Efficient heavy oil production—Just out of reach

For years, organizations like the United States Geological Service and the World Resources Institute have reported that nearly half of the world’s oil reserves consist of heavy oil and natural bitumen deposits (page 14 of Heavy Oil and Natural Bitumen Resources in Geological Basins of the World). Because of its high viscosity, recovery rates for heavy oil range between an abysmal 5% and a more optimistic 30%.

 Heavy oil production has relied largely on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies like cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS), steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), steam injection, surface pit mining, and others. All these solutions have varying degrees of inefficiencies. And they all create additional problems that cost money to solve, reducing operator profit.

 Until now—With our high-viscosity heavy oil pump

The Novomet rotary displacement pump is the first pump of its kind. It is designed for high-viscous fluids—from 20–5,000 cSt—and the low flow rates typical of heavy oil reserves—from 30–315 bbl/d (5–50 m³/d). It features all-metal rotor and stator components powered by our industry-leading permanent magnet motor. The all-metal design increases runlife compared to technologies that depend on elastomers because it provides exceptional erosion tolerance in high-sand wells and eliminates elastomeric breakdown caused by gas pockets. The rotary displacement pump delivers more efficiency as viscosity rises, providing a production solution that doesn’t involve complicated and costly EOR tools and processes. 

 The low-flow-rate problem

As oil and gas wells mature, reservoir pressure drops, flow rates decline, and gas levels tend to rise. The combination of low flow and gas can cripple an electrical submersible pump (ESP).

 Rod lift doesn’t cut it

Many operators give in and install a rod lift system. The problem with rod lift systems is they require annual or bi-annual maintenance and they can cause serious damage to the tubing that will require a workover for repairs. Rod lift systems are especially hard on wells with doglegs, and can’t be placed deep enough to provide long-term production in horizontal wells.

 PCPs rely on elastomers

Another alternative in low-flow wells is to install a progressive cavity pump (PCP). In many wells this solution works fine, either as a top-drive PCP or when combined with a permanent magnet motor downhole in a bottom-drive configuration. But in wells with nominal levels of gas or sand, the elastomers in the PCP stator break down, limiting system life.

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The new low-flow well solution

The rotary displacement pump is a great replacement for an ESP, PCP, or rod lift system struggling with solids, gas, and waning head pressure. It uses a cam-type rotor to build enough pressure to lift hydrocarbons to the surface in wells producing as few as 30 bbl/d.

Advantages over rod lift systems

Unlike rod lift systems, the rotary pump requires no ongoing maintenance, will not damage tubing, and can be set as deep as 9,800 ft (3000 m). It also reduces the surface footprint and profile while virtually eliminating surface noise.

• Smaller surface footprint and profile
• Can be set as deep as 9,800 ft (3000 m)
• Doesn’t require regular maintenance
• Will not cause tubing damage

Advantages over PCPs

Unlike PCPs that rely on elastomer to create compression, the rotary displacement pump uses all-metal components to dramatically reduce solids erosion and eliminate elastomeric ruptures that occur with gas pockets.

• Eliminates the weakest component of the system—elastomers
• Reduces erosion from solids and system damage caused by gas pockets

Advantages over ESPs

Unlike ESPs, the rotary displacement pump is more efficient as viscosity increases. So the higher the viscosity, the better the system performs.

• Eliminates restarts and cycling caused by low flow and gas
• Operates better in high-viscosity fluids