Abstract: An electrical submersible pump comprising a fallback bearing protection system, the system comprising: locking member; boot pivotally connected to shaft of electrical submersible pump adjacent to locking member, wherein the boot comprises a sloped outer wall capable of forming a fluid boundary thereby diverting fallback fluid away from uppermost bearing of electrical submersible pump; ridge disposed on the sloped outer wall of the boot.

Abstract: A bushing anti-rotation system and apparatus. A bushing anti-rotation system includes an impeller and diffuser stage including a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through the stage, the diffuser having an inner diameter defining a bore, a bearing set including a bushing pressed into the inner diameter, and a rotatable sleeve inward of the bushing, and means for wedging the bushing against the inner diameter of the diffuser, wherein the means for wedging provides a mechanical lock against rotation of the bushing. The means for wedging the bushing against the diffuser includes one of a key wedged between an eccentric cavity in the diffuser and a notch in the bushing, a pin protruding from the diffuser against a flattened portion of the bushing, a square-shaped bushing secured into a square-shaped bore, a bent retaining ring having a bent end that wedges against a diffuser groove wall, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A crossover of an electric submersible pump (ESP) gas separator. The crossover comprises a skirt defining a plurality of exits, passageways, and entrances, each exit associated with one of the passageways and one of the entrances, wherein each entrance is proximate to an inner chamber of the gas separator and a jacket circumferentially surrounding the skirt and defining a plurality of exits, wherein the rotational position of the jacket relative to the skirt is adjustable.

Abstract: A retaining ring anti-migration system and method. A retaining ring anti-migration system for a centrifugal pump shaft includes a pair of trap sleeves that enclose a pair of retaining rings, one retaining ring around each end of the shaft enclosed by one trap sleeve, the pair of retaining rings configured to bound axial migration of the shaft both upwards and downwards. A retaining ring anti-migration system includes a retaining ring seated in a shaft groove extending circumferentially around an electric submersible pump (ESP) shaft, a trap sleeve extending around the ESP shaft adjacent to the retaining ring, the trap sleeve including a sleeve body secured to the ESP shaft such that the trap sleeve rotates with the ESP shaft, and a jacket extending axially from the sleeve body over an outer diameter of the retaining ring with a clearance between the shaft and the jacket.

Abstract: A fallback prevention valve apparatus, system and method is described. An electric submersible pump (ESP) fallback prevention system includes an ESP assembly positioned in a downhole well, the ESP assembly including production tubing extending between a centrifugal pump and a surface of the downhole well such that during operation of the ESP assembly production fluid flows upward from the centrifugal pump through the production tubing to the surface, the production tubing including a fallback valve actuatable by the flow of production fluid, the fallback valve actuatable between an open position, wherein production fluid flowing upward through the fallback valve actuates the fallback valve into the open position, and a closed position, wherein production fluid flowing downward through the fallback valve actuates the fallback valve into the closed position, the closed position blocking sand carried by the production fluid from falling into the centrifugal pump.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for sealing an electrical submersible pump (ESP) assembly are described. An ESP system includes a top portion of a seal section including a sand barrier portion defined by a sand barrier stop secured between the ESP intake and an adapter portion, the sand barrier portion including a sand barrier wedged between the sand barrier stop and the adapter portion, the adapter portion encasing a mechanical seal and secured between the sand barrier portion and a head portion, the head portion secured between the adapter portion and a seal section housing, the head portion including a thrust bearing and a thrust runner, wherein each of the thrust bearing and the thrust runner includes at least one pad having a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on an outer surface.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) dual gas and sand separator is described. An ESP system includes a dual gas and sand separator having a fluid flow pathway including an upward turn and a downward turn, the upward turn separating solids from a fluid flowing through the pathway and the downward turn separating gas from the fluid, the dual separator including a sand sump below the fluid flow pathway. The separator includes tubing that extends below the ESP assembly, at least a portion of the tubing including two concentric pipes. A dual gas and sand separating method includes causing pumped fluid to turn from upwards to downwards and then upwards again in a tortious pathway below the ESP assembly before the fluid travels into a centrifugal pump intake, and collecting solids that separate out of the multiphase fluid in a solid sump coupled below the tortious pathway.

Abstract: A press-fit thrust bearing system and apparatus. A press-fit thrust bearing for an electric submersible pump includes a protruding band extending around a midsection of a bushing, the protruding band extending inward towards a drive shaft, outward towards a diffuser, or both. When extending outwardly, the band is press-fit into the diffuser to prevent dislodgment of the bushing. A non-rotating guide sleeve extends around the bushing above the protruding band, the guide sleeve interlocking with the protruding band to prevent rotation of the bushing. The guide sleeve includes a projection, the protruding band has a channel and the projection mates with the channel to form the interlock. A pair of flanged, rotatable bearing sleeves extend inwards of the single bushing and are keyed to the drive shaft. The top and bottom faces of the bushing serve as thrust handling surfaces.

Abstract: A diffuser anti-rotation system and apparatus is described. A diffuser anti-rotation system includes a circumferential coupling ring interlocked between a top of a first diffuser and a bottom of an adjacent diffuser. One end of the first diffuser includes at least one male register tab, the opposing end of the adjacent diffuser has at least one female register slot, and the coupling ring interlocks with the male register tab and the female register slot. One of the male register tabs and one of the female register slots are aligned axially and a single projection from the coupling ring interlocks with both the male register tab and the axially aligned female register slot. Impellers are mated with and rotating within each of the first diffuser and the adjacent diffuser, and the interlocked coupling ring prevents rotation of the first diffuser with respect to the adjacent diffuser.

Abstract: A press-fit thrust bearing system and apparatus. A press-fit thrust bearing for an electric submersible pump includes a protruding band extending around a midsection of a bushing, the protruding band extending inward towards a drive shaft, outward towards a diffuser, or both. When extending outwardly, the band is press-fit into the diffuser to prevent dislodgment of the bushing. A non-rotating guide sleeve extends around the bushing above the protruding band, the guide sleeve interlocking with the protruding band to prevent rotation of the bushing. The guide sleeve includes a projection, the protruding band has a channel and the projection mates with the channel to form the interlock. A pair of flanged, rotatable bearing sleeves extend inwards of the single bushing and are keyed to the drive shaft. The top and bottom faces of the bushing serve as thrust handling surfaces.

Abstract: Centrifugal pump sealing surfaces are described. A multi-stage centrifugal pump includes an impeller between a first diffuser and a second diffuser, a plurality of sealing surfaces formed by at least one diffuser inlet ring of the first diffuser interspersed between at least two concentric balance rings of the impeller, and at least one annular diffuser exit skirt of the second diffuser interspersed between at least two concentric annular skirts of the impeller. A multi-stage centrifugal pump includes an impeller including a plurality of concentric annular impeller sealing surfaces mated to a plurality of concentric annular diffuser sealing surfaces, the diffuser sealing surfaces extending toward the impeller from a diffuser stacked adjacent to the impeller, wherein the impeller sealing surfaces and the diffuser sealing surfaces interlock to form a plurality of tight clearances and a tortuous leak path for well fluid lifted by the centrifugal pump.

Abstract: A press-fit thrust bearing system and apparatus. A press-fit thrust bearing for an electric submersible pump includes a protruding band extending around a midsection of a bushing, the protruding band extending inward towards a drive shaft, outward towards a diffuser, or both. When extending outwardly, the band is press-fit into the diffuser to prevent dislodgment of the bushing. A non-rotating guide sleeve extends around the bushing above the protruding band, the guide sleeve interlocking with the protruding band to prevent rotation of the bushing. The guide sleeve includes a projection, the protruding band has a channel and the projection mates with the channel to form the interlock. A pair of flanged, rotatable bearing sleeves extend inwards of the single bushing and are keyed to the drive shaft. The top and bottom faces of the bushing serve as thrust handling surfaces.

Abstract: A torque transfer system for centrifugal pumps. A torque transfer system for a centrifugal pump includes a bearing sleeve above an impeller, the bearing sleeve and a hub of the impeller surrounding a rotatable shaft and coupled to the rotatable shaft by a key, the bearing sleeve having a stepped bottom edge, a top edge of the hub stepped inversely to the bottom edge of the bearing sleeve such that the top edge and the bottom edge interlock with a clearance between longitudinally extending portions of the interlocked edges, wherein upon reduction of torque transference between the key and the sleeve, the clearance closes such that the longitudinally extending portion of the stepped top edge contacts the longitudinally extending portion of the stepped bottom edge thereby maintaining rotation of the sleeve with the rotatable shaft. A centrifugal pump includes modules with a series of stepped, interlocked impellers.

Abstract: A torque transfer system for centrifugal pumps. A torque transfer system for a centrifugal pump includes a bearing sleeve above an impeller, the bearing sleeve and a hub of the impeller surrounding a rotatable shaft and coupled to the rotatable shaft by a key, the bearing sleeve having a stepped bottom edge, a top edge of the hub stepped inversely to the bottom edge of the bearing sleeve such that the top edge and the bottom edge interlock with a clearance between longitudinally extending portions of the interlocked edges, wherein upon reduction of torque transference between the key and the sleeve, the clearance closes such that the longitudinally extending portion of the stepped top edge contacts the longitudinally extending portion of the stepped bottom edge thereby maintaining rotation of the sleeve with the rotatable shaft. A centrifugal pump includes modules with a series of stepped, interlocked impellers.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for reducing gas to liquid ratios in submersible pump applications are described. A method for reducing a gas to liquid ratio (GLR) in a pumped fluid includes pumping a gas laden fluid to a surface of a subsurface formation using a downhole electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly including an ESP pump and an ESP motor, monitoring one of a load of the ESP motor, intake pressure of the ESP pump, temperature of the gas laden fluid, or a combination thereof to obtain ESP assembly condition data, determining whether a GLR of the gas laden fluid exceeds a predetermined allowable maximum based on the ESP assembly condition data, injecting liquid from an external source into the gas laden fluid, and varying a rate that the external liquid is injected based on the GLR so determined.

Abstract: A torque transmitting key for electrical submersible pumps (ESP). An ESP system includes a rotatable shaft and a sleeve coupled to the rotatable shaft by an elongate key, the elongate key made of a carbide composite material, the carbide composite material including a carbide selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide, titanium carbide and silicon carbide, and a composite material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel and a combination of cobalt and nickel. An ESP system includes an elongate torque transmitting key, the elongate key coupling an ESP rotatable component to an ESP shaft such that the ESP rotatable component rotates with the ESP shaft, the elongate torque transmitting key seated in a keyway of the ESP rotatable component and a keyway of the ESP shaft, and the elongate torque transmitting key having a load optimizing cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: A bushing anti-rotation system and apparatus. A bushing anti-rotation system includes an impeller and diffuser stage including a rotatable shaft extending longitudinally through the stage, the diffuser having an inner diameter defining a bore, a bearing set including a bushing pressed into the inner diameter, and a rotatable sleeve inward of the bushing, and means for wedging the bushing against the inner diameter of the diffuser, wherein the means for wedging provides a mechanical lock against rotation of the bushing. The means for wedging the bushing against the diffuser includes one of a key wedged between an eccentric cavity in the diffuser and a notch in the bushing, a pin protruding from the diffuser against a flattened portion of the bushing, a square-shaped bushing secured into a square-shaped bore, a bent retaining ring having a bent end that wedges against a diffuser groove wall, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An electric submersible pump (ESP) assembly bearing is described. A bearing set for an ESP assembly includes a rotatable sleeve, and a bushing outward of the rotatable sleeve, the bushing including a tubular portion, and a radial flange extending around a downstream side of the tubular portion. An ESP assembly includes a rotatable shaft, at least one stage stacked in series on the rotatable shaft, each stage including a diffuser, a stationary bearing member including a tubular portion secured within a working fluid exit of the diffuser, a stationary member flange extending radially outward from a top of the tubular portion, and a rotatable sleeve inward of the stationary bearing member and secured to the rotatable shaft. A bearing set for an ESP assembly includes a bushing including a tubular portion, and an annular retaining ring groove extending around an outer surface of the tubular portion.

Abstract: A press-fit bearing locking system, apparatus and method is described. A press-fit bearing locking system includes a diffuser having a diffuser groove on an inner diameter (ID), a bushing comprising an outer diameter (OD) press-fit into the grooved ID of the diffuser, the OD of the bushing having a bushing groove tracing a path of the diffuser groove, and a high thermal expansion material (HTEM) key seated within the bushing groove. A press-fit bearing locking method includes seating a HTEM key inside a groove on an OD of a bushing, press-fitting the bushing with HTEM key into a diffuser such that the bushing groove is opposite a groove on an ID of the diffuser, operating an electric submersible pump assembly including the diffuser during a temperature rise, and allowing the HTEM key to expand into the diffuser groove during the temperature rise to lock the bushing against the diffuser.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump impeller support system and apparatus is described. A centrifugal pump includes an impeller including an impeller eye skirt extending axially from an eye of the impeller, and in certain stages, a balance ring skirt, and an impeller support insert secured around an outer diameter of at least one of the impeller skirts, each of the at least one impeller support inserts including a sleeve extending tubularly around the impeller skirt, and a flange extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the centrifugal pump shaft. A diffuser stacked adjacent to the impeller includes a bushing secured around an inner diameter of the diffuser flow exit outward of the impeller eye skirt support insert or a bushing secured around an inner diameter of the flow entrance outward of the balance ring skirt support insert.