Paper: Problems And Solutions For ESPs In Gassy Environments

The centrifugal pump is a dynamic pumping device. One of the limitations of centrifugal pumps is their inability to handle significant quantities of gas. Two-phase fluids with several orders of magnitude difference in the density of the phases have always been very difficult to pump. This presentation reviews the nature of gas in its relation to well production with Electrical Submersible Pumps and examines historical methods for gas handling. It presents information on the gas handling methods and devices more recently introduced to the industry and quantifies limitations to two phase production with ESPs.