Downhole · PCP
Permanent Downhole Gauge
A pressure and temperature gauge mounted on a carrier in the tubing just above the pump and left in the well, wired to surface through the TEC line.
What it does
Gives real time pressure and temperature at pump depth. The dual port version reads tubing and annulus at once, which shows pump discharge and intake pressure. That is the basis for setting pump speed, avoiding pump off and running well tests without intervention. It is a different sensor from the one built into an ESP.
Basics
| Sensor | Piezoresistive pressure with PT100 temperature |
| Accuracy | ±0.03% of full scale |
| Ranges | 0 to 1,000, 0 to 6,000 or 0 to 10,000 psia |
| Body | 316L, 2205 duplex or Alloy 718 |
| Versions | Single or dual port |
| Option | 3 axis accelerometer |
Common failures
- Range or temperature rating below well conditions
- Body material not suited to the fluids
- Lost signal from a cable, splice or outlet fault, not the gauge itself
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Reading frozen or noisy
- Likely cause
- Signal path problem along TEC, splice or outlet
- What to check
- Insulation and continuity test from surface, check readout settings
- Symptom
- Pressure reads at the top of its range
- Likely cause
- Gauge range too low for the well
- What to check
- Review range selection against maximum expected pressure