Capture fallback and extend the life of your ESP.
SandMaze
Capture fallback and extend the life of your ESP.
PetroQuip's SandMaze keeps sand out of your ESP by capturing sand, proppant, and debris fallback during production shutdowns. The proprietary flow path design directs particles into holding chambers when the ESP is offline, preventing sand from settling on or in the pump's stages. Once flow is re-established, SandMaze's self-cleaning feature allows captured sand to re-enter the production stream without aggressive jetting. Designed for ESP wells with frequent sand-related failures.
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Extends ESP life by preventing hard pump starts caused by sand settling on pump stages
Captures sand and proppant fallback in holding chambers when ESP is offline
Self-cleaning feature safely reintroduces captured sand into production flow on restart - no aggressive jetting required
Bi-directional flow allows for injection treatments
No communication to the annulus
Minimizes erosion to the outer body of the tool
Over 400 units installed globally across the Bakken, Permian Basin, and international markets
Combine with SandStorm-E for comprehensive ESP protection during production and shutdowns
A portion of proceeds from every unit sold goes to The PetroQuip Foundation.
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PROBLEM:
When an ESP shuts down, sand settles on top of or gets lodged inside the pump's stages. Upon restart, this creates "hard start" scenarios that overstress the motor, accelerate pump wear, and cause premature failures.
SOLUTION:
PetroQuip's SandMaze captures sand, proppant and debris fallback during production shutdown, preventing permanent damage and significantly increasing ESP run time in unconventional applications.
The proprietary flow path design captures sand in specialized holding chambers when the ESP is offline. Once flow resumes, the self-cleaning feature (based on proven gravel pack screen technology) allows captured sand to safely re-enter the production stream. Unlike competitive tools, no aggressive jetting is required, which significantly reduces the risk of cutting through the outer chamber.
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SandStorm-E - Separates sand before it reaches the ESP
Case Study: Delaware Basin ESP Fallback Prevention
PetroQuip’s SandMaze outlasts a competitor fallback tool adding up to 420 days of ESP run life in the same wellbore.
Challenge
A major Delaware Basin operator was losing ESPs to sand fallback during shutdowns. As pumps sat idle, sand settled onto the stages and created hard-start conditions that triggered premature failures. A competitor fallback tool failed to solve it. To run a clean comparison, the operator pulled the competitor tool and installed SandMaze in the same wellbore: same well, same formation, same conditions, with only the fallback tool changing.
Solution
SandMaze captures sand in proprietary holding chambers as the pump shuts down, then gently reintroduces it on restart. No jetting, no hard starts, no stage damage, and no moving parts. The tool flows bi-directionally and is chemical-injection capable, so it protects the ESP without restricting operations. Results were tracked against an operator-maintained ESP install/pull tracker covering 274 installs.
Results
✓ Up to 420 additional run-life days versus the competitor tool in the same wellbore
✓ 1,855 cumulative run-life days added across seven head-to-head sample wells
✓ 264-day average run-life increase per well
✓ 652-day longest active run and counting
✓ 5 of 7 wells are still running
Questions? Contact our team
View all Production Solutions
VIDEO: SandMaze + SandStorm E
Watch the animation below to see how SandMaze and SandStorm-E work together to prevent fallback and extend the life of ESPs:
VIDEO: SandMaze in Action
Watch our timelapse video below to see how the SandMaze capture and clean-out process works:
How it works:
SandMaze operates through four distinct phases that provide continuous ESP protection throughout the production cycle.
Production Mode:
Normal fluid flow through the tool during ESP operation
Sand particles flow through without restriction
STAGE 1
ESP Off / Sand Captured
When ESP shuts down, sand settles into holding chambers
Prevents sand accumulation on pump stages
STAGE 2
ESP Restart / Sand Flushing
Self-cleaning feature activates when production resumes
Captured sand safely re-enters production stream
STAGE 3
Back to Clean
Tool returns to normal production mode
No aggressive jetting required
STAGE 4
Stop sand-related ESP failures.
Protect your ESP investment with proven fallback prevention technology. Our engineering team will work with you to design a comprehensive sand management solution for your operations.
Email: sales@petroquip.com
Phone: 936-931-0100