P264 - ESP Design Exercise

In this exercise, you are required to go through the detailed design for an ESP. The input data is
given in Appendix 1. After completing the design calculations manually, you will then be required to go
through the same design using the SubPump software, compare results and investigate sensitivities
to key parameters.
Base Case:
The design reservoir offtake rate is 4,000 b/d. The required tubing intake pressure for this flowrate
and a flowing tubing head pressure of 200 psi is 2950 psi. This value was calculated using Prosper. It
is assumed that reservoir pressure is maintained by water injection.

Part A: Manual Design procedure.

1. Estimate Pump setting depth.
The drawdown required to produce the required flow rate is ___ / ___ = .. psi
The flowing bottom hole pressure will therefore be ___ ___. = ___ psi which is very close to the
bubble point. ESPs can tolerate some gas but to leave some flexibility it is better to set the pump as
deep as possible. In addition the fluids are likely to be corrosive given the water cut and the presence
of CO2, hence a deep set pump will minimize casing exposure.
The preferred option is to set the pump just above the perforations in order to maximize cooling and
avoid potential problems equipment erosion by sand produced from the perforations. The selected
pump setting depth is therefore 7900 feet.
The pump intake pressure will be ___ psi (8000 7900)* 0.385 = ____ psi (using rough
approximation for fluid density).
2. Estimate fluid properties at down hole conditions.
As the pump will be operating down hole, the first step is to estimate fluid properties at down hole
conditions. As little data is available we can use standard correlations from the Production Handbook
to estimate Bo, Bg, and fluid viscosity.
2.1. Oil Formation Volume Factor Bo.
From the Production Handbook, Vol. 4, page 78, Fig. 7.3-1b: B o = ____ (Standing correlation)
2.2. Gas Formation Volume Factor Bg

Bg

Psc ZT
Tsc P

Psc = pressure at standard conditions = 14.7 psi

Tsc = temperature at standard conditions = 60 F = 520 R
T = 190 F = 650 R
P = ____ psi
The gas deviation factor is estimated using the Standing and Katz correlation, which is given in the
Production Handbook, Vol. 4, page 87, Figure 7.4-1. An estimate of the pseudo critical temperature
and temperature is given in page 89, Fig. 7.4-3.

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Ppc = ___ psi

Tpc = ___ R
For p = _____ psi and T = 190 F or 650 R, the pseudo reduced pressure and temperature are:
Ppr = P/Ppc = ____ / ____ = ___
Tpr = T/Tpc = ____ /____ = ___
From Figure 7.4-1 Z = ____
Hence Bg = (14.7*____*650)/(520*___) = ______ scf /scf or _______ / _____ = ________ rb/scf
In other words, one cubic foot of gas at standard conditions will occupy 0.0012 barrels at reservoir
conditions.
2.3. Oil viscosity
The viscosity of oil/water mixtures is difficult to estimate, but as a first approximation the viscosity of
the continuous phase can be used in this case the oil viscosity.
The viscosity of saturated reservoir oil can be estimated using the Beggs and Robinson equation
shown graphically in Fig. 7.8-2.
From PH Vol 4, page 95, the density of 34 API oil = 141.36/(API + 131.5) = 0.85 g/cm 3
From Fig. 7.8-1, page 120, tank oil viscosity at reservoir temperature is ca. 2 cP
From Fig. 7.8-2, page 121, saturated oil viscosity at reservoir temperature is ____ cP
From Fig. 7.10-9 page 145, viscosity of water at reservoir conditions is ca. ____ cP
As the viscosity of the oil is very similar to the viscosity of water, no corrections for viscosity will be
required.
Please note that the viscosity of the oil/water mixture can be significantly increased by emulsions
created by the high shear conditions created in the ESP. A chart for estimating the increase in fluid
viscosity due to shear for given water cut can be found in the ESP design Manual, chapter 4.8.
2.4. Fluid density.
The average fluid density can be calculated as follows:
flav = flav * sw
flav = (so * (1-BSW))/Bo + sw * BSW
where:
so = oil specific gravity = 141.5/ (API + 131.5) = _____ for 34 API oil
sw = water specific gravity = 1.15
sw = water density at standard conditions = 0.433 psi/ft
hence
flav = fluid average gravity = (_____ * 0.5)/____ + 1.15 * 0.5 = _____
flav = _____ * 0.433 = _____ psi/ft

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3. Calculation of required pump duty

In order to be able to use manufacturers pump charts, the required surface flow rates need to be
converted into down hole flow rates.
3.1. Oil flowrate at intake conditions:
Qro = Q *(1-BSW)* Bo = 4000 * 0.5 * _____ = _____ rb/d
3.2. Water flowrate at intake conditions:
Qrw = Q *(1-BSW) = 4000 * 0.5 = 2000 rb/d
3.3. Gas flowrate at intake conditions:
We need to consider the flow rate of free gas at intake conditions.
Qrg = Qo * (Rt-Rs)*Bg
In order to estimate the solution gas ratio at the intake pressure, we can make a linear interpolation.
Rs (2219 psi) = Rs (2200 psi) * (2165/2200) = 580 * (2165/2200) = 570 scf/bbl.
Hence Qrg = 2000 * (580-570)* ______ = ____ rb/d
3.4. Total flowrate at intake conditions:
Hence the total rate at intake conditions is:
Qt = Qro + Qrg + Qrw = _____ + 2000 + ___ = _____ rb/d
We can also calculate the fluid level for these conditions. The height of the fluid column will be
2200/____ = ______. Hence the fluid level will be 8000 ____ = ____ ft.
4. Requirement for gas separator
In this case with the pump close to the perforations and the flowing pressure close to bubble point
there is unlikely to be a requirement for a gas separator. The gas fraction is calculated as follows:
Free gas fraction = Qg / Qt = __ / _____ = less than _____%
There is no need to consider a gas separator.
5. Determination of required pump dynamic head.
The required tubing intake pressure to enable production of 4,000 b/d of fluid through the completion
has been calculated as 2950 psi. this includes the hydrostatic head, friction and back pressure
requirements. The total pressure required to be generated by the pump is:
P discharge = P tubing intake P pump intake = 2950 _____ psi = ___ psi
To enable the use of manufacturers charts, the pressure must be converted into head directly. For this
example with little free gas, the fluid density will not vary much as the fluid is presurised in the pump
and it is acceptable to use the average fluid density calculated earlier.
Hence Head pump discharge = P discharge / flav = ___ / ____ = 2046 ft

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6. Pump Selection
We will now select the largest pump that can provide ____ b/d at a head of ____ ft. For this casing the
ID is 6.184 in. A 5 inch pump would be suitable for this duty. Selection of a GN5600 pump was made
as the flow rate is close to the peak efficiency operating point.
For this pump, the efficiency is 70% and the head is 20 ft per stage. Hence the number of stages
required is ___ / 20 = ___ stages.

In reality this must be corrected for motor slip as the motor will be running at a slightly different
rotational speed than the nominal speed at which the pump characteristic was measured. For this
motor the required loading is 93% obtained by dividing the required horsepower of 97 by the actual
motor rating of 104 hp. The rotational speed for this loading will be 2880 rpm from Reda motor charts.

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The number of stages is then corrected as follows:

Ns = N (Sdesign/Sslip)2
Ns = ____ (2917/2880)2 = ___ stages.
6. Conclusion
Having gone through this exercise, one can appreciate that the manual design procedure is labor
intensive and requires a lot of iterations in order to obtain a reasonable solution. The main learning
objective of this exercise is to appreciate all the data required for the design of an ESP.

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Part B: Design using SubPump.

After completing the design calculations manually, you are now required to go through the same
design using the SubPump software, compare results and investigate sensitivities to key parameters.
1. Input and run base case in SubPump
Use the power point slides in attachment as a guide. Once you have run the base case, print a copy
of the summary report and report the main differences with the manual design procedure. Save your
SubPump file as SubPump1 and submit with your assignment.
Answer:

2. Sensitivities.
We will now investigate what happens when water cut increases from 50% to 80%. Identify the key
effects and explain the results where necessary.
Answer:

3. Optimise system design for maximum rate.

Assuming it is acceptable to increase the offtake rate, design an ESP system that gives maximum
offtake rate. Which pump and motor system have you selected? What is the maximum rate
achievable? Save your SubPump file as SubPump2 and submit with your assignment.
Answer:

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Appendix 1: Well/Field Data

Formation
Inflow performance
Perforated depth
Reservoir pressure
Reservoir temperature

Sandstone
5
8000
3000
190

b/d/psi
ft
psi
F

Oil gravity
Gas gravity
Bubble point pressure
GOR
BSW
Water density
H2S
CO2

34
0.85
2200
580
50
1.15
0
2

API
(air = 1)
psi
scf/bbl
%
sg
mol %
mol %

Casing
Tubing
Required FTHP
Power available
Required tubing intake
pressure (4000 b/d and 200
psi FTHP)

inch

200 psi
20kV, 50 Hz
2950

psi

Design Flow rate

4000

b/d

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Comments

Prosper