Barrier Fluidless, Sealless Seawater Canned Motor Pumps

The oil and gas industry continues to push toward subsea pumping technologies that minimize required support systems and increase system reliability. Canned motor technology has been applied successfully in other applications to achieve similar objectives including driving a subsea twin-screw pump. Applied subsea, canned motors eliminate the need for any barrier fluids within the motor, the myriad of systems and complexities necessary to store and replenish these fluids, and the mechanical shaft seals required to prevent the leaking and/or contamination of these fluids within the motors. As a direct adaptation of proven applications, seeFigure 1, subsea water treatment is ideal for canned motor technology. Therefore, a development has been initiated and will be completed in 2020 to demonstrate the first truly barrier fluidless, sealless subsea pump solution. This purpose of the paper is to identify the novel elements of this technology, review the system configuration, and describe the process and challenges of this ongoing design and qualification initiative.