Progressive Cavity Pump: A Review

Ramasamy Karthikeshwaran

Department of Petroleum Engineering, AMET University, Chennai - 603112, India.

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bbra/1415

ABSTRACT: A progressive cavity pump or a PCP is a primary method of artificial lift in sand laden and heavy oil production. It consists of stator and rotor member as the primary component in which the rotor is disposed within a cavity in the stator member. The stator is a resilient elastomer member but the rotor is a rigid metallic member and it fits with stator making interference fit.One of the major drawbacks in this PCP is stator failure due to the action of chemicals in the crude, wear and tear, temperature, pressure and stress developed within the stator cavity. On the other hand, metallic stator is used in the metal PCP and a clearance between rotor and stator is allowed so that rotor can rotate inside stator cavity and the problems related to the elastomer failure are avoided.The negative side of metallic stator PCP is that it can handle only viscous fluid. This paper discusses the pros and cons of the metallic and elastomeric stator PCPs and reviews the technologies.

KEYWORDS: Artificial lift; Elastomeric stator; Metallic stator; Interference fit; Slippage; oil; gas

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