MULTIPHASE ELECTRIC P U M P STATION, MEPS

H. Narum, Mobil Exploration, Norway.

Abstract. Since 1987 Mobil and Framo Engineering of Bergen Norway have cooperated in the development of a
subsea pump station for pumping of multiphase liquids directly from wells on to existing process platforms or to
shore. The project encompasses ail activities necessary to accomplish a fully marinized concept.
The pump station will consist of two dual piston reciprocating pumps each driven by a linear electric motor.
Power is taken from an existing installation or from shore through a subsea electric frequency converter devel-
oped in the project. The unit will be designed at 35 bars suction and 70 bars discharge and with a gas oil ratio of
175 m3/m3 (1000 SCF/BBL), be capable of pumping 6500 m3 (40 O00 barrels) of liquids per day.
The project has undergone several phases to construct and test out components as well as integration testing
of the entire system. Onshore field testing will be undertaken in 1993/94 with test of the entire marinized system
toward the end of 1994.
Whilst the systems developed in this project are purpose built, several items of the technology developed can
be utilized in other subsea systems including other subsea multiphase pump station concepts.

With the search for hydrocarbons moving to
deeper and more hostile waters, the oil companies
began during the early nineteen eighties to look for
means to transport unseparated well products over
longer distances than could be achieved by well pres-
sures alone. Pumping of the fluids was early recog-
nized as one means of achieving this goal. Thus
several projects dealing with various concepts of
multiphase pumps were initiated.
In 1987 Mobil selected, among several proposals,
to initiate the project that later was named MEPS.
Mobil Exploration Norway (MENI) is the executor
of the project. The main contractor is Framo Engin-
eering of Bergen, Norway.
The MEPS is primarily aimed for subsea pumping
applications, however, the pump may also be used
topsides offshore, or applied in an onshore applica-
tion. The MEPS is based on the reciprocating piston
principle, and is driven by the world’s largest linear
electric motor. It has a piston at each end and the
linear motor centrally located. A subsea MEPS
station will consist of two pump units running at 90
degrees phase angle of each other. Each pump unit
will have a subsea electric frequency converter with a
common subsea multi-function stabbing connector
supplying electric power, data-communication
signals and seal oil to the pumps. The MEPS is
capable in its present prototype version of trans-
porting 40000 BPD at suction conditions of 500 psi,
GOR 1000 and a pressure increase to 1000 psi.
Future commercial versions of MEPS can be
designed to handle larger volumes and/or higher
pressure differentials.
The MEPS development project has undergone
several phases with initial feasibility studies, building
and testing of critical components, development of
subsea MEPS station and integration testing of the
MEPS pump with the pump motor control and data
communication systems. The main technical chal-
lenge during the last one and a half years has been to
arrive at a satisfactory design of the piston seals/
cylinder configuration. Satisfactory solutions to the
piston seal design were found and tested. In October
1993 the pump unit was sent to the Mobil operated
Salt Creek field, Midland, Texas for a half year test
program subjecting the pump to real testing condi-
tions. The tests commenced in February 1994 and
are expected to be completed early autum 1994. The
main objective of the tests in Salt Creek is to prove
the total MEPS system and components reliability.
The tests in Salt Creek are performed by running
the pump off a standard industry electric frequency
converter. To be able to operate the MEPS subsea, a
major part of the project has been the design and
construction of the world’s first subsea electric fre-
quency converter. This unit is scheduled to be com-
pleted in the summer of 1994. This technology will
have applications in other subsea multiphase pumps
and downhole pumps installed remote from surface
installations and driven by rotating electric motors
with variable speed. When this unit is completed it
will be integrated into the MEPS prototype and

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tested with the pump. At the end of 1994 all com-
ponents comprising a subsea MEPS will have been
tested.
Considerable further enhancements of current
prototype MEPS with respect to performance and
reliability are identified, and it is likely that these will
be incorporated in the first possible field application.
The current MEPS project is planned to be com-
pleted at the end of 1994. Several multiphase pump
concepts have reached similar maturity as has the
MEPS. It is likely that multiphase pumping will find
its way into the extraction of hydrocarbons within
this decade.