Conventional Pumping System-

guidelines
Presented by

G Maharaj

September 2021
 Objectives
• Pursue maximum run-life for the well

• Interpret typical well failures

• Reduce workover cost (opex)

• Reduce prime mover wear and tear

• Wax, scale, corrosion, viscosity treatment

 Top hold down pump
RWAC/RWAM pumps:

Sandy wells- the amount of sand that can settle over the seating ring is limited
since the fluid discharge from the guide cage keeps it washed free above this point

Gassy or foamy wells- standing valve is submerged in the fluid being pumped; use
of a gas anchor to minimize free gas entering the pump

Well depth/fluid pound- the pump barrel is subjected to higher internal (burst)
pressure so a heavy wall barrel is more suitable for deep wells ( > 6000 ft)
 Bottom hold down pump
RWBC/RWBM pumps:

Deep wells- hydrostatic tubing pressure applied to the outside of the barrel minimizes
the column loading on the plunger bending the pull tube on the downstroke

Sandy wells- sand can settle in the annulus between the pump and tubing and cause a
stripping job (pulling a string of tubing and rods together with the tubing full of fluid)
to unseat the pump

Unplanned shut down- sand can settle past the barrel rod guide and on top of the
plunger with the possibility of sticking the pump when it is put back on production
 Fluid pound
Pump off- occurs when the submergence above the pump is less than the minimum
head required to fill the pump and the reservoir cannot supply more fluid for pump
fillage

Restricted intake- occurs where there is debris in the SV cage, plugged filter or dip-
tube and is detected by an increase in submergence (DFL) above the pump

Damage can occur to the surface equipment (pumping unit) and downhole
equipment (rods, tubing, SSP) if the fluid pound is severe
 Fluid pound
Minimising effects of fluid pound:
• Design pumping system which will achieve the desired production rate from the
well when operating at 80% efficiency
• SL,SPM and plunger diameter selected to match the inflow rate; long SL and low
SPM preferred
• Slow speed motors (860 rpm), electrical timers, manually timed pump cycles or
pump off controllers can be used
• Fluid pound that occurs in the first 25% of the downstroke is less severe than
those occurring in the mid-portion of the downstroke where pump plunger
velocity is the highest
 Gas interference
To minimize adverse effects of gas on volumetric efficiency :

• Select method and equipment used to separate oil and gas entering the pump so that
gas can be vented through the casing-tubing annulus

• Select method and equipment used to minimize the effects of gas inside the pump
barrel

• Spacing the pump’s TV closer to the SV at the bottom of the stroke will improve the
pump’s compression ratio to open the TV, thereby reducing the likelihood of a gas
lock
 Gas pound
• Free gas going through the gas separator and entering the pump intake- better gas
separation is needed and venting of annulus gas
• Gas breaking out of solution during upstroke pump fillage – use low SPM /longer SL
to minimise pressure drop (turbulence)
• Gas lock occurs when gas in the pump prevents the opening of the TV and/or SV
• Use of a mechanically opened travelling valve (Hart gas lock breaker), which allows
gas in the pump to be released into the tubing and normal valve operation to occur
eg low BHP/low fluid level and high GOR wells where gas interference is a problem
• Pump liquid down tubing to force the travelling ball back to its seat and the well
should revert to normal production
• Impose back pressure(> 150 psi) on tubing by use of a bean, to minimise the gas
bubble effect. This does not diminish pump efficiency but increases rod loading as
well as potential stuffing box leaks
 Pump plungers
• Depths < 3000’ - 3 ft plunger
• Depths 3000-6000’ - 3ft plunger + 1ft per 1000’
• Depths > 6000’ – 6 ft plunger
• Slippage between plunger and barrel is inversely proportional to plunger length,
and proportional to clearance in thousands of an inch cubed eg half the plunger
length will double the slippage, increase in clearance from one to two thousands
of an inch will increase slippage by a factor of eight
• Shorter plunger length(12”) /larger clearance(.005 - .007”) is desirable in viscous
crude to minimize “floating” rods
 Anchored tubing
• Tension tubing anchors within 100-200’ above the SN, eliminate tubing stretch
and consequently rod parts, tubing or casing leaks
• If anchors are not run, the tubing above the SSP that buckles on the upstroke,
should be moved to the top of the string when the tubing is pulled
• Casing must be in good condition so a bit and scraper run must be done before
installing tubing anchor
• Tubing anchors contain shear pins that are supposed to shear and allow the
tubing to be pulled when the anchor unseating mechanism is fouled. Remove as
many pins as practical before the anchor is run, because it may be necessary to
shear the pins while lifting the entire rod string, the fluid in the tubing, and the
tubing without yielding the tubing
 Rod parts and tubing leaks
• Install tubing anchors to minimize rod-tubing contact and wear
• Install rod centralisers based on wellbore deviation and wear patterns observed
• A pony rod equivalent to the polished rod stroke length should be added each
time the rod string is pulled to move the rod coupling-on-tubing wear. When
pony rods added equal to one rod length, a pony rod should be removed each
time the rods are pulled
• Use external upset API tubing which is stronger than non-upset tubing
• Use sinker bars above the pump to reduce rod buckling and minimize tubing
leaks. The tubing joints above the pump should be rotated with joints further up
the hole on a regular schedule
 Corrosion, scale, wax deposition
• Pump metallurgy is the best method to mitigate against pump failure for corrosion
• Chemical treatment prevents or reduces these deposits; batch treatments more cost
effective for low producing wells
• Chemicals should be selected based on laboratory screening for required
concentration and emulsion tendency. Efficacy can be monitored using coupons
installed at the pumping connection
• Heat is the most potent wax mitigation treatment, especially for deeper wells pump
steam down the annulus to dissolve wax from rods and inner walls of tubing (0-
3000’)
• Valves, openings and parts within a pump can become plugged making the pump
inoperative
• Perforations can become plugged which reduces inflow into the wellbore and
reduced productivity
• Spot chemical across perforations and allow to soak for 24 hrs or reperforate
selectively if abnormal decline is indicated
 Sand entry
• The entire pumping equipment design must be modified to reduce the frequency of
sand problems
• Set pump higher in hole based on fluid level, produce at a lower rate ie minimize
drawdown to reduce sand entry
• Use pressure actuated plunger to minimize stuck plunger due to sand as well as
increase pump run life
• Use filter to prevent abrasive effects of entrained fines on pump valves and plunger
• Change to artificial lift method which is not hampered by sand entry eg PCP or
Plunger Lift
• Implement sand control strategy if feasible to prevent recurring wellbore cleanouts
(high workover costs) or casing failure – GPK, SAS ,Frac-Pack