DeepStar awards magnetic ESP project to Upwing and Mitsubishi

CERRITOS, CA. –Upwing Energy, an artificial lift technology company, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), one of the world’s leading industrial firms, have been awarded the next phase of the Magnetic Drive System (MDS) project by DeepStar, a global offshore research and development consortium.

The new phase, based on the successful completion of a design study last year, will include the design, build and test of enabling technologies that are the backbone of Upwing’s MDS concept for a reliable and retrievable Electric Submersible Pump (ESP).

The proof-of-concept phase, targeting deepwater offshore and subsea oil well applications, is sponsored and funded by the Nippon Foundation - DeepStar Joint Ocean Innovation program and supported by project champions Chevron, Shell, Petrobras and Equinor.

“The innovative MDS topology built on advanced magnetic technologies will significantly increase production uptime while decreasing the total cost of ownership by 75 percent in deepwater offshore applications,” said Herman Artinian, President and CEO of Upwing Energy. “We greatly value the support extended by the Nippon Foundation - DeepStar Joint Ocean Innovation program, which plays an important role in addressing the technical issues confronting deepwater production.”

Upwing Energy will design, fabricate and test a full-scale passive radial bearing assembly as well as a magnetic vibration and temperature sensor system to be utilized between the pump stages and motor in the MDS. MHI will design, fabricate and test a few stages of the high-speed, efficient hydraulic pump. The detailed design of the prototype and validation of major components of the MDS will determine the technical and economic viability of the MDS pump system.

Upwing and MHI engineers will begin work on Phase II of the project in June and are scheduled to complete the experimental prototype, including component testing, by May 2021.

DeepStar is a joint industry technology development program focused on advancing technologies to meet its members’ deepwater business needs to deliver increased production and reserves. DeepStar members include Shell, Total, CNOOC, Anadarko, Equinor, ExxonMobil, JX Nippon, Chevron, Petrobras and Woodside.