ZEiTECS has announced the world’s first rigless installation and retrieval of the NAUTILUS ESP, a cable-deployed electric submersible pump system (ESP), in a customer well in West Texas.

The system was deployed on December 19, 2013, and ran for 139 days until planned shutdown on May 7; the system was retrieved successfully on May 9.

The ESP was retrieved using ZEiTECS’ Launch and Recovery System (LARS). LARS is a compact, rigless injector-based system that eliminates the need for a rig or heavy coiled tubing unit to replace failed ESPs.

The NAUTILUS ESP system was deployed on a high-strength DC coaxial cable and converts DC power to AC power downhole to drive any standard inverted ESP. The system was set at 2,600 ft. and retrieved in only 40 minutes using the LARS, at an average rate of 65 ft. per minute.

The rigless ESP operation was completed using a 400 series Baker Hughes inverted ESP deployed inside 5.5” tubing, producing 900 bbl of fluid per day. The NAUTILUS ESP system can be used as a permanent production system, as well as a temporary well intervention system for well testing and well clean-up purposes.

ZEiTECS was formed to achieve increased expectations of artificial lift performance. The Company's vision is to change the way that all systems are deployed, by applying innovative technologies to the challenges that face operators today and in the future.