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TUALP Abstract
 

Jose Luis Arellano (Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering)Field Comparison of Efficiency of Progressing Cavity Pumps, Beam Units and Electric Submersible Pumps
Director, Dr. Roger Blais
(200 words)

While progressing cavity pumps are not new, their widespread use in artificial lift systems is relatively new to the oil industry. Some operating companies have realized considerable savings on power consumption by replacing electrical submersible pumps or beam units with PCP's. This study offers both a model to predict the volumetric and mechanical efficiencies of the progressing cavity pump and also a comprehensive model to predict the performance of the pump based on test conditions from the well.

The first stage of this project consists of compiling a literature search, and acquiring data from field tests of wells in two southern Oklahoma leases owned by a Tulsa company. Using the field data the volumetric and mechanical efficiencies of the PCP were obtained based on liquid production rate and pump depth. A model was developed to predict the performance of the pumps including the effect of rotational speed, pump displacement and discharge pressure. In most cases in these fields the mechanical efficiency of the optimized progressing cavity pumps exceeds the efficiency of comparably optimized submersible pumps or beam units.

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Last updated September 04, 2012