Cutting capital cost and lifting OPEX is one of the main tasks in artificial lift operations. A great attention is paid to the problem of how to increase energy efficiency as the share of OPEX for electricity is remarkably high. But the cost of power efficient equipment is usually higher than that of a standard one, and in light of this an issue arises as to how to determine areas where its employment could be economically viable. In the article, approaches used by Rosneft Oil Company when selecting one of the nodes of ESP units, namely the downhole electric motors, have been described in view of achieving an effect of lower aggregate costs. For the first time among the Russian oil and gas producing companies, Rosneft has conducted tests of high-voltage downhole electric motors, and currently occupies leading positions, as far as their number in use is concerned. Through an example of RN-Nyaganneftegas JSC, one of the crude oil and gas entities belonging to Rosneft Oil Company, a dynamic pattern of practical employment of high-voltage downhole electric motors has been shown, while highlighting that their use in the equipment set of ESPs has not resulted in a lower MTBF value. When using high-voltage downhole motors, the running current is going down which allows to make up an ESP unit with a cable whose conductor strands have a smaller cross-section. A transfer to the employment of cables with conductor strands of a smaller cross-section allows to cut CAPEX. In the article, the employment performance of energy-efficient motors at the fields of Rosneft Oil Company is being described, while providing a simplified matrix of their selection in view of economic feasibility, taking into account existing equipment prices and electricity tariffs for 2018. The article provides detailed reasons for a relatively decent application of submersible permanent magnet motors, while showing areas of a possible increase in their employment, and determining high-priority tasks for producers of such equipment and specialists of Rosneft Oil Company.
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