Under conditions of natural depletion of producing fields achieving optimal energy efficiency of oil production processes become increasingly important. About one third of total power consumption is attributed to reservoir pressure maintenance. At the same time, more than half of nonproductive time is associated with low efficiency of dynamic-action pumping units. Positive displacement plunger-type pumps can be used as suitable alternatives in reservoir pressure maintenance systems. However, implementation of positive displacement pumps presents some challenges, related primarily to operational aspects peculiar to such pumps, when mechanical effects, associated directly with operation of pump components, are observed together with pressure fluctuations affecting the overall operability of pumping equipment. Long-term experience in controllable operation of positive displacement pumping units enabled identification of common intrinsic problems regardless of pump manufacturer. The paper addresses practical aspects of positive displacement plunger-type pump applications for reservoir pressure maintenance purposes in the course of oil fields development. Comparative analysis of specific power consumption for dynamic-action and positive displacement pumps is provided depending on the developed pressure. Practices for reduction of pump vibrations are presented as well as the results of in-situ measurements, various pressure compensators are compared in terms of performance efficiency. The paper also considers the causes of cavitation, its effects on positive displacement pumps and prevention methods. Steel grades used by Russian and foreign pump manufacturers are discussed as well as plunger packing materials that have exhibited the best failure-free operation time characteristics in the main components of positive displacement pumps.
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