Electric Submersible Pumps [ESPs] have played an important role for decades in supplying the world with oil, from both land and offshore environments, and across oil provinces throughout the world. In this episode, Jeff Knight, Senior Applications Engineer, NOV, provides perspective on how these pumps have grown in use and their importance since the late 1990s, particularly from the standpoint of the U.S. Permian Basin. We will explore improvements in technology since then, along with the acute challenges posed by the shale oil/unconventional era over the past 15 years. We will discuss what may drive expansions of ESP usage in the future; and what technology improvements might be forthcoming.