Abstract:
Apparatus and pumping systems including the apparatus are described, the apparatus including a protector body comprising a material allowing expansion and contraction of an internal fluid, the body serving as a barrier between fluids external of the body and the internal fluid. The body has first and second ends, at least one end adapted to connect the body to other components, the protector body further comprising structural features permitting facile cleanout and reuse of the protector body. Methods of use of the apparatus and systems are described, particularly in oilfield exploration, testing, and production. This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to United States Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/596,523, filed Sep. 30, 2005, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to the field of oilfield exploration, production, and testing, and more specifically to protection of pump components used in such ventures. 
   2, Related Art 
   Electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) are used for artificial lifting of fluid from a well or reservoir. An ESP typically comprises an electrical submersible motor, a seal section (sometimes referred to in the art as a protector) which functions to equalize the pressure between the inside of the system and the outside of the system and also acts as a reservoir for compensating the internal oil expansion from the motor; and a pump having one or more pump stages inside a housing. The protector may be formed of metal, as in a bellows device, or an elastomer, in which case the protector is sometimes referred to as a protector bag. 
   A variety of production fluids are pumped from subterranean environments. Different types of submersible pumping systems may be disposed in production fluid deposits at subterranean locations to pump the desired fluids to the surface of the earth. For example, in producing petroleum and other useful fluids from production wells, it is generally known to provide a submersible pumping system for raising the fluids collected in a well. Production fluids (e.g., petroleum) enter a wellbore drilled adjacent a production formation. Fluids contained in the formation collect in the wellbore and are raised by the submersible pumping system to a collection point at or above the surface of the earth. 
   In addition to motors, pump sections, and seals, a typical submersible pumping system may further comprise a variety of additional components, such as a connector used to connect the submersible pumping system to a deployment system. Conventional deployment systems include production tubing, cable and coiled tubing. Additionally, power is supplied to the submersible electric motor via a power cable that runs through or along the deployment system. 
   Often, the subterranean environment (specifically the well fluid) and fluids that are injected from the surface into the wellbore (such as acid treatments) contain corrosive compounds that may include carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and brine water. These corrosive agents can be detrimental to components of the submersible pumping system, particularly to internal electric motor components, such as copper windings and bronze bearings. Moreover, irrespective of whether or not the fluid is corrosive, if the fluid enters the motor and mixes with the motor oil, the fluid can degrade the dielectric properties of the motor oil and the insulating materials of the motor components. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to keep these external fluids out of the internal motor fluid and components of the motor. 
   Submersible electric motors are difficult to protect from corrosive agents and external fluids because of their design requirements that allow use in the subterranean environment. A typical submersible motor is internally filled with a fluid, such as a dielectric oil, that facilitates cooling and lubrication of the motor during operation. As the motor operates, however, heat is generated, which, in turn, heats the internal motor fluid causing expansion of the oil. Conversely, the motor cools and the motor fluid contracts when the submersible pumping system is not being used. 
   In many applications, submersible electric motors are subject to considerable temperature variations due to the subterranean environment, injected fluids, and other internal and external factors. These temperature variations may cause undesirable fluid expansion and contraction and damage to the motor components. For example, the high temperatures common to subterranean environments may cause the motor fluid to expand excessively and cause leakage and other mechanical damage to the motor components. These high temperatures also may destroy or weaken the seals, insulating materials, and other components of the submersible pumping system. Similarly, undesirable fluid expansion and motor damage can also result from the injection of high-temperature fluids, such as steam, into the submersible pumping system. 
   Accordingly, this type of submersible motor benefits from a motor fluid expansion system able to accommodate the expanding and contracting motor fluid. The internal pressure of the motor must be allowed to equalize or at least substantially equalize with the surrounding pressure found within the wellbore. As a result, it becomes difficult to prevent the ingress of external fluids into the motor fluid and internal motor components. 
   Numerous types of motor protectors have been designed and used in isolating submersible motors while permitting expansion and contraction of the internal motor fluid. A variety of elastomeric bladders alone or in combination with labyrinth sections have been used as a barrier between the well fluid and the motor fluid. For example, expandable elastomeric bags or bladders have been used in series to prevent mixing of wellbore fluid with motor fluid while permitting expansion and contraction of the motor fluid. Another type of protector employs a bellows, such as a one-piece annular bellows. 
   As may thus be seen, there remains a need in the natural resources exploration and production field for improving reliability and life of motor protectors. The present invention is directed at providing such protectors. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, apparatus, systems and methods are described that reduce or overcome problems in previously known apparatus and systems. 
   A first aspect of the invention are apparatus comprising:
         (a) a protector body comprising a material allowing expansion and contraction of an internal fluid, and serving as a barrier between fluids external of the protector body and the internal fluid, the protector body having first and second ends, at least one of the first and second ends adapted to connect the protector body to another pump component, the second end optionally adapted to connect the protector body to a motor seal;   (b) the protector body further comprising structural features permitting facile cleanout and reuse of the protector body.       

   Various apparatus embodiments of the present invention may be employed in systems and methods for protecting a motor of a pump exposed to a subterranean environment, for example a submersible pumping system. Apparatus of the invention in these embodiments may be termed motor protectors. Apparatus of the invention may be used to protect motors and other components in any combination. As used herein the phrase “structural features permitting facile cleanout” means that in certain apparatus embodiments, the body comprises an assembly of two or more pieces that may be disassembled and cleaned without great difficulty, as compared with conventional single piece bellows apparatus. Certain multi-piece bellows assemblies of the invention may be dismantled and cleaned in a simpler fashion than one-piece bellows. For instance, the multiple-piece bellows may be cleaned with by steam cleaning, or other methods including but not limited to chemical cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning, baking, blasting, and combinations thereof to significantly reduce the cost for the bellows cleaning processes. When mentioning apparatus of the invention comprising an assembly of two or more pieces or components, the pieces or components may be arranged in any number of ways within the invention, such as concentric bellows (inner and outer bellows); one outer bellows and two inner bellows in series, each of shorter length than the outer bellows; one outer bellows and three shorter inner bellows in series, one bellows fastened to another component, and the like. Conventional apparatus may be used in combination with apparatus of the invention, for example in series or parallel. Apparatus of the invention, whether the same or different, may also be used in series or in parallel. 
   Apparatus of the invention may comprise materials able to withstand temperatures, pressures, temperature and pressure variations, and a variety of organic, inorganic and mixtures of inorganic and organic compositions. Suitable materials for the body and ends of apparatus of the invention include metals, such as Hastelloy C, an Inconel, a heat treated stainless steel, or titanium, combinations and composites of metals and polymeric materials, and layered and coated versions of metals, wherein individual layers and coatings may be the same or different in composition and thickness. Bellows assemblies may be constructed from suitable materials that are resistant (e.g., impermeable) to the hot and corrosive environment within the wellbore, such as Kalrez, Chemrez, or Inconel 625. If a polymeric material is used, the polymeric material may be a composite polymeric material, such as, but not limited to, polymeric materials having fillers, plasticizers, and fibers therein. The polymeric material may comprise one or more thermoplastic polymers, one or more thermoset polymers, one or more elastomers, and combinations thereof. Apparatus within the invention include those wherein the apparatus may or may not be integral with the motor. Each of these motor protectors also may have various moisture absorbents, filters, particle shedders and various conventional motor protector components. 
   Another aspect of the invention are pumping systems which may be used in natural resources exploration, production, and/or testing, one pumping system comprising:
         (a) one or more pump components; and   (b) one or more apparatus of the first aspect of the invention connected to the pump component.       

   Yet another aspect of the invention are methods of protecting pump components, for example during activities such as raising hydrocarbons from an underground or undersea reservoir, one method comprising:
         (a) selecting one or more pumping systems of the invention; and   (b) using the pumping system in an oilfield operation, the oilfield operation exposing the pumping system to a wellbore environment.       

   Methods of the invention may include, but are not limited to, running one or more oilfield tools into the wellbore prior to, during, or after using the pumping system. Methods of the invention also include those wherein the pumping system is used to raise a hydrocarbon from a reservoir, or circulate either a hydrocarbon or other composition in at least a portion of a well bore, and/or retrieve an oilfield element from the wellbore. The wellbore environment during any of these methods may stay substantially the same or vary during the oilfield operation. 
   The various aspects of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the brief description of the drawings, the detailed description of the invention, and the claims that follow. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The manner in which the objectives of the invention and other desirable characteristics can be obtained is explained in the following description and attached drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a prior art electrical submersible pump disposed within a wellbore; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-section view through the longitudinal axis of a two-piece protector apparatus in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-section side elevation view through the longitudinal axis of a system of the invention having two of the two-piece protector apparatus of  FIG. 2  installed therein; and 
       FIG. 4  is a more detailed schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of the system of  FIG. 3 . 
     It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings are not to scale and illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention, and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. 
   All phrases, derivations, collocations and multiword expressions used herein, in particular in the claims that follow, are expressly not limited to nouns and verbs. It is apparent that meanings are not just expressed by nouns and verbs or single words. Languages use a variety of ways to express content. The existence of inventive concepts and the ways in which these are expressed varies in language-cultures. For example, many lexicalized compounds in Germanic languages are often expressed as adjective-noun combinations, noun-preposition-noun combinations or derivations in Romanic languages. The possibility to include phrases, derivations and collocations in the claims is essential for high-quality patents, making it possible to reduce expressions to their conceptual content, and all possible conceptual combinations of words that are compatible with such content (either within a language or across languages) are intended to be included in the used phrases. 
   The invention describes apparatus, systems incorporating same, and methods of using the apparatus and systems in oilfield applications, including exploration, testing, drilling, and production activities. As used herein the term “oilfield” includes land based (surface and sub-surface) and sub-seabed applications. The term “oilfield” as used herein includes hydrocarbon oil and gas reservoirs, and formations or portions of formations where hydrocarbon oil and gas are expected but may ultimately only contain water, brine, or some other composition. A typical use of apparatus and systems of the invention will be in wellbore applications, such as pumping fluids from or into wellbores. 
   Various apparatus embodiments of the present invention may be employed in systems and methods for protecting a motor of a pump exposed to a subterranean environment, for example a submersible pumping system. Apparatus of the invention in these embodiments may be termed motor protectors. Apparatus of the invention may be used to protect motors and other components in any combination. In certain apparatus embodiments, the body comprises an assembly of two or more pieces that may be disassembled and cleaned without great difficulty, as compared with conventional single piece bellows apparatus. Certain multi-piece bellows assemblies of the invention may be dismantled and cleaned in a simpler fashion than one-piece bellows. For instance, the multiple-piece bellows may be cleaned with a commercial steam cleaner, or other methods including but not limited to chemical cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning to significantly reduce the cost for the bellows cleaning processes. When mentioning apparatus of the invention comprising an assembly of two or more pieces or components, the pieces or components may be arranged in any number of ways within the invention, such as concentric bellows (inner and outer bellows); one outer bellows and two inner bellows in series, each of shorter length than the outer bellows; one outer bellows and three shorter inner bellows in series, and the like. Conventional apparatus may be used in combination with apparatus of the invention, for example in series or parallel. Apparatus of the invention, whether the same or different, may also be used in series or in parallel. 
   Apparatus of the invention may comprise materials able to withstand temperatures, pressures, temperature and pressure variations, and a variety of organic, inorganic and mixtures of inorganic and organic compositions expected or unexpected in a wellbore. A “wellbore” may be any type of well, including, but not limited to, a producing well, a non-producing well, an injection well, a fluid disposal well, an experimental well, an exploratory well, and the like. Wellbores may be vertical, horizontal, deviated some angle between vertical and horizontal, and combinations thereof, for example a vertical well with a non-vertical component. Suitable materials for the body and ends of apparatus of the invention include metals, polymeric apparatus selected from natural and synthetic polymers, combinations and composites of metals and polymeric materials, and layered and coated versions of polymers and metals, wherein individual layers and coatings may be the same or different in composition and thickness. If a polymeric material is used, the polymeric material may be a composite polymeric material, such as, but not limited to, polymeric materials having fillers, plasticizers, and fibers therein. Apparatus within the invention include those wherein the apparatus may or may not be integral with the motor. Using metal bellows extends temperature operating limits far beyond those of polymeric bag-type protectors in extreme temperatures. In the case of gassy wells, metal apparatus may prevent gas from migrating through the apparatus and displacing the motor oil. Metals that are resistant to H 2 S and impermeable to gas may be employed in wellbores having harsh environments, i.e., high temperature and H 2 S, as well as high hydrocarbon gas content. 
   Apparatus and systems of the invention may thus be especially useful in steam flood injection operations, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) projects. As is known, conventional oil production is declining in Canada, but oil production from tar sands and other heavy oil sources using SAGD is increasing. In the SAGD process, two parallel, horizontal wells are drilled, steam is injected in the upper well, which is approximately 5 meters above the lower, producing wellbore. The injected steam rises in the formation and heats the oil (having a gravity of less than 10° API), which flows down to the producing wellbore by gravity drainage. Formerly, gas-lift was used to produce the SAGD wells, however, gas-lift requires high power (for compression) and there may be problems with instability due to the horizontal wellbores. Using an ESP, production is controlled. The produced emulsion is produced to the treating plant. By using the ESP, the pump intake pressure, and thus the flowing bottom-hole pressure can be reduced. The lower reservoir pressure helps to optimize the steam coverage and use in the reservoir. The ESP may be that known under the trade designation “Hotline” 550, available from Schlumberger, Houston, Tex., rated for 218° C. (425° F.). Production rate presently ranges from about 300-1000 M3/Day, or 1900-6300 B/D. The pumps are landed in the horizontal portion of the wellbore, and experience a rapid temperature increase. The temperature at the surface may be very low. The wells produce approximately 1% sand. The ESP may use a variable speed drive. Challenges presented include the high temperature in the reservoir, sand, temperature cycles, setting the pump in the horizontal wellbore, and maintaining clean the dielectric motor oil. Despite the use of advanced insulation, all steel stators, high-temperature di-electric motor cooling oil, elastomers able to withstand up to 550° F., high temperature pothole, and metal bellows having seal and bellows sections, as taught in assignee&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,860, the search for improvements remains an active area. One area in need of improvement is the ability to clean the motor protector in a timely and cost effective manner. The apparatus and systems of the present invention address this need. 
   Referring generally to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary pumping system  10 , such as a submersible pumping system, is illustrated. Pumping system  10  may comprise a variety of components depending on the particular application or environment in which it is used. Typically, system  10  has at least a submersible pump  12 , a motor  14 , and a motor protector  16 . Motor  14  may comprise any electric motor or other motor that requires volume compensation based on, for instance, the thermal expansion and/or contraction of internal fluid. Submersible pump  12  may be of a variety of types, e.g. a centrifugal pump, an axial flow pump, or a combination thereof. System  10  may also comprise a gearbox, as is known in the art. 
   In the illustrated embodiment, pumping system  10  is designed for deployment in a well  18  within a geological formation  20  containing desirable production fluids, such as petroleum. In a typical application, a wellbore  22  is drilled and lined with a wellbore casing  24 . Wellbore casing  24  typically has a plurality of openings  26  (e.g. perforations) through which production fluids may flow into wellbore  22 . While  FIG. 1  illustrates a system in vertical orientation, this is merely for convenience. As previously explained, in SAGD production the wellbore section would be illustrated as horizontal. 
   Pumping system  10  is deployed in wellbore  22  by a deployment system  28  that may have a variety of forms and configurations. For example, deployment system may comprise tubing  30  connected to pump  12  by a connector  32 . Power is provided to submersible motor  14  via a power cable  34 . Motor  14 , in turn, powers centrifugal pump  12 , which draws production fluid in through a pump intake  36  and pumps the production fluid to the surface via tubing  30 . 
   It should be noted that the illustrated submersible pumping system  10  is merely an exemplary embodiment. Other components can be added to the system, and other deployment systems may be implemented. Additionally, the production fluids may be pumped to the surface through tubing  30  or through the annulus formed between deployment system  28  and wellbore casing  24 . In any of these configurations of submersible pumping system  10 , it is desirable to attain maximum protection and life of the motor fluid, the motor  14  and the motor protector  16  in accordance with the present invention. 
   In embodiments of the present invention, system  10  may have multiple sections of the motor protector  16  disposed about the motor  14 . As illustrated, system  10  comprises the pump  12 , motor  14 , and various motor protection components disposed in a housing. Pump  12  is rotatably coupled to the motor  14  via a shaft, which extends lengthwise through the housing (e.g., one or more housing sections coupled together). System  10  and the shaft may have multiple sections, which can be intercoupled via couplings and flanges. For example, the shaft may have couplings and an intermediate shaft section disposed between pump  12  and motor  14 . 
   Generally, conventional bellows protectors use an annular bellows (or in some cases two layers of bellows, or alternatively a small bellows inside a big bellows) to allow the shaft to pass through the center of the bellows. At one end of the annular bellows, the big and small bellows may be welded to an end plate, but may otherwise be free. At the other end, both the big and small bellows may be welded to a flange for installing the bellows onto another part of the protector during assembly, such as a protector seal section. In the flange, there are several holes for fluid communication. Accordingly, if some wellbore debris gets into such a one-piece bellows, it may be very difficult to clean. 
   Some embodiments of systems of the invention employ a multi-piece bellows (e.g., a two-piece bellows, or a single bellows with another component) that can be dismantled and cleaned, so the cleaning process may be much easier and less expensive. Moreover, the quality of bellows cleaning may be significantly enhanced to provide more reliable operation of the bellows downhole. 
   The present invention encompasses various ways using multi-piece bellows in a protector assembly. For example, the bellows can be designed into one, two, or more pieces depending on the actual cost and manufacturing capability.  FIG. 2  illustrates in cross-section an embodiment  50  having a bellows that is in two pieces. One piece is an external bellows  51 , and another piece is an internal bellows  53 . Both bellows have upper and lower flanges so that the two bellows can be connected together to form an annular bellows. External bellows  51  is welded to an upper flange  55  and a lower flange  59 , while internal bellows  53  is welded to an upper flange  57  and a lower flange  61 . In some embodiments, like the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , o-rings  63  and  65  provide seals between each pair of the flanges to be connected together. Lower flange  61  of internal bellows  53  has one or more fluid communication ports  67 , and flange  61  may serve as a male portion fitting into a female seat of a protector seal body  17  ( FIG. 4 ). The bellows assembly can thus be installed onto seal body  17  of the protector. Bolts  69 ,  71 ,  73 , and  74 , hold the flanges together, and an opening for a motor shat is illustrated at  77 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of embodiment  100  of the invention, and  FIG. 4  illustrates, also in cross-section, more details of the two piece bellows installation of embodiment  100 . Illustrated is a pump  12  and a motor  14 , with the protector in this embodiment being in multiple bellows sections  16   a  and  16   b , each having external/internal bellows construction as in embodiment  50  of  FIG. 2 . A seal section  15  for bellows section  16   a  and a seal section  17  for bellows section  16   b  are illustrate, as well as dielectric motor oil  54 . A third seal section  19  is provided in this embodiment. Pump shaft  11  is illustrated. Note that the construction as detailed in  FIG. 4  allows easier disassembly than previously known apparatus and systems by virtue of multiple pieces: external bellows  51  may be detached from internal bellows  53  by simply unscrewing bolts  69 ,  71 ,  73 , and  75 . 
   Referring now to the operation of the bellows assembly illustrated by  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , motor fluid  54  expands and contracts as motor  14  is activated and deactivated and as other temperature fluctuations affect the fluid volume. If motor fluid  54  expands, then bellows  51  and  53  expand accordingly. If motor fluid  54  contracts, then bellows  51  and  53  also contract. The spring force of the bellows ensures that motor fluid  54  is positively pressurized relative to the well fluid, regardless of whether motor fluid  54  has expanded or contracted (e.g., 10 psi, 25 psi, 50 psi or higher pressure differential). During or after submerging the systems of the invention, the system may release or inject oil in the motor to maintain the pressure of motor fluid  54  within a certain pressure range. Accordingly, external fluids (i.e., the well fluids) are continuously pressured away from the motor fluid of motor  14  to prevent undesirable corruption of the internal fluids and components of motor  14 . The foregoing pressure ensures that if leakage occurs, the leakage is directed outwardly from motor fluid  54  to the well fluid, rather than inwardly from the well fluid into motor fluid  54  (i.e., the typical undesirable leakage/corruption of motor fluid  54 ). The positive internal pressure generally provides a better environment for the system  10 . The positive pressure of motor fluid  54  provided by the bellows also may be used to periodically flush fluids through the bearings and seals to ensure that the bearings and seals are clean and operable. 
   Throughout the life of apparatus and systems of the invention, motor fluid tends to leak outwardly through the shaft seals and into the external fluids. By itself, this gradual leakage tends to decrease the pressure of motor fluid  54 . However, the bellows compensate for the leakage to maintain a certain positive pressure range within motor fluid  54 . In the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4  the bellows compensate by contracting (due to the spring force). In other embodiments, the bellows may compensate by expanding (also due to the spring force). 
   The bellows also may have various protection elements to extend their life and to ensure continuous protection of motor  14 . For example, a filter may be disposed between ports and the exterior of the bellows to filter out undesirable fluid elements and particulates in the well fluid prior to fluid communication with the exterior. A filter also may be provided adjacent the interior of the bellows to filter out motor shavings and particulates. If used, the filter may be positioned adjacent a moisture absorbent assembly between a motor cavity and the interior of the bellows. Accordingly, the filter may prevent solids from entering or otherwise interfering with the bellows, thereby ensuring that the bellows is able to expand and contract along with volume variations in the fluids. 
   A plurality of expansion and contraction stops also may be disposed about bellows  51 ,  53  to prevent over and under extension and to prolong the life of the bellows. For example, a contraction stop may be disposed within the interior of either bellows to contact an end section and limit contraction of the bellows. An expansion stop also may be provided. Contraction and expansion stops may have various configurations depending on the material utilized for the apparatus and also depending on the pressures of motor fluid  54  and the well fluid. A housing  21  also may be disposed about the exterior of external bellows  51  to guide the bellows during contraction and expansion and to provide overall protection. 
   As discussed above, motor fluid  54  may be pressurized significantly prior to submersing the system  10 . As system  10  is submersed and activated in the downhole environment, the internal pressure of motor fluid  54  may rise and/or fall due to temperature changes, such as those provided by the activation and deactivation of motor  14 . Accordingly, various valves may be disposed within housing  21  to control the pressurization of motor fluid  54  and to maintain a suitable positive pressure range for motor fluid  54 . For example, a valve may be provided to release motor fluid  54  when the pressurization exceeds a maximum pressure threshold. In addition, another valve may be provided to input additional motor fluid when the pressurization falls below a minimum pressure threshold. Accordingly, the valves maintain the desired pressurization and undesirable fluid elements are repelled from the motor cavity at the shaft seals. 
   System  10  also may have a wiring assembly extending through housing  21  to a component adjacent a bellows. For example, a variety of monitoring components may be disposed near one of the bellows to improve the overall operation of system  10 . Exemplary monitoring components comprise temperature gauges, pressure gauges, and various other instruments, as should be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
   As discussed above, apparatus of the invention may have various configurations. For example, certain apparatus and systems of the invention may comprise a motor protector  16  that comprises a seal section  17  and a bellows section  51 ,  53  ( FIG. 4 ). As illustrated in embodiment  100  of  FIG. 3 , seal section  17  may be disposed between pump  12  and motor  14 , while a protector  16   a  is disposed adjacent motor  14 , and another protector  16   b  is disposed on an opposite side of seal section  17 . System  100  may also have an optional monitoring system disposed adjacent one of protectors  16   a  and/or  16   b . If additional sealing and motor protection is desired, then a plurality of seal and bellows sections may be disposed about the motor  14  in desired locations. For example, certain systems of the invention may have multiple bellows sections disposed sequentially and/or on opposite sides of motor  14 , such as a bellows section having two bellows assemblies in series. 
   Seal sections of a motor protector may have various seal and protection elements disposed about shaft  11  within housing  21 . These elements may be provided to protect motor  14  from undesirable fluid elements in pump  12  and wellbore. Accordingly, the seal section may have a plurality of shaft seals disposed about shaft  11  to seal and isolate motor fluid  54  from the undesirable fluids (e.g., the well fluid, or injected fluid). Seal sections may also have a thrust bearing disposed about shaft  11  to accommodate and support the thrust load from pump  12 . A moisture absorbent assembly also may be disposed about shaft  11  to remove undesirable fluids from the internal fluid (i.e., motor fluid  54  within housing  21 ). 
   As discussed above, the internal fluid of systems of the invention may be positively pressurized to prevent in-flow of the undesirable fluids through the shaft seals. In a section between shaft seals, a relief valve may be provided to release internal fluid from the system when the internal pressure exceeds the maximum pressure threshold. According to these embodiments, the technique maintains the internal fluid within a certain positively pressurized pressure range to prevent in-flow of undesirable fluids through the shaft seals, while also allowing a pressure release when the internal pressure exceeds the maximum pressure threshold. This technique ensures that fluid is repelled and ejected under pressure rather than allowing the undesirable fluids to slowly migrate into the system, such as in a pressure balanced system. However, the apparatus and systems of the present invention also may utilize various pressure balancing assemblies to complement the seal and bellows sections. For example, a seal section may include a labyrinth or bag assembly between shaft seals. 
   The bellows sections of the motor protectors  16   a  and  16   b  have the bellows disposed in a housing  21 , which may be coupled to motor  14  at a coupling section and to another component at a different coupling section. Inside housing  21 , bellows  51  and  53  are oriented such that an interior is in fluid communication with the well fluid through various ports, as is known in the art. An external filter assembly may be disposed about the ports to filter out undesirable elements within the well fluid. The exterior of bellows  51  and  53  are in fluid communication with motor fluid  54 . The bellows may also have a filter disposed between the bellows and motor  14 . For example, a filter assembly may be disposed at an expansion stop  79  of housing  21  to filter out motor shavings and other harmful elements. Accordingly, the filter assemblies filter out undesirable elements from motor fluid  54  and the well fluid to protect the bellows. In this configuration, motor fluid  54  contracts bellows  51  and  53  as it is injected into motor  14 , while the well fluid acts against the bellows as the system is submersed into the well. 
   As discussed above, the bellows may be movably disposed within a housing. As motor fluid  54  expands and contracts due to temperature changes, bellows  51  and  53  contract or expand to a new resting position, where the internal motor pressure is balanced against the well pressure plus the spring force of the bellows. If motor fluid  54  expands, the bellows of this embodiment contracts accordingly. If motor fluid  54  contracts, the bellows of this embodiment expands accordingly. Motor fluid  54  in this embodiment, therefore, remains positively pressurized in relation to well fluids, regardless of whether or not it has been expanded or contracted due to temperature variations. 
   The bellows also may utilize various spring assemblies and other biasing structures to facilitate pressurization of motor fluid  54 . For example, a spring assembly may be incorporated into the bellows assembly to complement the resistance of the bellows and increase the stroke of the bellows (thereby increasing the time and range in which the bellows will maintain a positive pressure on motor fluid  54 ). The orientation of the bellows also may be varied to accommodate a particular pumping system and application. 
   Moreover, as discussed in further detail below, apparatus of the present invention may be used alone or separate, in duplicate, in series, in parallel, or in any suitable configuration to provide optimal protection for motor  14 . For example, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of protector bellows  16   a  and  16   b  may be disposed in series. Alternatively, the protector bellows may be arranged longitudinally adjacent one another in a bellows section, each bellows having a longitudinally adjacent set of ports and filters for fluid communication with the well fluid. The opposite side of each bellows assembly is then in fluid communication with motor fluid  54 . 
   Systems of the invention may also comprise a variety of conventional motor protector components, such as a bag assembly and a labyrinth assembly, for example, system  100  may have pump  12 , seal section  17 , motor  14  and bellows section sequentially intercoupled. The bellows section may have the bellows oriented such that the interior is in fluid communication with the well fluid, while the exterior is in fluid communication with motor fluid  54 . Although  FIGS. 3 and 4  do not illustrate the various filters and other protection elements for the bellows, the bellows sections may include a variety of filters, seals, moisture absorbent assemblies, housings, bellow stops, and other desired bellows protection elements configured to prolong the life of the bellows assembly, as previously described. The seal section will have shaft seals disposed about respective chambers which have a bag assembly and a labyrinth assembly disposed therein to provide pressure balancing between the shaft seals. The seal section also may utilize a variety of other pressure balancing components, such as conventional bag assemblies, conventional labyrinth assemblies, and various bellows and labyrinth assemblies of the present technique. A plurality of pressure check valves may also be disposed in the seal section to control the positively pressurized fluid within system  100 . For example, a valve (not shown) may be configured to monitor the pressure and to trigger a backup oil supply when the pressure falls below the minimum pressure threshold in motor  14  (e.g., 5 psi). For example, if the bellows fails to expand or contract as in normal operation, then the valve acts as a backup to ensure a desired pressure range for motor fluid. The valve may be configured to monitor the pressure and to release the positively pressurized motor fluid  54  within motor  14  when the internal pressure exceeds the maximum pressure threshold. Accordingly, the valve ensures that the O-ring seals in the pothead, the joints, and various other components in the seal section are protected from excessive pressure differentials. 
   Alternate configurations of the seal and bellow sections are possible. In certain embodiments the seal section and the bellows section may be sequentially disposed between pump  12  and motor  14 . These systems may also have an optional monitoring system disposed adjacent motor  14  and opposite bellows  51 ,  53 . In certain other embodiments, the seal section and the bellows section may be sequentially disposed between pump  12  and motor  14 . However, an additional bellows section may be disposed below motor  14  to complement bellows section disposed above motor  14 . Systems of the invention may also have an optional monitoring system disposed below the relatively lower bellows section. Accordingly, the seal and bellows sections may be oriented at various locations relative to pump  12  and motor  14 , while also including a plurality of seal and bellows sections to improve the effectiveness of the overall motor protection technique. It also should be noted that the seal sections may include conventional motor protection components. 
   As discussed briefly, one problem has been the difficulty in cleaning the bellows in a timely and cost effective manner, in particular the annular region between bellows  51  and  53 . Apparatus and systems of the invention address this problem by providing multi-piece protectors, such as previously described in reference to  FIG. 2 , a non-limiting embodiment. Apparatus of the invention may be used to protect motors and other components in any combination. In certain apparatus embodiments, the body comprises an assembly of two or more pieces that may be disassembled and cleaned without great difficulty, as compared with conventional single piece annular bellows apparatus. Certain multi-piece bellows assemblies of the invention may be dismantled and cleaned in a simpler fashion than one-piece bellows. For instance, the multiple-piece bellows may be cleaned with a commercial steam cleaner, or other methods including but not limited to chemical cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning to significantly reduce the cost for the bellows cleaning processes. Bolts  69 ,  71 ,  73 , and  75  in embodiment  50  of  FIG. 2  allow this facile cleaning. Other connectors may be employed with similar results. 
   Systems of the invention also may have a variety of alternate configurations of the apparatus for positioning the bellows about the shaft  11 . For example, the bellows may embody an annular or ring-shaped enclosure, which may be fixed at one or both ends to provide a fixed seal and an expandable/contractible volume. Accordingly, the bellows avoids use of sliding seals, which typically cause leakage into the motor fluid. In this embodiment, the fluid pressures on opposite sides of the bellows may be relatively balanced rather than providing a significant pressure differential between the fluids. However, it is understood that a slight pressure differential, such as 5 psi, may be provided in this pressure-balanced configuration of the bellows assembly. Another protector component (e.g., a bellows assembly, a bag assembly, a labyrinth assembly, etc.) may be coupled to the section. Alternatively, if a labyrinth assembly is coupled to the section, then the interior of the annulus or ring-shaped enclosure may be in fluid communication with a desired isolation fluid configured to facilitate separation from the well fluid in the labyrinth assembly. In either configuration, a filter assembly may be disposed adjacent the port to filter out undesirable elements within the well fluid or the desired isolation fluid. The exterior of external bellows  51  is in fluid communication with motor fluid  54  via ports. Alternatively, the exterior may be in fluid communication with a second isolation fluid for a second labyrinth assembly, a bag assembly, or any other desired fluid separation assembly. As described in detail above, the bellows also may include a variety of bellows protection elements, such as guides, seals, filters and absorbent packs (e.g., moisture absorbent packs). The bellows also may comprise one or more shaft seals, thrust bearings, and various other seals and bearings. For example, the bellows may have shaft seals disposed about the shaft  11  on opposite sides of the bellows. A thrust bearing may also be disposed about shaft  11 . 
   As discussed above, the bellows may be balanced pressure bellows rather than a positively pressurized bellows. In operation of balanced pressure bellows, injection and expansion of motor fluid in motor  14  (or other isolation fluid) and the exterior causes the bellows to contract. In contrast, the pressure of the well fluid (or other isolation fluid) causes the bellows assembly to expand. As motor fluid expands and contracts due to temperature changes, the bellows contracts or expands to a new resting position, where the internal motor pressure is balanced against the well pressure plus any resistance of the bellows. If motor fluid (or other isolation fluid) expands, the bellows of this embodiment contracts accordingly. If the motor fluid (or other isolation fluid) contracts, the bellows of this embodiment expands accordingly. Accordingly, bellows substantially balances the pressures between the motor fluid and the well fluid under a wide range of operating conditions, which include both expansion and contraction of motor fluid  54 . If a positive pressure differential is desired in the bellows, then a spring assembly can be incorporated into the bellows to prevent inward leakage of undesirable elements such as the well fluid. 
   As noted above, the bellows may be fixed at one or both ends. Embodiment  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  has the bellows protector  16   a  and  16   b  fixed to a seal section  15  and  17 , while an opposite end is free to expand and contract within housing  21 . The particular length and spring stiffness of the bellows may be configured for any desired operating conditions and well environments. Additional bellows also may be incorporated into the bellows sections  16   a  and  16   b  to provide additional protection for motor  14 . 
   The bellows also may have one or more stepped sections, which provide a fluid interface to facilitate expansion and contraction of the bellows. In these embodiments, the bellows is fixed at both ends, while the stepped section is movable as the well and motor fluids expand and contract. The stepped section acts as a fluid interface between large diameter and small diameter bellows sections. The particular lengths and spring stiffness of the bellows sections may be configured for any desired operating conditions and well environments. 
   The apparatus and systems of the invention may also include one or more labyrinth assemblies, bag or bladder assemblies, or other conventional motor protector assemblies to protect both motor  14  and the bellows  51  and  53 . Moreover, the systems may comprise both a positively pressured bellows assembly along with a balanced pressure bellows assembly. 
   Additionally, the motor protectors  16  of system  100  may comprise a multi-orientable labyrinth assembly (i.e., operable in multiple orientations), which may be used alone or in combination with the bellows or other components. The multi-orientable labyrinth assembly has one or more conduits that extend in multiple directions to ensure fluid paths having peaks and valleys in multiple orientations of the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly. Accordingly, the peaks and valleys in these various orientations ensure continuous fluid separation in all orientations of the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly based on differences in specific gravity. Systems of the invention may have a multi-orientable labyrinth assembly disposed between pump  12  and motor  14 . As described in other embodiments of the system  10 , a variety of seals, couplings, bearings, filters, absorbents, and protection devices may be provided to protect and prolong the life of motor  14 . Accordingly, system  100  may include couplings, a thrust bearing, and a solids processor. An exemplary solids processor may be disposed in a chamber between pump  12  and motor protector  16  to prevent solids from entering the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly and from generally corrupting the motor protection devices in the motor protector(s)  16 . A suitable solids processor may include a variety of solids separators, such as shedder and shroud, which prevent solids from settling on and damaging bearings and seals such as shaft seals. The solids separator throws or sheds solids outwardly from the shaft  11  and shaft seal. The shroud, which may embody an extended length shedder in a deviated orientation, also prevents solids from settling near shaft  11  and damaging shaft seals. The solids processor may also include one or more flow ports that allow solids to escape into the wellbore. The multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may comprises a multi-directional winding of tubing, which is fluidly coupled to the motor and well fluids (or other isolation fluids) at its ends. The ends may be positioned in respective opposite ends of the motor protector  16 . One end may be coupled to a port extending to motor  14 , while the other end may be positioned openly within motor protector  16 . The ends may also include a filter to prevent solids and other undesirable elements from entering the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly. The well fluid enters the motor protector  16  via a conduit, which also can include one or more filters to prevent the inflow of solids into the motor protector  16 . In operation, a multi-directional winding of a multi-orientable labyrinth assembly maintains fluid separation of the motor and well fluids by using the differences in specific gravity of the fluids and multidirectional windings. A multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may have a plurality of crisscrossing and zigzagging tubing paths, which extend in multiple orientations (e.g., 2-D, 3-D, or any number of directions) to ensure that the fluids go through upward and downward movement regardless of the orientation of the system. For example, a multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may be operable in a vertical wellbore, a horizontal wellbore, or any angled wellbore. A multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may also be disposed in a variety of submersible pumping systems, including those illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Moreover, a plurality of multi-orientable labyrinth assemblies may be disposed in series or in parallel in various locations within the system. 
   In one system configuration, a multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may be disposed in a chamber between the bellows and the well fluid to protect the bellows. In the foregoing system configuration, pump  12  and motor  14  may be positioned side by side, while the bellows and multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may be disposed adjacent motor  14 . In contrast, in another embodiment the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may be configured for positioning about shaft  11  in a central protector configuration. In this central configuration, the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly has an annular or ring-shaped geometry, which provides an inner conduit for shaft  11 . In both embodiments, the multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may include one or more continuous tubes, which are interwoven in zigzagging and multi-directional patterns terminating at opposite ends of the labyrinth assembly. Moreover, the dimensions of the tubing, the density of the windings, and other geometrical features may be tailored to the specific system and downhole environment. A multi-orientable labyrinth assembly may also have an additional feature, as compared to conventional two-dimensional labyrinths. In two-dimensional labyrinths, the oil/well fluid interface occurs within the labyrinth chamber and not within one of the labyrinth tubes. In multi-orientable labyrinth assemblies, the interface may occur in the relevant chamber, but it may also occur within the multi-oriented tube thereby enabling the assembly to be used in any orientation (as previously discussed). 
   In another exemplary embodiment of systems of the invention, a plurality of the foregoing motor protector and seal devices may be disposed in parallel or in series within the system. 
   Accordingly, the present invention may embody a variety of system configurations and motor protectors  16  and corresponding devices, such as the bellows  51  and  53  and multi-orientable labyrinth assembly. As described above, the bellows may embody either a positively pressurized system or a balanced pressure system. The foregoing motor protectors  16  and corresponding devices may be used alone or together in any configuration, including multiples of each device and conventional motor protectors. Moreover, one or more of the motor protectors  16  can be disposed above, between or below pump  12  and motor  14 . For example, if a balanced pressure bellows is disposed above motor  14  or between pump  12  and motor  14 , then a positively pressurized bellows may be disposed below motor  14  in fluid communication with the well fluid. Moreover, any of the foregoing motor protectors  16  and corresponding devices may be functionally combined in series or in parallel, or any combination thereof. 
   Exemplary materials of construction for apparatus and systems of the invention comprise a metal selected from metals chemically compatible with expected environmental conditions, heat treated metals, corrosion resistant metals, high strength metals, and metals having two or more of these properties. Hastelloy “C” is a good choice for most pumps because of its chemical compatibility, but it may not be thick enough for a Hastelloy “C” pump. Most bellows convolutions are only 0.004 inches (0.10 mm) thick and one definition of “corrosion resistant” is that the material can corrode up to 0.002 inches (0.05 mm) per year. The 300 series of stainless steel, while high in strength, may cause chloride stress corrosion problems. One heat treatable form of stainless steel is type AM350, which has been used successfully for many years in high temperature and cryogenic seal applications. Heat-treated materials tend to retain their strength and spring rate at elevated temperatures expected in wellbores. Inconel  718  is a metal that has good corrosion resistant properties in an annealed form and retains some of the corrosion resistant properties after heat testament. It has become the favorite of oil refinery people because of corrosion problems they have experienced with type AM350 stainless steel after five or six years of service. Titanium, 17-4 PH and variety of other materials have been used as bellows seals. 
   Metal apparatus of the invention may have coatings, including polymeric coatings. “Coating” as used herein as a noun, means a condensed phase formed by any one or more processes. The coating may be conformal (i.e., the coating conforms to the surfaces of the inventive apparatus), although this may not be necessary in all oilfield applications or all apparatus, or on all surfaces of the apparatus. Conformal coatings based on urethane, acrylic, silicone, and epoxy chemistries are known, primarily in the electronics and computer industries (printed circuit boards, for example). Another useful conformal coating includes those formed by vaporization or sublimation of, and subsequent pyrolization and condensation of monomers or dimers and polymerized to form a continuous polymer film, such as the class of polymeric coatings based on poly (p-xylylene), commonly known as Parylene. Thermoplastic elastomers, which may be another type of polymeric coating, are generally the reaction product of a low equivalent molecular weight polyfunctional monomer and a high equivalent molecular weight polyfunctional monomer, wherein the low equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer is capable, on polymerization, of forming a hard segment (and, in conjunction with other hard segments, crystalline hard regions or domains) and the high equivalent weight polyfunctional monomer is capable, on polymerization, of producing soft, flexible chains connecting the hard regions or domains. Another class of useful polymeric coatings are thermally curable coatings derived from coatable, thermally curable coating precursor solutions, such a those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,646, incorporated by reference herein. Two other classes of useful coatings are condensation curable and addition polymerizable resins, wherein the addition polymerizable resins are derived from a polymer precursor which polymerizes upon exposure to a non-thermal energy source which aids in the initiation of the polymerization or curing process. Examples of non-thermal energy sources include electron beam, ultraviolet light, visible light, and other non-thermal radiation. Examples of useful organic resins to form these classes of polymeric coating include methylol-containing resins such as phenolic resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, and melamine formaldehyde resins; acrylated urethanes; acrylated epoxies; ethylenically unsaturated compounds; aminoplast derivatives having pendant unsaturated carbonyl groups; isocyanurate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylate group; isocyanate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylate group; vinyl ethers; epoxy resins; and mixtures and combinations thereof. The term “acrylate” encompasses acrylates and methacrylates. 
   For embodiments wherein a better bond between the polymeric coating and the metal portions of the apparatus is desired, mechanical and/or chemical adhesion promotion (priming) techniques may used. The term “primer” as used in this context is meant to include both mechanical and chemical type primers or priming processes. Examples of mechanical priming processes include, but are not limited to, corona treatment and scuffing, both of which increase the surface area of the apparatus. An example of a preferred chemical primer is a colloidal dispersion of, for example, polyurethane, acetone, isopropanol, water, and a colloidal oxide of silicon, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,523, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
   As may be seen by the exemplary embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4  there are many possible uses of apparatus and systems of the invention. Alternatives are numerous. For example, certain electrical submersible pumps, which are modified versions of a pumping system known under the trade designation Axia™, available from Schlumberger Technology Corporation, may feature a simplified two-component pump-motor configuration. Pumps of this nature generally have two stages inside a housing, and a combined motor and protector, which may comprised an apparatus of the invention. This type of pump may be built with integral intakes and discharge heads. Fewer mechanical connections may contribute to faster installation and higher reliability of this embodiment. The combined motor and protector assembly is known under the trade designation ProMotor™, and may be prefilled in a controlled environment. The pump may include integral instrumentation that measures downhole temperatures and pressures. 
   Other alternative electrical submersible pump configurations that may benefit from apparatus of the invention include an ESP deployed on cable, an ESP deployed on coiled tubing with power cable strapped to the outside of the coiled tubing (the tubing acts as the producing medium), and more recently a system known under the trade designation REDACoil™, having a power cable deployed internally in coiled tubing. Certain pumps may have “on top” motors that drive separate pump stages, all pump stages enclosed in a housing. A separate protector may be provided, as well as an optional pressure/temperature gauge. Also provided in this embodiment may be a sub-surface safety valve (SSSV) and a chemical injection mandrel. A lower connector may be employed, which may be hydraulically releasable with the power cable, and may include a control line and instrument wire feedthrough. A control line set packer may be included in this embodiment. The technology of bottom intake ESPs (with motor on the top) has been established over a period of years. It is important to securely install pump stages, motors, and protector within coiled tubing, enabling quicker installation and retrieval times plus cable protection and the opportunity to strip in and out of a live well. This may be accomplished using a deployment cable, which may be a cable known under the trade designation REDACoil™, including a power cable and flat pack with instrument wire and one or more, typically three hydraulic control lines, one each for operating the lower connector release, SSSV, and packer setting/chemical injection. 
   Systems of the invention may include many optional items. One optional feature may be one or more sensors located at the protector to detect the presence of hydrocarbons (or other chemicals of interest) in the internal motor lubricant fluid. The chemical indicator may communicate its signal to the surface over a fiber optic line, wire line, wireless transmission, and the like. When a certain chemical is detected that would present a safety hazard or possibly damage a motor if allowed to reach the motor, the pump may be shut down long before the chemical creates a problem. 
   Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, no clauses are intended to be in the means-plus-function format allowed by 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 unless “means for” is explicitly recited together with an associated function. “Means for” clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.