Cable Testing Technology Helps Manage ESP Cable Life

ESP cable is an integral part of the submersible pumping system. Operating cost considerations have moved the industry towards re-use of equipment. Testing of submersible pumps, motors, seal sections and gas separators is currently being conducted by all major manufacturers of ESP equipment. A normal progression would require that ESP Cables follow the same suit. Many users currently rely on a 1000 Volt megohmmeter or a DC Hi-Pot test to determine if a cable is suitable for re-use. These instruments if used at a single voltage point may not give a true picture of the cable insulation reliability. This paper describes environmental aspects which must be considered along with a jointly developed testing procedure for determining the re-use of ESP cable. The ultimate goal of the testing procedure is to gather data and optimize the life of ESP cables under specific applications. The procedure was jointly developed by Mobil and ESP Inc. Use of the procedure was initiated at Salt Creek field in January 1992, and to date over 167 cable strings have been tested.