IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT

Chemical Solution to ESP Packer Penetrator Corrosion Problem

Weishu Zhao, Jinjiang Xiao, Hussain A. Saiood, Abdulrahman B. Otaibi, Jin Huang, and Frank. F Chang, Saudi
Aramco

Copyright 2020, International Petroleum Technology Conference

This paper was prepared for presentation at the International Petroleum Technology Conference held in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 13 – 15 January 2020.

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Abstract
Electric Submersible Pumps (ESP) are common artificial lift equipment for boosting well productions.
One of the challenges faced with ESP applications is the ESP system reliability. High percentage of ESP
failures resulted from problems of packer penetrators that locate beneath the ESP packers. These failures
could be attributed to the corrosion of the power delivery systems by highly corrosive chemicals and harsh
downhole conditions. A method is developed to generate a low density gel system that isolates the electric
connector from downhole chemicals in order to provide prolonged protections of electric connectors against
corrosive environments. Mixture of low-density polymeric materials can be pumped through the bypass
tubing. The mixture has lower density than downhole fluids so that it travels upwards in the wellbore. Under
high temperature in the well, a rigid gel system forms and isolates the electric connector from the hostile
chemicals thus providing a better protection.
The rigid low density gel system was tested in the lab scale. The tested fluid system comprises of
colloidal particles and thermal plastic microspheres. The colloidal particles forms a rigid gel under elevated
temperature while the thermal plastic microspheres act as light weight fillers. Gelation tests are conducted
under different temperature and pressure conditions. The system has a lower density than crude oil and the
gelation process can be controlled by chemical concentration. Sealing effects with the presence of crude oil
are tested in rusty metal pipe to imitate casing material. A wellbore injection physical simulator was also
setup to observe the flow dynamics and chemical reaction that could take place in the wellbore.
The field trial test was performed after a through engineering design. Coiled tubing (CT) was selected as
the optimum solution for intervention and placing the fluid system. Mixture of low-density materials and
gelling agent were prepared on the surface and then pumped into the targeted section utilizing 2.0" coiled-
tubing (CT) nozzles. Conventional bottomhole assembly was utilized to seal the tubing section and divert
the fluid system to annulus.

Introduction
Electric Submersible Pump (ESP) is an important downhole equipment for boosting oil production (Takacs
2009). An ESP system mainly consists of a centrifugal pump, a protector, power delivery cable, and a motor.
2 IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT

The pump lifts well fluids to the surface and the motor provides the mechanical power required to drive
the pump via the shaft. The power delivery cable supplies the motor with the needed electrical power from
the surface. One of the major challenges faced by ESP applications is the ESP system reliability. Short
run life and frequent change-out requirement add operational cost and production loss and deferment. In
fields with high H2S concentration and high pressure (H2S partial pressure > 30 psia), the average run life of
ESPs is still limited (Cesaire et al. 2015, Al-Khalifa et al. 2016, and Pastre and Carolini 2017). Dismantle
Inspection Failure Analysis (DIFA) results show that over 50% of ESP failures are directly or indirectly
related to electrical delivery problems concentrated in about 200 ft between the packer and the motor. Within
this short distance, the power delivery system is subjected to very harsh corrosive conditions, resulting in
a very weak link for the entire system. With non-vented packers, H2S can accumulate below the packers.
The fluids are static, and the temperature is the highest in this part of the wellbore due to heat generated
by the motor and pump and trapped in the enclosed space. Typical Motor Lead Extension (MLE) cable has
only a thin layer of lead sheath to prevent H2S attack. Moreover, within this distance, multiple electrical
connections are made. The MLE is spliced to the packer penetrator, the MLE is connected the pothead,
and the pothead is connected to the motor head. Design, material selection, manufacturing and installation
handling can leave and create weak points in any component of the system. Power fluctuation and frequent
ESP shutdown/restart can add electrical and heat stress. Over times, the weak points will break, leading
to H2S migration through the insulation and attacking the copper conductors, resulting in system electrical
ground fault and failures.
Efforts have been made to upgrade the design and material usages to improve the power delivery system
reliability (Xiao et al, 2018). In order to overcome MLE insulation degradation challenge, insulation material
has been upgraded from Kapton to polyether ether ketone (PEEK). The MLE can be encapsulated with
stainless steel, Monel or Inconel tubes to completely isolate H2S from copper conductors. The packer
penetrator can be designed with metal-to-metal field testable seal. The pothead can be entirely replaced
with individual feed-through having metal-to-metal field testable seals. These upgrades are not cheap even
though economically they are cost effective. In addition, they require workovers to implement. It will be
very attractive if a technique can be developed as a retrofit to be applied in-situ to displace the corrosive
well fluids from below the packer and isolate the power delivery system from continuing chemical attack.

Experimental studies
We have proposed a chemical solution to the ESP packer penetrator corrosion problem (Zhao et al, 2018).
A method was developed to generate a low density gel system that isolates the electric connector from
downhole chemicals in order to provide prolonged protections against corrosive environments and chemical
attacks. The chemical system can be used to form rigid gel or solidify to provide insolation of ESP packer
penetrator connection below production packers from the produced well fluids. The materials have lower
density than crude oil, therefore can float naturally above the static oil column in the annulus between the
casing and production tubing. Once the low density fluid is injected and reach the desired position, it will
form gel or solidify. The set rigid gel will be a barrier for the diffusion of corrosive gas or liquid and therefore
preventing failure or the electric connector at the bottom side of the packer.
To test the chemical system in the field, additional experiments were conducted and the results are
reported here. The gelling system consists of gelling agent, low density filler and activator:

• Colloidal silica as the gelling agent

Colloidal silica product (CS) is an alkaline, aqueous dispersion of colloidal silica with
approximately 40% solids by weight. The product exist as an opalescent liquid, slightly more
viscous than water. The dispersion is very stable at room temperature for long periods of time. At
IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT 3

higher temperature, it will be destabilized and start to form a gel when addition of activator, and/
or change of pH.
• Thermoplastic microspheres as the low density filler
Commercial product of thermoplastic microsphere (TPMS) is used as the density reducing agent.
As a lightweight filler, it can achieve very low densities. Standard expanded microspheres have
densities as low as 25 kg/m3 depending on product. Different products are available with expansion
temperature in the range of 85 to 230°C
• Sodium chloride as the activator

Gelation test at high pressure and temperature

Bottle tests using colloidal silica system (20%CS + 1%NaCl, with volume ratio 1:1 + low density fillers,
TPMS) showed the mixture forms a rigid gel at 80°C. The gelation time is 5 hours at atmosphere pressure
(Zhao et al, 2018). The same formula was used here to test the gel performance at high pressure. The low
density mixture (0.6 g/ml) was poured into a bottle half filled with mineral oil with a density of 0.8 g/ml.
The bottle was then heated to 95°C in an aging cell at 250 psi for 5 hours. Figure 1 shows the bottle test
before and after gelation. The formed gel provides a seal to isolate the liquid beneath.

Figure 1—(a) Chemicals on top of mineral oil; (b) Bottle in aging cell – gelation test at 250
psi (maximum pressure allowed in the lab) and 95°C; (c) Sealing beneath liquid after gelation

Gelation test with the presence of crude oil

The bottle test was repeated at the same conditions except the mineral oil is replaced by crude oil with
similar density. Similar result was achieved to seal the beneath fluid, as shown in Figure 2.
4 IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT

Figure 2—Gelation with the presence of crude oil

Gelation test in rusty iron cup

A rusty iron cup was used for the same gelation test to simulate downhole conditions. Figure 3 shows the
mixture sealing the crude oil below after gelation.

Figure 3—Gelation test in a rusty cup

Pumping test
A wellbore simulator made of PVC pipe was designed to demonstrate the process of pumping low density
chemicals into a well by coil tubing. The setup is shown in Figure 4. Colloidal Silica (40%) and NaCl
solution (2%) were mixed with TPMS as the low density filler at 700 rpm for 15 minutes. The chemical
mixture formed a paste with a density of 0.575 g/ml. The chemicals were then pumped through the tubing
from the top of the wellbore, which was filled with mineral oil with a density of 0.8 g/ml. Mixture of the
colloidal silica/TPMS was observed to travel upwards, driven by buoyancy. A cake was formed as the
chemicals accumulate beneath the lid, as shown in Figure 4. Note that minimum amount of chemicals went
back in to the production tube. Two more factors could be considered during the field trial: 1. The well is
deviated 2. Injection point is 20-25 ft below the inlet of production tube. Both factors lowering the risk of
large amount of chemical entering the production tubing.
IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT 5

Figure 4—Pumping test simulating injection of chemicals by Coil Tubing

Field trials
The candidate well was completed with 4.5-in tubing up to the ESP. The wellbore access for interventions
was enabled through the Y-tool section installed on the completion. In this particular intervention operation
this path was used to Run In Hole (RIH) with coiled tubing (CT). Minimum restriction of 2.441-in was at
ESP Y-tool section (Fig. 5). Therefore, a 2.0-in CT was selected as the optimum solution to RIH till the
tubing end and the low-density gel system was injected and displaced into the wellbore from that depth.
6 IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT

Figure 5—Y-tool section

There were some challenges to be addressed such as the fluid might travel within the CT/Y-tool annulus.
To prevent the low-density gel system from travelling through the CT/Y-tool annulus, CT plug mandrel and
sleeve were used at the CT bottom-hole assembly (BHA) section.
Upon completing the rig up and conducting the required pressure tests of the pressure control equipment
and the CT itself, the CT RIH was performed until where the seal bore nipple is located. Then Y-tool plug
was set at this depth. To confirm that Y-tool plug seals the CT/Y-tool annulus, the ESP was switched on to
observe the delta pressure between the pump intake and discharge and the motor temperatures to verify the
sealing. Upon successful seal test, the low-density gel system was mixed at surface and the required fluid
QA/QC tests were performed. Once the fluid passed the QA/QC tests, a volume of 4 bbls of low density
gel system was pumped through CT and was displaced by a CT volume of diesel to make sure that all the
treatment fluid system was out of CT and into the wellbore to seal ESP components.
During the entire pumping/diesel displacement operation, the CT was kept stationary. Once the
displacement fluid reached the end of the CT, pumping stopped and the CT was kept in place for 3 hours
to ensure fluid system to have sufficient time float/migrate to beneath the packer. The CT was then pulled
out of hole (POOH) to surface and rigged down. The same methodology was executed successfully in three
IPTC-19633-ABSTRACT 7

wells to achieve field test trial of the newly developed low-density gel system to protect ESP assemblies
and extend their life time.

Summary
We propose a chemical method to provide prolonged protections for ESP packer penetrator electric
connector against downhole corrosion. A gel system is developed to isolate the electric connector from
downhole chemicals. Low density allows the chemical to travel upwards in the wellbore and float on the
top of downhole fluids. Under high temperature in the well, a rigid gel forms between the electric connector
and the downhole fluids, isolating the electric connector from the hostile chemicals thus providing a better
protection. Field trials were successfully carried out by Coil Tubing operations. Chemicals were mixed
onsite before pumped through CT. ESPs were brought back online after the trials, showing no adverse impact
to production. Long term monitoring of the ESP performance is being conducted in order to evaluate the
effectiveness of the chemical solution.

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Mr. Abdullah K. Abadi for his help on setting up pumping equipment and conducting
pumping tests in this study.

References
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Kingdom of Bahrain, 30 November-1 December 2016, SPE-184176-MS.
Cesaire, B., Raisa, E., Echarki, A. et al. 2015, Dual Boosting ESPs: A Solution to Deliver High Required Flow in Limited
Casing Size, presented at the 12th Offshore Mediterranean Conference and Exhibition in Ravenna, Italy, March 25-27,
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