Pump · ESP
Intake & Gas Separator
The section where well fluid enters the pump. In gassy wells the plain intake is replaced by a gas separator or a gas handling section.
What it does
Separators remove free gas and vent it to the annulus before the fluid reaches the stages. When free gas exceeds a set limit, a gas handler can be added after the separator to move the remaining gas through the pump.
Basics
| Options | Standard intake, rotary separator, vortex separator, gas handler |
| Rotary | Centrifuge principle, highest separation |
| Vortex | Fewer rotating parts, better in abrasive wells |
| Gas vented to | Casing annulus |
Common failures
- Erosion of rotary separators by sand
- Gas lock when free gas exceeds what the system handles
- Plugged intake ports
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Cycling amps and underload trips
- Likely cause
- Gas lock
- What to check
- Lower frequency, raise intake pressure, consider separator or gas handler
- Symptom
- Separator washed out at teardown
- Likely cause
- Sand erosion
- What to check
- Consider vortex type or abrasion resistant materials