Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing rotation of an ESP motor when the motor is not powered on, thereby preventing the motor from acting as a generator when fluid flowing through the pump section of the ESP applies a torque to the motor. In one embodiment, an ESP has a motor section, a pump section. The ESP may include a directional coupling that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a pump shaft of the pump section, and a directional lock that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a housing of the motor section. The directional coupling and directional lock allow the pump shaft to freewheel in the forward direction without causing the motor shaft to rotate, and prevent the pump shaft and motor from rotating in the reverse direction.

Abstract: A pumping system is designed for deployment and retrieval through the production tubing in a live well intervention. The pumping system includes a pump driven by a motor, which may be an integrated motor or a separated motor in which the stator and rotor are separated by the production tubing. The pumping system can be provided power through a reinforced power cable that is capable of supporting the weight of some combination of the motor and pump, or through a standard power cable that is not designed to carry the weight of additional downhole components.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing rotation of an ESP motor when the motor is not powered on, thereby preventing the motor from acting as a generator when fluid flowing through the pump section of the ESP applies a torque to the motor. In one embodiment, an ESP has a motor section, a pump section. The ESP may include a directional coupling that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a pump shaft of the pump section, and a directional lock that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a housing of the motor section. The directional coupling and directional lock allow the pump shaft to freewheel in the forward direction without causing the motor shaft to rotate, and prevent the pump shaft and motor from rotating in the reverse direction.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump (ESP) isolates its motor lubricant from pumped product without requiring a bellows, diaphragm, bladder, or external lubricant pressurizing system. A pair of nested isolation chambers below the motor housing are filled with a barrier fluid that is non-reactive, non-miscible, and higher in density than the pumped product and the motor lubricant. As the motor lubricant expands and contracts after pump start-up and shut-down, motor lubricant and barrier fluid are exchanged between the motor housing and the isolation chambers via three interconnections, while pumped product is exchanged with the inner barrier chamber, while being isolated from the motor housing. The interconnections extend between the bottom of the motor housing and the bottom of the outer barrier chamber, between the top of the outer barrier chamber and the bottom of the inner barrier chamber, and between the top of the inner barrier chamber and the pumped product.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump (ESP) isolates its motor lubricant from pumped product without requiring a bellows, diaphragm, bladder, or external lubricant pressurizing system. A pair of nested isolation chambers below the motor housing are filled with a barrier fluid that is non-reactive, non-miscible, and higher in density than the pumped product and the motor lubricant. As the motor lubricant expands and contracts after pump start-up and shut-down, motor lubricant and barrier fluid are exchanged between the motor housing and the isolation chambers via three interconnections, while pumped product is exchanged with the inner barrier chamber, while being isolated from the motor housing. The interconnections extend between the bottom of the motor housing and the bottom of the outer barrier chamber, between the top of the outer barrier chamber and the bottom of the inner barrier chamber, and between the top of the inner barrier chamber and the pumped product.

Abstract: An electrical connector having an electrical conductor member with a first opening and a second opening. Grab rings mounted in the openings have inner diameters containing teeth with crests defining a superimposed inner diameter. The teeth of the grab rings deflect and frictionally engage the outer diameter of the wires to retain them in the openings. A sleeve of insulation material covers an exterior of the conductor member. The sleeve has ends that protrude past the openings and receive an insulation layer of the wires. Resilient electrical contact members are recessed from the grab rings in the openings. The electrical contact members have inner portions biased into contact with the electrical wires and outer portions biased into contact with the conductor member.

Abstract: An electrical connector having an electrical conductor member with a first opening and a second opening. Grab rings mounted in the openings have inner diameters containing teeth with crests defining a superimposed inner diameter. The teeth of the grab rings deflect and frictionally engage the outer diameter of the wires to retain them in the openings. A sleeve of insulation material covers an exterior of the conductor member. The sleeve has ends that protrude past the openings and receive an insulation layer of the wires. Resilient electrical contact members are recessed from the grab rings in the openings. The electrical contact members have inner portions biased into contact with the electrical wires and outer portions biased into contact with the conductor member.

Abstract: A string of coiled tubing having a power cable therein supports and supplies power to an electrical submersible well pump assembly in a well. The coiled tubing has an upper section and a lower section joining each other, the upper section having a smaller inner diameter than the lower section. The power cable has an upper portion installed in the upper section of the coiled tubing and a lower portion installed in the lower section of the coiled tubing. The power cable has three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket. A metal armor strip has turns wrapped helically around the jacket. The armor strip is compressed between the jacket and the coiled tubing both in the upper section and in the lower section of the coiled tubing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preventing rotation of an ESP motor when the motor is not powered on, thereby preventing the motor from acting as a generator when fluid flowing through the pump section of the ESP applies a torque to the motor. In one embodiment, an ESP has a motor section, a pump section. The ESP may include a directional coupling that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a pump shaft of the pump section, and a directional lock that allows unidirectional rotation between the motor shaft and a housing of the motor section. The directional coupling and directional lock allow the pump shaft to freewheel in the forward direction without causing the motor shaft to rotate, and prevent the pump shaft and motor from rotating in the reverse direction.

Abstract: A downhole well pump assembly includes a pump and a motor. The motor has a motor housing with a motor head adapter on one end, the motor head adapter having a threaded connector. A seal section seals around a shaft of the motor, the seal section having a seal section adapter connected to the motor head adapter with the threaded connector. The motor head adapter and the motor housing have cylindrical exterior surfaces and end faces that face each other, defining a joint between the end faces. A first strip of metal foil is welded around the exterior surfaces of the motor head adapter and the motor housing at the joint, sealing the entry of well fluids into the joint.

Abstract: A method for installing an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in a well containing a production conduit includes securing an ESP to a lower end of a coiled tubing segment containing an electrical power cable. An operator secures a load transfer device with a gripping member to the coiled tubing segment above the ESP. The operator lowers the coiled tubing segment into the well along with the ESP and the load transfer device. The load transfer device contacts an interior side wall of the production conduit with the gripping member and transfers a load on the coiled tubing segment to the production conduit. When powered, the ESP causes well fluid to flow upward from the ESP through the load transfer device up the production conduit.

Abstract: A string of coiled tubing having a power cable therein supports and supplies power to an electrical submersible well pump assembly in a well. The coiled tubing has an upper section and a lower section joining each other, the upper section having a smaller inner diameter than the lower section. The power cable has an upper portion installed in the upper section of the coiled tubing and a lower portion installed in the lower section of the coiled tubing. The power cable has three insulated electrical conductors embedded within an elastomeric jacket. A metal armor strip has turns wrapped helically around the jacket. The armor strip is compressed between the jacket and the coiled tubing both in the upper section and in the lower section of the coiled tubing.

Abstract: A downhole well pump assembly includes a pump and a motor. The motor has a motor housing with a motor head adapter on one end, the motor head adapter having a threaded connector. A seal section seals around a shaft of the motor, the seal section having a seal section adapter connected to the motor head adapter with the threaded connector. The motor head adapter and the motor housing have cylindrical exterior surfaces and end faces that face each other, defining a joint between the end faces. A first strip of metal foil is welded around the exterior surfaces of the motor head adapter and the motor housing at the joint, sealing the entry of well fluids into the joint.

Abstract: A method for installing an electrical submersible pump (ESP) in a well containing a production conduit includes securing an ESP to a lower end of a coiled tubing segment containing an electrical power cable. An operator secures a load transfer device with a gripping member to the coiled tubing segment above the ESP. The operator lowers the coiled tubing segment into the well along with the ESP and the load transfer device. The load transfer device contacts an interior side wall of the production conduit with the gripping member and transfers a load on the coiled tubing segment to the production conduit. When powered, the ESP causes well fluid to flow upward from the ESP through the load transfer device up the production conduit.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pumping system includes a well fluid pump driven by a three-phase motor. The motor has a stack of motor laminations mounted in a housing. The motor laminations have axially aligned slots spaced circumferentially around a bore. Motor windings are wound through the slots for receiving three-phase power provided to the motor. At least one set of three control lines extend axially through the motor laminations radially outward from the bore and equally spaced around the axis, The control lines may extend through channels on the outer diameter of the motor laminations. The control lines may also extend through the same slots that contain the windings. The control lines extend to a downhole element below the motor for controlling the downhole element.

Abstract: Systems and methods for connecting power cables to downhole equipment such as ESPs using side-exit (radial) connections. In one embodiment, a system includes an electric drive coupled by a power cable to an ESP. The electric drive is positioned at the surface of a well with the power cable coupled to it. The power cable extends into the well bore and is coupled to the downhole equipment which is positioned in the well bore. The power cable has a connector with a first set of radially oriented terminals (the terminals are perpendicular to the conductors of the power cable). These terminals engage a second set of terminals that are installed in the downhole equipment. The radial orientation of the terminals of the connector and downhole equipment allow the power cable to remain axially oriented, thereby facilitating engagement of the terminals and requiring less annular space in the well bore.

Abstract: Systems and methods for constructing electric motors including both permanent magnet elements and inductive elements. In one embodiment, a motor is implemented of an ESP system has multiple rotor sections that are mounted end-to-end within the bore of the stator. The permanent magnet elements and inductive elements may be combined within individual rotor sections, or they may be segregated so that one rotor section has only one type or the other. The inductive elements of the rotor allow the motor to be started without a VFD, and without knowing the position of the rotor within the motor. The permanent magnet elements synchronize the rotor with the rotating stator fields when the rotor approaches the operating frequency of the drive.

Abstract: A well pump includes a plunger reciprocally carried within a barrel between up stroke and down stroke positions. A tubular linear actuator housing located below the barrel has a rotatable rotor. An array of rotor magnets is mounted to the rotor, directing rotor magnetic fields in an outward direction. A cage is fixed against rotation relative to the housing and carried within the housing for axial movement relative to the rotor and the housing. The cage has a cylindrical inner sidewall surrounding the outer sidewall of the rotor. An array of cage magnets is mounted to the inner sidewall of the cage. The cage magnets direct cage magnetic fields in an inward direction relative to the axis. The cage and rotor magnetic fields interact such rotation of the rotor causes axial movement of the cage. A motor rotates the rotor.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pumping system includes a well fluid pump driven by a three-phase motor. The motor has a stack of motor laminations mounted in a housing. The motor laminations have axially aligned slots spaced circumferentially around a bore. Motor windings are wound through the slots for receiving three-phase power provided to the motor. At least one set of three control lines extend axially through the motor laminations radially outward from the bore and equally spaced around the axis, The control lines may extend through channels on the outer diameter of the motor laminations. The control lines may also extend through the same slots that contain the windings. The control lines extend to a downhole element below the motor for controlling the downhole element.

Abstract: A submersible well pump assembly include a rotary pump driven by an electrical motor. A seal section operably connects between the motor and the pump for reducing a pressure differential between motor oil in the motor and well fluid surrounding the pump assembly. The pump assembly contains a sealed fluid. A sensor mounted to the well pump assembly detects contamination of the sealed fluid by well fluid encroaching into contact with the sealed fluid. The sensor may be mounted in the motor or the seal section to detect well fluid contamination of motor oil. The sensor may be mounted in a secondary pump that has that has temporary barriers to block the entry of well fluid into a buffer fluid contained in the secondary pump while the secondary pump is in a storage condition within a well.