Charley Harley, Kenyon Powell, Burk Royalty Co Ltd
Andres Baquero, Gustavo Gonzalez, Odessa Separator Inc.
Sand production and limited downhole visibility can complicate the diagnosis and optimization of ESP systems. Conventional ESP completions typically provide pressure information at the pump intake; however, conditions below the desander may remain difficult to evaluate. This paper presents a field application that combines an ESP Vortex Desander with a dual pressure sensor and capillary string to obtain an additional pressure measurement below the desander.
The dual pressure sensor does not require two independent sensors. One input provides the standard ESP intake pressure, while the second receives pressure through the capillary string from below the desander. This configuration enables evaluation of pressure behavior at two points in the completion, providing additional visibility into downhole conditions surrounding the pump intake.
The system has been deployed in six wells. In two cases, abnormal intake pressure behavior was observed concurrently with significant production declines. The additional pressure measurement from below the desander helped identify restrictions developing at the ESP intake. Following diagnosis, the tubing was pumped down to clear the restriction, after which both wells returned to normal production.
Although the configuration has more complexity than a conventional ESP Vortex Desander, its additional diagnostic capability can provide significant operational and economic value in high-rate wells. Early identification of pump intake restrictions caused not only by sand but chemical precipitations and enables targeted intervention and rapid production recovery. In high-rate applications, the value of recovered production can potentially offset the incremental cost of the sensing configuration over a relatively short period. This application demonstrates how capillary-based pressure sensing can enhance ESP troubleshooting while providing additional downhole visibility and supporting more informed operational decisions.