Over a Decade of Experience Implementing Permanent Magnet Motors in Electric Submersible Pump Wells: Key Insights and Outcomes

In the pursuit of technologies that enable CO2 emission reductions within the oil and gas industry, and in alignment with international agreements aimed at combating climate change, Ecopetrol initiated the implementation of Permanent Magnet Motors (PMM) in electric submersible pump (ESP) wells. PMM installations in ESP wells began shortly before 2013. Over the years, various Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE), technical, and operational challenges have been encountered and progressively overcome, building the learning curve now achieved. This effort has involved developing procedures, compiling lessons learned, and establishing best practices across all company assets, which operate under a wide range of reservoir pressures (500–4000 psi), depths (2000–12000 ft), water cuts (5–99%), production rates (100–12000 BFPD), API gravities (8–35), gas production (GOR 5–2000 kscf/bbl), and sand cut (1–5000 ppm). Depending on the application, energy savings between 6% and 25% have been achieved. After over 1100 ESP installations with PMM across more than 25 fields in Colombia, Ecopetrol has managed to overcome the challenges faced over 10 years of implementation, allowing for 40% of its active ESP wells to currently operate with these motors. This experience has confirmed PMM technology as an effective solution for reducing energy consumption, as demonstrated by energy savings exceeding 60 GWh/year and a reduction of over 20,000 tons of CO₂e/year during the last three years. These savings are calculated using a methodology aligned to ISO 50001. This paper presents Ecopetrol's experience with PMM installations across various field under different conditions in Colombia, from an operator's perspective. It details the early stages of implementation, the evolution of this technology, its applications, the challenges addressed, and the tangible benefits achieved in emissions reduction and carbon footprint. These insights can serve as a valuable reference for other companies either on a similar path or considering such a transition.