Critical Prohibitions During ESP Installation: Field Safety Guide

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ALSEngineer
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Critical Prohibitions During ESP Installation: Field Safety Guide

Post by ALSEngineer »

Essential list of conditions where ESP installation must be stopped. Safety protocols for rig crews and field technicians to prevent equipment failure.

ESP INSTALLATION IS PROHIBITED IF:
  1. Proper lighting is not provided at the wellhead and pipe racks (catwalks) during night operations.
  2. The Well Prep Certification (Well Readiness Report) is missing.
  3. During casing drifting, restrictions or defects are identified that prevent safe equipment run-in.
  4. The ambient temperature is below -22°F (-30°C). Installation may only proceed if a thermal utility unit (U-MP) is used to preheat the equipment area, up to the maximum temperature limits allowed for tripping operations.
  5. The well has undergone two consecutive workovers due to ESP failures. Installation is prohibited until a formal failure analysis (RCFA) committee identifies the root causes of previous runs and ensures they have been mitigated.
  6. In the event of inclement weather (rain, snow, or dust storms), installation is prohibited unless a proper weather shelter (provided by the rig crew) is in place to protect the ESP components from environmental exposure during assembly.
  7. Sustained wind speeds exceed 33.5 mph (15 m/s).
  8. Any active well control issues occur, such as fluid flow (the well is kicking), gas kicks, or blowouts. Installation must stop immediately if the well is not statically dead.
  9. Low light levels on the rig floor (less than 9.3 foot-candles (100 lux)).
  10. Essential cable-handling equipment is missing or improperly set up, including the cable sheave (spooling block), cable stands, or the cable spooler (power spooling unit).
  11. The rig floor is contaminated with oil or grease (slippery conditions). The working area must be free of oil spills to ensure safe footing and prevent environmental hazards.
  12. There is no clear access road (right-of-way) for service vehicles to reach the pipe tub (catwalk) or the cable spooler.