SPE 122596

Producing Heavy Oil by Thermal Progressive Cavity Pump in Steam

Stimulation Process
Zhang Shoujun, Liaohe Oilfield, CNPC; Zhong Liguo, SPE, Daqing Petroleum Institute; and Song Fujun,
Lang Baoshan, Wu Fei, and Luo Enyong, Liaohe Oilfield, CNPC

Copyright 2009, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2009 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 47 October 2009.
This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
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Abstract
As a new potential mean of artificial lift production, production using progressive cavity pump (PCP) has many advantages
such as energy saving, lower first investment, and convenient in management. However, it is more challenging to implement
this lifting method to thermal production of heavy oil for the temperature limitation of elastomer stator and bonding agent,
and hostile temperature vibration in the wellbore environment, as a result, up to date, there is no application of PCP to
thermal heavy oil production in Liaohe Oilfield which is the largest heavy oil field in China.
An applicable thermal PCP developed based on extensive testing is introduced in this paper. It involves an applicable
thermal fluororubber stator and bonding agent which could operate under high temperature conditions (up to 210) enough
for the thermal requirement of steam injection, and great temperature vibration condition in the wellbore ranging from 80
to 210. The whole top-drive thermal pumping unit is designed in consideration of thermal wellbore environment in heavy
oil production procedure of steam stimulation.
The thermal PCPs have been applied to 5 wells and detailed field testing dynamic is monitored and investigated.
Favorable performance of the thermal pumping unit is observed in the rugged production environment (the measured
wellbore fluid temperature is up to 165) for more than 6 months, and the pump efficiency is about 60%~70%. Compared
with the conventional rod pumping lift production, about 20% increase in periodical cumulative oil production and 50%
lower horsepower requirements is obtained.
In summary, the developed thermal progressive cavity pump is feasible for heavy oil production in steam stimulation
process, which could operate under extensive temperature range, and the upper limitation is up to 210.
Introduction
In heavy oil production with beam-driven and rod-driven plunger pumps, rod failure is the most common limitation, which
leads to limiting the well production, which, in turn, worsens the risk of sand settling in the pump. Also, slow closure of
traveling and standing valves is a cause of poor efficiency in viscous fluid prodction. Pumping in horizontal or highly
deviated wells also limits the plunger downstroke because it is powered by the driving part of the rod-string weight. Thermal
production methods generate fluctuating inflow properties that change rod-failure causes and reduce the run life of the
system. Top-driven PCPs were developed and bring into application for many oilfields in the world. PCPs are used for
viscous oil, horizontal wells, and sandy production. Top-driven PCPs are used for cold production of heavy oil and often are
used in conventional mature fields as a cheaper lift method than beam pumps. The standard PCP stator is made of elastomer,
which is the source of most of the pumps limitations including fluid temperature and gas and aromatics content [1].
PCPs are applied extensively for their potential and advantages such as applicability in cold production of heavy oil and
reservoir inclined to sand production, offshore production, energy-saving and environmental protection. There are more than
5000 PCPs operated among oilfields in China up to 2007. It is challenging for thermal production with PCP because of the
high temperature condition. All metallic PCP is feasible for thermal production, and have tested in Canada and South
America [1], but it is limited for larger cost than PCP with elastomer stator. Obviously, conventional PCP with elastomer
stator is potential for thermal production as long as thermal rubber stator is available and practicable. Therefore, the
importance is attached to developing thermal elastomer stator in order to bring PCP with elastomer stator in thermal heavy oil
production such as steam stimulation.

SPE 122596

Principles of PCP
PCP consists of stator and rotor, and the stator is usually high performance elastomer with double helix structure inlined in
the steel tube, and the rotor is metal rod machined precisely with high strength, and single helix. The progressive cavity pump
transfers fluid by progress means through the pump in a sequence of small, fixed shape, discrete cavities, as the rotor is
rotated. This leads to the volumetric flow rate being proportional to the rotation rate and to low levels of shearing being
applied to the pumped fluid. Hence these pumps have application in fluid metering and pumping of viscous or shear sensitive
materials such as heavy oil. The cavities taper down toward their ends and overlap with their neighbours, so that, in general,
no flow pulsing is caused by the arrival of cavities at the outlet, other than that caused by compression of the fluid or pump
components[2,3].
The principle of this pumping technique is frequently misunderstood. Usually it is believed to occur due to a dynamic
effect caused by drag, or friction against the moving teeth of screw rotor. Really it is due to sealed cavities, like a piston
pump, and so has similar operational characteristics, such as being able to pump at extremely low rates, even to high
pressure, revealing the reaction to be purely positive displacement.
Elastomer is very unique material that plays a critical role in operational efficiency of positive displacement pumps,
especially under thermal conditions. Elastomers are dynamic, moving continuously with the action of the pump. The
elastomers ability to withstand the pumping action and the fluids being handled has a direct impact on the volume efficiency
and life cycle cost of PCP system. Picking wrong elastomer can bring disaster for pump investment and installation.
Main Advantages of PCP
As one of the most potential fluid (usually multiphase such as oil, gas and water) artificial lift methods, progressive cavity
pump has competitive advantages as follows:
z Applicable to production of more reservoirs, especially heavy oil reservoir and other sand producing reservoirs;
z Easy to adjust the production rate for its positive displacement pump characteristics, the production rate could be
regulated by adjusting rotate rate and/or structures of inlet and outlet, obviously, it is convenient to change the rotate
rate by surface frequency converter;
z Energy-saving and highly-efficient. Initial investment of PCP is usually lower than other artificial lift systems, at the
same time, electric power saved is about 30%, and the efficiency 10%~20% larger, and produce smoothly;
z Safe and simple operate and maintenance. Suface driving system is simple and compact, all the components are easy
to maintain without complex processure;
2
z The top driving system just occupys limited area (usually lower than 1m ), and is environment friendly with low noise
and feasible for offshore production.
Well Requirements for PCP
The well requirements of conventional PCP include:
z Viscosity of crude oil(at 50) is lower than 15000mPas;
z
z
z
z
z
z
z

Temperature in wellbore is lower than 90 conventionally;

Lower H2S content in produced fluid;
Wellbore deviation angle is lower than 3;
Adapt to wells with large sand production, ratio of gas to oil, and viscosity of crude oil;
Setting depth of pump is usually less than 900m;
Reservoir with sufficient fluid production to avoid pumping off and intermitting pumping;
Submergence depth is greater than 200m.

Interested Reservoir Description

The inetersted reservoir in Shuguanng heavy oil region of Liaohe Oilfield consists of unconsolidated sandstone saturated with
heavy oils (see Table 1). Most of the heavy oil is produced by steam stimulation with vertical wells and horizontal wells.
There are some disadvantagers to pump with conventional beam-drive plunger pump including low plunger pump efficiency
and breaking and dropping of sucker rod. At the same time, such heavy oil reservoir meets the above requirements of PCP
production except thermal production condition in steam stimulation.
The surface temperature of steam injected is confined to 300-360 and steam quality 40%-70%. Field testing shows
that the maximum temperature of bottom produced fluid at the beginning of production process is 160-210, lower
temperature at the end of production process 80-100, and the temperature vibration is about 100. A typical temperature
testing result for wellbore fluid prodced after steam stimulation is shown in Fig.1. Obviously, the interested heavy oil
reservoir is applicable to produce with conventional PCP except the high wellbore temperature challenge. The importance is
attached to thermal elastomer stator.

SPE 122596

Technological Challenges of Thermal PCP with Elastomer Stator

z Temperature resistance of elastomer
The temperature of produced fluid in wellbore is up to 160-210 at the beginning of production period of steam
stimulation, and it is challenging for elastomer stator to endure such high temperature.
z Temperature resistance of bonding agent
The temperature endurance of bonding agent is also significant for its important performance to bond the elastomer
stator and out liner tube. Adhesive failure occurs as the bonding agent becomes invalid under high temperature condition.
z Adaptability of temperature vibration during production
The temperature vibration of produced fluid in wellbore during production period is up to 100(the temperature of
produced fluid at well bottom in middle and later production period is 80-100), and it is easy to cause pole lock at high
temperature or zero pump efficiency at low temperature, the key challenge lies in the proper magnitude of interference fit
between stator and rotor.
Design of Thermal PCP with Elastomer Stator
To help accessing untapped reserves of extra heavy oil and bitumen, it is potential to develop PCPs adapted to high
temperature operations (up to 210C). PCP with thermal elastomer should be developed to offer lower capital and operating
cost, and that is capable of extracting heavy oil and aggressive fluids during thermal recovery.
An applicable thermal progressive cavity pump developed based on extensive testing is introduced in this paper. It
involves an applicable thermal fluororubber stator and bonding agent which could operate under high temperature conditions
enough for the thermal requirement of steam injection, and is also effective under great temperature vibration condition in the
wellbore ranging from 80 to 210. The whole top-drive thermal pumping unit is designed in consideration of the thermal
wellbore environment in heavy oil production procedure of steam stimulation. What are presented here involve the
advantages, related techniques and testing results.
It is common knowledge that PCP comprises a rigid metallic rotor and a stator made of flexible material such as
elastomer. Between the rotor and stator there is a compressive fit, which results in sealed cavities (or stages) of constant
volume. As the external pressure increases, the pump delivered pressure also must increase, which is obtained by adding a
number of stages.
Thermal fluids cause special problems for the PCP due to temperature variation in production process of steam
stimulation(up to 100). The temperature viration along pump cavities is usually lesser than 1 for the limited pump length
(less than 10m), so the effect of temperature viration along pump on pump performance could be ignored at certain time.
However, the effect of temperature viriation of the pump cavities in producing process should be taken into consideration for
pump design. Because the temperatrue of fluid mixure (oil, water or steam, and some gas) at pump inlet cavity is higher at
the beginning of production, and it decrease during the production period due to the heat loss in steam heated reservoir.
Such thermal-hydraulic problem in steam stimulation process could cause thermal-mechnical problems. Namely, as the
temperature of each pump cavity varies with production time, volume variation of pump components such as elastomer,
tubing, and rotor occurs simultaneously. As a result, the interference fit between stator and rotor is varied, pressure
distribution, friction torque and pump efficiency are changed, and premature pump failure could be induced as well.
Therefore, the effect of temperature variation in production process on pump performance such as cavity volume,
torque, and pressure transformation, and pump efficiency should be evaluated in PCP design.
Elastomer with High Temperature Resistance
Elastomer stator is made from thermal fluororubber whose decomposition temperature is over 500, its top temperature
limit is over 210.
This thermal elastomer is widely known for its physical strength and retention of properties after long-term exposure to
heat, oil, and chemicals at high temperatureover 210. Depending on filler selection and loading, its compounds typically
have tensile strength over 30 MPa measured at 23.
Compounding techniques allow for the elastomer to be used under higher temperature up to 210C, with minimal
degradation over long periods of time. As a group, such fluororubber stator has excellent resistance to wellbore fluids (e.g.,
crude oil, mineral or chemical water, etc.) and many industrial chemicals except alkali.
Interference Fit
According to conventional PCP structure parameters, the thermal expansion of elastomer, rotor and out liner tube of PCP in
the temperature variation in production process are estimated, 0.2-0.3mm expansion for elastomer is obtained, 0.04mm for
rotor and 0.03mm for out liner tube. Totally, the interference fit between elastomer stator and metal rotor is varied within
0.27-0.37mm for thermal expansion, and it almost equals to the usual interference fit 0.5-0.8mm[4,5]. Therefore, the thermal
expansion should be considered in designing of interference fit. It is recommended that the proper interference fit for thermal
PCP with elastomer stator is 0.3-0.5mm.

SPE 122596

Rotation Speed
The rotation speed of rotor is evaluated by the following equqtion:

n=

Qd 109
1440 4eD1 L

(1)

To produce oil smoothly, proposed rotation speed is confined to 0.6-1 fold of n calculated. Designed rotation speed is
20~250 rpm.
Differential Pressure between Inlet and Discharge End
The viscosity of crude oil ( o ) is related to temperature which varys with well depth and production time, it could be
calculated with empirical relation formula as follows:

o = f (T ) = f (H , t )

(2)

Fluid pressure at the pump inlet ( P1 ) could be obtained by

P1 = gl1 10 3

(3)

Fluid pressure at discharge outlet could be calculated by addition of back pressure of surface transporting pipe, pressure
to lift the produced fluid towards well head including pressure loss in the tubing. The back pressure of surface transporting
pipe ( P2 )is about 1.0-2.0MPa, and the lift pressure ( P3 ) of fluid colume in tubing could be obtained by

P3 = gl3 103

(4)

The pressure loss during flow in tubing ( P4 ) is

192Q f (h) 10
=
h

P4

(D d ) (D d
2

dh

(5)

Therefore, the total differential pressure between inlet and discharge end is

P = Po Pi = P2 + P3 + P4 P1

(6)

Torque
The torque of sucker rod ( M )includes torque to lift produced fluid( M 1 ), torque to balance friction resistance between
produced fluid and sucker rod and tubing( M 2 ), and torque to balance friction resistance between rotor and stator( M 3 ). The
torques could be evaluated with following formulas.

M = M1 + M 2 + M 3
M1 =

M2

110 .5Qd P
n

D d f (h ) 10
=
h

(7)

(8)
2

dh

D2 d 2

M 3 = A n 0.45 + B

(9)
(10)

Pump Installation Depth

The pump installation depth could be estimated by

H = Hk +

Pc + gh f + P Pt Pf

g cos

Po = Pt + g [H k + (H H k ) cos ] + Pf

(11)
(12)

Parameters of Designed PCP

Based on the above designing methods, parameters of top-drive PCP with elastomer stator is optimized or determined under
reservoir condition and production method. The main parameters of designed top-drive PCP include:
z Pump type is 200TP1200, it means that;
z Top-driving system is VH60-8 manufactured by PCM company, the max rotating speed at 50Hz is 250r/min;
z The diameter of tubing is 89.9mm;
z Pumping rod is inlaying grafting hollow torque rod, its diameter is 36mm.

SPE 122596

The raotating speed at the beginning (high temperature period) is 70100r/min, and the speed is increased gradually as
the temperature at pump inlet decreased to keep higher pump efficiency and stable fluid production.
Field Testing
PCP with thermal elastomer stator have been applied to five steam stimulation wells in heavy oil reservoirs of Shuguang oil
region in Liaohe Oilfield, the field testing result shows that such thermal PCP is feasible and practical to produce heavy oil
by thermal technologies such as steam stimulation. The related parameters of two typical wells produced with thermal PCP
are listed in Table 2. The production parameters of other three wells are similar.
Well A was recovered by steam stimulation for 12 cycles and produced with beam-driven n plunger pump in past. In the
last cycle, steam injection pressure is 16.5MPa, steam temperature 348, steam quality 43.3%, cyclic steam injection
volume 1800m3, cyclic oil production 376tons, cyclic water production 3301tons.
In this steam stimulation cycle, the pressure and temperature of steam injected is similar to last cycle, steam injection
rate is 15m3/d, steam quality is increased to 63%, and cyclic steam injection volume 1500m3. The steam injection is finished
at Mar. 16th 2008, and shut off for 5 days until the tubing head pressure is almost zero, then temperature measurement is
carried out, and the result shows that temperature at the middle of payment formation (1140m) is 192.1. Predicted fluid
production rate is about 30m3/d.
Thermal PCP with elastomer stator is installed at Mar. 20th 2008, and the well is produced at Mar. 22th 2008. Fig.3 and
Fig.4 show the field installation and production process of thermal PCP for Well A. Recorded production performance such
as fluid production rate, rotation rate, electric current of electric motor, fluid temperature at well head, and production fluid
level, is described in Table 3. The relationship of fluid temperature at the beginning of production process with well depth is
shown in Fig.5. The fuid temperature at pump installation depth is about 160 which fall in the permitted temperature
limitation of thermal PCP with elastomer stator.
Well B was produced by thermal PCP with elastomer stator at Aug. 28th 2008, and the temperature distribution of fluid
in tubing was investigated by optical fiber bundled which could real-time monitor temperature over the pump installation
depth. Fluid temperature at pump installation depth is 98 before production with thermal PCP, the maxmum temperature is
145.
All the five testing wells including other three wells produced with thermal PCP show sound production performance,
and thermal PCP could operate in the production process in steam stimulation feasiblly and practically.
The average pump efficiency of thermal PCP of five wells is 64%, confined to 60%-70%. Compared with the
conventional rod pumping lift production, about 20% increase in average periodical cumulative oil production and 50%
lower horsepower requirement is obtained by using thermal PCP with elastomer stator.
At the same time, it should be noted that real-time monitoring of flow rate and temperature is very important and
necessary for thermal production with thermal PCP with elastomer stator, and reusage of thermal PCP with elastomer is
challenging.
Conclusions
z Thermal PCP with elastomer is potential lift pump for heavy oil production by steam stimulation, and the key
technology is the temperature resistance of elastomer under high temperature and temperature variation.
z The interference fit between elastomer stator and metal rotor should be designed considering the thermal-mechnical
effect in thermal production process.
z Real-time monitoring of flow rate and temperature is very important and necessary for thermal production with
thermal PCP with elastomer stator.
z Field testing result shows certain increase in periodical cumulative oil production and evident lower horsepower
requirement by using thermal PCP with elastomer stator compared with convetional plunger pump.
z Thermal PCP with elastomer stator could be more feasible and practical provided that excellent elastomer be
developed.
Nomenclature
n = rotation speed of rotor, rpm
3
Qd = fluid production rate, m /d

= pump volumetric efficiency acquired by experiments

e = eccentric distance of rotor, mm

D1 = the diameter of stator, mm

L = lead distance of stator, mm

SPE 122596

T = temperature of crude oil

H = well depth, m

t = production time, s
= average density of produced fluid, ton/m3
g = gravity acceleration, m/s2
l1 = distance between pump inlet and working fluid level, m
l3 = the distance between discharge end and well head, m

D = the inner diameter of tubing, m

d = the out diameter of sucker rod, m

h = the length of sucker rod or tubing,m

M = torque of sucker rod
M 1 = torque to balance friction resistance between produced fluid

M 2 = sucker rod and tubing

M 3 = torque to balance friction resistance between rotor and stator

= angular velocity of sucker rod, rad/s

= the initial interference fit between rotor and stator, mm

H = pump installation depth, m
H k = depth of kick off point, m

Po = fluid pressure at discharge end, Pa

Pi = fluid pressure at the pump inlet, Pa

Pt = tubing head pressure, Pa
Pc = casing pressure, Pa

P = differential pressure between inlet and discharge end, Pa

Pf = pressure loss for friction between rotor and stator, Pa

= deviation angle of wellbore, rad

References
1 Zhou desheng, Hong Yuan. Design of progressive cavity pump wells. SPE113324, 2008.
2 Wan Banglie. Hydraolic machineryof single progressive cavity pump. Press of China Petroleum University, 1993.
3 Han Xiuting, Wang Xiuling, et al. Production principles of progressive cavity pump and its application. Press of Harbin
Engineering University, 1998.
4 Wang Hanxiang, Zhang Yanting, et al. Combination design of pipes and rods of top-drive single progressive cavity pump.
Petroleum Machinery, 1998, 26(8): 46~47.
5 Fu Yayong. Application of the corollary technique of screw pump in viscous crude development. Petroleum Geology &
Oilfield Development in Daqing, 2000,19(6): 38-40.

SPE 122596

Table 1 The main properties of oil reservoir interested to produce with thermal PCP
Depth of formation performataed, m

1100-1200

Density of crude oil, g/cm

0.91-0.96

Viscosity of crude oil, mPas

3000-9200

Porosity

0.25-0.30

Permeability, mD

800-1000

Initial oil saturation

0.65

Shale content

0.10

Reservoir temperature,

35-50

Reservoir pressure, MPa

8.2-10.5

Table 2 Related parameters of two typical wells before thermal PCP production
Item

Well A

Well B

Depth of formation performataed, m

1131.7--1156

1100--1142

Density of crude oil, g/cm3

0.954

0.9122

Viscosity of crude oil, mPas

3500

8767.25

Diameter of casing pipe, mm

177.8

177.8

Content of aromatic hydrocarbon, %

Content of CO2/ %

Fluid production at present, t/d

31

33.2

Water cut, %

90

93

Depth of pump installation, m

900

980

Dynamic fluid level in wellbore, m

460

408

Content of sand in fluid produced, %

Table 3 The production parameters of well A

PCP rotation rate, rpm
Theoretical production rate, m3/d
electric current of electric motor, A
Actual production rate, m3/d
Pump efficiency, %
Water cut, %
Fluid temperature at well head,
Fluid temperature at pump installation depth,

168
67.2
27
41.2
61.3
92.5
78
165

Fig.1 The relationship of temperature of produced fluid in wellbore with well depth

SPE 122596

P2
T1

T2

P1
Stator(Elastomer)
Rotor(Steel)

1
Heated rotor

Heated stator

Fig.2 PCP principles and effect of temperature on pump performance

Fig.3 Thermal PCP installation

Fig.4 Thermal PCP in production

Fig.5 The fluid temperature at different pump installation depth

before and at the beginning of production with PCP