Mohammad Masadeh, Ala Eddine Aouon, Nelson Ruis, Moossa Areekat, Marcelino Mota, Jacinta Edward, Artur Solodkiy, and Charles Collins
Baker Hughes
1. OBJECTIVES/SCOPE: Please list the objectives and scope of the proposed paper.
Environmental performance plays a crucial role in energy production today, and providing effective solutions to reduce carbon footprint of oil field operations is a top priority. Extensive research has been conducted to develop energy efficient technologies aimed at reducing power consumption, particularly in the artificial lift segment. Parment Magnet Motor (PMM) has gained an increasing attention from operators in the Permian, leading to the installation of hundreds of PMMs. This paper presents an evaluation of PMM performance in the field, discuses a case study and highlights lesson learned.
2. METHODS PROCEDURES, PROCESS: Briefly explain your overall approach, including your methods, procedures and process.
The approach involved evaluating over 170 PMMs installed in the Permian Basin using statistical analysis and survivability curves. A comparison between a PMM and conventional induction motor was carried out to assess energy saving and environmental impact in a gassy well that experienced frequent shutdowns due to high operating temperatures. Initially, the well was equipped with an induction motor, which was later replaced by a PMM. Well models were created to analyze power consumption and motor efficiency. Additionally, CAPEX, OPEX, and carbon footprint reductions were estimated and reported.
3. RESULTS, OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS: Please describe the results, observations and conclusions of the proposed paper.
The results of the study reveal that PMMs offer significant improvements in both efficiency and sustainability compared to traditional Induction Motors (IMs). Statistical analysis shows that around 10% of ESP short runs (less than 60 days) are due to PMM failures, primarily linked to manufacturing defects. However, 24% of ESPs with PMMs have been operational for over a year, with some exceeding 1,000 days. A pilot project demonstrated that switching to PMM reduced power consumption by 25%, saving $10,000 annually in electrical cost. Additionally, the unit uptime with PMM was 97.5%, significantly higher than the 88% uptime with IM, contributing to the production of thousands of barrels of oil annually.
PMM also achieved a higher efficiency of 96%, compared to 77% for IM, and generated less heat, with average motor temperatures of 174°F compared to 205°F for IM. Furthermore, the carbon footprint was reduced by 23%, equating to 0.16 tons of CO2 per well per year, and 27 tons annually for 170 wells. No Health, Safety, or Environmental (HSE) issues have been reported.
4. Please explain how this paper will present novel (new) or additive information to the existing body of literature that can be of benefit to a practicing engineer.
Operators across the Permian are actively searching for new technologies to reduce their carbon footprint. The results of this effort suggest that PMMs offer both economic and environmental benefits for ESP operations, particularly during the mid-to-late stages of well life when gas-liquid ratios rise.