November 21, 2024

Impala - a reliable solution for a wide range of flow rates

To achieve maximum production in conventional and challenging wells with unstable or rapidly changing inflow, Novomet offers flexible and high-performance Impala ESP systems.

Novomet's ImpalaESP consists of electric submersible pump (ESP) installations that include a specialized line of pumps with an extended operating range. This allows the use of a single installation instead of having to replace the ESP when production levels change. The system is ideally suited for wells with rapidly declining inflow and sharp fluctuations, complex shale oil fields, late-stage development fields, and reservoirs with low permeability.

The wide range of the Impala ESP is achieved due to low axial force and improvements in pump design. The design of the Impala pump stages features special unloading systems that include a combination of slot seals, vortex blades, and unloading ports, which reduce axial force, thereby decreasing wear on the thrust bearings and extending the service life of the installation.

"It is also very important that we use a more wear-resistant material for the production of ImpalaESP," says Novomet's chief designer Konstantin Saveliev. "We carefully studied the operational experience of corrosion-resistant pumps in shale oil fields and concluded that, in addition to changing hydraulic parameters and stage design, it is necessary to replace the material of the working components. This led us to use steel, which was previously only used in the aviation industry. This material has excellent mechanical properties and high wear resistance. For example, its yield strength and tensile strength are four times superior to those of the previous material, and its abrasion wear resistance is 40-60% higher. The transition to this steel has enabled operation under more severe conditions."

Novomet's ImpalaESP is available in three modifications – a basic model with a mechanical impurity content limit of up to 500 mg/l, a wear-resistant model up to 1 g/l, and a model for ultra-heavy operating conditions up to 3 g/l. The company's specialists have developed a unique range of wide-range pumps – together they can replace 20 sizes of serial analogs. This simplifies the selection of ESPs for wells and increases the profitability of service projects by reducing the inventory of pumps of various sizes.

Additionally, ImpalaESP features high efficiency maintained over a wide range of flow rates. The operational life of these pumps exceeds 700 days, with some long-lasting models achieving nearly 1800 days.

Wide-range ESPs can be equipped with either a valve or an asynchronous electric motor, allowing them to work with existing control stations, as well as pre-installed devices for gas handling if necessary.

As a result, Novomet's ImpalaESP offers a broad operating range, increased wear resistance, high efficiency, and reliability in harsh conditions. All these factors contribute to improved profitability in equipment operation and service maintenance.