Variable Speed Drives

Optimize production potential

Variable Speed Drives ESP System Survival—Sine Wave vs. Unfiltered VSD Output Waveform

Well conditions often change over time—reservoir pressures drop, GORs and
watercuts vary, pressure maintenance and flood patterns change, abrasives

More than 25,000 ESP systems

APPLICATIONS
■■ Wells with high water cut or impact flow rates, and power supplies fluctuate. Such events inevitably affect the Up to 50%
high GOR extra run life
performance of the ESP system and the well.
■■ Wells with viscous or
abrasive fluids
SpeedStar SWD
■■ CO2 floods Optimize production, minimize downtime VSD can increase
Schlumberger variable speed drives (VSDs) help ESPs By varying speeds, VSDs enable pumps to operate
ESP system run life
■■ Wells with unstable flow Sinusoidal waveform
and surface pumping systems adapt to changing condi- across a wider range than possible with fixed speed
■■ Coalbed methane dewatering tions in your well by adjusting production rates, thereby drives. This feature reduces the need to change out
■■ Gas well deliquification improving performance and optimizing productivity. pumps as conditions change, decreasing downtime and up to 50% more than 6-Step or PWM VSD
Parameters to maximize performance can be preset, operating costs, contributing to a longer system life, and
■■ Offshore, subsea, and
deepwater installations automatically controlled, and remotely adjusted as enhancing production. a PWM or other 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000

ESP run life (days)

5,000 6,000 7,000

■■ Remote locations
required.
nonfiltered VSD
BENEFITS
■■ Reduce costs and enhance
productivity with increased
Application-specific solutions

O
efficiency, reliability, and ur suite of VSDs includes mod-
run life els for a range of applications,
■■ Eliminate costs of resizing from routine conditions to
pumps with varying downhole high-power, high-voltage, technical-
conditions ly challenging situations, including
■■ Minimize risks with multiple ■■ high-volume onshore
safety features developments
Lower manpower require- ■■ offshore platforms
Robust outdoor system protects Outdoor drives suit indoor Adaptive VSDs respond to Durability and remote control Lightning protection delivers ‘Rocking’ start saves nearly
■■

ments with facility to preset, ■■ deepwater subsea installations. the Amazon space constraints, offshore changing conditions meet North Sea requirements 362% returns USD 10 million
automatically control, and Middle East In gaseous applications, downhole We can help you access the latest With thousands operating globally One of the greatest challenges for
remotely adjust parameters The right VSD for the job, combined Large amounts of formation water conditions change constantly and technology even in the most chal- under different environmental condi- an ESP system is starting the motor
with expert electrical and pump produced by oil and gas opera- Harsh environments have driven gas can cause the pump to lock, lenging locations. Remote and ma- tions, VSDs are constantly exposed when solids fallback—caused
FEATURES system design, field operation, and tions in the Amazon basin need to the historical use of indoor medium- resulting in the loss of valuable pro- ture fields, like the North Sea, need to potentially damaging power by natural formation production,
monitoring throughout the life cycle be disposed of without damaging voltage drives (MVDs) on offshore
■■ Surface pumping system and duction time. As these applications solutions that are both cost-effective disturbances caused by man-made workovers, or drilling operations—
of the well can significantly improve the pristine environment. A major installations. In the Middle East,
ESP compatibility have become more prevalent, VSDs and reliable. When an operator and natural occurrences. The most plug the ESP and causes the pump
the profitability of your operations operator in Peru decided to reinject one major operator created a new
Speed control to maintain combining downhole gauge and needed a VSD for an unmanned severe disturbances result from to become stuck. The rocking-start
and maximize production.
■■
produced water into the reservoir demand for VSDs suitable for use in surface electrical data have evolved power buoy installation, a minimum lightning strikes, which can create feature electrically switches the
constant load
to prevent contamination of the nonhazardous but hostile outdoor that can quickly and automatically ESP system run life of four years spikes in the voltage and super- direction of rotation of the motor
■■ Low- and high-voltage drives Amazon river and its tributaries. environments because of a lack of adjust to such changes. was the top priority. impose short-duration electrical back and forth, freeing the pump
for different power require- The operator chose REDA HPS* indoor climate-controlled space. transients on the input waveforms. and allowing production to con-
ments horizontal multistage surface pumps Our VSDs enable operators to The SpeedStar MVD VSD met the
The NEMA 3R–rated SpeedStar Uncontrolled, such disturbances can tinue without costly downtime and
■■ Sinusoidal output with minimal because of their proven robustness, track a specific pressure reading operator’s requirements, providing cause VSDs to fail and may even intervention.
efficiency, and long run life. MVD addressed the challenge with or motor current (load), and adjust a long run life with the minimum
harmonic distortion for down- render equipment repair uneconom-
specialized outdoor packaging, the VSD speed to maintain con- footprint for transportation. Today, In an offshore field with sand
stream devices ical. StarShield* surge protection
Reduced electrical system impact, using multiple heat exchangers stant downhole pressure or load, remotely controlled VSDs installed production from an unconsoli-
■■ Indoor and outdoor models and remote control and operation, to separate the outside air from devices (SPDs) can be connected to
respectively. When gas production on this buoy provide power for up to the drive input to ground potentially dated formation, a power brownout
■■ ‘Rocking’ start feature for free- shaped the operator’s choice of the electronics inside the MVD. changes bottomhole conditions, the nine subsea ESP systems. crippling transient voltages. caused 105 wells to shut down.
ing stuck pumps the SpeedStar MVD* VSD. The only Moreover, the elimination of climate VSD can compensate and maintain When production was restarted with
■■ Optional lightning protection outdoor, NEMA 3R–rated, medium- control and the typical losses as- the performance of the pump. If In one year, a field in North Africa a fixed speed drive, 36 wells could
voltage VSD, it is ideally suited to the sociated with heating, ventilation, water breaks through, the VSD can suffered seven failures among 29 not be brought back online because
harsh Amazonian environment. This and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems adjust the speed to keep the produc- drives because of lightning strikes, of stuck pumps. Subsequently, a
fit-for-purpose solution has reduced offers considerable energy savings. tion rate unchanged. This feature resulting in downtime and costly VSD with the rocking-motor feature
pollution of the Amazon river. These specialized MVDs saved has saved our clients substantial repairs. The failed drives were was used, reestablishing production
the customer infrastructure costs, amounts in deferred production and retrofitted with StarShield SPDs from 33 of those wells and saving
and also lowered operating costs operating costs. and experienced no failures the the project nearly USD 10 million in
over the life of the wells because of following year, leading the customer workover costs.
higher efficiency and reliability. to equip all the VSDs with surge pro-
tectors. The demonstrated 362% rate
of return in a single year is typical of
the economic value provided by this
innovative solution.
Variable Speed Drives
System integrity
Because early system failure can be financially catastrophic, we provide
solutions that maintain overall system integrity. Expert services and software
packages can help predict the harmonic content and determine the mitiga-
tion requirements for your installation.
We offer a complete range of solutions for harmonic control. Conversion
of the supply frequency to the desired operating frequency gives rise to
harmonic reflections into the input power supply.
For 6-pulse low-voltage drives (LVDs), the electric current is typically dis-
■■
torted 25%, depending on the power system impedance.
■■ 1 2-pulse LVDs halve the distortion to 11% by a process of phase multi-
plication, from three phases to six.
■■ The 18-pulse SpeedStar 519 SWD* VSD effectively reduces the current
distortion by 80% compared to a 6-pulse VSD. With just 5% current dis-
Current demands
tortion, subject to power system impedances, it is an economical method The emphasis on VSDs is on system optimization, and to some extent
of conforming to IEEE 519–1992 guidelines. auto adaptive systems using intelligent controllers and increasing
■■ F or a smaller footprint and system efficiency gains in high-power appli- efficiency gains, including adherence to clean line or supply power
cations, MVDs are the solution. With current distortion typically under according to recommended guidelines on voltage and current harmonic
5%, harmonics concerns are practically eliminated and the efficient distortion levels. We offer technologies that include high voltage direct
to MVD applications using integral input isolation type transformers.
use of electric power is enhanced.
The input transformer is designed to match customer specified supply
Our extensive database shows that ESP system run life can be increased by
voltage and frequency, eliminating the need for additional transformers,
up to 50% when a 6-step or pulse-width-modulated (PWM) VSD is replaced
thereby raising efficiency and lowering your operating costs.
with one that produces a sinusoidal output. Consequently, our VSDs are de-
signed to output a smooth sine wave with minimal harmonics, which lessens
system stress. In the Gulf of Mexico, the average run life of numerous ESP
systems more than doubled because of this technology and related changes
to surface electrical systems.

MVDs are suitable for

offshore installations
where reliability
really counts. They
are also suitable for
high horsepower,
With thousands sold globally, SpeedStar medium voltage
VSD is widely used and suitable in the applications in sub-
majority of mature production situations, sea or high interven-
including brownfields. tion environments.

The outdoor MVD, the first

of its type in the industry, is
designed standard with a
visible disconnect switch,
precharge circuitry, 36-pulse
input and sine wave drive
output filter specifically
tailored for controlling and
protecting high-horsepower
ESPs and surface pumps.
The outdoor MVD does not
SpeedStar 519 SWD 18-pulse, low-voltage package is
require installation in a cli-
designed to minimize supply power harmonic current
mate-controlled environment.
and voltage distortion, while providing clean power to
the downstream device.
Variable Speed Drives
Reliability and safety
Our VSDs are among the most reliable in the industry, with a mean time
VSD Type 6 Pulse 12 Pulse 18 Pulse 24 Pulse 36 Pulse Strictest
between failures (MTBF) design philosophy of 5 to10 years for LVDs and IEEE-519
MVDs respectively. (weak system)

Because medium voltage can be lethal, SpeedStar MVDs have a high ITHD (%) 25 11 5 4 3 5.0
level of inbuilt safety. Features include a visible disconnect switch inter-
locked with Kirk keys to protect personnel and assets, input fuses that
provide a current limit, and vacuum contactors that will interrupt a fault
and possibly prevent fire and explosion. In addition, a precharge circuit
limits the inrush current to a maximum of 150% full load amperage, LVDs MVDs
thereby limiting any mechanical and electrical stresses during startup
and ensuring longer term reliability. The SpeedStar MVD also generates VSD portfolio line harmonic solutions for a weak power system (typical out-
its own internal control power for microprocessors and cooling fans, door remote land applications) where the percent absolute values will vary
ensuring a single source of power into the MVD and consequently, a with different types of power systems, but the ratios mostly apply and are
single lockout and tagout safety procedure. typical.
Variable Speed Drives

Quality support
Whether you need a brief consultation
or the most comprehensive solution,
our experts are available anywhere
and anytime. Since 1976, our power
systems team, based at the Edmonton
Technology Center in Canada, has
provided innovative and advanced
solutions for the control, automation,
remote monitoring, and electrical
protection of ESP and surface pumping
installations. These experts help ensure
the efficient and economical use of
power through field measurements and
computer modeling, by analyzing power
system components including VSDs,
and by delivering customized solutions.

www.slb.com/vsd

*Mark of Schlumberger
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