SYSTEM DESIGN PHILOSPHY

SYSTEM DESIGN
ROD STRING/ LOADING
PUMP DIAMETER
UNIT SIZE/ LOADING
MOTOR HP/ LOADING
EXPECTED ENERGY COSTS
STROKE LENGTH
SPM / SHEAVE SIZES
RUN TIME
EXPECTED PRODUCTION
OTHER PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

API Documents
• API Bulletin 11L3 Sucker Rod Pumping
System Design Book
• RP 11L Recommended Practice for Design
Calculations for Sucker Rod Pumping
Systems (Conventional Units)
 Wave Equation Method
• Original work done by Dr. Sam Gibbs of
Shell Oil Co. in early 1960’s.
• Solved the same fundamental wave
equation as done by Midwest Research
but with digital computer.
• This method offer much more flexibility
in modeling well conditions.
• Has been continuously improved over
40+ years.

Nabla SROD$$ Program

• Predicts vertical and deviated wells.
• Predicts shallow and deep wells.
• Allows use of all types of prime movers.
• Predicts wells that have partly filled
pumps.
• Allows use of fiber-glass rods.
• Predicts rod buckling tendency.
• Predicts energy usage.
Predictive Surface Dynamometer
Card

Rod String Motion

Dash Pot
Rod String Mass

Well Friction

Spring

Pump Pump
Dynamometer
Card

Measured Surface Dynamometer DIAGNOSTIC MODEL

Card

Rod String Motion

Dash Pot
Rod String Mass

Well Friction

Spring

Predicted Pump Pump

Dynamometer
Card
 System Design Considerations

Operating Stroke
Pump Size Rod Size
Parameters Length

Pumping
Pumping
Motor Size Rotation Unit
Speed
Geometry

System Check List

Things To Check

Motor Minimum Max. Rod Rod

Torque Loading Rod Load Load Loading

Must not load Must be

Must be under Must be less Must be less
motor over greater than
torque rating than unit beam than Goodman
100% of motor zero and no
of unit rating allowable
rating buckling
 Start your design using below pump
Recommendedsize/s
Pump Plunger Sizes
for Rod Pump System Design

Net Fluid Gross Fluid Production @ 80% Volumetric Efficiency (BFPD)

Lift (ft.) 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
1 1/4 1 3/4 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/2 2 3/4 2 3/4 2 3/4 2 3/4 2 3/4
2000 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 3/4 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/2
1 1/4 1 3/4 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/2 2 1/2 2 3/4 2 3/4 2 3/4 2 3/4
3000 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 3/4 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/2
1 1/4 1 3/4 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/4 2 1/4
4000 1 1/2 1 3/4 2.0 2.0 2.0
1 1/4 1 3/4 2.0 2.0 2 1/4 2 1/4 2.0 2.0 2.0 1 3/4
5000 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 3/4 2.0 2.0
1 1/4 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 3/4 2.0 2.0 2.0 1 3/4 1 3/4
6000 1 1/4 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 3/4 1 3/4
1 1/8 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 1/2 1 3/4 1 3/4 1 3/4 1 3/4
7000 1 1/4 1 1/4 1 1/2 1 1/4 1 1/2
1 1/8 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 1/2 1 1/2
8000 1 1/4 1 1/4 1 1/4 1 1/4

MAXIMUM PUMP BORE SIZES

FOR STANDARD TUBING SIZES

Pump API Tubing Size

Description Type 1-1/2 &
1-1/4 2-1/16 2-3/8 2-7/8 3-1/2 4-1/2 5-1/2

Rod (Heavy Wall) RH ----- 1-1/16 1-1/4 1-3/4 2-1/4 ----- -----
Below 7000'

Rod (Thin Wall) RW 7/8* 1-1/4 1-1/2 2 2-1/2 3-1/4 -----

1-5/8*

Tubing (Heavy Wall) TW 1-1/4 1-1/2 1-3/4 2-1/4 2-3/4 3-3/4 4-3/4
1-25/32*

* SPECIAL ORDER
** Large bore tubing pumps using on-off tools are not shown.
 Fo is fluid load on pump, lbfs
Skr is lbfs necessary to stretch rod string
surface unit stroke, inches
N is SPM of pump unit
No’ is natural frequency of rod string,
spm
At low speeds only:
Sp/S = 1 – Fo/Skr
As Fo/Skr increases cards tilt upward
and to the right… under travel with high
rod stretch
As N/No’ increases, cards tilt up and the
left… under travel condition.

Typically design with Fo/Skr from .2 to .5

and N/No’ from .2 to .35 although no
data failure rates are high outside of this
range*-+

Rod Size
• Generally use API taper percentages.
– Place some large diameter rods just above
pump
• Keep operating stress levels within the
Goodman diagram with appropriate
service factors.
• Avoid excessive rod stretch.
 Pumping Unit Geometry
• Performance of the various
geometry's differ with pumping
conditions. Compare them against
each other.
• Do not load the structure or reducer
above the beam or torque rating of
the pumping unit.

SYSTEM DESIGN
OPERATING PARAMETERS
• OPERATING PARAMETERS: HAVE TO BE
CHOSEN BEFORE ANYTHING CAN BE
DESIGNED. THE DESIRED RUNTIME
DETERMINED THE DESIGN PUMPING
RATE REQUIRED OF THE SYSTEM.
• RECOMMEND 18-22 HRS IF YOU ARE
GOING TO PUMP OFF THE WELL.
 SYSTEM DESIGN
UNIT
• RECOMMENDATION: USE A UNIT THAT
IS AVAILABLE. ELECTRICAL SAVINGS
WILL NOT NORMALLY JUSTIFY A NEW
PUMPING UNIT.
• IF ONE HAS TO BE PURCHASED CHOOSE
A SIZE THAT WILL PROVIDE THE
REQUIRED MINIMUM STROKE LENGTH
AND WILL BE OVER 60% LOADED.

SYSTEM DESIGN
STROKE LENGTH
• RECOMMENDATION: USE THE LONGEST
STROKE POSSIBLE GIVEN THE PUMPING
UNIT AVAILABILITY.
• A LONG STROKE LENGTH IS REQUIRED
UP TO A POINT TO ACHIEVE MINIMUM
ENERGY USE.
• LONG SLOW STROKES REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF CYCLES ON THE RODS.
 Pump Size
• Use the largest practical pump size
possible.
• Larger pumps reduce stress cycles.
• Tubing size may limit max. pump
size.
• Larger pumps increase loading on
• Gear reducer
• Rods

Pump Size and Stroke Length: Figures

somewhat out of date, but trends accurate.
PUMP SIZE EFFECT
BASED ON 500 BFPD FROM 5000', 86 ROD STRING, $0.04/kWHr
19000
1 1/2" PUMP
18000 1 3/4" PUMP
$ PER YEAR POWER COSTS

17000 2" PUMP

16000

15000

14000

13000

12000

11000

10000
74 86 100 120 144 168 192 216 240
STROKE LENGTH
BASED ON: “DESIGNING AN ENERGY EFFICIENT SUCKER ROD PUMPING SYSTEM” By R. H. Gault, 1985 SWPSC pg.. 359-371
 SYSTEM DESIGN
ROD STRING
• RECOMMENDATION: DESIGN A ROD
STRING THAT DOES NOT EXCEED THE
MAXIMUM DESIRED ROD STRESSES
(LOCATION SPECIFIC). ONE FAILURE OR
PREMATURE REPLACEMENT IS MUCH
MORE COSTLY THAN THE ENERGY
SAVINGS
• WHERE POSSIBLE USE LIGHTER RODS.
• MAKE SURE THAT EXCESSIVE STRETCH
IS NOT OCCURRING.

Stroke Length
• Use as long a stroke as is practical.
• Longer stroke lengths are more
efficient.
• Torque requirements go up with
longer stroke lengths.
• Long stroke lengths reduce number
of rod stress cycles.
 ROD STRING & STROKE LENGTH
ROD STRETCH EFFECTS
BASED ON 500 BFPD FROM 5000', 1 3/4" PUMP, $0.04/kWHr
17000

16000
86 API
85 API
15000
$ PER YEAR

76 API
14000 75 API

13000

12000

11000
74 86 100 120 144 168 192 216 240
STROKE LENGTH (IN.)
BASED ON: “DESIGNING AN ENERGY EFFICIENT SUCKER ROD PUMPING SYSTEM” By R. H. Gault, 1985 SWPSC pg.. 359-371

SYSTEM DESIGN
ROTATION
• RECOMMENDATION: CHOOSE THE
ROTATION THAT PROVIDES THE
GREATEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY
WITHOUT OVERLOADING THE RODS
AND OR GEARBOX.
 SYSTEM DESIGN
PUMPING SPEED
• RECOMMENDATION: USE
WHATEVER IS REQUIRED GIVEN
THE OTHER DESIGN
REQUIREMENTS (I.E. PUMP SIZE,
STROKE LENGTH, UNIT SIZE AND
ROTATION).

SYSTEM DESIGN
MOTOR SIZE
• RECOMMENDATION: USE THE
NEAREST LARGER SIZE AVAILABLE
TO THAT CALCULATED BY A
PREDICTED BEAM LIFT DESIGN
PROGRAM.
 Pumping Too Hard??
• Avoid pumping so fast that MPRL/PPRL<0.2. This from data from
wells 4500 to 5500’ depth.

Rod Failures

0.4

0.3
MPRL/PPRL

0.2

0.1

0
0 5 10 15 20
Rod/Tubing Failures over three years

Pumping Speed
 Compression on Downstroke
One recommendation to manage rod buckling do to plunger
drag is below for number of guided rods or sinker bars:

Pump Drag
# Guided Rods =
Bouyant Rod Weight - Hydraulic drag/rod

Adding rod guides can add drag and buckling and move the
wear pattern up the hole. Worse in 2” tubing

Program Input
• What data is needed?
• How good does data need to be?
• What happens if I use wrong info?
• How can I quickly quality check data?
 Program Input Data
• Prime mover (type, HP, slip)
• Unit (API designation, or dimensions)
• Tubing (size, anchor depth, SN depth)
• Rods (size, type, length)
• Pump (size, type clearance gas
interference, fluid pound present?)

Program Input
• Fluid (oil, water, and gas)
• Fluid properties (gravity or gradient)
• Completion (casing, liner, open hole,
perforations, etc.
• Pressure (tubing, casing, pump intake)
• Fluid level (fluid above pump and
effective F/L)
 Program Input
• Pump clearance
• Limiting situations such as damaged wrist pin
holes
• Deviation.. for beam pumps <2 degrees/100’
• Shallow wells (1500’ or less)with big pumps
(>2 ¼”): Need flowline, separator pressure,
elevation change from well to separator

Program Input
• Check pump size , SPM, SL, rod
descripton and direction of rotation
• Put outdown down for a while and then
come back to it.
• Compare output to similar wells, dyno
data, well tests, etc.
• If something seems wrong, go through
data in detail
 Program Input
• Are default value correct?
• Do I understand all input data? Is SF right for
design or analysis?
• Do I understand bouyancy and its affect on
rod design? Bouyancy will not contribute to
buckling.
• Does card shape fit measured Dyno cards?
• Do loads, BFPD, and hp match typical field
data?

BEAM PUMP PROBLEM: API

METHOD OF DESIGN:
GIVEN:
Fluid level from surface = 5000 ft
Depth of pump = 5000 ft
SPM = 9
Stroke Length = 144 inches
Pump diameter = 1.5 inches
Specific gravity of fluid = 1.0
Anchored: = yes
Rod # = 76
Unit = Conventional
What unit designation is needed from the following list?
What motor HP is needed from the following list?
Will this design produce 250 bpd??
 BEAM PUMP DESIGN: FIBERGLASS
ROD STRING PROBLEM: JFL

Given:
Depth = 9000 feet
Target rate = 200 bpd
Stroke length= 168 inches
Pump diameter= 1.25 inches
Use 60% Fiberglass rods, 1.2 inches diameter
Use 40% steel rods, 7/8’s inch in diameter
Check settings for 50 psi intake pressure
45 psi tubing pressure
Fluid gravity – 1.00
2 7/8’s tubing
What size unit, pump diameter, SPM and motor HP are needed?
Use the Qrod wave equation for the calculations or the ACCU-Beam
program.

Design: AccuBeam
Target production: 500 bpd
Data: Tubing Size: 2 7/8’s
Depth: 5000’ Pump friction: 200 lbfs
Run time: 18 hrs/day No IPR data available
Stuffing box friction: 100 lbs Pump: Insert pump
Pump load adjustment: 0 lbfs Plunger size: calculate
Tubing pressure: 50 psi API rod string:
Casing Pressure: 50 psi Grade D rods: SF=.90
Fluid Properties: Rod sizes: 86 string
Water cut: 50% Lufkin conventional unit: CCW
Water gravity: 1.07 Energy costs;
API: 35 $0.04/(kW-Hour)
Pump efficiency: 85% 75 HP motor available
Pump fillage: 100% Vary motor speed according to imposed
Fluid level: 4950’ load
Run case and we will discuss outputs, and
options.