Sucker Rod Pump

A revolutionary packer-type gas separator was designed to improve gas separation efficiency downhole. A deep analysis of gas separation methods was done to better understand the nature of the process and to design a tool that could generate enhanced conditions for the gas separation phenomenon. During the research stages where data from Permian fields were analyzed to develop this new design of...

In a reciprocating rod lift application, production tubing failure due to metal-to-metal contact with sucker rod couplings is a common problem in the highly deviated sections of the tubing string. The coupling is forced to be the point of contact against the tubing wall, which causes high friction and excessive tubing wear during the reciprocating motion. This excessive tubing wear typically leads...

Data from fluid level, dynamometer, pressure, and motor power measurements were acquired by a standalone programmable monitoring system that uses internet and cellphone communication with the Cloud for remote monitoring of well performance. The system named Remote Asset Monitoring or RAM is described in detail in this paper that presents results from the tests that lasted several weeks, beginning...

Data from acoustic fluid level and surface pressure measurements were acquired by a standalone programmable monitoring system that uses internet and cellphone communication with the Cloud for remote monitoring of pressure transient well performance. The system named Remote Asset Monitoring or RAM is described in detail in this paper that presents results from tests that lasted several weeks...

Data from fluid level shots can be very valuable in optimizing the chemical treatment program. For example, selecting continuous treatment vs truck treatment, adjusting flush volumes on truck treated wells, ensuring slip-streams are open and adequately slipping, or raising the SN depth on wells that cannot be pumped down. Just because chemical is being introduced into the backside does not mean it...

Modern sucker rod pump operations rely on pump-off controller’s, surveillance dashboards, and human intervention to maximize production and pump performance. As a result, rod pump operations often suffer from high manual workload, limited diagnostics and dynamic well conditions. For wells fitted with pump-off controllers and variable speed drives, challenges remain around data gathering and...

One of the most misunderstood issues in sucker rod pumping is tubing back pressure. The great majority of wells that I have encountered in various fields have back pressure valves installed on the tubing side of a wellhead. However, a great many field personnel do not understand why back pressure is applied, how much to apply, and/or how it affects a well’s performance. This paper will discuss the...

During the down stroke the plunger in a rod pump must fall through a barrel that is filled with fluid. The plunger will establish a free fall velocity that is determined by the forces resisting downward motion. The free fall of the plunger may not be large enough to correspond to the actual velocity necessary to match the pumping speed set by the pumping unit. In this case the plunger must be pushed into the barrel by a compressive force in order to match the pumping velocity.