Flowserve tested the high-boost multiphase performance of a new pump and motor unit designed for subsea applications in water depths up to 3,000 meters (9,800 ft). The performance mapping is part of a larger technology advancement initiative that Flowserve has undertaken to provide high-pressure multiphase boosting for subsea field applications. The equipment was developed to Shell qualification requirements.
The electric motor and pump underwent load testing at the Flowserve high-power test facility located in Etten Leur, The Netherlands, on a test loop using oil and nitrogen built for this specific purpose. The test program proved the capabilities of the 3.5 MW (4,700 hp) pump and motor over a range of oil and gas flowrates, with boost pressures up to 172 bar (2,500 PSI) and gas volume fractions (GVF) of 90 percent.
The pump is based on the Flowserve’s twin-screw multiphase designs and was built at the Flowserve facility in Brantford, Canada. Engineered to pump oil with high natural gas content, the pump features a double-suction, non-contacting, twin-screw configuration built in accordance with API 676, latest edition. The 172 bar (2,500 PSI) boost pressure is the highest available for twin-screw pumps in subsea and surface applications, according to Flowserve.
The accompanying 6.6 kV high-torque electric motor was designed and built at the Flowserve facility in Hamburg, Germany, using submersible motor technology developed by Flowserve. The oil-filled motor is rated to 3.5 MW (4,700 hp) at 1,800 RPM.
