Successful Application of All-Metal PCP in CSS and Steam Flood to Unlock Hard-To-Recover Oil Resources

Abstract

Abstract Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) operates diverse fields in Oman, facing challenges in recovering hard-to-recover oil resources characterized by high viscosity and low reservoir temperature in one of the developing fields. Despite implementing Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS), the wells exhibit suboptimal responsiveness to steam cycles, rendering conventional Artificial Lift Systems (ALS) ineffective due to high viscosity impact. Following unsuccessful attempts with other ALS, the decision was made to explore All Metal Progressing Cavity Pumps (AMPCP). AMPCPs were chosen for their capability to seamlessly transition to injection of 350°C Steam through the Stator without requiring extensive workovers. Notably, AMPCP demonstrated resilience against high overloads in cold conditions, enhancing production cycles and reducing reservoir pressure, thereby improving the efficiency of steam injection cycles. The main objective of the project is to enhance the effectiveness of steam support, potentially leading to a shift from CSS to steam flood improving overall production. Addressing these issues, All- Metal PCP Technology appears to be a reliable solution due to its durable design and ability to withstand high loads when fluid viscosity significantly increases at low temperatures. A field trial has been done to test the performance of AMPCPs in PDO's field in Oman. Out of the 15 installations conducted so far, four are operational, three are awaiting commissioning and six pulled AMPCPs have been re-qualified for re-run. The longest run life so far is 1037 days. It is worth noting that two wells have successfully transitioned to steam flood, improving efficiency of extraction method. Although there were some challenges related to scale and solids plugging, the resilience of AMPCPs has allowed for their re-installation after being operational on a test bench following rotor extraction. The PCM Metal to Metal technology has demonstrated exceptional performance within the low temperature range of 30°C – 60°C, handling viscosities up to 30000 cP in addition to high temperature application. Its ability to withstand high overloads, reaching up to 130% on PCP head loading, confirms its suitability for high-viscosity scenarios High viscosities cause challenges such as high friction losses, overloading ALS systems and leading to infant failures and significant workover costs. The AMPCP application for unconventional oil recovery, is a proven method to produce the unconventional reservoir, when the conventional ALS methods fail.