Intakes and Gas Separartors: S 2 S 3 R 3 R G S 3 S 4 S 4 G I P 4
Intakes and Gas Separartors: S 2 S 3 R 3 R G S 3 S 4 S 4 G I P 4
Intakes and Gas Separartors: S 2 S 3 R 3 R G S 3 S 4 S 4 G I P 4
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INTAKES AND GAS SEPARARTORS
Fluid is admitted to the inlet of an ESP through an intake mounted between the base of
the pump and the protector section. The rotating drive shaft from the motor to the
pump passes through the middle of the intake. Three types of pump intake are in
common use. These are standard intakes, static (shrouds and reverse flow) gas
separators and rotary gas separators. The choice of intake utilised will be dependent on
either cooling requirements or the ability of the pump to handle anticipated fee gas
volumes at the pump intake.
Electric submersible pumps are limited in so far as they have low tolerance for gas. As
discussed in the last section the head generated by a given impeller is constant for a
fixed rotational speed and fluid throughput and is independent of fluid density. Pump
discharge pressure, however, is dependent on fluid density. As a result of this, if an
impeller is attempting to pump gas, the pump discharge pressure may not be high enough
(although the head developed is constant) to support the liquid column already above the
pump discharge. When this occurs rapid deterioration of pump performance is noted,
with unstable head production and effects similar to cavitation, which may be detected
at surface as underload. Depending on the amount of free gas through the pump these
effects may vary from slight interference to "gas locking".
Gas
Lock
Figure:Free Gas takes Up Volume within Figure:Gas increase leads to Gas Lock
the Impeller
Pump intakes are selected based on the anticipated volume of free gas of the pump
intake. If the well is producing at pressures above bubble point then there will be no
free gas and a conventional intake may be used. Traditionally a rule of thumb has been
used which suggests that when gas volumes (defined as in-situ gas volume at the pump
intake/divided by total gas plus liquid volume) exceeds 10% at the pump intake, then gas
effects will need to be taken into account for the system design.
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INTAKES AND GAS SEPARARTORS
Standard intakes
Standard intakes have several large ports approximately 25 mm (1") in diameter leading
directly to the bottom stage of the pump . A screen to prevent larger pieces of debris
entering the pump surrounds the ports. Standard intakes are normally equipped with
bushings or bearings to support the drive shaft, but do not take any power from the
shaft. Standard intakes can only be used in wells where the fluid contains little or no
A standard intake does not separate gas. Some separation
might occur but there will only be natural separation due to
some of the gas not ‘turning’ into the intake when the rest
of the fluid does.
Shrouds
The simplest form of separation is achieved by positioning the pump assembly in the well
below the perforations, and connection of a shroud below the pump inlet, covering the
protector’s and motor. This causes the fluid to be drawn into the pump from below the
point of gas entry into the well. Gravity separation occurs in the annulus around the
pump or tubing with the gas tending to migrate upwards, with only the denser liquids
flowing downwards and entering the shroud. The efficiency of separation, which can be
achieved with a shroud, is limited. Shrouds are always used when a motor is positioned
below the point of fluid entry to ensure that the motor is efficiently cooled. They may
also be used when a small pump is placed in a large casing to increase the fluid velocity
past the motor for cooling purposes.
In this separator the fluid is drawn through the inlet ports and
travels down the outer of two concentric passages. At the lower
end of this passage, ports allow the fluid to pass into an inner
annular passage though which it is drawn by an impeller turned by
the pump drive-shaft. The fluid flows through the inner passage to
the pump inlet. The impeller absorbs a small amount of power from
the drive shaft, but this is normally negligible. Efficiencies
achievable with this type of separator are typically low and its use
is not recommended unless free gas volumes are very low.
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INTAKES AND GAS SEPARARTORS
If large quantities of gas are present in the borehole a centrifugal separator may be
required. A centrifugal separator consists of a stationary outer housing within which a
spiral inducer and centrifuge or vortex assembly is rotated by the pump drive shaft.
Well fluid is drawn through intake ports into the separator by the spiral inducer. The
fluid is compressed by the inducer and discharged into the vanes of a centrifuge or
vortex inducing rotor. Within the centrifuge or vortex the fluid mixture is rotated
causing the denser liquids to migrate towards the outer wall, while the gas collects along
the central axis.
High separation efficiencies can be achieved with rotary separators in high GOR
conditions. However, they are unable to function effectively under slug flow conditions
under which the fluid at the intake is intermittently 100% gas.
Summary
Separation efficiency
Testing conducted at Tulsa University actually showed that natural separation could be
as much as 60% and that with a Schlumberger rotary gas separator, total separation
efficiencies could be as high as 99%.
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INTAKES AND GAS SEPARARTORS
Testing has also indicated that gas separators do have definitive flow ranges where they
are effective and others where they are not.
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