SPE 121345

Operational Energy Savings Through the Use of Continuous Sucker Rods

With Progressing-Cavity Pumps
Nicholas L. Hopkins, Cannon

Copyright 2009, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2009 SPE Western Regional Meeting held in San Jose, California, USA, 2426 March 2009.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
This work analyzes the difference in energy requirements between using continuous sucker rods and using conventional
jointed sucker rods in Oilwell Progressing-Cavity Pumping (PCP) systems, with an emphasis on how each rod type is
affected by well depth and fluid content. PCP is a rotational pumping application; these pumps transfer fluids through
internal cavities by rotating a rotor inside of a stator. Calculations for this study are performed with a computer spreadsheet to
illustrate potential energy savings achieved with continuous rod applications. This work expands on previous research
addressing continuous sucker rods by observing how changing viscosity (with increasing well depth) can affect pump
operation. The focus is on production in the San Joaquin Valley, which typically has high water-to-oil ratios; the properties
of brine water and 14 API crude oil are used in the calculations.

Oilfield operators planning to install PCP systems can use data acquired from this work to estimate the influence of several
factors on pump operational energy costs. Results can be iterated from this study to estimate different operating situations
depending on the particular well conditions. This study is also an attempt to understand anecdotal evidence found in existing
wells with PCP and continuous sucker rods already installed

Using a continuous rod results in operational energy savings over conventional rod strings, the magnitude of which depends
on well depth and fluid content. The author concluded that the increased energy savings were a result of omitting couplings
and guides from the rod string. Couplings and guides decrease the annulus area for the working fluid to flow through, which
increases pump pressure requirements. Greater savings are observed in deeper wells because the rod string is longer, which
requires more couplings and guides on a conventional rod string.

Predicting the operational energy cost savings attained by using a continuous rod can help determine whether the capital cost
of installing continuous rods will be recouped in a profitable timeframe. Calculated energy savings may also be used towards
applying for energy saving incentives through California utilities customer energy efficiency programs, which can help offset
the investment in energy-efficient building and design and ultimately lead to a higher return on investment.

Introduction
To cost-effectively produce an oil field, each well needs to produce at a maximum rate, while operational costs are kept to a
minimum. As opposed to conventional reciprocating sucker rod pumps, which utilize an inline ball-check system (or say
something like that), oilwell PCP systems (such as screw pumps) rotate a rotor within a stator in the pump. Small cavities are
formed between the rotor and stator, which progress through the pump as the rotor turns. Oilwell PCP systems have become
popular for downhole pumping applications for several reasons, including the low levels of shearing applied to the working
fluid by the pumps. This in turn reduces the formation of emulsions in the well tubing. Since emulsions are typically more
viscous than oil or water alone, or oil-in-water mixtures, they are more difficult to pump.

PCP applications can be further enhanced if there are fewer restrictions in the fluid flow path, or the annulus between the well
tubing and the rod string. Conventional jointed sucker rods are connected every 25 30 ft by a coupling, which has a larger
outside diameter than the sucker rod. This means every 30 ft along a conventional rod string, there is a reduced annular area
within the tubing due to the larger cross-sectional area of the coupling. Reduced annular areas restrict the flow of the
working fluid, leading to increased frictional head losses. Rod guides and/or centralizers are also required on jointed sucker
2 SPE 121345

rods, which are used to avoid the point loads caused if the couplings contact the tubing wall. Guides also decrease the cross-
sectional flow area along the rod string, further adding to the losses and increasing the required horsepower of the pump.

Continuous sucker rods require couplings only at the top and bottom of the rod string. All other couplings, guides, etc.
required by the conventional rod string are eliminated, thereby removing the restrictions within the tubing and reducing
frictional flow losses.

Previous studies, such as Wiltse (1995), have used independent software modeling to predict flow losses for a PCP system.
This study expands on prior findings, with emphasis on how well depth and fluid content affect the pumping power
requirements, and therefore the operational savings that can be obtained through using continuous rods. Focus is on
production in the San Joaquin Valley of California, where high-gravity crude (14 API) and high water cut are common.
This produced water varies in brine concentration from nearly fresh to brackish; brine water with a salt content of 60,000
ppmw (or 6% by weight) is modeled in this study.

A linear temperature gradient was used in the calculations, with a surface temperature of 150F, increasing every 100 ft down
the well to a maximum downhole temperature of 200F. This temperature range is a reasonable assumption, since the tubing
string should be well insulated by the surrounding casing and ground.

Viscosity decreases with increasing temperature; the magnitude of this decrease varies with the oil and water cut of the fluid.
Viscosity values are therefore lower at deeper well depths than the values found closer to the surface, where the fluid is
cooler. A temperature increase of 50F does not affect the viscosity of water much, but can significantly reduce the viscosity
of crude oil, making water cut a significant factor in calculating the obtainable energy savings.

The sample well analyzed in the calculations used dimensions for standard 2-7/8 in. tubing (2.441 in. ID), and 1 in. sucker
rod with associated 2-3/16 in. dia. guides. Guides and couplings were assumed 6 in. in length.

Theoretical Calculations
This analysis only considered the theoretical hydraulic power required to pump fluid at given depth and fluid properties. A
pump efficiency of 80% was assumed for the calculations; other factors, such as motor/vfd efficiency and internal pump
frictional losses, were not included. A theoretically-straight vertical well was assumed, so potential mechanical friction
between rods and/or guides and the tubing inner walls was ignored.

Rotating hydraulic friction was initially calculated to determine if fewer couplings would result in lower torque values
required at the pump motor. However, these values proved to be insignificant compared to the static fluid lift requirements
and frictional losses in the direction of fluid flow up the tubing.

A calculation spreadsheet was created using basic fluid flow principles (Bernoullis equation, Reynolds number) to determine
the theoretical head losses in the tubing at different depths, depending on the fluid properties at each depth. Viscosity values
for water and 14 API crude oil were calculated from Bradley (1987) and Crane (1988); oil-in-water mixture properties were
then based on the water cut of the fluid.

Reynolds number (NRe) at each depth was calculated using:

NRe = v dhyd / (1,932 ).(1)
where: = density (lbm/ft3)
v = velocity of fluid through annulus (ft/sec)
dhyd = hydraulic diameter of tubing annulus (in.), dhyd = do di
= viscosity (lbf-sec/ft2)

The annulus is between the inner wall of the tubing (do) and the outer diameter of the section the fluid flows past (di).
Depending on location, di could be the rod, coupling, or guide diameter.

Frictional factor (f) was estimated from Fox and McDonald (1998) based on NRe:
2
e/d hyd 5.74 .(2)
f = 0.25 log +
3.7 N
0 .9
Re
where: e/dhyd = relative roughness, using e = 1.25 x 10-5 in. for commercial steel

Frictional head losses per unit length of tubing could then be calculated:
SPE 121345 3

pl / L = 6 f v2 / (dhyd g) .(3)
where: pl / L = head loss per unit length (ft/ft)
g = acceleration of gravity, 32.2 ft/sec2

Fluid properties and head losses were evaluated in 100 ft intervals. Each 100 ft section of the jointed rod analysis assumed 3
couplings and 3 guides, so head losses were based on multiple cross-sectional areas of flow. Each section included (based on
length of associated cross-section):

pl,r = pressure drop through annulus between rod and tubing

pl,c = pressure drop through annulus between coupling and tubing
pl,g = pressure drop through annulus between guide and tubing

Required hydraulic horsepower (Ph) calculations could then be determined at different depths. These values were additive
based on the total length of the rod string, and included the frictional head losses (pl) and static fluid column weight (ps):
Ph = q p / 246,840.(4)
where: q = fluid flow rate (gpm)
p = total required hydraulic head at given depth to pump fluid (ft), p = pl + ps

With the required horsepower determined, the annual energy usage to operate the pump is found (pump assumed to be
running 95% of the year, or 8,322 days):
Eann = Ph (0.746) (8,322) / p .(5)
where: Eann = annual energy usage per pump (kWh)
p = pump efficiency; assumed 80%

This study assumes the operator purchases energy at secondary cost, with energy price of $0.08/kWh. The operating costs
are then calculated for both the conventional jointed rod and the continuous rod, and annual energy cost savings can be found
for different well depths and water cuts.

Results
The first well scenario analyzed was for brine water (60,000 ppmw salt content), since wells in the San Joaquin Valley
typically produce at high water cuts (70 100%). Fig. 1 compares the frictional head losses of fluid flowing through the
tubing for both the conventional jointed rod string and the continuous rod. The curves are almost linear, showing that the
higher temperatures at lower well depths do not significantly affect the viscosity of water; temperature had a greater effect on
viscosity when crude oil was modeled (not shown). The rate of change of incremental head losses (i.e. head loss per 100 ft
interval) decreased more for higher oil-content mixtures, but this change again had little effect on the overall energy savings.
Also, the temperature range used was T = 50F; crude oil viscosity would have a greater variation if the range of
temperatures was larger.

Despite the insignificant effect of temperature on fluid viscosity, using a continuous rod resulted in less frictional losses. The
difference in the accumulated head losses between the two rod types continues to increase as the well becomes deeper.
Deeper wells require longer rod strings, and for conventional rods, more couplings and guides are required as additional rod
sections are added. For a 7,000 ft well, the frictional losses from these couplings and guides add up, and the pump needs to
supply 900 ft of head to overcome these losses. At the same depth, a pump using a continuous rod needs to overcome 100 ft
of head; this is 800 ft less head required than for the conventional rod.
4 SPE 121345

900

800

700

600
Head Loss, ft

500

400 Jointed rod

Corod

300

200

100

0
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000
Well Depth, ft

Fig. 1Frictional head losses through tubing annulus for brine water (60,000 ppmw salt content). The difference in head loss
between conventional jointed rods and continuous rods can be seen to increase with increasing well depths.

The frictional head losses combined with the static fluid head in the well determine the total head a pump must provide to lift
the fluid in the well. The static fluid head is the same for either rod type used at the same well depth, so the only difference
in total head is due to frictional losses. The total head the pump is required to lift determines the hydraulic horsepower
required by the pump, from which the annual pump energy consumption can be determined.

Fig. 2 compares the annual energy consumption of a well completed with a continuous rod to a well completed with a
conventional rod string. The energy savings are more significant in deep wells. For a 7,000 ft well, the energy savings are
approximately 42,000 kWh/yr. Using the secondary energy pricing of $0.08/kWh, this amounts to a savings of $3,360/yr.
SPE 121345 5

450,000

430,000
Difference:
42,000 kWh/yr
410,000

390,000
Energy Usage, kWh/yr

370,000

350,000

330,000

Jointed Rod
310,000
Corod

290,000

270,000

250,000
4,500 5,000 5,500 6,000 6,500 7,000 7,500
Well Depth, ft

Fig. 2Annual energy consumption for a well pump lifting brine water (60,000 ppmw salt content). The difference in energy
consumption between conventional jointed rods and continuous rods becomes greater at increasing well depths, with a difference
of 42,000 kWh/yr for a 7,000 ft deep well.

The analysis was repeated for several oil-in-water mixtures at varying well depths to establish a trend for the annual cost
savings that can be obtained by using a continuous sucker rod. Fig. 3 shows how annual cost savings vary with the water cut
of the working fluid. Separate curves have been plotted to show the effect of well depth on the annual cost savings that can
be obtained; these curves are for wells that are 2,000, 4,000, and 7,000 ft deep.
6 SPE 121345

$10,000
7,000 ft
$9,000
Typical California Producing Well
High (90%) Water Cut
$8,000

$7,000
Annual Cost Savings

4,000 ft
$6,000

$5,000

$4,000
2,000 ft
$3,000

$2,000

$1,000

$0
0 25 50 75 100
Water Cut, %

Fig. 3Variation of annual cost savings obtained by using a continuous sucker rod with a Progressing-Cavity Pump, depending on
water cut and well depth. The savings for a typical California producing well are seen to be greater when deeper wells are involved.
Savings also increase as the water cut percentage gets lower, a pattern which is apparent for several different well depths.

Regardless of well depth, larger energy savings are obtained for fluid mixtures with larger oil-to-water ratios. Frictional
losses through any tube or pipe increase as the viscosity of the fluid increases (or in this case, the water cut decreases). In
addition, the flow restrictions due to the couplings and guides on a conventional rod string have a large frictional effect on
viscous fluids. Combining the typical pipe flow losses with the additional flow restrictions increases the horsepower required
on a pump using a conventional rod string. The flow restriction losses become larger in magnitude as the viscosity of the
fluid increases, which explains why greater energy savings can be obtained by using a continuous rod in PCP applications
with highly-viscous fluids (in this case, heavy oil with little water present).

Fig. 3 also shows that the curves for different well depths basically follow the same pattern; the savings curve simply
translates higher on the chart for deeper wells. As shown before, the increasing temperature in deeper wells had little effect
on the overall horsepower requirements on the pump for this analysis. The larger load requirements are due to the fact that
for deeper wells, more couplings and guides are necessary to complete the longer rod strings. As before, additional couplings
and guides increase the flow restrictions. These additive effects explain the higher savings found in deeper wells.

Conclusion
This study has shown theoretically that using a continuous rod results in operational energy savings over conventional rod
strings in oilwell rotating PCP applications. The amount of attainable savings depended largely on the depth of the well and
the oil content of the fluid being pumped. The major contribution to the increased energy savings from continuous sucker
rods was the elimination of couplings and guides from the rod string, since the cross-sectional flow area around these items is
reduced. Again, greater savings are observed in deeper wells because the rod string is longer, which would require more
couplings and guides on a conventional rod string.

In addition to operational energy savings, continuous sucker rods offer several other advantages over conventional rods
(COROD 2008). Couplings lead to point loads on the tubing wall through frictional contact of the surfaces, whereas a
continuous rod offers a uniformly-distributed side load, and therefore longer tubing life. Fewer couplings also mean fewer
failures and field repairs or replacements. These additional benefits are not quantified in this study, as the emphasis is on
obtainable energy savings due to eliminating flow losses. Additional incentives and/rebates may also lead to further savings,
which would need to be determined by California utilities customer energy efficiency programs. Further study is necessary
SPE 121345 7

to determine the overall savings (energy, maintenance, installation, etc.) obtainable through the use of continuous sucker
rods.

Several assumptions, as described throughout this paper, were used to arrive at these conclusions. This study stemmed from
anecdotal evidence found in existing wells with PCP and continuous sucker rods already installed. The field data and
theoretical findings seem to agree that energy savings can be acquired with continuous rods. In the future, accurate field data
should be obtained to compare with the theoretical findings, which in turn can help to better model the potential savings at
specific sites.

Nomenclature
dhyd = hydraulic diameter of tubing annulus, L, in.
di = inner annulus diameter, L, in.
do = outer annulus diameter, L, in.
e = roughness, L, in.
Eann = annual energy usage per pump, mL2/t2, kWh
f = friction factor
g = acceleration of gravity, L/t2, ft/sec2
L = length of tubing section, L, ft
NRe = Reynolds number
p = total hydraulic head, m/Lt2, ft
pl = frictional head loss, m/Lt2, ft
pl,c = frictional head loss through annulus between coupling and tubing, m/Lt2, in.
pl,g = frictional head loss through annulus between guide and tubing, m/Lt2, in.
pl,r = frictional head loss through annulus between rod and tubing, m/Lt2, in.
ps = static fluid head, m/Lt2, ft
Ph = hydraulic horsepower, mL2/t3, hp
q = flow rate, L3/t (gpm)
T = temperature, T, F
v = velocity, L/t, ft/sec
p = pump efficiency
= viscosity, m/Lt, lbf-sec/ft2
= density, m/L3, lbm/ft3

Acknowledgment
The author would like to thank the PG&E Customer Energy Efficiency (CEE) program for its enthusiastic support of this
study on oilwell continuous sucker rods. Special thanks go to Charles Madison, Larry Altree and Mike Martin for their input
and advice. The author would also like to thank Weatherford for information on their COROD Continuous Sucker Rod.
Finally, thanks to the engineers at Cannon, specifically Casper Zublin, David Beutel, and John Crews, whose insight and
support made this study possible.

References
Bradley, H.B. ed. 1992. Petroleum Engineering Handbook, third printing, 24-624-17. Richardson, Texas: Society of Petroleum Engineers.
COROD Continuous Sucker Rod, Brochure 850.01. 2008. Houston, Texas: Weatherford.
Crane Engineering Dept. 1988. Flow of Fluids Through Valves, Fittings, and Pipe, Technical Paper No. 410, A-3. King of Prussia,
Pennsylvania: Crane Co.
Fox, R.W. and McDonald, A.T. 1998. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, fifth edition, 359363. New York, New York: John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
Wilste, D.J. and Weir, B.A. 1995. Eliminating Sucker Rod Couplings Can Reduce Progressing Cavity Pump Operating Costs. Paper SPE
30275 presented at the SPE International Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 1921 June.