TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Artificial Lift

Artificial-lift technology has been around for many years, yet the concept Shauna Noonan, SPE, is a Staff Pro-
of artificial-lift selection and design has been more of an art than a science. duction Engineer for ConocoPhillips
Throughout the last decade, both operating companies and manufacturers have where she works as an artificial-lift
made considerable effort toward understanding the science behind artificial-lift specialist in the Production Technology
systems and their performance. For example, research on beam-pump slippage
and gas lift valve performance has greatly influenced the way in which the indus- group. Noonan has worked on artificial-
try now designs those lift systems. In 2007, SPE published a revised Petroleum lift projects worldwide at ConocoPhillips
Engineering Handbook; Volume IV includes many of these advancements and and previously at Chevron for more
understandings of lift performance for common forms of artificial lift. This pub- than 16 years. She has chaired industry
lication is recommended highly for anyone involved in production engineering forums and committees and authored
and artificial lift.
or coauthored numerous papers on
Artificial-lift systems continue to evolve, and their operational envelopes expand. artificial lift. Noonan is a member
The 2009 ATCE Technical Program Committee received a significant number of the SPEPO Advisory Committee,
of artificial-lift related abstracts, which resulted in two sessions showcasing great 2009 Annual Technical Conference and
artificial-lift research, field trials, and case studies. When you come to New
Orleans this October, you will learn about the most recent advancements and Exhibition Program Committee, and
lessons learned on all types of artificial lift. JPT Editorial Committee, and is an
Associate Editor for SPEPO. She holds a
Three examples of such advancements are featured in this publication. Each of
BS degree in petroleum engineering from
these technologies enhances a lift system or methodology that has been available
for years, putting a new spin (pun intended) on something “old.” While the field the University of Alberta.
trials of these systems have been specific to a given region (i.e., Alaska, Cuba, and
Russia), their application potential is global.
The papers selected for additional reading below, reflect other areas in the
artificial-lift community that are “hot” topics—finding and understanding better
gaswell-deliquification techniques, solutions to high-volume thermal applica-
tions, and effective artificial-lift optimization. JPT

Artificial Lift additional reading available

at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org
SPE 116659 • “Artificial Lift Optimization in the Orito Field” by Sandy
Williams, SPE, ALP Ltd., et al.
SPE 115849 • “Pushing the Limit: High-Rate Artificial-Lift Evaluation for
a Sour, Heavy-Oil, Thermal EOR Project in Oman” by G.H. Lanier, SPE,
Petroleum Development Oman, et al.
SPE 115934 • “Development of a New Plunger-Lift Model Using Smart
Plunger Data” by G.K. Chava, SPE, Texas A&M University, et al.

50 JPT • JULY 2009

ARTIFICIAL LIFT

Experience With Metal PCPs in a Cuban Heavy-Oil Field

Progressing-cavity pumps (PCPs) have

proved to be a successful and reliable
artificial-lift system for production of
heavy oil over the past few decades. The
application of PCP technology for pro-
duction of oil wells continues to expand
rapidly because of ongoing advances
in versatility, lift capacity, durability,
and economy. As a result, the appli-
cation envelope for PCP systems has
grown substantially to the point where
these systems now compete success-
fully in many areas that were tradition-
ally reserved for rod- and electrical-
submersible-pump technologies.

Introduction
PCPs have found numerous applica-
tions in many industries as an efficient
means to transfer, transport, and/or
lift fluids of a diverse nature. The use
of PCPs as an artificial-lift method for
oil wells has gained increasing accep-
tance since their first commercial use in
heavy-oil applications in the 1980s, and
they have now become the preferred lift
method in numerous oilfield develop-
ments worldwide.
PCP Systems
A typical PCP consists of two basic
components: the first is called the sta-
tor—it is typically run on the end of the
production-tubing string and remains
This article, written by Assistant Tech-
nology Editor Karen Bybee, contains
highlights of paper SPE 120645, “Field-
Implementation Experience With Metal-
PCP Technology in Cuban Heavy-Oil
Fields,” by E. Guerra, SPE, and A.
Sanchez, SPE, Sherritt International Oil
and Gas, and C. Matthews, SPE, C-FER
Technologies, originally prepared for the
2009 SPE Production and Operations
Symposium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,
4–8 April. The paper has not been
peer reviewed.
Fig. 1—Metal pump being bench tested.
stationary during operation; the second
is called the rotor—it is run on the end
of a sucker-rod string and rotates within
the fixed stator when in operation. The
elongated steel rotor is machined with
a circular cross section and a uniform
helix with a prescribed eccentricity
and pitch length. Rotors are normally
chrome coated to reduce friction and
improve wear resistance in service. The
stator cavity takes the form of a double
internal helix with a pitch length that
is double that of the rotor—with the
rotor installed, this configuration cre-
ates two series of parallel cavities within
the pump that are filled by produced
fluid. As the rotor spins within the sta-
tor through the application of torque
to the rod string at surface, wellbore
fluid is drawn into the pump and is
displaced from the intake through the
cavities along the stator to the discharge
where it exits at high pressure into the
production-tubing string.
In conventional PCPs, the stator inte-
rior is made of a synthetic elastomer
compound that facilitates an interfer-
ence fit between the rotor and stator to
develop a pressure seal between adja-
cent cavities within the pump. In gen-
eral, the differential-pressure rating of a
PCP increases with the number of cavi-
ties or seal lines. For a particular pump
design, the rotor/stator-interference fit,
elastomer properties, and viscosity of
the produced fluid also have a strong
effect on the overall pressure capac-
ity and operating characteristics of the
pump. Therefore, for each particular
well application, the choice of elasto-

For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.

JPT • JULY 2009 51

mer compound and the degree of rotor/
stator interference (initial tightness or
fit) are key factors with respect to the
operating efficiency, performance, and
the effective life span of such PCPs.
In an effort to overcome the limita-
tions imposed by the relatively fast
chemical and/or mechanical degrada-
tion of elastomers in some downhole
applications (e.g., wells with high bot-
tomhole temperatures or high aromat-
ic, CO2, or H2S concentrations), manu-
facturers have been developing various
all-metal-PCP products. The stator of
the all-metal PCPs may be machined
or fabricated in several short sections
that then are stacked together, appro-
priately aligned, and fastened inside an
external metal casing.
In terms of design and functionality,
a major difference between the all-met-
al- and the elastomeric-PCP products is
the lack of any rotor/stator-interference
fit in the metal PCPs. Accordingly, the
sealing capability of the metal pumps is
achieved solely through a tight running
clearance between the rotor and stator
(i.e., tight manufacturing tolerances are
required). Although this fact translates
into much higher slippage (leakage)
rates and reduced efficiencies when
pumping low-viscosity fluids, the metal
PCPs can be very effective when pump-
ing higher-viscosity fluids (e.g., greater
than 100 cp).
Cuban Oil Fields
The Yumuri and Seboruco fields
were first exploited in 1998 and have
achieved cumulative oil production of
approximately 4.9×106 and 3.7×106
m3, respectively, to November 2008.
The reservoirs produce extraheavy oil
with a dead-oil density ranging from 9
to 13°API. The water-cut values for the
producing wells in these fields current-
ly average 36 and 11%, respectively.
These offshore reservoirs are character-
ized by the complex fold thrust belt
located along Cuba’s northern coast
that has trapped large volumes of heavy
oil in naturally fractured carbonate res-
ervoirs at a top formation depth of
approximately 1500 m true vertical
depth. The heavy oil produced from
the Yumuri and Seboruco reservoirs is
sour and typically may contain quanti-
ties of up to 5 mol% hydrogen sulfide
and 10 mol% carbon dioxide The wells
in these fields produce at an average
gas/oil ratio of 28 and 81 std m3/std m3,
respectively, as of November 2008.
JPT • JULY 2009
PCP-System Installations
Conventional PCPs first were installed
in Cuba in 2001, with their use in the
Yumuri and Seboruco fields starting in
2002. Almost all of the wells (97%) in
these two reservoirs now require some
type of artificial lift, with 91% of the
wells currently produced by PCP sys-
tems. In July 2005, the first two metal
PCPs were installed in the YU-209
and SEB 103 wells. Since then, a total
of 10 metal-PCP units have been run
and operated successfully in selected
Yumuri and Seboruco wells.
The typical installation and operat-
ing scheme for the PCP systems can be
described by the following.
• Run the PCP on a 114.3-mm tub-
ing string to a setting depth ranging
from 700 to 1300 m measured depth.
• Install 25.4- or 31.8-mm American
Petroleum Institute sucker rods, 75-hp
motors, and variable-frequency-drive
(VFD)-equipped drive heads with a 4:1
belt ratio (belt drives) or 7:18 gear ratio
(gear drives).
• Operate the PCP at speeds ranging
from 100 to 300 rev/min with the VFD
torque limit set at 80% of the maximum
recommended torque specified by the
rod manufacturer.
• Monitor the well operating condi-
tions and pump performance, execut-
ing workovers when the pump fails or
can no longer produce the well effec-
tively because of poor efficiency.
Metal-PCP Design
and Performance
The first two all-metal PCPs were
installed in July 2005. An additional
eight units subsequently have been
run in the Yumuri and Seboruco
fields, along with two units run in the
Varadero field, thus bringing the total
data set available for these products
to 12 pumps. Only the installations
in the Yumuri and Seboruco fields are
discussed in the full-length paper. It is
important to note that nine of the 10
metal PCPs installed in the Yumuri and
Seboruco fields are still in operation
and that the one metal pump that was
pulled had not failed. Therefore, the
data presented in the full-length paper
for the metal PCPs do not represent
failed-pump performance and run-life
statistics, as was the case for the elasto-
meric PCPs.
Metal PCPs generally have a larger-
diameter but much shorter stators than
their elastomeric counterparts. The
shorter stators are believed to provide
an advantage in terms of reduced bend-
ing stresses and vibration potential in
this application because the pumps
are seated in large casing and typically
within the deviated portion of the hori-
zontal wells. Fig. 1 shows one of the
metal PCPs being bench tested in prep-
aration for installation in a well. This
geometrical arrangement also may be
of relevance when trying to explain the
notably better run-life performance of
the B-E1 vs. the A-E1 elastomer-pump
models. While the three metal PCPs
cover quite a wide displacement range,
they have the same pressure rating of
14.8 MPa. This is quite similar to the
ratings of the elastomeric PCPs, with
the exception of the Model B pump.
While the installation procedures
for the metal PCPs have been almost
identical to those of the conventional
elastomeric PCPs, the additional steps
involved in the startup of the metal
pumps deserve special mention. This
key difference arises from the dem-
onstrated need to “prime” the metal
pumps with viscous fluid to avoid
excessive slippage, which can prevent
the pump from providing sufficient lift
to produce a column of fluid to surface.
Loading of the annulus with a mixture
of heavy crude and lighter oil during
startup of a pump following installation
has proved to be an effective method to
enable the pump to displace the low-
viscosity well-control fluid (e.g., water)
commonly used during workovers.
Conclusions
All-metal PCPs have been successful in
producing extraheavy oil from a num-
ber of extended-reach horizontal wells
in the Yumuri and Seboruco fields in
Cuba. Twelve metal PCPs have been
run since July 2005, with no pump
failures experienced to date. The metal
PCPs have exhibited much longer aver-
age run lives compared to several dif-
ferent conventional-PCP models with
a number of different elastomers. The
increased durability demonstrated by
the metal PCPs translates to significant
savings in terms of production losses.
Unlike the sudden failures typically
experienced by the elastomeric PCPs,
which often lead to an extended wait on
rig time, the metal pumps used in these
fields appear to exhibit a very gradual
decline in performance, which facilitates
more-effective scheduling of service rigs
for pump replacement. JPT
53
ARTIFICIAL LIFT

Through-Tubing-Conveyed ESP
Replacement—Live Well Intervention

Through-tubing-conveyed (TTC) electri-

cal-submersible-pump (ESP) technology
was developed to address the high cost Intake Slots
and long lead times associated with
North Slope rig workovers to pull and
replace worn or plugged pumps. TTC
technology allows ESPs to be changed
in live wells without the need to kill
the well and work it over. When a TTC
Locator
pump replacement is performed, the
pump is pulled and replaced with slick-
line or coiled tubing while the tubing, Sand Cleanout
seal section, motor, power cable, and
downhole gauges remain in place. Shaft Extension TC Radial Bearings

Introduction Seal Head

The first TTC systems were installed
in West Sak development wells on the
North Slope of Alaska in 1998. The
first systems were TTC electrical sub-
mersible progressing-cavity pumps
(TTCESPCPs). In 2001, TTC technol-
ogy was expanded to include centrifugal
pumps to achieve higher production
rates. The centrifugal TTC pumps were
given the designation TTCESP. TTCESP
lift systems continue to be the preferred
equipment for the West Sak field.
TTC technology is particularly appli-
cable in wells with high solids produc-
tion in which the pump is the primary
failure mode. TTC technology also pro-
vides a means to upsize, downsize, or
This article, written by Assistant Tech-
nology Editor Karen Bybee, contains
highlights of paper SPE 116822, “Thru-
Tubing Conveyed ESP Pump Replace-
ment—Live-Well Intervention,” by Walter
Dinkins, SPE, and Steve Tetzlaff,
Baker Hughes; John C. Patterson, SPE,
Hai Hunt, SPE, Peter Nezaticky, SPE,
and James Rogers, SPE, ConocoPhillips;
and Bret Chambers, BP plc, originally
prepared for the 2008 SPE Annual
Technical Conference and Exhibition,
Denver, 21–24 September. The paper
has not been peer reviewed.
Fig. 1—TTC crossover assembly.
add pump components such as rotary
gas separators without rig intervention
on live wells.
TTCESPCP and TTCESP
Components
From bottom to top, the rig-deployed
(tubing-conveyed) components of a
TTCESPCP consists of motor central-
izer, motor, gear-reduction unit, tan-
dem seal sections, and TTC crossover.
A power cable is clamped to the out-
side of the tubing and is run from the
motor to surface, and a separate instru-
ment wire is run for a downhole gauge
located in a side-pocket mandrel above
the ESP assembly. The TTC crossover
(Fig. 1) is what allows pumps to be
pulled while the motor, gear-reduction
unit, seal section, tubing, instrument
wire, and power cable are left down-
hole. The slickline-deployed TTC com-
ponents consist of a pump assembly, a
packoff assembly, and a slipstop. The
pump assembly consists of a pump
“eye” (Fig. 2), which couples the pump
to the TTC crossover, and pump and
discharge assembly, which includes a
centralizer and fishing neck.
The rig-deployed components of
a TTCESP are similar to those of a
TTCESPCP, with the exception that a
gear-reduction unit is not run. In addi-
tion, a more comprehensive downhole-
gauge package is used. The slickline-
deployed components of a TTCESP are
similar to those of a TTCESPCP, with
the exception that the pump is a cen-
trifugal pump. Fig. 1 in the full-length
paper shows the rig-deployed compo-
nents of a TTCESP system on the left
and the slickline-deployed components
on the right. Variable-speed drives are
used to power both the TTCESPCP and
the TTCESP systems.
Rig-deployed equipment is expected
to last 4 to 5 years, while slickline-
deployed equipment is expected to last
1 to 2 years (dependent upon individ-
ual-well flow characteristics such as
amount of solids production).
TTC Crossover/Intake Assembly
The two components of the TTC sys-
tem that differentiate it from a conven-
tional ESP are the TTC crossover/intake
assembly (Fig. 1) and the slickline pump
and associated jewelry (components

For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.

54 JPT • JULY 2009


Fig. 2—Pump-eye assembly lands
on crossover shaft.
used to run and mate a through-tubing
pump). The slickline-deployed pump
eye shown in Fig. 2 mates with the
rig-deployed crossover/intake section.
The rig-deployed TTC crossover/intake
assembly houses the intake shaft, which
couples the slickline-deployed pump to
the seal section. This part is designed to
outlast the pump components to allow
for multiple pump changes.
String testing of equipment at the man-
ufacturing facility helped identify the
optimum screen design for the cross-
over/intake subassembly and provided
confirmation that the TTC equipment
worked equally well with either centrifu-
gal pumps or progressing-cavity pumps
(PCPs). Because of different gas- and sol-
ids-production rates associated with verti-
cal wells with gravel packs vs. multilateral
wells with slotted liners, the TTCESPCP
crossover/intake section has slots, while
the TTCESP centrifugal version has a
perforated intake. The perforated cross-
over/intake protects the pump from large
debris, 3/8 in. or greater. The design
has sufficient length to accommodate a
rotary gas separator attached to the pump
intake. Separated gas is discharged to
perforations at the upper end of the cross-
over subassembly, then is routed back to
the annulus. The well section where the
pump sits has a larger annular space than
the main tubing string through which
the pump traverses, allowing improved
natural-gas separation.
Considerations for Slickline-
Deployed Components
Pump Eye. Located at the base of TTC
pumps, the pump eye is a centralizing,
JPT • JULY 2009
antirotational and spline-engagement
device. These functions take place
simultaneously as the pump is lowered
into the tubing crossover assembly.
The eye self-aligns and couples with
the rig-deployed TTC crossover shaft
when the pump is pushed into the TTC
crossover/intake assembly. The eye
contains a well-fluid-lubricated bear-
ing. On TTCESPCP systems, this bear-
ing prevents radial loads from being
transmitted to the seal section.
Pump. TTCESPCP assemblies have
been put together using single and
multilobe PCPs manufactured by three
different manufacturers. Each vendor
has proprietary stator elastomers and
varying rotor/stator fits. Elastomers are
chosen on the basis of advertised chem-
ical and heat resistance. Rotor/stator fits
are chosen on the basis of production
fluid properties and anticipated sta-
tor swelling. Choosing a noncompat-
ible elastomer material or an improper
rotor/stator fit can result in significantly
reduced pump run life.
TTCESPs are tubing-conveyed pumps
that have been turned down from 4.00-
in. outside diameter (OD) to 3.80-in.
OD, or less than the drift diameter of
4.5-in., 12.75-lbm tubing. Centrifugal-
pump-housing burst issues associated
with the reduced diameter must be con-
sidered for installation and the pump
setting depth. For example, the 3.80-in.
pumps have a housing burst-pressure
limitation of 2,392 psi as compared to
the standard 4,029 psi rated at the full-
wall (4.00-in. OD) thickness.
Pump Optimization
ConocoPhillips Alaska has taken advan-
tage of the TTC capabilities to optimize
pump performance and increase pro-
duction. Pumps have been pulled early
and replaced because of gradual pump
degradation in cases where production
losses could not justify rig-workover
costs. Pumps have been replaced for
upsizing/downsizing to account for
higher- or lower-than-expected produc-
tion rates. The ability to properly size
pumps maximizes production or mini-
mizes fluid-pumpoff situations. This
has made possible the choice between
running single-lobe pumps, which have
a higher solids-handling capability, or
multilobe pumps, which have a higher
flow-rate capacity. TTC technology has
allowed different stator elastomers and
different rotor/stator fits to be tested.
Stator elastomers are typically propri-
etary and come with varying levels of
resistance to hydrocarbon components,
chemicals, mechanical wear, and heat.
Use of the wrong elastomer can result in
a drastically reduced pump life. Rotor/
stator fit that is too tight can cause a
pump to lock up or realize rapid degra-
dation as a result of excessive heat from
friction and gas compression in the dis-
charge side of the pump. A fit that is too
loose can result in reduced pump head
and lost production.
Similarly, TTCESPs have been changed
out to handle higher- or lower-than-
expected liquid- and gas-production
rates. Most West Sak TTCESPs have a
tapered pump configuration. The tapered
configuration consists of a set of net-
positive-suction-head stages at the intake
followed by mixed flow stages designed
to provide the majority of net head. The
tapered design results in a pump with a
high free-gas-handling capacity (40% free
gas at the intake). The newer multilateral
wells began experiencing gas/oil-ratio
spikes during early production, before
water-injection pressure-support stabi-
lization. This situation drove the need
for increased gas-handling capabilities,
and as a result, a new high-angle-vane
auger (HAVA)-type rotary gas separator
was developed. The TTC system allowed
already-installed pumps to be pulled to
add the new rotary gas separators. TTC
pumps with a HAVA rotary gas separa-
tor can handle more than 60% free gas
before separation.
Recycling Used Pumps
Reusability of the slickline PCP assem-
bly, which includes a modified stator
and rotor and associated jewelry to run
through tubing, requires careful inspec-
tion. Because of exposure and swelling
caused by well fluids, most elastomer
components are replaced. However,
there have been several cases in which
the pump stator and rotor were sim-
ply cleaned out, packoff elements were
replaced, and the refurbished assembly
was redeployed successfully. An initial
concern was how many times pumps
could be run without damaging the
rig-deployed components. To date, 38
TTC-equipped wells have had 59 rig
installations and 154 well interven-
tions to set pumps. Two wells have
experienced more than seven slickline-
deployed pumps over their operating
life, with no evidence of damage to the
tubing-deployed components. JPT
55
ARTIFICIAL LIFT
Application of Permanent-Magnet Motors in Oil Production
Currently, asynchronous submersible
electric motors are used to drive most
electrical submersible pumps (ESPs). At
the same time, the possibility of improv-
ing their performance has been prac-
tically exhausted. Permanent-magnet
motors, which already occupy a lead-
ing position in a number of industries,
have better performance characteristics
than asynchronous submersible electric
motors. ESP-system drives based on
permanent-magnet motors were not
used in the oil industry until recently,
but they currently are achieving wider
application in the fields of various oil-
producing companies.
Introduction
Compared to traditional asynchronous
submersible electric motors, permanent-
magnet motors have a number of char-
acteristics that make their application
economically attractive. Furthermore,
introduction of permanent-magnet
motors will increase ESP run life and
improve health and safety indicators.
It is necessary to regulate and adjust
pump-operation parameters during well
startup, rate stabilization, and opera-
tion. Use of a permanent-magnet motor
as a drive for an ESP system makes it
possible to change the pump speed in
an expanded range and, thereby, to
react to changes in well flow rate and
dynamic level as promptly as possible
without stopping production and per-
forming tripping operations. In such
This article, written by Assistant Tech-
nology Editor Karen Bybee, contains
highlights of paper SPE 117386, “Appli-
cation of Permanent-Magnet Motors in
Oil Production,” by Igor Azanov and
Arthur Shamigulov, TNK-BP, originally
prepared for the 2008 SPE Russian Oil
and Gas Technical Conference and
Exhibition, Moscow, 28–30 October. The
paper has not been peer reviewed.
For a limited time, the full-length paper is available free to SPE members at www.spe.org/jpt.
56
situations, wells equipped with conven-
tional alternating-current (AC) motors
require choking or change of pump run-
ning depth, which leads to equipment
wear, excessive power consumption,
and increased accident probability. The
fundamental difference between per-
manent-magnet motors and asynchro-
nous electric motors is that the former
are capable of regulating the revolution
speed by varying the current intensity,
while the revolution speed of an asyn-
chronous motor can be regulated only
by changing the current frequency by
use of frequency converters. Thus, the
simpler construction of a permanent-
magnet motor makes it possible to regu-
late the rotation speed without imple-
menting additional, expensive equip-
ment such as variable-speed drives.
One of the substantial weaknesses of
traditional asynchronous submersible
electric motors is their low efficien-
cy—no more than 85%. The efficiency
of permanent-magnet motors is much
higher—more than 90%—and it barely
changes from fluctuations in voltage
from the power source and changes
in load on the drive. Low idling and
operating-current values make it pos-
sible to measure load on the drive more
accurately, optimize ESP operation, and
set up minimal current protection in the
best way possible.
An important issue in well stabiliza-
tion is the problem of submersible elec-
tric motors overheating. Therefore, it is
necessary to stop the unit periodically
for cooling when using AC motors. Use
of a permanent-magnet motor as the
drive makes it possible to stabilize a well
without stopping for cooling. Because
of their higher efficiency, permanent-
magnet motors overheat less often,
which increases the service life of insu-
lation materials and makes it possible to
reduce the number of failures caused by
cable melting at cable input.
Another difference between perma-
nent-magnet motors and conventional
AC motors is that with identical power
output, the former weigh less and have
smaller dimensions. This is especially
important when operating in wells with
complicated wellbore geometry.
Motor-Output Performance
Energy saving is a key area of inter-
est, which mostly involves implementa-
tion of efficient energy-saving projects
at local levels. This is especially impor-
tant because of the steady growth of
power tariffs and the water-cut increase
in mature fields. These factors lead to an
increase in specific energy costs for lifting
1 ton of fluid, and likewise an increase in
the prime cost of oil produced.
In 2006, 5% of lifting costs in TNK-
Nizhnevartovsk and SNGDU-2 were
related to artificial-lift energy costs
(RUB 230 million and RUB 250 million,
respectively). To compare the power
consumption by permanent-magnet
motors with power consumed by con-
ventional AC motors of equal power,
measurements were made using certified
meters and approved methods. The cal-
culations showed that permanent-mag-
net motors consume an average of 23%
less energy than AC submersible motors.
Thus, if permanent-magnet motors were
used in the entire well stock of TNK-
Nizhnevartovsk and SNGDU-2 currently
equipped with ESP systems, as much as
RUB 70 million/yr would be saved.
Furthermore, the operation of ESP
systems is integrally connected with
the problem of distortion of supplied
voltage by harmonics. As has already
been noted, conventional asynchronous
motors require variable-speed drives to
have the same functionality. Studies
have shown that use of variable-speed
drives leads to the appearance of har-
monics in the power-supply network,
which is a cause of such phenomena
JPT • JULY 2009
as voltage distortion and drops, reso- as ESP drives will be enhanced further Nizhnevartovsk and SNGDU-2 is
nance, increased equipment vibration, through reduction of production loss- positive. In particular, there was not
and overheating and even explosion of es by reducing well downtime caused a single case of ESP-system failure
condensers at transformer substations. by the need to perform well-servicing caused by permanent-magnet-motor
Studies have shown that use of perma- operations. Economic calculation for 3 breakdown. The current action plan
nent-magnet motors makes it possible years for a stock of 50 wells equipped includes monitoring the MTBF of
to avoid these phenomena. with permanent-magnet motors indi- ESPs equipped with permanent-mag-
cated that the additional production net motors, analysis of the causes of
Outcome will exceed 3,000 tons. failures of ESPs equipped with perma-
TNK-Nizhnevartovsk and SNGDU-2 As a whole, the experience of oper- nent-magnet motors, and better inter-
are the first TNK-BP enterprises where ating this type of equipment in TNK- action with the manufacturer. JPT
permanent-magnet motors have been
implemented to drive ESPs. The pilot
project began in 2005. It is already com-
pleted, and mass production of this type
of equipment is about to begin.
Since the beginning of the pilot proj-
ect in TNK-Nizhnevartovsk, 17 ESPs
with permanent-magnet motors have
been installed (including reruns). Eight
of them are still being operated. As of
20 October 2007, the maximum mean
time between failures (MTBF) has been
680 days. As a result of permanent-
magnet-motor use, the estimated MTBF
for a piece of equipment has increased
by 160 days (30.7%).
Since the project to replace AC
motors with permanent-magnet motors
was launched in SNGDU-2 at the end
of 2006, 31 ESP units with permanent-
magnet motors have been installed
(including reruns). According to data
as of 20 October, some 24 units were in
operation in frequently repaired wells.
The maximum MTBF is 316 days.
The average estimated MTBF of a unit
with permanent-magnet motors is 744
days, which is 540 days more than the
MTBF for a unit with conventional AC
motor. Furthermore, calculations show
that the number of ESP failures will be
reduced by 72.5%.
Such a significant drop in the number
of accidents invariably will lead to an
improvement in health and safety indi-
cators, which is a main priority. The
higher reliability of permanent-magnet
motors and their unique characteristics
make it possible to reduce the num-
ber of well-servicing operations caused
by ESP-motor failure or by change of
downhole conditions. Furthermore, the
reduction in the failure rate will enable
production enterprises to reduce costs
for equipment purchase (average cost
of a package for replacement is approx-
imately RUB 350,000) and for well
servicing (average cost of well-servicing
job is approximately RUB 400,000) sub-
stantially. The positive economic effect
from use of permanent-magnet motors

JPT • JULY 2009 57