PUMPING

The majority of pumping systems currently used for reservoir injection are comprised of positive displacement reciprocating technology. These technologies provide high pressure but low flow rates. The latest pumping systems being installed are turbo driven, providing high pressure with much higher flow rates.

Oil companies are looking for ways to increase oil recovery rates. Subsea boosting is a powerful tool, but investment costs are often too high, driven by expensive topside modifications and overall system cost. The industry needs a boosting system that challenges the underlying cost structure. An OEM customer came up with a Modular Compact System (MCP) that includes a high-speed permanent magnet motor and subsea variable speed drive from Calnetix Technologies. The MCP has redefined the subsea boosting architecture and enabled lower cost subsea boosting and unprecedented pressure boosting capability.

High-voltage PM motors allow for increased voltage between VSDs and motors, decreasing voltage drop caused by long power conductor step-outs. This radical new architecture has reduced the topside real-estate and weight requirements, resulting in a highly cost-efficient system. The innovative pump system provides twice the power density, has a 50 percent smaller footprint of a conventional multiphase subsea pump and has made the system 40 percent lighter due to its compact design.