Echometer How To

TWM Basic Steps to Acquire

Polished Rod Transducer,
PRT,
Dynamometer Data.
by
Echometer Company

Reference: Well Analyzer QuickRefs, http://www.echometer.com/support/quickrefs/index.html

 POLISHED ROD TRANSDUCER
INCLUDES ACCELEROMETER FOR POSITION

Cable
PUMPING
UNIT
CARRIER
BAR

Adjusting
knob

Strain
Gages

POLISHED ROD
TRANSDUCER

To
WELL ANALYZER
ROD LOAD

FAST, CONVENIENT, REASONABLY ACCURATE

LOAD AND POSITION DATA.
 Echometer manufactures
two sizes of PRTs.
1. The standard PRT
will work on 1.5
inch and smaller
Polished Rods.

2. The large PRT is

slightly wider
than 2” and will
work on 2.0 and
smaller Polished
Rods.
 PRT Dynamometer is Compact
1. PRT attaches to the polished rod.

2. For load the PRT outputs a voltage

signal proportional to the change in
diameter of the polished rod due to
the rod loading.

3. Acceleration data is processed to

determine polished rod position.

4. Do not install PRT without the well

analyzer turned on and the TWM
software program running.
 Acquired
Acceleration of
Polished Rod
Position of the polished
rod is determined by
twice integration of
measured acceleration
data.

Accelerometer is
compact, convenient to
use, less expensive, and
more accurate than
conventional string
position indicators.
 Exercise care when handling PRT.
1. Do NOT drop the PRT
on a hard surface.
2. Do NOT allow the
stuffing box to hit the
PRT at the bottom of
the stroke.
3. If the metal web of the
PRT is damaged due to
some type of permanent
deformation, then PRT
cannot be repaired.

Old style PRTs had a 20/1000 inch thick web and were more susceptible
to damage, than the PRTs currently manufactured.
Connect the cables to Well Analyzer.

Far end on the coiled cable is attached to the 25-foot Y-cable, that is
connected into the MAIN INPUT on the Well Analyzer.
Turn on Well Analyzer and wait for
GREEN LED.
Turn on the computer.
 Start TWM in Acquire Mode
1. Select the
Equipment
Check tab.

2. The display of
internal battery
voltage and
battery
temperature
indicate that the
computer is
communicating
with the well
analyzer’s internal
electronics and
sensor
measurements
may be acquired.
Select the Dynamometer Sensor tab.

1. Select the serial number of the PRT, Polished Rod
Transducer. Use Create New… if your serial number
is not found in the list. Make sure all coefficients are
entered as typed on transducer label.  
2. Place the PRT on a flat surface
prior to placing on the Polished Rod
and verify the transducer output.
 Stop the Pumping Unit carefully,
near the bottom of the stroke.

For safety purposes when stopping the pumping unit to attach the PRT
transducer, the operator should disconnect the power and set the break.
 Center PRT with Half Moon Cut.
1. Center the PRT on the
polished rod by using
the half moon cut.
2. DO NOT push the
PRT too far forward
on the polished rod,
OR load drift can
occur.
Half
Moon Cut 3. The side of PRT with
Patent Label points
up.
4. Initially, only lightly
tighten the PRT.
 PRT placement reduces load drift.
1. PRT should be
attached to the
polished rod at
least 6 inches from
any load bearing
clamp.
2. Always attach the
PRT on the plain
steel part of the
polished rod.

Do NOT attach PRT onto a rusty polished rod. If the steel surface is not
bonded to the polished rod prior to attaching the PRT, then use emery
cloth on the polished rod to clean and smooth the polished rod surface.
Connect the coiled cable to the PRT.
1. Attach coiled cable
to PRT before
tightening PRT on
the Polished Rod.

2. DO NOT over-
tighten the PRT
when initially placed
on Polished Rod.

3. As little as 1/8 turn

over-tightening can
destroy the PRT
transducer.
 Proper tightness reduces load drift.

Any change in
temperature of
the transducer
or polished rod
will be the
primary cause
of load drift.

Try to maintain the PRT at the same environment temperature as the

polished rod OR let the temperature stabilize after the PRT is placed on
the polished rod.
TWM Software – F3 to Select Well

1. Open Base Well

File for the well
where data is to
be acquired. Use
New… to create
a Base Well File
if one does not
exist.

2. For acoustic
surveys be sure to
enter at least
avg. joint
length, pump
and formation
depths.  
Select Wellbore Tab to Verify Data

1. From the Base

Well File select
the Wellbore Tab
and verify the
data is
representative for
the well.

2. For PRT surveys

be sure to enter
Rod Type, Rod
Length, Rod
Diameter, Pump
Plunger Dia.,
Pump Intake,
Polished Rod
Diameter, fluid
gravities, and
production rates. 
 Save Changes to Base Well File

1. Click Save
button to be
sure to save
changes to the
base well file.

 
Select Type of Data Acquisition Test

1. Tap F4 to Select
Test type to be
acquired.

2. Click the
Dynamometer
Tab to indicate
that DYNO data
will be acquired.

3. Select F5 to
Acquire Data
 When attaching PRT view TWM
display to adjust to proper tightness.
1. Tightening the
PRT is a safety
issue.

2. Echometer does
not recommend
that you tighten
the PRT while
the pumping unit
is moving.
 TWM Software Wizard Steps thru
Process of Connecting the PRT
Proper
installation
requires the
operator to
place the PRT
between
himself and the
polished rod,
grasping the
adjusting
screw with the
right hand and
the electrical
connector
towards the
left).
 Follow step-by-step Instructions:
1. To avoid the 2. To insure that
possibility of accurate data is
damaging the PRT obtained.

• Transducer output
between 10 and 20
mV/V, when not
installed on the
polished rod.

• Clamping action
will cause output to
decrease.

• Proper clamping
force generates an
output close to zero.
 Step 3 Checks Accelerometer Signal
1. Normal output
accelerometer
output is near 0
volts.

2. Values outside the

normal limits may
indicate transducer
has been installed
upside down.

3. If installed upside
down, TWM
calculates the
position so the
bottom and top of
the stroke are
switched
Improve Visibility of Indicator by
Selecting Other Display Options
 Transducer Tightness Displayed

1. Initially the
triangular
indicator will be
at the extreme
right, as shown in
the figure.

2. User is prompted
to TIGHTEN the
clamp so as to
move the
indicator towards
the zero mark
 DO NOT Over-tighten PRT
1. Excessive
tightening can
cause permanent
damage to the
transducer.

2. Notice that the

transducer output
now exceeds the
–3 mv/V limit on
the left.

3. Tightening past
the –3 mv/V limit
results in a
warning being
displayed.
 Continue Adjusting PRT Tightness
1. Indicator at
this point is
near zero but
not close
enough.
2. Indicator has
gone beyond
zero, into the
LOOSEN
region
3. User should
decrease the
tightness
 Proper Installation Results in a
Nearly Centered Indicator

When reading near

ZERO is obtained,
then click finish
button.

With a little practice the operator should be able to install the PRT and obtain the zero
reading rapidly.
 After Adjusting PRT Wrap
Coiled Cable Around Handle
1. Loop the coiled cable around the
adjusting screw to prevent the
cable connector from pulling out
of the transducer connector .
2. Dynamometer’s coiled cable can
vibrate loose from the polished
rod transducer connector as the
polished rod travels up and
down.
3. Side load caused by the coiled
cable pulling on the polished rod
transducer can affect the
transducer's output.
 Coiled dynamometer cable can
become tangled in wellhead.
1. Support the cable to prevent
entanglement with the
wellhead connections during
polished rod movement.

2. One end of coiled cable is

connected to the polished rod
transducer and the other end
of the coiled cable is
suspended on the ladder or
fixed object.

This setup is a safe way to protect the dynamometer cable, the cable
connectors and the connector on the load cell.
 Click Finish for TWM Automatic
Display of Relative Rod Loading
1. Click Alt-D
to Record 1.0
Minute of
DYNO Data.
2. Click Alt-S
to START
acquiring
data for a
specific
length of
time.
 TWM Automatically Displays
Rod Loading
Depending
on option
Selected:

1. Click Alt-Q
to STOP
acquiring
DYNO data.
OR
2. After 1
minute TWM
will STOP
acquiring
DYNO data.
 Click Save Button
to Store TWM Data in File
1. After 1 Minute
or Alt-Q button
is clicked,
TWM prompts
user to save
recorded test
data.
2. Two fields are
available for
the user to enter
description for
the session.
3. Click Save
button to store
acquired data.
 Acquired Dynamometer Data:
Load, Acceleration, Power, Current
 DYNAMOMETER SURVEY ANALYSIS
ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. Is the well pumped off?
2. What is the pump intake pressure?
3. What is the pump fillage? And pump displacement?
4. What is the current pumping speed?
5. Are the traveling and/or standing valves leaking?
6. Are the maximum and minimum rod loads within limits?
7. What is the polished rod and pump horsepower?
8. Is the gearbox overloaded? Is the unit properly balanced?
9. What movement of the counterweights will balance the unit?
10. Is the downhole gas separator operating effectively?
Dynamometer Card Analysis:
Surface Card and Pump
ROD LOADING WITHIN LIMITS?
 Net Gearbox Torque Analysis

Is the gearbox
overloaded?

Is the unit
properly
balanced?

What movement
of the
counterweights
will balance the
unit?
Is Motor Loading within Rating?
Is Loading on Motor Balanced?
Analyze Cost and System Efficiency?
The End