Advanced Gas Handler AGH

The primary aim of the Advanced Gas Handling system is to avoid "gas-locking" in the pump which can result in inefficient cyclical operations and possible premature mechanical failure if not properly controlled.
The AGH does not separate gas - but conditions it by compressing the total fluid; so it can be produced by the pump.

The AGH is designed to improve the overall lift efficiency of a submersible lift installation by maintaining a higher gas to liquid ratio in the tubing string. 
The higher GLR will in act to reduce the hydraulic horsepower required to lift an oil well producing oil, water and gas.  

The AGH can be used with a standard intake or with a gas separator.The choice will depend on how much free gas will be present at the intake for producing condition and on whether there is a packer preventing gas production up the annulus.

Advanced Gas Handling Objectives :

• Increase a pump's ability to produce gas without "gas locking".  
• Utilize gas to improve overall lift efficiency.
• Allows usage of ESPs below packers in gassy wells 

Principle of operation for the AGH :

Increase gas handling ability with minimal head loss Methods:

• Homogenize the mixture
• Reduce bubble size 
• Put gas back into solution 
• Help gas to move to main stream

Turbulent flow in the pump breaks the gas up into fine bubbles at the impeller entrance.

During flow through the impeller the gas bubbles tend to lag  behind the liquid in the lower pressure area of the impeller.

Centrifugal force  flings the higher density liquid towards the circumference – the lower density gas accumulates below it in the impeller eye. As the gas increases the liquid production decreases.

Mixing (or crushing) the gas bubbles is necessary to aid flow.

The key issue is to reduce the impact of the centrifugal force which promotes the gas separation.

Balance holes exist in all impellers. In AGH’s an additional passage allows re-circulation of the fluid.

This allows separated gases to be re-mixed with the liquid which increases the pumps gas volume recovery ability. 

The AGH results in stable operation with reduced restarts due to underload shutdown (i.e. gas lock).  This improves production and enhances reliability...

Benefits of AGH :

1- Expand applications that can be produced with an ESP :                                                                                                    

• Replace gas-lift
• De-water gas wells
• Produce gassy well below a packer

2- Increase production in wells experiencing downtime due to gas-locking :

• Continuous stable operation
• Benefit of gas lift effect in the tubing

3- Increase production in wells that have been limited to high intake pressures to keep stable operation :

• Continuous stable operation at lower intake pressures - higher production rate possible