Enhancing the Reliability and Performance of Electrical Submersible Pumps: A Comprehensive Approach to Achieve a Historical MTBF And FI

Abstract A mature field in Ecuador had a concerning trend for electrical submersible pumps (ESPs), showing a decline in mean time between failures (MTBF) to a low of 516 days and a failure index (FI) of 0.5 in 2021. Improvements were necessary to enhance ESP performance and reliability. Since 2023, following implementation of improvement measures, MTBF reach more than 900 days and a FI of 0.32. The measures not only enhanced ESP reliability but also boosted field production and reduced emissions by requiring fewer workover jobs. To enhance the field MTBF and FI, several action plans were set to enable timely notifications of potential issues and enhance remote monitoring and surveillance capabilities. Also, to enhance flow assurance, new completion architectures for chemical treatment were implemented, such as ESPs with Y-tools and tail pipes with 360° injection tools, to lower chemical injection near the reservoir. In the same way, solids management was improved by designing desanders with chemical injection crossover to prevent scale deposition. Robust ESP equipment with improved of shaft stabilization and thrust bearing technology, better tubing and capillary metallurgy, and mechanical protection of motor lead extensions has optimized performance and increase MTBFin challenging oil and gas environments. The implemented action plans reversed the trend of declining ESP performance. Continuous ESP monitoring provided timely notifications of potential issues, giving the opportunity to improve the behavior of the ESP and prevent failures. The synergy between the ESP monitoring department and the monitoring infrastructure was crucial to develop improvement plans and a correct diagnosis of a potential failures. The improvement of chemical injection methods and the introduction of new tools and technologies made ESP equipment designs more robust and reliable. By accurately identifying the failure modes, the entire team was able to develop proactive strategies to mitigate risks and enhance the overall performance and longevity of the ESPs. All the actions implemented gave us the opportunity to reach an MTBF that exceeds 900 days. During the development of these improvement plans, there was a 30% decrease in production losses. These improvements also significantly contributed to sustainability by minimizing rig interventions due to well failures, leading to a decrease of approximately 63 metric tons of CO2 emissions released into the environment in 2023.