ISO 15551-1:2015 provides requirements for the design, design verification and validation, manufacturing and data control, performance ratings, functional evaluations, handling, and storage of tubing-deployed electrical submersible pump (ESP) systems as defined herein. This part of ISO 15551 is applicable to those components meeting the definition of centrifugal pumps including gas handling devices, discharge heads, seal chamber sections, intake systems, mechanical gas separators, induction motors (herein motor), shaft couplings, motor lead extension, pothead, and power cables, as defined herein. Components supplied under the requirements of this part of ISO 15551 exclude previously used subcomponents. Additionally, this International Standard provides requirements for assembled ESP systems.

ISO 15551-1:2015 includes normative annexes addressing design validation performance rating requirements by component, requirements for determining ratings as an assembled system, functional evaluation: single component and cable reference information.

ISO 15551-1:2015 includes informative annexes addressing functional evaluation guidelines for assembled ESP systems, establishing recommended operating range (ROR) of the ESP system, example user/purchaser ESP functional specification form, considerations for the use of 3-phase low and medium voltage adjustable speed drives for ESP applications, analysis after ESP use, downhole monitoring of ESP assembly operation, and information on permanent magnet motors for ESP applications.

Equipment not covered by this part of ISO 15551 includes wireline and coiled tubing-deployed ESP systems, motor and pump shrouds, electric penetrators and feed-through systems, cable clamps and banding, centralizers, intake screens, passive gas separators, by-pass tools, check and bleeder valves, component adaptors, capillary lines, electric surface equipment, downhole permanent magnet motors, and non-conventionally configured ESP systems such as inverted systems. Repair and redress equipment requirements are not covered in this part of ISO 15551.

The terminologies used within this part of ISO 15551 are; "ESP assembly" for a system of products combined into an operational machine, "component" for individual products such as, pumps or seal chamber sections, and "subcomponent" for individual parts or subassemblies that are used in the construction of an individual component.