ESP Design and Optimization
using NODAL Analysis

Presented by

Dr. Gabor Takacs

Course Duration:5 days

Course Description:

More than 80% of the world’s oil wells are placed on some kind of artificial lift, the most significant of which are gas lifting, sucker-rod pumping, and electric submersible pumping. Production engineers are required to design and operate these installations at their peak efficiencies so as to reach a maximum of profit. To achieve this goal, a perfect understanding of the basic design of the different lift methods, as well as a working skill in the ways ensuring optimum production conditions is necessary.

The course covers the basic design principles of one of the most common artificial lift methods, Electrical Submersible Pumping, illustrated with many classroom examples. The course starts with a short overview of fundamentals and deals with well inflow performance, hydraulics, electrics, and a basic description of NODAL Analysis principles. The basic components of the ESP system: the pump, motor, protector, electric cable, etc., are fully described by introducing their main structural and operational features. Special well conditions like high viscosity fluids, free gas production, production of abrasive materials require the use of special equipment completely covered during the course. The application of Variable Speed Drives is fully described and their advantages in producing oil wells are evaluated.

The proper design of ESP installations is not only a technical but also an economic problem. The optimum selection of the main system components: pump, motor, cable is thoroughly discussed for several possible scenarios. They include the production of single phase liquid only, the case when the effect of motor slip is fully considered, the production of free gas along with the liquid, and the use of Variable Speed Drives.

NODAL Analysis is a powerful tool that can be used to analyze the operation of ESP systems. Trainees will understand the application of NODAL principles and will develop a working knowledge of this technique. The power conditions of the ESP systems and the individual power efficiencies of different components are also treated. The course is ended by a detailed description of the applicable troubleshooting procedures.

Throughout the course, trainees will solve examples and class problems by hand calculations as well as on the computer, and are required to have a basic computer literacy.

After completion of the course, trainees will:

  • Have an understanding of the basic fundamental theories and procedures related to ESP operations.
  • Easily recognize the different components of the ESP system, and their basic structural and operational features.
  • Understand how special well conditions (high fluid viscosity, free gas production, abrasives in well fluids, etc.) can be handled by properly designed ESP systems.
  • Have a working knowledge of the types, the application, and the advantages of Variable Speed Drives.
  • Be able to design an ESP installation and select the optimum components of the ESP system.
  • Be able to use NODAL Analysis program packages to describe the operation of ESP installations.
  • Have a basic understanding of power efficiency and system losses in the ESP system.
  • Be able to conduct a basic troubleshooting of ESP installations.

Who Should Attend:

Petroleum, Reservoir, Mechanical and Electrical engineers working with ESP systems and having a basic knowledge in the design and analysis of such installations.

Number of Participants: minimum 10, maximum 20.

Course Material:A detailed manual containing worked and classroom examples is supplied to each trainee along with supporting material on CD.

Technical Equipment for Instructor: Video data projection system, overhead projector with screen, flipchart.

Technical Equipment for Trainees: One computer per one or two trainee with printing capabilities, basic scientific calculator.

Instructor’s Short CV:

Gabor Takacs is presently a professor and was Acting Director (2007-08) at the Petroleum Engineering Department at The Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Previously he was the Head of the Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Miskolc, Hungary and holds MS and PhD degrees in Petroleum Engineering from the same institution. He has more than 30 years of teaching and consulting experience in the production engineering field. He taught as Visiting Professor at Texas Tech University, USA in 1988/89 and at the Mining University of Leoben, Austria in 1995. In 1995/96 he was selected SPE Distinguished Lecturer, was Outstanding Technical Editor for the SPE journal “Production and Facilities” 1992-2003, and chaired the Artificial Lift TIG (Technical Interest Group) of SPE in 1997-2003. He is the author of several books on artificial lift technology; “Modern Sucker-Rod Pumping” (1993), “Sucker-Rod Pumping Manual” (2002), “Gas Lift Manual” (2005), all published by PennWell Books, USA. His latest contribution “Electrical Submersible Pumps Manual” came out in 2009 from Elsevier. Dr. Takacs has more than 90 technical papers to his credit. He taught various short courses for many oil companies in Libya, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, UAE, Romania, Malaysia and Austria; and is a well-known consultant and instructor on production engineering and artificial lift topics.

Instructor’s Recent Photograph

See attached file Takacs_Photo.jpg

Time Schedule

“ESP Design and Optimization
using NODAL Analysis”

Training Course

DAYS / T O P I C S C O V E R E D
1 / Introduction to ESP Operations
Well Inflow Performance
The Productivity Index Concept
Inflow Performance Relationships
Hydraulic Fundamentals
Tubing Flow Calculations
Operational Basics of Centrifugal Pumps
Electrical Fundamentals
Alternating Current
Transformers
Induction Motors
Electric Cables
ESP Components and Their Operational Features
The ESP Pump
Performance Curves and their Use
Pump Types
The ESP Motor
Performance Curves, Startup Conditions
Motor TemperatureCalculations
Protectors (Seal Sections)
Functions, Types, and Main Parts
The ESP Cable: Materials, Constructions and Features
Other Surface and Downhole Components
2 / Use of ESP Equipment in Special Conditions
Pumping Viscous Fluids
Producing Wells with High GLRs
Free Gas Volume Calculations(Class Problems)
Pump Performance Degradation
Utilization of Natural Gas Separation
Use of Motor Shrouds
Rotary Gas Separators
Gas Handling
High Well Temperature
ESP Systems for Abrasive Service
Variable Speed Applications
Variable Speed Drives
Constructional Details
Available VSD Types
Operational Characteristics(Class Problems)
Variable Frequency Generators
Interaction of VSD/VFG and ESP Units(Class Problems)
Benefits of using VSD/VFG Units
DAYS / T O P I C S C O V E R E D
3 / Design of Conventional ESP Installations
TDH Calculations
Selection of the Pump
Selection of the Protector
Motor Selection
Selection of the Power Cable
Economic Selection of Cable Size(Class Problem)
Selection of Other Equipment(Class Problems)
ESP Design for Gassy Wells
Gas Separator Calculations
Design Procedure(Class Problems)
4 / Design of Variable Speed Drive Installations(Class Problems)
Pump Selection for VSD Service
Motor Selection
Switchboard and Transformers
Analysis of ESP Installations
NODAL Analysis
Constant Pumping Speed
Variable Pumping Speed
Variable Wellhead Pressure(Class Problems)
Well Testing
The Conventional Method
Use of VSD Drives
5 / Power Efficiency of ESP Systems
Power Flow in the ESP System
Energy Losses and Efficiencies
System Efficiency(Class Problem)
Special ESP Installations
Parallel and Series Connected Installations
Dual Installations
Alternatively Deployed Installations
Monitoring and Troubleshooting of ESP Installations
Acoustic Surveys and Downhole Measurements
System Failures
Ammeter Card Analysis
Modern Troubleshooting Methods
NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Permanent Magnet ESP Motors
High Head Capacity ESP Pumps
ESP TUT Motor Systems
Variable Frequency Generators
Coiled Tubing ESP Cables

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