SPE-211213-MS

ESP Run Life Increased by 230% Using a Small, Customized Device: The

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Next Step in Flow Assurance and Chemical Injection for ESP-Lifted Wells

Kevin Ismael Andagoya Carrillo, Jorge Luis Villalobos, Osiris Sierra, Alvaro Correal, María Elena Quinzo, Andrés
Orozco, Luis Enriquez, Carlos Reyes, and Fernando Leon, Schlumberger

Copyright 2022, Society of Petroleum Engineers DOI 10.2118/211213-MS

This paper was prepared for presentation at the ADIPEC held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 31 October – 3 November 2022.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect
any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may
not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
Carbonate scale is a mineral deposit transported by produced water, and its presence negatively affects
well production and electrical submersible pump (ESP) performance. Instead of attempting to remediate it
after it has already accumulated, a suitable and more-cost-effective process is to use a continuous inhibition
treatment through an additional hardware installed in the ESP. An acid treatment can be suitable for certain
types of scale, but acid treatments can cause damage to the tubing string and the ESP if not handled properly.
A new hardware was developed and used in ESP applications by looking for inhibition in fouling fluids
as soon as the fluid comes out of the reservoir and before considerable pressure or heat changes occur
by increasing the contact time with the treatment and by looking for a faster homogenization between the
reservoir fluid and the inhibitor treatment with a 360° tool injection.
An analysis of historical data demonstrates a significant increase in ESP mean time between failure in
wells dealing with fouling fluids where the tool, a tail pipe with a multipoint centralizer, was implemented.
Additionally, a more-stable downhole parameter condition was reached.
It was also observed that, depending on where the tool was placed, production improved by postponing
the buildup of deposits at the reservoir face and mitigating skin damage. This hardware, which improves
flow assurance, has been continuously improved, and each step will be covered. Additional information was
retrieved during the analysis performed during teardown of the ESPs, and it has been possible to identify
wells dealing with similar problems. Some wells were newly categorized as problematic, and several data
suggest that the increase in water cut related to a waterflooding process could have changed the fluid
properties. By understanding the specific cause of the ESP failure let us understand that there was a direct
relationship to a lack of an effective chemical treatment, not related to the formulation or dosage of the
chemical treatment, but because of the challenging well trajectory due the mechanical configuration or for
uncertainties in the producing fluid properties. It was necessary to create alternative tools as new solutions
to improve flow assurance.
This project will provide an alternative solution that is cost effective and provides a tangible value to
projects in which flow assurance and effective chemical treatment are effective when dealing with harsh
fluid properties or the behavior of the fluid is unknown before ESP installation.
2 SPE-211213-MS

Introduction
Scale can be present in production and injection wells when water is present. For Shaya Project in Ecuador,
with an average overall water cut of 61%, which continues to increase because of waterflooding projects,
scale is a concern in several wells. When present, scale causes a progressive degradation in the pump stages
by plugging them and limiting the flow path inside them; at the same time, power consumption increases
because the motor has to overcome the extra friction generated by this scale deposition. Eventually, the

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

deposits can fully plug the stages, completely restricting the flow and/or causing jamming in the shaft
pump rotation. Another effect that occurs when the deposits accumulate along the motor is a refrigeration
limitation because the deposit layer covering the motor will not allow the heat generated to dissipate
properly, ultimately causing an increase in the motor operating temperature that can directly affect motor
run life. When the deposits occur at the reservoir face, they will restrict and plug the porous media, stopping
production; a similar effect occurs in the production tubing, causing clogging.
Thus, if scale is not properly managed, it will cause an early drop in production, early ESP failures, and
an increase in operating expenses because of the need for more rigs to replace the ESPs. Scale deposits
within production systems can cause serious problems for an operator in terms of field economics and can
result in a total loss of production.
It is known that calcite is formed by means of nucleation. The formation of a new, stable phase
such as calcite generally occurs by means of the heterogeneous or pseudohomogeneous nucleation of
foreign particles, and there are many ESP surfaces that can act as nucleation sites. Individual ions must
come together to form an "island" or nucleus, and the nucleus will continue to grow if the solution is
supersaturated. It is assumed that when an inhibitor molecule interacts with a growing nucleus, it prevents
that nucleus from continuing to grow (Tomson et al. 1990). In general terms, scale forms when the solution
equilibrium of produced water is altered by a pressure drop, temperature, dissolved gases, flow viscosity,
metal type, or a mix of incompatible waters, which are considered incompatible if precipitation occurs when
they are mixed. It is always better to prevent scale from forming than to remove it because prevention is
less costly, more efficient, and a more-effective method to maintain production.
Wylde et al. (2011) confirmed that prevention is achieved through the use of scale inhibitors, which have
chelating agents that are capable of forming bonds with metal and water ions such as calcium (Ca2+) and
magnesium (Mg2+). Liu et al. (2022) demonstrated how scale inhibitors are capable of delaying the kinetics
of scale nucleation or the growth of scale crystal and can effectively inhibit scale at a concentration of a few
milligrams per liter or less. The most-conventional option to deliver this inhibition treatment is by means
of a continuous injection using the available capillary tubing run along the cable, which can be part of the
cable structure or separate. A second option is a squeeze inhibition process that injects a volume of inhibitor
solution into the reservoir formation that gets adsorbed into the formation minerals; when production starts,
the inhibitor gradually gets desorbed and inhibits the fluid during the inhibitor return, a process that is
well explained by Guraieb et al. (2021). A third option is to use microcaps, which are spheres that contain
inhibitors that gradually release their contents as they dissolve; they are typically pumped to the rathole of
the well before the downhole equipment is run, and they remain in the well rathole. Paredes et al. (2022)
documented the results obtained applying this methodology in their field of study. Finally, a fourth option is
to improve the chemistry of the downhole treatment using an extra downhole tool (tail pipe) that is physically
connected to the ESP, which enables the chemical injection to improve contact with the well perforations. In
the literature, numerous studies have been carried out showing that various factors such as hydrogen (or the
pH of hydrogen), temperature, ionic strength, and the interaction between the inhibitor and the formation
mineral can affect the inhibitor adsorption on the basis of the surface charge.
Thus far, however, there has been little discussion regarding the role of additional hardware, which can
improve downhole flow assurance by increasing the contact time between the inhibitor and the formation
fluid mix and improve homogenization.
SPE-211213-MS 3

Statement of Theory and Definitions

Scale is insoluble, inorganic crystalline precipitation from the water phase. The most-common types of
scale encountered in oil fields are calcium carbonate (calcite), calcium sulfate (anhydrite, gypsum), and
barium sulfate (barium). For Shaya Project, the primary types of deposits encountered during teardowns
have been carbonates and sulfurs, which can cause clogging and jamming and increase the motor operating
temperature (Fig. 1).

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 1—Evidence of scale deposit.

Criteria for Improving Inhibition.

Location. By placing the inhibitor treatment as near as possible to the formation, the aim is to inhibit the
fluid as soon as it comes out of the reservoir, before any temperature or pressure changes occur. Notice
that one of the first heat changes occurs when the fluid contacts or nears the downhole motor; on average,
the motor works at approximately 320°F and up to 350°F. For the reservoirs in Shaya Project, the average
reservoir temperature varies between 220 and 240°F. The second heat change occurs while the pump
generates the required differential pressure, hence the energy is exerted and convert to heat transferred to
the fluid. Fig. 2 shows a temperature profile along the ESP. An additional factor is the pressure change that
gradually increases along the ESP stages, as shown in Fig. 3. The goal is for the fluid to be inhibited by the
time it reaches each of the previously described locations of the ESP.
4 SPE-211213-MS

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 2—Temperature profile along the ESP and the tubing.

Figure 3—Pressure profile along the ESP and the tubing.

In terms of spacing, the aim is to extend the bottom of the capillary injection tubing to the middle of the
formation thickness. Placing it below the reservoir will cause the chemicals to fall below it because no flow
will carry the chemicals upstream. Placing the capillary injection tubing above the formation will reduce
the chances of the chemical treatment reaching the reservoir face.

Figure 4—Representation of chemical placement in front of the formation.

Extend Fluid/Inhibitor Exposure (Contact Time). If the injection location cannot be reached in front of
the formation, the contact time between the inhibitor and the reservoir fluid will still be increased, leading to
an improvement of the inhibition process. The contact time is directly proportional to the distance between
the injection point and the intake (as a reference).
SPE-211213-MS 5

Irrigation Improvement. A unidirectional flow typically enables the inhibitor to reach the downhole
treatment, but by providing a flow divergence, a 360° injection can be achieved, mechanically improving
the general homogenization of the mix.

An Alternative Accessory to Improve Flow Assurance

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Tool Description.
Before the tool was developed, standard injection tubing would be placed at the motor head or gauge attached
using a cable band. Limiting the contact time between the inhibitor and reservoir fluid mixture. This was
the conventional configuration used at the field where this paper was developed.
An accessory was needed that could be easily adapted to the conventional ESP configuration but would
not affect project economics and instead add significant value in terms of providing flow assurance.
Based on the flow and flowing pressure, erosion of the injection tubing (capillary) may be expected.
To avoid erosion, the injection tubing is installed inside the tail-pipe tubing. Fig. 5 shows an illustration
of the tool. The G section is the upper tubing section in which two plates and an orifice were fabricated.
The plates function as centralizers, covering the curved shape as the injection tubing is installed inside the
tail-pipe tubing and preventing damage to the injection tubing, which can be caused by drag during the
running in hole.

Figure 5—Illustration of the tail-pipe tool.

The H section is the final point where the inhibitor will be irrigated. The first version of the tool used
unidirectional irrigation and a centralizer-shaped configuration to protect the end of the injection tubing.
Fig. 6 shows the evolution of the centralizer, which now provides 360° irrigation using strategically located
nozzles.
6 SPE-211213-MS

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 6—Endpoint improvement.

Results
Improvement by Increasing Contact Time with Inhibitor.
Table 1 presents a problematic well in which even after the presence of scale was identified, little
performance improvement was achieved during each remediation effort until the tail pipe was implemented.
Table 1 shows each intervention and the specific cause of ESP failure, in addition to the specific
improvements that were implemented during the design of each intervention to improve performance. As
of the writing of this paper, the ESP is still running in the well, with a current run life of 886 days.

Table 1—Well failure history.

Failure Implemented
Well Sand Start Date Stop Date Pull Date Run Life Pump
Causes Improvements

Stuck
equipment,
Well 015 Layer i 03-Oct-16 26-Jan-17 13-Feb-17 115 days 4 in., 800 B/D
could not
be started

4 in., Stuck gas

Well 015 Layer i 16-Feb-17 27-Jun-17 02-Jul-17 131 days Different pump
1,150 B/D handler pump

4 in., Mechanical Extra pump

Well 015 Layer i 02-May-19 26-Jan-20 08-Feb-20 269 days
1,000 B/D failure radial bearings

4 in., n/a (still Extra pump radial

Well 015 Layer i 10-Feb-20 886 days
1,000 B/D running) bearings + tail pipe

Some findings during the teardown executed on this pilot well confirmed the presence of deposits. Fig.
7 shows a layer of scale on the pump hubs, which limits pump rotation. After the stages underwent a
SPE-211213-MS 7

sandblasting process, some spacers could not be retrieved from the stages. Fig. 8 shows some spacers that
were stuck because of scale.

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 7—Deposit incrustation was found in pump hubs.

Figure 8—Spacers stuck in the diffusers are circled in red.

Samples were analyzed and corroborated the presence of scale, as shown in Tables 2 and 3. Carbonates
ranged between 14.5 and 20 wt%, and sulfurs ranged between 20 and 40.6 wt%.

Table 2—Analysis of material sample taken from pump spacer.

Sample location Units Pump Spacer

Sample weight (g) 12

Analyzed sample weight (g) 2.11

Hydrocarbon content % 22.6

Soluble to acetic acid % 20

Soluble to HCl (sulfurs and others) % 37.3

Nonsoluble to HCl (sand, silica, magnets, and others) % 20

Castable material % 6.2

Inorganic material, not castable (formation fines) % 13.9

Magnetic material % 0

Total % 100
8 SPE-211213-MS

Table 3—Analysis of material sample taken from middle pump.

Sample location Units Middle Pump

Sample weight (g) 15

Analyzed sample weight (g) 2.34

Hydrocarbon content % 18.9

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Soluble to acetic acid % 14.5

Soluble to HCl (sulfurs and others) % 40.6

Nonsoluble to HCl (sand, silica, magnets, and others) % 26

Castable material % 13.3

Inorganic material, not castable (formation fines) % 12.8

Magnetic material % 0

Total % 100%

In this well, using the tail-pipe tool, the distance from the injection point to the intake was increased by
60 ft compared to a standard injection configuration, resulting in a 200% increase in contact time. Hence,
the expected inhibiting process and flow assurance were improved.
Furthermore, an improvement (greater stability) in the downhole parameters was observed when the
operation without the tail pipe (Fig. 9) and the operation with the tail pipe installed (Fig. 10) were compared.

Figure 9—Downhole ESP parameters before the tail pipe was implemented.
SPE-211213-MS 9

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 10—Downhole ESP parameters after the tail pipe was implemented.

Results After Placing the Tool in Front of the Formation.

Table 4 presents data regarding ESP equipment installed in the same well, one after the other; the only
difference was the tail-pipe implementation. The loss of productivity in this well was related to skin damage
that resulted from scale buildup at the sand face, leading the ESP to work in downthrust conditions, which
culminated in a lack of intake pressure and low inflow below the minimum operating range of the installed
ESP. Fig. 11 tracks and compares the production of the two ESPs production and downhole conditions. The
first ESP had a run life of 208 days, and a clear early drastic drop in the well production is identified. For
the second ESP, which had the tailpipe implemented, even though the production progressively decreased,
the skin damage effect was postponed, enabling the ESP to run for twice as long the prior ESP.

Table 4—Well failure history.

Implemented
Well Sand Start Date Stop Date Pull Date Run Life Pump Failure Cause
Improvements

4 in., 1,750 B/
Well 140 Layer ii 09-Oct-17 04-May-18 06-May-18 208 days Low inflow
D

4 in., 1,750 B/
Well 140 Layer ii 11-May-18 15-Aug-19 19-Aug-19 462 days Low inflow Tail pipe
D
10 SPE-211213-MS

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Figure 11—Historical production.

Conclusion
After the implementation of the tail pipe in the first analyzed case in this paper, the run life of the ESP in
the pilot well increased by 230% compared to the three previous installations, which were pulled because
of scale buildup. By the first quarter of 2022, approximately 150,000 bbl of oil had been produced, which
resulted in a 4% increase in the total production compared with previous installations. Additionally, at least
four workover interventions to replace the ESP have been avoided, with an associated cost of nearly USD 1.5
million. Furthermore, the motor current has been decreased by 30%, hence the operating motor temperature
as well, thanks to the 200% increase in the contact time between the fluid and the correct chemical treatment.
In the second pilot well, the impact within the reservoir itself was notable—by postponing the skin
damage effect, the run life was doubled compared to that of the previous ESP.
Because of the need to continue increasing the run life of the ESPs in the field, the tail-pipe solution has
been implemented in an additional 18 critical wells in Shaya Project since Q1 2021 with similar expected
performance. In addition, the solution has been extended to other fields in Ecuador experiencing similar
challenges whose operators are looking to improve chemical-injection performance with hardware that adds
significant value to their operations.
Additional studies will be performed to quantify the improvement in ESP survivability as a result of the
tool implementation. A new study will be performed when the ESPs in which the tool was implemented
finally fail and the final run life can be quantified. Currently, all of the ESPs are still running.

Acknowledgments
The authors sincerely thank the Schlumberger team, who are always looking for new improvements to
obtain better results and increase the ESP mean time between failure.
SPE-211213-MS 11

References
Andagoya, K., Sierra, O., Zambrano, D. et al. 2019. Reservoir Scale Treatment Below ESP Using Tailpipe Below ESP to
Optimize Scale Treatment Placement. Internal report, Schlumberger InTouch, Schlumberger, Houston, Texas.
Guraieb, P., Tomson, R., Courville, A. et al. 2021. Novel Scale Inhibitor Extends Treatment Lifetimes in Permian EOR.
J Pet Technol 73 (8): 38–40. SPE-0821-0038-JPT. https://doi.org/10.2118/0821-0038-JPT.
Liu, Y., Kan, A., Tomson, M. et al. 2022. Interactions of Common Scale Inhibitors and Formation Mineral (Calcium
Carbonate): Sorption and Transportability Investigations Under Equilibrium and Dynamic Conditions. Journal of

Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/SPEADIP/proceedings-pdf/22ADIP/3-22ADIP/D031S080R003/3052977/spe-211213-ms.pdf/1 by Schlumberger Oilfield UK Plc user on 12 January 2023

Petroleum Science and Engineering 215 (Part B). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2022.110696.
Paredes, M., Marques da Silva, L. B. Egas, L. et al. 2022. A Novel Chemical Treatment and Well Completion
Strategy to Prevent Scale and Production Losses in Shushufindi Aguarico Field. Paper presented at the International
Petroleum Technology Conference, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 21–23 February. IPTC-22430-MS. https://doi.org/10.2523/
IPTC-22430-MS.
Tomson, M. B., Matty, J., and Oddo, J. E. 1990. Scale Inhibitor Evaluations and a Mechanism of Inhibition of Sparingly
Soluble Salts. Paper presented at the CIM/SPE International Technical Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 10–13 June.
SPE-21571-MS. https://doi.org/10.2118/21571-MS.
Vasilache, C. 2016. Acid Interventions and ESPs Including and Overview of Most Common Solid Deposits. Internal
report, Schlumberger InTouch, Schlumberger, Houston, Texas.
Wylde, J., McMahon, J., and Mayner, S. 2011. Scale-Inhibitor Application in Northern Alberta: A Case History of an
Ultrahigh-Temperature Scale-Inhibition Solution in Fire-Tube Heater Treaters. SPE Proj Fac & Const 6 (03): 108–114.
SPE-130307-PA. https://doi.org/10.2118/130307-PA.
Zeng, D., Liu, Z., Yi, Y. et al. 2022. Optimizing the Performance of a Composite Corrosion/Scale Inhibitor for CO2
Flooding Wells. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering 102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2022.104555.