Abstract

Petromer Trend corporation (PTC), operating the Kasim Marine Terminal (KMT) in Irian Jaya, have successfully established the first facility in South East Asia to service and repair all components of electrical submersible pumps (ESP).

By the early 1980's, repairing ESP units overseas and purchasing replacement units became a major part of PTC's operating expenses. The remoteness of the location of the operations contributed to the excessive down-time experienced and to the resulting loss of production. The decision to establish a local ESP repair facility at KMT was taken in the third quarter of 1983.

The first phase of operation started in mid 1984 and consisted of repairs to pump protectors only. Repair of pumps, pump intakes, and gas separators started in late 1984. The fourth and final extension of the local ESP repair facility, i.e. the winding of stators, was completed in January 1989. At present, the facility supports ESP operations in some 300 wells.

This paper summarizes aspects of establishing a local ESP repair facility, namely: the availability of technology, tools and spare parts, the plant layout and the staff requirements. A comparison of the economics of local versus overseas repair of ESP units is presented.