Incorporation of Intelligent Automation across Submersible Pumps Facilitates the Overall Run Life

By Snehal Singh , 04 January, 2023

Submersible pumps are widely used pumps that are completely submerged in water or liquid that needs to be pumped. They are used for various pumping applications like Agriculture & Irrigation, Construction, Oil & Gas, and mining. They are an effective and reliable artificial-lift method used to lift moderate or high volumes of fluids to surface from wellbores. Submersible pumps are an important mechanisms of oil production equipment. Around 60 percent of global oil production is produced using the artificial lift technique in which more than 20 percent of the pumps used are Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs). ESPs are extensively used to increase the output of offshore oil wells. They have a high failure rate particularly in deep-sea oil wells, as they work under complex and variable environmental structures and conditions. The failure of an ESP system not only affects the regular production but also involves huge economic losses. Corrosion and scale are two of the most common reasons for ESP failures faced by producers today. The root cause of more than 20% of ESP failures is ineffective production chemical treatment is increasing workover cost and production loss. Management of corrosion and scale through chemical injection with inhibitors is highly effective in protecting the production systems. But the risk monitoring and chemical performance in chemical treatment programs, are usually done manually which delays in taking preventive actions. This challenges the alignment of chemical treatment with the varying well conditions.