Abstract: Systems and methods facilitate pumping of various fluids such as well fluids. An electric submersible pumping system is constructed with an outer housing that contains an integrated pump and motor. The pump may include an impeller disposed within a stator of the motor. The integration of the pump and the motor enables elimination of various components of traditional electric submersible pumping systems to thus provide a simpler and more compact system for pumping fluids.

Abstract: Electric submersible pump and other centrifugal pump stages having non-axisymmetric components and passage contours are disclosed. Such a component can be a shrouded impeller having a non-axisymmetric profile for its hub and/or shroud.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump includes a plurality of centrifugal pump stages, each stage including a rotating impeller and a stationary diffuser mounted on a shaft coupled to a motor. An upthrust washer can be disposed axially between an impeller and its associated diffuser at or near a tip of the impeller, and the gap between the impeller tip and diffuser can define the end play or axial clearance for the pump. If the upthrust washer wears away, upthrust rubbing occurs at the impeller tip instead of proximate the pump shaft to advantageously help protect the shaft from damage or failure related to heat. In some ESPs, an upthrust bearing assembly can be located at the pump head. A downthrust washer can be disposed in an upstream facing groove of the impeller. The downthrust washer can have a thickness greater than 0.10 in.

Abstract: A mixed-flow impeller for an electric submersible pump can include a lower end and an upper end; a hub that includes a through bore that defines an axis; blades that extend at least in part radially outward from the hub where each of the blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; an upper balance ring that includes a radially inward facing balance chamber surface and a radially outward facing diffuser clearance surface; and an upper guard ring disposed radially outwardly from the upper balance ring where the upper guard ring includes an axially facing diffuser clearance surface that is disposed axially between the trailing edges of the blades and the upper end.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.

Abstract: Electric submersible pump and other centrifugal pump stages having non-axisymmetric components and passage contours are disclosed. Such a component can be a shrouded impeller having a non-axisymmetric profile for its hub and/or shroud.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump includes a plurality of centrifugal pump stages, each stage including a rotating impeller and a stationary diffuser mounted on a shaft coupled to a motor. An upthrust washer can be disposed axially between an impeller and its associated diffuser at or near a tip of the impeller, and the gap between the impeller tip and diffuser can define the end play or axial clearance for the pump. If the upthrust washer wears away, upthrust rubbing occurs at the impeller tip instead of proximate the pump shaft to advantageously help protect the shaft from damage or failure related to heat. In some ESPs, an upthrust bearing assembly can be located at the pump head. A downthrust washer can be disposed in an upstream facing groove of the impeller. The downthrust washer can have a thickness greater than 0.10 in.

Abstract: Systems and methods facilitate pumping of various fluids such as well fluids. An electric submersible pumping system is constructed with an outer housing that contains an integrated pump and motor. The pump may include an impeller disposed within a stator of the motor. The integration of the pump and the motor enables elimination of various components of traditional electric submersible pumping systems to thus provide a simpler and more compact system for pumping fluids.

Abstract: A system includes a reception interface that receives sensor data of an artificial lift system disposed at least in part in a well; an analysis engine that, based at least in part on a portion of the sensor data, outputs values of state variables of the artificial lift system; and a transmitter interface that transmits information, based at least in part on a portion of the values of state variables, to a surface controller operatively coupled to the artificial lift system.

Abstract: A mixed-flow impeller for an electric submersible pump can include a lower end and an upper end; a hub that includes a through bore that defines an axis; blades that extend at least in part radially outward from the hub where each of the blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; an upper balance ring that includes a radially inward facing balance chamber surface and a radially outward facing diffuser clearance surface; and an upper guard ring disposed radially outwardly from the upper balance ring where the upper guard ring includes an axially facing diffuser clearance surface that is disposed axially between the trailing edges of the blades and the upper end.

Abstract: A mixed-flow impeller for an electric submersible pump can include a lower end and an upper end; a hub that includes a through bore that defines an axis; blades that extend at least in part radially outward from the hub where each of the blades includes a leading edge and a trailing edge; an upper balance ring that includes a radially inward facing balance chamber surface and a radially outward facing diffuser clearance surface; and an upper guard ring disposed radially outwardly from the upper balance ring where the upper guard ring includes an axially facing diffuser clearance surface that is disposed axially between the trailing edges of the blades and the upper end.

Abstract: A system includes a reception interface that receives sensor data of an artificial lift system disposed at least in part in a well; an analysis engine that, based at least in part on a portion of the sensor data, outputs values of state variables of the artificial lift system; and a transmitter interface that transmits information, based at least in part on a portion of the values of state variables, to a surface controller operatively coupled to the artificial lift system.

Abstract: Wear rings for electric submersible pump (ESP) stages are provided. An example ESP has one or more running clearance seals reinforced with high-hardness wear rings. Ceramics and carbides may provide the high hardness for the wear rings, but such substances are more brittle than metals and have different coefficients of thermal expansion than metals. For protection, each high-hardness wear ring may be mounted with an elastic cushioning scheme. The elastic mounting preserves each wear ring from shock, stress, and breakage from thermal expansion and contraction of an adjacent pump part. Each high-hardness wear ring may also have a low-stress driving mechanism that cushions the rotational force imparted to the wear ring when the ESP pump is being powered. In some implementations, the elastic mounting scheme may also serve as the low-stress driving mechanism for the high-hardness wear ring.

Abstract: A technique facilitates operation of a pump, such as a submersible pump in an electric submersible pumping system. The pump has a sequential diffuser and impeller which are operationally engaged via a thrust device. In some embodiments, the diffuser and impeller also are operationally engaged via a front seal. A bypass channel is used to route a flow of fluid from a tip region of the impeller to an inlet region of the impeller without passing through the thrust device during operation of the pump.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump system can include a shaft; at least one impeller operatively coupled to the shaft; and a bearing assembly that rotatably supports the shaft, where at least one component of the electric submersible pump includes a volumetric composite material that includes polycrystalline diamond material and at least one metallic material.

Abstract: A method for evaluating operation of an electric submersible pumping (ESP) system is shown. The method includes receiving first sensor data from sensors monitoring operation of the ESP system. The method further includes using a physical model of the electric submersible pumping system to determine second sensor data. The method further includes processing the first sensor data and the second sensor data to determine an first system state as a function of operating time. The method further includes generating a degradation model and applying the degradation model to the first sensor data and the second sensor data to generate a time prediction. The method further includes adjusting operation of the electric submersible pumping system in response to the predictor of the time to failure of the components.

Abstract: A technique facilitates formulation of predictions regarding the run life of a pumping system. Based on the predicted run life, and factors affecting that predicted run life, corrective actions may be selected and implemented. The corrective actions may involve adjustment of operational parameters regarding the pumping system so as to prolong the actual run life of the pumping system. The technique utilizes an algorithm which combines various models, e.g. physical models and degradation models, to provide various failure/run life predictions. The various models may utilize a variety of sensor data, such as actual sensor data and virtual sensor data, to both evaluate the state of the pumping system and the predicted run life of the pumping system.

Abstract: A technique employs a system and methodology for improving sand control in pumps. The technique may be used in centrifugal pumps by providing uniquely constructed rib feature to facilitate sand control and thus reduction of erosion due to sand in the pumped fluid. The improved sand control is useful in centrifugal pumps employed in a variety of oilfield applications, such as in electric submersible pumping systems positioned downhole in a wellbore to pump oil or other fluids. The rib feature may be used in combination with a shield and arranged along diffuser bowl walls or other diffuser walls within sequential pump stages.

Abstract: A method for controlling an ESP-lifted well in an optimal fashion using the ESP speed and choke opening as actuators subject to operational constraints.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) with reduced vibration is provided. In an implementation, an ESP section has radial bearings placed at shaft locations of reduced vibration to reduce wear. The locations of reduced vibration are selected to avoid areas of high vibration and vibrational waves that reinforce each other due to structure resonance and natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a radial bearing is positioned at a node of reduced vibration of a standing vibrational wave. In an implementation, a succession of multiple radial bearings are spaced at different intervals from each other to avoid conventional even spacing of the bearings that causes standing waves, resonance waves, and vibrational waves at natural excitation frequencies. In an implementation, a span between adjacent radial bearings is selected to spare other adjacent bearings at different spans the effects of vibrations that may extend over a range of excitation frequencies in the ESP section.