American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2012 - 189

Production Technology
as generators during a portion of the
pumping cycle and supply energy rather
than consume it, Fernandez points out.
During those portions of each cycle, the
controller adapts the power system to
compensate for it. Each unit includes a
soft start feature that lets the motor transition smoothly from rest to full speed,
which reduces mechanical stress on the
motor and the pumping equipment, he
adds.
"It is difficult to measure the cost
from wear on equipment that goes to full
start immediately and is subject to that
immediate stress, but the difference of
the impact from a soft start feature is
very pronounced," Fernandez says. "If a
company invests $1 million a year replacing belts, for example, a 20-50 percent
reduction in expense would be substantial."
The controller also reduces the highdemand penalty cost charged by utility
companies. By regulating the power as
needed, motor life is extended because
the equipment runs cooler overall, he
notes. "The life expectancy of the electric
motor is reduced with each degree of
temperature rise," points out Fernandez.
"It could very well extend the life of a
motor by 50 to 75 percent."
The MOTORWISE control includes
solid-state technology in a weatherproof
cabinet that can be installed on a pole or
to the back of a pumping unit. After installation, there is no maintenance because
there are no moving parts, fuses or contactors, according to Fernandez.
The company has worked with selected
operators to demonstrate the technology's
performance in the field, he reports. "In
the Permian Basin, operators have seen
savings of more than 20 percent on their
electric bills from operating more than
1,000 wells with the controller installed,"
Fernandez states. "Electricity consumption
is often the highest cost associated with
operating a well, and reduced electricity
consumption results in real savings that
go straight to the bottom line."
The payout period for a MOTORWISE
installation varies based on the rates operators pay per kilowatt hour and on how
often individual pumps run, but Fernandez
says it averages from 24 to 36 months."We
are seeing net present value of more than
$2 million for each $1 million invested
in this equipment," he concludes. "The
internal rate of return for operating companies can range between 30 and 50 per-

cent over 10 years."
High-Temperature ESP System
Schlumberger's new third-generation
electric submersible pump for steam-assisted recovery operations and geothermal
applications already is enhancing production for heavy oil producers in western

Shaft seal module
(four seals)

Thrust chamber
Pot head
plug-in sub

Motor stator with
integrated winding
temperature sensor

Monitoring connection
Fluid pressure and
temperature gauge
housing

Volumetric
compensating
bellow housing

Primary compensation
system intake filter

The REDA HotlineSA3™ high-temperature ESP from Schlumberger is helping
operators bring production on faster
and reduce downtime and associated
workover costs in heavy oil operations.
The higher temperature tolerance could
ultimately boost recovery rates in heavy
oil projects while extending run times
and improving reliability.

Canada and the Middle East, according
to Sergio Oscar Peric, product champion
for Hotline systems.
In addition to increasing production,
the REDA HotlineSA3™ high-temperature
ESP system is helping operators bring
production on faster and reduce downtime
and associated workover costs, Peric says,
noting that the pump is designed to withstand bottom-hole temperatures to 250
degrees C (482 degrees F) to accommodate
demand for higher-temperature equipment
to maximize recovery, especially in western Canadian tar sands.
"The higher temperature rating allows
operators to install the ESP at the earliest
stages of developing the drainage chambers, when pressure and temperature are
highest in SAGD heavy oil recovery
wells," he says.
Peric says the hotter temperature tolerance could potentially boost recovery by
an additional 15-22 percent from current
values in such wells. "We do not have
hard data yet because some of these units
are only now being pushed to the upper
temperature limits of 250 degrees C, but
there is certainly strong potential for improved recovery rates," he holds.
The HotlineSA3 is engineered to build
on previous generations of REDA Hotline
ESPs for improved reliability and run lives
to reduce workover costs in heavy oil operations. "While the new 250-degree C
systems already have surpassed 400 operating days on some projects, older-generation
systems are exceeding 2,000 uninterrupted
working days before a workover is required,"
Peric says. "We expect the HotlineSA3
will extend run life even further."
The new motor system is fully integrated and comes sealed from the factory,
requiring no preassembly or oil filling in
the field, Peric notes. "The preassembled
design simplifies installation, which means
there is less likelihood of making mistakes,
which obviously helps with system reliability," he says. "Additionally, it eliminates
assembly and oil filling time in the field
and speeds installation in the well."
The motor uses high-temperature materials and is factory filled with ultradehydrated dielectric oil encased within a
sealed housing, Peric explains. The system
includes a multifunction integrated motor
unit, thermally compensated pumps, downhole monitoring gauges for pressure and
temperature, power cables and a surface
controller, according to Peric, who adds
that integrated monitoring and control
JANUARY 2012 189
American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2012

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