Evaluation of the reliability of electric submersible pumps in short-term periodic operating modes of wells based on field statistics

UDK: 622.276.53

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2026-5-96-101

Key words: producing wells, electric submersible pump (ESP) systems, artificial lift, steady-state well operation mode, periodic operation mode, periodic short-term activation, reliability of ESP systems, ESP failures, mean time between failures, mean time between maintenance

Authors: R.A. Khabibullin (Gubkin University, RF, Moscow); R.I. Gizatullin (Experts, RF, Saint Petersburg); V.A. Ivanov (Gubkin University, RF, Moscow; RN-TECHNOLOGIES LLC, RF, Moscow); E.R. Gadelshina (Experts, RF, Saint Petersburg); T.R. Akhmedshin (Experts, RF, Saint Petersburg); V.S. Verbitsky (Gubkin University, RF, Moscow); K.A. Goridko (RN-TECHNOLOGIES LLC, RF, Moscow)

Periodic operation modes of oil producing wells equipped with electric submersible pumps (ESPs) are widely used at Russian oilfields to ensure efficient oil production from low-flow wells, including fields with hard-to-recover reserves. To date, the impact of periodic operation on the reliability of various types of downhole pumping equipment (DPE) remains insufficiently studied. Consequently, there is a need to analyze field data containing information on DPE failures and operating characteristics under different operational modes (continuous and periodic modes) in order to develop evidence-based recommendations for predicting the reliability of ESP systems. This study presents the results of the analysis of operating parameters, daily production metrics, and data of the DPE failure records for ESP-equipped wells at one of the large Western Siberian oilfields over the period from 2020 to 2025 to assess the impact of operational parameters and operating modes of production wells on the reliability of DPE. A new approach was proposed to evaluate various reliability metrics for DPE operated in periodic modes, taking into account the actual rotation time of the ESP in a periodic cycle. Using this approach to field data analysis, survival curves were constructed for a sample of failed ESPs characterized by different periodic cycle parameters. Conclusions and recommendations regarding the analysis of field data for producing wells operating in periodic modes are provided.

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