Subsea Electric Submersible Pump Module System And Method

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a simplified electric submersible pump (ESP) system for installation into a borehole, regardless of whether a caisson is formed in the borehole or whether an internal volume under a cap of a housing with the ESP is pressurized. A frame with associated ESP equipment can be mounted over the borehole. The ESP system can allow direct access to the ESP without having to lift the frame or a housing surrounding the ESP for maintenance and repair. A bypass provides flow during the period in which the ESP in non-operational.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for pumping fluids from a subsea location, comprising:
 an inlet conduit;   a bypass valve coupled to the inlet conduit;   a bypass conduit coupled to the bypass valve;   an electric submersible pump (ESP) flow circuit coupled to the bypass conduit, comprising:
 an ESP valve; 
 a vertically disposed ESP conduit loop coupled to the ESP valve and configured to fit into a vertical borehole formed in a seafloor; 
 an ESP housing coupled to the ESP conduit loop, comprising an ESP receiver having a receiver outlet and a removable cap; 
 a vertically disposed ESP hanger coupled in an interior volume of the ESP receiver and supported by the ESP receiver, the ESP hanger having an is internal bore fluidicly coupled to the receiver outlet; and 
 a vertically disposed ESP coupled to the ESP hanger, the ESP having an inlet within the ESP conduit loop and an outlet coupled to the internal bore of the ESP hanger; 
 wherein flow through the ESP conduit loop and the ESP housing is independent of any flow in the borehole formed in the seafloor, and 
 wherein the receiver is configured to allow removal of the ESP hanger with an exposed ESP independent of a removal of the ESP receiver and to allow direct access to the ESP; and 
   an outlet conduit coupled to the receiver outlet of the ESP flow circuit and to the bypass conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a flow of fluids into the pump inlet is independent of flow of other fluids in the borehole. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein flow of the fluids into the ESP intake is exclusive of flow in the borehole. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the borehole comprises nonpressurized borehole. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ESP comprises a pump that is oriented inline with flow through the ESP conduit loop. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bypass conduit coupled to an inlet of the ESP conduit loop on one portion and an outlet of the ESP conduit loop on a second portion. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a valve disposed in the bypass conduit and configured to close to restrict flow through the bypass conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a valve disposed in the ESP conduit loop and configured to close to restrict flow through the ESP conduit loop. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a detachable electrical connection coupled through the receiver to the ESP. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ESP receiver comprises a zone above the ESP hanger and wherein the zone is non-pressurized during flow through the ESP hanger. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a caisson at least partially surrounding the ESP conduit loop