Ground Fault Immune ESP Gauge

 

Operators have been using DC current based electrical submersible pump (ESP) well monitoring technology for over 40 years and have consistently had a percentage of these sensors fail due to earth leakage in the ESP cable. Finding an alternative to DC sensors has been a challenge for the entire industry and up until now one which has never been solved.

The pioneering Zenith Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge is considerably more robust than industry DC sensor alternatives and immune to ground fault — a pertinent problem with this type of artificial lift affecting 15% of downhole monitoring systems. The Zenith gauge spells the end of system failure when a ground fault occurs on the ESP cable, giving operators the ability to maintain continuous well surveillance.

Changing frequency caused by ground faults will not short the system therefore enabling the downhole monitoring system to continue to acquire reliable well data as long as the ESP cable is operational. In current systems of this nature, when a ground fault occurs with current leakage from the ESP cable, the gauge will lose the signal cutting off all data transmitted about the operation of the ESP.

“All too often in ESP operations a ground fault will cause downhole monitoring systems to fail leaving operators running blind. While the ESP will still be running, the interference in data transmission means that pressure, fluid levels and temperature readings are unobtainable. Operators are then faced with running motors at lower pumping rates to keep motor temperatures within safe operating ranges, and with a larger head of fluid to ensure against pump off. This can result in up to 25% lost production compared to a pump optimised with a live downhole gauge.”

 

Dave Shanks, Development Manager — Zenith Special Technology Group

 
  • Overview
  • Features & Specs
  • FAQs
  • Case studies
  • Resources

Overview

Robust, reliable ESP well monitoring

As an advanced-technology add-on to the Zenith E-Series well monitoring system, the patented Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge will run normally with any single phase shorted to ground and any two phases with partial faults to ground — effectively the operator will continue to receive reliable downhole data as long as the ESP cable is operational.

Increased knowledge for better decision making

With the ability to measure the location and severity of the cable fault, the Zenith Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge enables more informed decisions to be made regarding problematic pumping systems. In addition, the technology ensures that reservoir build ups are caught when the pump shuts down, and at higher logging rates than previously possible.

 

 


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Features and specifications

Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge features

  • Operates with one or two phases with insulation faults
  • Warns of ESP cable faults
  • Outputs approximate location of ESP cable fault
  • Provides two redundant data transmit paths
  • Compatible to all major ESP supplier equipment
  • Installed on the bottom of the ESP motor using a flange connection
  • High quality, modular construction—13 chrome metalwork as standard
  • Long service life allowing repeated deployment
  • Field-serviceable system with easily replaceable sub-assemblies, and a surface system which can be upgraded in the field
  • Downhole data collection
  • SD card — simple data transfer to removable memory card
  • Data display with live on-screen data charting, drive mounted or enclosure
  • Data trending software
  • Dedicated engineers’ port to laptop or Zenith hand-held PC
  • Connectivity to remote data collection or SCADA systems
  • Communications and power supply via the ESP cable
  • Continues to operate when ESP is shut down
  • Calibrated by Zenith during manufacture — calibration stored in the downhole tool
  • Complete data set in 5 seconds typical
  • One second update of intake pressure in reservoir mode
  • System megger test up to 5KV
  • High resolution and accuracy for transient analysis

Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge options

The Zenith Ground Fault Immune gauge can be configured to monitor:

  • Pump intake pressure
  • Pump discharge pressure
  • Intake temperature
  • Discharge temperature
  • Motor oil or motor winding temperatures
  • Vibration (X & Y axes)
  • Current leakage
  • Tool head voltage
  • 3-phase voltage and imbalance
  • Cable fault severity with phases affected
  • Cable fault location in feet from surface

Ground Fault Immune ESP gauge specifications

  • Standard Temperature: 125 °C

The Zenith Ground Fault Immune gauge is available in two pressure specifications:

  • Standard Accuracy: 0.2% of full-scale, 1 psi resolution
  • High Accuracy: 0.1% of full-scale, 0.1 psi resolution

Related articles

 

In order to assist you in finding the solution to best fit your requirements, please see the following links to related product and service information throughout our website. For documentation and downloads, please visit the Resources tab.

 

 

 

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