Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) Overview
📌 ESPs utilize an electric motor to drive a multi-stage centrifugal pump to lift resources from a well, often employed when reservoirs lack sufficient natural energy for economic production.
⚙️ ESP systems are generally quiet, safe, and require only a small surface footprint, making them versatile for various well conditions.
🔄 ESPs offer a wide range of pump rate operation and can adapt to changes in fluid properties and flow rates throughout the well's life, including in corrosive environments.

ESP System Components and Operation
⚡ The system is powered by heavy-duty cables connected to surface controls, driving a submersible electric motor that rotates a shaft connected to the pump stages.
🌡️ The motor is cooled by the passing fluid and filled with synthetic oil for electrical protection, lubrication, and even heat dispersion.
🎚️ A seal chamber protects the motor from well fluids, equalizes pressure, absorbs axial thrust, and dissipates heat generated by the thrust bearing.
💧 Pump stages, comprising an impeller and a diffuser, incrementally increase fluid pressure via kinetic and potential energy conversion to achieve the total developed head.

Gas Management and Flow Control
💨 For wells with a high gas-to-liquid ratio (GLR), specialized intakes like the reverse flow intake or rotary pump intake (dynamic gas separator) are used to separate gas from the liquid before it enters the pump stages.
🌀 The rotary separator uses centrifugal force to push heavier fluid outward, allowing free gas to exit through discharge ports back into the well.
⚙️ Impeller design (radial flow vs. mixed flow) dictates the flow rate; radial impellers are for lower rates, while mixed flow impellers are for higher rates.
📊 Surface controls include the ESP controller and potentially a Variable Speed Drive (VSD), which uses downhole data (pressure, temperature) from SCADA systems to remotely or automatically adjust motor speed for optimal production.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Artificial lift systems are necessary for over 90% of oil wells when natural reservoir energy declines to maintain economic production rates.
➡️ Operators can install downhole sensors to monitor pressure, temperature, and vibration, enabling real-time alerts and remote adjustments via the surface controller.
➡️ A check valve installed above the pump prevents backflow, ensuring the tubing remains full of liquid when the pump is shut down.
➡️ Soft start controllers maintain a single speed after slowly ramping up, preventing the motor from starting under a heavy load.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 19, 2025, 13:48 UTC