashover.
5.2 Procedures. Remove approximately 12
in of armor and outer covering from each cable
end, then separate and spread phase conductors.
Remove approximately 2 in of insulation from
phase conductors at the test set end and buff the
exposed metallic conductors. Clean the exposed
10
IEEE RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR FIELD TESTING
insulation with a clean cloth and solvent to
minimize stray current and prevent flashover.
Each conductor should be tested separately
with the remaining conductors grounded. The
ground lead for the test set should also be
connected to the power source ground, support-
ing metallic structures, and cable armor.
Before applying the test voltage, the cable
should be allowed to cool to ambient surface
temperatures. The voltage may be increased
continuously or in steps to the maximum test
value. If increased continuously, the rate shall
be approximately uniform and shall not be more
than 100% in 10 s. If the step method of voltage
increase is employed, a minimum of five steps is
desirable. Duration at each step should be long
enough for the current to reach a steady value (1
min suggested). Apply voltage slowly to prevent
an off-scale meter indication.
Maximum test voltage should be maintained
for 5 min. Current should be noted at 1min and
5 min after the maximum test voltage has been
reached.
At the completion of the test period, voltage
shall promptly be reduced to zero. After the
voltage is reduced the conductor shall be solidly
grounded. The ground lead shall be attached to
the conductor under test for sufficient time to
allow the conductor to discharge.
Recommended test voltages for ESP cable are
shown in Table 1. When, in the opinion of the
user, it is necessary to use more stringent main-
tenance test voltages, a higher level should be
determined in consultation with the suppliers of
the cable. When considering these higher volt-
ages, the user should be aware of the insulation
damage resulting from unduly high voltage
stresses.
Table 1
Test Voltages for ESP Cable-
Cable
Rating
(kV rms) Factory Acceptance** Maintenance?
(Phase- Test Test Test
to- Voltage Voltage Voltage
Phase) (kV) (kV) (kV)
3 27 22 11
5 35 28 14
*All tests are direct voltages, conductor to ground for 5
min.
**Acceptancetest is 808 of factory test.
+Maintenance test is 40% of factory test.

ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP CABLE
6. Evaluation of Results
6.1 Current-Time Relationship. The cur-
rent indication will momentarily increase for
each voltage increment due to the charging of
the capacitance and the dielectric absorption
characteristics of the cable. Both of these decay:
the first, in a few seconds; the latter, more
slowly. Ultimately, this leaves only the conduc-
tion current, including any external surface
leakage or corona currents. The time required to
reach steady state current depends upon the
insulation temperature, material, and geome-
try.
6.2 Interpretation. Considerable experience
is needed to properly interpret dc test results. A
significant factor is the change of current with
time. In general, the current will start relative-
ly high and decline rapidly then becoming con-
stant at some lower value. The fact that the
current becomes constant is more important
than the actual magnitude. If the current starts
to rise, a strong indication of trouble exists. It is
usually the practice to continue the test for as
long as the current continues to rise until fail-
ure occurs.
6.3 Dielectric Failure. If at any time during
the test a violent increase in current occurs,
failure or flashover has probably occured in the
cable. A failure can be confirmed by the inability
to sustain the re-application of the test voltage.
6.4 Current Comparison. The comparison
of the leakage currents of the three-cable con-
ductors is a useful indication of the insulation
condition. No clear guidelines for such a com-
parison can be given. For large values of mea-
sured leakage current during maintenance test-
ing, a potential problem is likely if these current
ratios are greater than 3 to 1.
All cable insulations exhibit a negative temp-
erature resistance coefficient. Increased temper-
ature will, therefore, always result in increased
leakage current.
11
IEEE
Std 1017-1985
As noted in 5.1, testing under conditions of
humidity, condensation, or actual precipitation
on the cable surfaces can be hazardous. Howev-
er, if testing must be done under these condi-
tions, there may be an increase in the leakage
current. Humidity also increases the corona
discharge which is indicated in the leakage
current.
Wind prevents the accumulation of space
charges at bare energized terminals. This re-
sults in an increase of corona. A plastic envelope
or electrical putty retains this space charge in
the presence of wind.
These factors should be considered when com-
paring and evaluating the apparent dielectric
condition of the cable. If leakage currents ap-
pear high then further investigation and testing
is warranted to determine whether the cable has
a high-resistance fault or deteriorating cable
dielectric.
7. Continuity Tests
A test should be performed on all three-phase
conductors to determine that their series resist-
ance is balanced and that there is no open in the
cable. This test should be conducted by ground-
ing all phase conductors at one end and measur-
ing the resistance to ground of each conductor a t
the opposite end with an ohm meter. These
resistance values should be well-balanced.
8. Mechanical Integrity
The primary component to assure mechanical
integrity is the cable armor. Mechanical dam-
age or discontinuities may indicate damage to
the insulated conductor. Therefore, a thorough
visual inspection is recommended.
The primary indications of mechanical dam-
age are absence of armor, crimp marks, corro-
sion, and deformation. If these conditions are
observed, the severity of the defect should be
determined and, if necessary, corrected.