A vertical heavy oil thermal recovery well in the Henan Oilfield, characterized by a crude viscosity of 6,700 mPa·s at reservoir temperature, utilized the Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) process. During the late CSS stages, the well encountered severe operational bottlenecks: declining discharge temperatures, poor fluid intake into the pump, abbreviated low-temperature production windows, and a suppressed Oil-to-Steam Ratio (OSR). Conventional artificial lift equipment failed to maintain stable operations during these low-temperature phases, drastically reducing effective production time.

I. IntelliCPCP® Design Logic

In November 2021, the IntelliCPCP® all-metal conical progressing cavity pump (PCP) system was deployed to overcome these challenges.

• Dynamic Clearance Adjustment for High Viscosity: To combat low-temperature and high-viscosity conditions, IntelliCPCP® utilizes proprietary edge algorithms that process real-time fluid rates, torque, and RPM to calculate the optimal fit clearance. The DynaRL® Rotational Lifting Mechanism then dynamically adjusts the axial position of the conical rotor within the stator. This ensures the stator-rotor clearance perfectly matches the intake requirements of high-viscosity crude, significantly lowering the system's operational load.

• Integrated Injection-Production String: To address shortened production windows and low OSR, IntelliCPCP® enables seamless transition between injection and production without pulling the tubing string. During the steam injection phase, the DynaRL® mechanism lifts the sucker rod, the THERMOLOCK® system secures high-pressure wellhead sealing, and the downhole all-metal rotor is synchronously lifted to open the injection channel. Post-injection, the rotor is lowered to instantly resume production. Utilizing a single string for both processes eliminates frequent tripping interventions, ensuring maximum operational continuity.

  

II. Key Performance Results

Following the installation of IntelliCPCP®, the well demonstrated remarkable improvements across all key performance indicators:

• Daily Oil Production: Increased by 39.8%

• Daily Water Cut: Decreased by 8.50%

• Power Consumption: Reduced by 0.3 kWh per 100-meter ton of liquid

• Artificial Lift Efficiency: Improved by 1.2 percentage points

  

Crucially, the deployment resulted in an average CSS cycle extension of 32 days. This effectively prolonged the low-temperature production window, recovering output that would have otherwise been abandoned. Furthermore, the system’s remote intelligent control and parameter tuning capabilities substantially reduced field O&M costs.

III. Conclusion

The precipitous temperature drop and resulting high viscosity during late-stage CSS, compounded by the inability of traditional strings to switch modes without workovers, severely limited this well's potential. By integrating dynamic clearance management and an interventionless injection-production transition, IntelliCPCP® optimized downhole fluid intake and extended the effective production window, delivering profound cost savings and efficiency gains for the operator.