Unlimited Sump Systems and Methods

Abstract

A system for providing an unlimited sump offering increased capacity over conventional sump systems is disclosed. In embodiments, the unlimited sump may comprise a submersible pump or electronic submersible pump (ESP), a particle separator located upstream of the submersible pump, a low pressure sub, a high pressure sub, and a particle pump sub comprising a particle pump, and optionally providing a particle trap located downstream of the submersible pump. The particle pump may be driven by electrical, hydraulic, or pressure differential means as a result of a flow of well fluids caused by operation of the submersible pump, and the particle pump may direct all or a portion of particulate matter separated from the wellbore fluids to be reintroduced to the well fluids at a point downstream of the submersible pump, thereby bypassing the submersible pump.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.