Sand Management

In ESP pumped wells, dealing with sand is a big issue; especially in unconventional well completions where multi-stage fracking sand will flow back during production. ESPs commonly suffer from severe damage caused by frac sand and other residual solids that routinely cut short ESP performance. Failure modes include pump erosion, sand accumulation, plugging, electrical and mechanical stresses and inability to bring the pump back on after a shutdown.

Sand from the reservoir formation and/or proppant return is an inevitable by-product in the majority of oil fields. Multilift’s field proven Sand Management System is the ultimate, proactive sand management strategy vital to protect the ESP and keep production flowing smoothly.

The Sandguard and Cyclone are essential for over and under sand protection system for electrical submersible pumps (ESP), for radically improved well performance.

SandGuardTM – Eliminating the number one cause of ESP failure in unconventional wells: Sand Fallback
 

Many wells produce substantial amounts of solids that cause havoc for ESP systems. ESPs will trip or switch off frequently for reasons of power failure, pump off and production shutdowns. When the ESP shuts down for any reason, previously pumped sand in the tubing will fall back and build up on the pump and in the tubing. Attempting restart will destroy ESP and cause a costly workover.

As the central feature of Forum’s Sand Management System, SandGuardTM is a revolutionary new tool that captures fallback sand and quarantines it away from the pump, making restarting of the ESP trouble free.

SandGuardTM is simple to install with the ESP and is positioned just above the pump discharge. The clever design captures fallback sand and solids in its inner chamber to protect the pump, then, automatically self-flushes empty after trouble free ESP restart. SandGuardTM is then ready to protect the pump at the next shutdown and all subsequent shutdowns.

Proven though hundreds of installations, SandGuardTM has demonstrated enormous increases in ESP run times in sandy wells.

Restarting a sand-plugged pump causes catastrophic harm:

• Damaging upper stages
• Putting stages into down thrust
• Torque twisting and broken shafts
• Burning motors

Pump shut downs continue to happen throughout the life of the well and sand is always a concern at start up.

Case Study
 

Captured sand is collected in SandGuard’s inner chamber and automatically flushes itself empty after every restart. This process is repeated endlessly, making it ready to protect the pump at every shutdown.

Extending ESP Run Life
 

Forum’s Cyclone is designed to extend the run life of ESPs in sand-producing wells. Developed using proven vortex technology with no moving parts, Cyclone can be retrofitted to any ESP well and is deployed efficiently by suspending it directly below the ESP, requiring no downhole preparation.

The high-efficiency centrifugal action within Cyclone’s chamber separates sand and suspended solids – sending desanded fluid to the ESP and sand and solids to a ‘tailpipe’ below, preventing the sand from being produced through the pump.

Features

• High-efficiency vortex/cyclone design
• Machined from solid billet 80,000 yield steel
• High efficiency separation
• Packer-type lantern rubber element
• Field-changeable rubber element
• Lock-down swivel 2-3/8” stub connection to motor

Functions

• Max separation at low and high rates
• Creates very heavy wall thickness
• Separates gas first
• Captured top and bottom for max security and flexibility
• Enables quick change and rerun of Cyclone without it leaving the rig floor
• Alleviates need to rotate either motor or tailpipe

Benefits

• One size for all flow rates
• Resistant to washout, longevity of use and cost savings in reusability
• May prevent gas damage to pump
• One size fits all casing weights per casing OD
• Cost savings in inventory/ease of application
• Eliminates logistics and costs of replacement tool on workover