Oilfield Electrical Services: Wellsite Power, Production Facility I&C & Field Instrumentation
Electrical and I&C Built for Field Conditions
Oilfield operations require electrical and instrumentation work that performs reliably in remote locations, adverse weather conditions, and environments where flammable gases and vapors are present as a normal part of operations. The contractor who serves this market needs classified-area experience, the ability to mobilize to remote wellsite locations, and the safety credentials that oil and gas operators require before granting site access.
Wikota Electrical Services provides electrical construction and I&C for oilfield service companies, equipment providers, and upstream operators, covering wellsite power distribution, production facility electrical and instrumentation, artificial lift systems, portable power, and field instrumentation packages for service equipment deployed across North American producing basins.
Wellsite Power Distribution
Temporary and Permanent Wellsite Electrical
Drilling and completion operations require temporary power systems that can be rapidly deployed and reconfigured as operations progress from spud through completion. Wikota Electrical installs temporary power distribution for rig operations, completion equipment, and production testing. Permanent wellsite electrical covers the power distribution system serving producing wellhead equipment, artificial lift motors, and associated production facility loads. Classified-area wiring applies throughout wellsite electrical work where hydrocarbon vapors are present.
Generator and Utility Power Integration
Remote wellsites without utility power access rely on diesel generators or natural gas generators fueled from the production stream. Wikota Electrical installs generator automatic transfer switch systems, paralleling switchgear for multi-generator configurations, and load distribution panels serving wellsite loads. Where utility power is available, service entrance electrical and metering connections are installed in accordance with the serving utility’s requirements. Load management controls for oilfield applications prioritize critical production loads during generator capacity limitations.
Artificial Lift Electrical and Controls
Rod Pump and Progressing Cavity Pump Systems
Rod pump and progressing cavity pump systems lift reservoir fluids to surface through mechanical action driven by surface motors. Electrical scope covers motor installation, junction box wiring, motor protection and monitoring, and variable frequency drives for speed control on progressing cavity pump applications. I&C scope covers motor current and voltage monitoring for pump-off detection, controller installation and configuration, and the telemetry interface reporting pump status to the production SCADA system.
Electric Submersible Pump Systems
Electric submersible pump systems use downhole motors connected by power cable to surface transformers and variable speed drives. Surface electrical scope covers ESP transformer installation, VFD installation and startup, power cable routing from surface to wellhead, and downhole cable connection at the wellhead penetration. I&C scope covers ESP drive monitoring, downhole pressure and temperature sensor interface at the wellhead junction box, and the telemetry system reporting ESP performance data to the production monitoring system.
Gas Lift Instrumentation and Controls
Gas lift systems inject compressed gas into the production tubing to reduce fluid density and assist production. Gas lift I&C covers injection pressure monitoring, gas lift valve position monitoring where smart gas lift valves are installed, and the control system managing injection gas flow rates in response to production well performance. Injection gas metering at the wellsite measures the volume of lift gas consumed, which is required for gas accounting and reservoir management.
Production Facility Electrical and Instrumentation
Separator and Treater Electrical
Wellsite production facilities separate oil, gas, and water from the produced wellstream. Separator and treater electrical scope covers heating system electrical connections for oil dehydration and emulsion treatment, dump valve actuator wiring, and the classified-area wiring surrounding vessels containing hydrocarbon fluids and gases. I&C scope covers pressure, temperature, and level instrumentation on separators and treaters, interface level measurement for oil-water separation monitoring, and the RTU or PLC collecting production data for SCADA reporting.
Vapor Recovery Unit Electrical and Controls
Vapor recovery units capture tank vapors that would otherwise be vented or flared, compressing them for sale or use as fuel gas. VRU electrical scope covers compressor motor electrical connections, control panel installation, and classified-area wiring in the VRU operating area. I&C scope covers suction pressure monitoring for compressor control, tank pressure monitoring triggering compressor startup and shutdown, and the flow meter measuring the volume of recovered vapor.
Oilfield Service Equipment Instrumentation Packages
Oilfield service companies deploy specialized equipment including stimulation pumps, cementing units, coiled tubing units, and wireline equipment that require electrical and instrumentation packages for monitoring, control, and data acquisition during service operations. Wikota Electrical builds and installs instrumentation packages for service equipment including pressure monitoring systems, flow measurement for stimulation fluid delivery, data acquisition systems recording service parameters, and the communication interfaces transmitting real-time data to the service company’s job monitoring platform.
Portable Power Systems
Remote oilfield operations without utility power access require portable power generation and distribution systems that can be mobilized, configured, and demobilized with the operational pace of the service being performed. Wikota Electrical installs portable transformer and distribution systems for well testing operations, production testing equipment, and temporary facility power during facility construction before permanent power is available.
| Electrical Construction | Wellsite power distribution, temporary and permanent electrical, generator and utility integration, artificial lift motor electrical, VRU electrical, and classified-area wiring throughout oilfield facilities. |
|---|---|
| Instrumentation & Controls | Production facility I&C, artificial lift monitoring and control, vapor recovery controls, gas lift instrumentation, SCADA field devices, and service equipment instrumentation packages. |
| Engineering & Design | Wellsite electrical design, control system design for production facilities, and instrumentation specification through Mid-America Services. |
| Safety, Quality & Compliance | ISNetworld tracked, zero recordable incidents, classified-area compliance, NFPA 70E, and HSE program meeting operator site access requirements. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Wellsite production facility electrical scope covers the power distribution system serving separator and treater heating systems, artificial lift motors, vapor recovery unit compressors, produced water handling pumps, and site lighting. Classified-area wiring applies throughout the facility in zones where hydrocarbon vapors may be present. Instrumentation scope covers level, pressure, temperature, and flow monitoring on separators, treaters, and storage tanks, along with the RTU or PLC collecting production data and transmitting it to the production SCADA system.
An electric submersible pump is a multi-stage centrifugal pump and electric motor assembly installed below the producing fluid level in an oil well. The surface electrical system consists of a step-up transformer converting surface voltage to the voltage required by the downhole motor, a variable speed drive controlling motor speed and pump flow rate, and the power cable carrying power from the surface equipment to the downhole motor. Surface electrical scope covers transformer installation and connections, VSD installation and startup, power cable routing from the VSD to the wellhead, and downhole cable connection at the wellhead feed-through.
the atmosphere or flared. The captured vapors are compressed and routed to a fuel gas system or sales gas pipeline. The VRU operating area is classified as a hazardous location under NEC Article 500 because the vapors being compressed are flammable and the potential for vapor release exists during normal operation, particularly at compressor seal areas and vapor inlet connections. Classified-area wiring requires explosion-proof or listed conduit and fittings, explosion-proof enclosures for electrical equipment, and conduit seals at every point where conduit enters an explosion-proof enclosure.
A rod pump controller monitors the pumping unit's operating condition and controls pump operation based on defined parameters. Required instrumentation includes a motor current sensor measuring the load on the pump motor throughout the stroke and a position sensor tracking polished rod position throughout the stroke. The controller uses this data to construct a pump card showing the load-position relationship throughout the stroke, which indicates whether the pump is operating normally, experiencing fluid pound from insufficient fluid entry, or operating with a stuck pump or broken rod. The controller initiates pump-off shutdown when fluid pound is detected and restarts the pump after a programmed off-time.