Abstract: A protection system for an artificial lift device including but not limited to electrical submersible pump (ESP) and an electrical submersible progressing cavity pup (ESPCP). The artificial lift device is suspended on a tubing string into a wellbore where the artificial lift device contacts well fluids. The artificial lift device is provided with a barrier such as an intake barrier or output barrier that deters an ingress of well fluids into the artificial lift device. As a result, the artificial lift device may remain idle and submerged within well fluids for an extended period of time without experiencing degradation of the artificial lift device internals. The intake barrier may include a plug, burst disk, dissolvable material, a selectively openable barrier such as a sleeve or a spring biased member or other member that is capable of providing a suitable barrier. The barrier may be removed once the artificial lift device is ready for operation.

Abstract: A three phase power cable is employed to transmit data encoded in a phase-to-phase manner within a high frequency carrier signal transmitted simultaneously with power transmitted from surface equipment to downhole components. The high frequency carrier signal is transmitted on all conductors of the power cable, with the signal carried on at least two phases or conductors modulated between the two conductors to encode data between the two phases. Any modulation technique may be employed. Multiple phase-to-phase signals may be encoded and transmitted between different pairs of the power cable conductors, or the same data may be encoded and transmitted in multiple phase-to-phase signals in either a single-ended or differential manner. The high frequency carrier may be employed to transmit data from sensors downhole to the surface equipment, control signals from the surface equipment to the downhole components, or both.