Utilizing Enhanced Vibration monitoring and machine learning software to predict unplanned workovers and reduce downtime.
Why is predictive health monitoring needed?
Downhole failures in any artificial lift well is an unplanned cost that no operator wants to bear.
A failure of an ESP is arguably the worst. Equipment cost is one part, but there is also the cost of the lost production from the time of failure to when the replacement pump arrives on location, is re-installed, and the well brought back online.
In some cases that period could be a few days, in others (particularly in offshore applications) it could be months! In many cases that is not just deferred production, but it is in fact lost!
If operators had the data they needed to understand what is going on downhole they could eliminate random failures and save massive amounts of both time and money.
Enhanced Vibration Technology & The Digital Oilfield
At GEO PSI we have always been avid sponsors of the philosophy:
You can't manage what you don't measure!
The more data you can collect, the better you can manage your asset.
With our EV (Enhanced Vibration) tools, we have made a quantum leap in terms of the volume of data that we can now collect.
Our ongoing commitment to the digital transformation of our industry has come full circle. We have always been committed to delivering reliable data through our innovations, however, we are now complimenting our hardware with top of the line interpretive software. We have partnered with Innovative Numerix to form GEO Analytics International Inc. GEO AI will utilize data provided from our instrumentation systems to deliver next-level analytics and operational systems. We strive to increase clients’ operational efficiency by providing the tools to predict unplanned workovers and shorten the downtime window, reducing costs, and increasing production.
ESP System Monitoring
Historically the data from ESP sensors allowed operators to:
- Optimize performance
- Monitor well conditions
- Perform advanced calculations on flowing pressure and fluid levels
- Calculate motor frequency, voltage, power factor, and various other “calculated” assumptions
What current technology does not yet do is to allow operators to monitor, measure and predict when and why an ESP is going to fail.
The highest cost to an operator is the lost production between the time the ESP fails, and the new ESP is mobilized and reinstalled. The ability to measure a new data stream that offers a more in-depth look into the health of the ESP system will add quantifiable and measurable value to any operation.
GEO PSI EV Sensor
We are proud to be launching a complete product line of downhole gauges with our new Enhanced Vibration technology and other innovative features that will maximize predictive health analytics and machine learning ability for an array of artificial lift applications.
Our new EV Sensor will debut in our new GEOESP 150 Dual EV gauge which will set a new bar by providing a solution to enable accurate predictive ESP failure analysis.
Figure 1: ESP Gauge Development Timeline Graphic
Our GEOESP 150 Dual EV gauge will offer:
- Enhanced Vibration Technology (Spectrum)
- Digital Intake Pressure with the same resolution and accuracy of our industry-leading GEOP 150 Gauge
Figure 2: GEOESP 150 Dual EV Gauge
Managing The Data
With the increase in the volume of data comes the need for software with the capability of managing, interpreting, and ultimately realizing the full value of our advanced EV sensor.
GEO AI will focus on providing customers best in class analytics and operational systems for your application.
Figure 3: Introducing GEO AI (View post here)
When our GEOESP 150 Dual EV gauge is paired with our powerful GEO AI software it will enable to following:
- Advanced Analytics
- Machine Learning
- Intelligent Predictive Health Analysis
This will provide our clients with a comprehensive, robust, and innovative solution for accurate ESP monitoring via the continual analysis of real-time enhanced vibration data.
GEOESP 150 Dual EV Features
Our new GEOESP 150 Dual EV gauge offers a host of new features and benefits that provide an immense amount of value and data to ESP operators. The standard points of measurement are as follows:
- Digital Intake Pressure
- Vibration Spectrum
- Motor Temperature (Oil/Winding)
- Std Intake Pressure
- Discharge Pressure
- Discharge Temperature (Optional)
- Current Leakage
- Y-Point voltage
- Landed Position within Completion
These valuable data points enable energy companies to have a complete understanding of the performance and health of the downhole system. Most notably the vibration spectrum which is enabled by our Enhanced Vibration technology.
Historical ESP Health Troubleshooting
Historically, ESP pump health was determined by monitoring the motor amps. Through 11 common amp charts operators would look for certain patterns or trends which could be used to predict certain events or conditions which may be indicative of declining system health.
These common downhole conditions are as follows:
- Power Fluctuations
- Pump Off
- Gas Lock
- Excessive Cycling
- Gassy Well
- Undercurrent Shutdown
- Underload Shutdown
- Normal Overload
- Solids and Debris
- Excessive Start
- Mystery Loading
While these parameters are beneficial to the operator, additional metrics would help paint a more full picture of what is truly going on downhole.
Predictive ESP Health Monitoring With Enhanced Vibration
With the introduction of our new exclusive Enhanced Vibration sensor found in our GEOESP 150 Dual EV gauge, we have pioneered a new era of ESP system health monitoring.
The 11 conditions operators normally would try and predict solely through the use of amp charts can now also be measured directly through a detailed vibration spectrum analysis. The increased accuracy and resolution of our Enhanced Vibration sensor provides a much more accurate picture of these possible scenarios.
In addition to the 11 common conditions operators are used to checking for, our gauge will now enable monitoring of another 23 conditions. The full spectrum vibration data allows operators to see early signs of the following:
- Unbalance
- Static Unbalance
- Couple Unbalance
- Eccentric Rotor
- Bent Shaft
- Misalignment
- Angular Misalignment
- Parallel Misalignment
- Misalignment vs Bent Shaft
- Mechanical Looseness
- Internal Assembly Looseness
- Structure Looseness
- Resonance
- Electrical Problems
- Rotor Problems
- Stator Problems
- Phasing Problem
- Pumps Related Problems
- Hydrodynamic Forces (Vanes Pass Frequency)
- Cavitation & Recirculation
- Journal Bearing Problems
- Oil Whirl
- Bearing Defect
In short, the detailed information provided from our new EV gauge and the advanced analytics and machine learning found in GEO AI software is ushering in the future of ESP health monitoring.
Since we can’t fit all of the info into a single post, we will soon be sharing detailed vibration trends of the 23 different downhole conditions listed above. We will also go more in-depth as to how our advanced hardware and software work hand in hand to provide optimization like never before.
So if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and keep your eyes on our Blog and LinkedIn page where we will be sharing more in the future.
If you would like to know more about how we are innovating with enhanced vibration tools, and ushering in a new era of predictive health monitoring for the future of the oil and gas industry we encourage you to contact us.
