UNDERSTANDING CAVITATION ON HYDRAULIC JET PUMPS, A SOLID AND EASY TO IMPLEMENT GUIDELINE TO AVOID AND MITIGATE CAVITATION DAMAGE

The cavitation phenomenon has been extensively studied for many years, however, guidelines on how to implement this existing knowledge to the actual operation of the jet pumping systems in the oilfield are not abundant and, as per the author can see it, not yet being presented in such way that the people that operate these systems in the oilfield could implement on a straight forward way. It has been proven that using a scientific and easy to follow methodology, it is possible to prevent jet pump operating problems related to cavitation, during the early, middle and late stage of the well production life. Preventative and Corrective methodologies are based on: Measured production rates, power fluid rate and pressure, gas to liquid ratio, jet pump seating depth and jet pump nozzle/throat combination.

This paper presents a straight forward discussion on the jet pump cavitation, its hydrodynamics, causes, identification, potential damage, consequences on the jet pump performance and methods to predict it and avoid it.