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6th Annual Sucker Rod Pumping
WorkshopWyndham Hotel, Dallas, Texas
September 14 – 17, 2010
Gas Locking and Gas InterferenceSolutions for Sucker Rod Pumps
Benny J. Williams
Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 2
Sucker Rod Pump
Basic Parts
•Only 5 basic parts•Barrel•Plunger
•Traveling valve•Standing valve•Hold-Down Seal
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 3
Operation of Sucker Rod Pump
STARTOF UP
STROKE
STARTOF DOWNSTROKE
PLUNGERFALLS
THROUGH
FLUID
FLUIDLIFTED
TOWARDSURFACE
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 4
Operation of
Sucker Rod Pump
•Fluid Pound•Gas Pound•Gas Interference•Gas Locking
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 5
“Poor Boy” Separator
Copyright 2010
Harbison-Fischer
Copyright 2010
Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 6
Sucker Rod Pump
Compression RatioC R = Swept Vol. + UnsweptVol.
UnsweptVol.
Example: 1-1/4” plunger134” downhole stroke length9.5 cubic inches unsweptvolume
(164.4 + 9.5) / 9.5 = 18.3
Unswept
Volume
Stroke
Length
(Swept
Volume)
Discharge Pressure =(Intake Press) times (C R)
Example:400 psi Intake Pressure18.3 compression ratio, C R400 times 18.3 = 7,320 psi
Copyright 2010
Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 7
Gas Compression
Between Valves
Pump almost gas
locked
•Note gascompression on
downstroke beforetraveling valveopens
•Not much workbeing done bypump, very little
fluid being pumpedUsed with permission of Echometer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 8
Increasing the
Compression RatioModifications to Standard Pumps
•Longer stroke length, closevalve spacing & spaced low(w/o tagging) at well site
•Zero clearance seat plug
•High comp. standing valvecage
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 9
Sanding Valves
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
StandardStandingValve
High CompressionStanding Valve
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 10
Tagging the Sucker
Rod Pump
Tagging
•Can help break gas lock or dislodge particulates from
valves•Use as temporary solution or
diagnostic tool
•Tough on the pump, sucker rods and tubing
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 11
Gas Problem or Solids Problem?
Gas Locked Pump or Solids Keeping a Valve
Open?
•Symptoms are similar: None or intermittent fluidproduction, possibly some gas production
•Tagging the pump seems to help
•How to tell the difference? Wrongly identified
can cost a lot of $$.
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 12
Special Pumpsand
Accessories
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 13
High CompressionRatio Sucker Rod Pump
D
o w n s t r o k e
U p s t r o
k e
Production
Fluid Flow
IN
FullPositiveSeal•Gas Chaser Pump
•Compoundcompression ratio toachieve high
compression ratio
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 14
Two Stage Hollow
Valve Rod Pump
D o w n s t r o k e
U p s
t r o k e
Production
Fluid Flow
IN
BypassFluidPurges
Upper Chamber
•Similar to Gas
Chaser Pump
•Handles solids
better
•Rugged pull tube
•Top valveexcludes solids
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 15
Sucker Rod Pump
for Gas Locking
StrokeLength
Tapered
Barrel
Beginning of Upstroke Top of
Upstroke
Low
Pressure
High
Pressure
Patent
#6,273,690
Variable Slippage Pump
•No Gas Lock or FluidPound
•Smooth load reversal•Reduces tubing &
rod wear
•Extends sucker rodlife (raises MPRL)
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 16
Sucker RodPump for Gas
START
OF
UPSTROKE
START
OF
DOWNSTROKE
DOWNSTROKE
Patent #7,458,787
Gas VentPump
•No gas lockor gasinterference
•Separates thegas
•Pumps welldown further than anypump
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 17
Sucker Rod Pump
Accessory for Gas Locking
Sliding Sleeve
Fluid Ports
Sliding Top Valve
•Holds back hydrostatichead to allow travelingvalve to open with less
pressure
•Cushions fluid poundand gas pound
•Closes duringshutdown to keep sandout of pump Copyright 2010
Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 18
Back Pressure Regulator
FLUID FLOW
•Adjustable back pressure for tubing
•Helps sucker rod pump by minimizing flowing off
•Extends time between stuffing box packingchanges (flumping well causes dry packing box)
For wellsthat “Flump”
(flow off andpump)
Copyright 2010Harbison-Fischer
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 19
Summary
Review:
•Gas interference cannot be helped with a sucker rodpump (the pump is working!) although gas lockingcan be helped
•High compression pumps can help with gas locking•Special pumps can help with gas locking or gas
interference due to their not relying on compression
• “Gas locking” is often actually trash in the valves
•Separation of gas before the sucker rod pump is thebest solution
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 20
Questions?
Used with permission of Lufkin
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 21
CopyrightRights to this presentation are owned by the company(ies) and/or author(s) listed on the title page. By submitting this presentation to
the Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop, they grant to the Workshop,the Artificial Lift Research and Development Council (ALRDC), andthe Southwestern Petroleum Short Course (SWPSC), rights to:
– Display the presentation at the Workshop.
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Other use of this presentation is prohibited without the expressedwritten permission of the author(s). The owner company(ies) and/or
author(s) may publish this material in other journals or magazines if they refer to the Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop where it was firstpresented.
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Sept. 14 - 17, 20102010 Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop 22
Disclaimer The following disclaimer shall be included as the last page of a Technical Presentation or Continuing Education Course. A similar disclaimer is included on the front page of the Sucker RodPumping Web Site.
The Artificial Lift Research and Development Council and its officers and trustees, and the Sucker
Rod Pumping Workshop Steering Committee members, and their supporting organizations andcompanies (here-in-after referred to as the Sponsoring Organizations), and the author(s) of thisTechnical Presentation or Continuing Education Training Course and their company(ies), providethis presentation and/or training material at the Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop "as is" without anywarranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information or the products or services referred to by any presenter (in so far as such warranties may be excluded under anyrelevant law) and these members and their companies will not be liable for unlawful actions and anylosses or damage that may result from use of any presentation as a consequence of any
inaccuracies in, or any omission from, the information which therein may be contained.The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed in these presentations and/or training materialsare those of the author and not necessarily those of the Sponsoring Organizations. The author issolely responsible for the content of the materials.
The Sponsoring Organizations cannot and do not warrant the accuracy of these documents beyondthe source documents, although we do make every attempt to work from authoritative sources.
The Sponsoring Organizations provide these presentations and/or training materials as a service.The Sponsoring Organizations make no representations or warranties, express or implied, withrespect to the presentations and/or training materials, or any part thereof, including any warranteesof title, non-infringement of copyright or patent rights of others, merchantability, or fitness or suitability for any purpose.