ESP Job Interview Questions & Answers
Table of Contents
Summary
Fundamental Concepts Questions
Design & Selection Questions
Troubleshooting & Solutions Questions
Advanced Technical Questions
Maintenance & Diagnostic Questions
Operations & Safety Questions
Practical Calculation Question
Summary
This document contains the most important questions and answers for job interviews related to ESP
(Electric Submersible Pump) systems. It provides comprehensive coverage of operation, design,
troubleshooting, and solution topics for candidates preparing for interviews with oilfield service
companies specializing in ESP technology.
Fundamental Concepts Questions
What is an ESP and what are its main components?
An ESP is an Electric Submersible Pump system composed of surface elements like control
panels and transformers, and downhole elements like the pump, motor, protector, and power
cable.
How does an ESP system work?
Electrical power is transferred from the surface to the downhole motor, which drives the
centrifugal pump and lifts fluids to the surface.
What are the operating limits of ESP?
Dependent on depth, production rate, temperature, well deviation, and system efficiency factors.
Design & Selection Questions
How is the setting depth of the ESP determined?
The depth is calculated based on optimum motor cooling, gas avoidance, and well pressure
distribution.
What influences the motor cooling?
Fluid velocity around the motor, flow rate, tubing and motor diameters, and fluid quality all have
an impact.
What are the main types of pump impellers and their differences?
Two main types: Radial (for lower production rates) and Mixed flow (for higher).
Troubleshooting & Solutions Questions
Gas problems and their remedies
Symptoms: lower pump performance, gas locking; solved by using a gas separator or increasing
pump setting depth.
Sand problems and their remedies
Cause pump erosion; address by operating at lower speeds and using filtering tools.
Overheating solutions
Affects cable and motor lifespan; remedied by improving motor cooling and using heat-resistant
materials.
Gas Separator Types Differences
Reverse Flow, Rotary, AGH, MPP—each uses a different principle to handle or separate gas from
liquid.
Advanced Technical Questions
What are the Affinity Laws and why are they important?
Allow engineers to adjust pump performance when speed or frequency changes.
Why are performance curves important?
They describe the relationship between rate, generated head, and best efficiency point for safe
operation.
Maintenance & Diagnostic Questions
Functions of downhole multi-sensors
Measure inlet and outlet pressure, fluid temperature, motor temperature, flow rate, and vibration.
When are Check Valves and Bleeder Valves used?
Check Valves prevent backflow; Bleeder Valves help drain the flowlines safely.
Operations & Safety Questions
Safety precautions for ESP operation
Releasing built-up gas, special wellhead for the cable, cable protection, and proper motor cooling
are required.
What is a VSD and what are its benefits?
Variable Speed Drive allows adjusting pump speed, improving efficiency and run life.
Practical Calculation Question
Calculate the fluid velocity around the ESP motor for a given example
Use the formula and example values to determine final velocity according to standard industry
practices.
