Abstract
The multiphase progressing cavity pump, PCM Moineau HR (Hydraulically Regulated Progressive Cavity Pump), is a major improvement in the operating philosophy of the traditional PCP. By design, the volumetric pump is capable of handling solid, liquid and vapor phases. However, solid leads to abrasion and vapor to overheating and reduced life span where liquid is usually the added value in the process. Several papers have been issued at the SPE PCP, showing first the promising characteristics of this new principle on test bench and then the first industrial version in Venezuela. The learning curve associated with the failures has enabled to come up with a new design that resolves the abrasion and the mechanical weakness of the former NPCP (old name for this multiphase pump), keeping the core advantages of the multiphase design, that is balancing pressure and temperature homogeneously all along the pump, to get an optimum performance and a mucher higher runlife.
This paper presents the case story of a HRPCP installed in Venezuela with Equimavenca, running in harsh condition with heavy gassy oil, as well as the improvement performed ever since. It has been running for more than 20 months, producing 1600 to 2300 scf/sbl of gas.
