An innovative approach to protect sucker rod pumps in sandy wells

Abstract

The oil fields of Azerbaijan are composed mainly of weakly cemented and loose rocks. Practice shows that, as a result of the destruction of natural cementing material in the process of development, testing and operation of wells, solid mechanical particles arere moved from the reservoir. During the operation of wells with weakly cemented rocks, under the action of filtration forces, as a result of the movement of fluid from the formation into the well and the stress state of the bottomhole zone of the well, the rock skeleton of the productive formation isdestroyed. The flow of fluid from the bottomholezone is accompanied by the presence of mechanical particles. Mechanical impuritie screate big problems in the operation of down hole equipment, including the operation of sucker rod pumps. Mechanical impurities prematurely disable the main parts of the pump. Larg sand particles enter the gap between the plunger and the cylinder. Grains of sand falling in to the gap between the plunger and the cylinder either jam the plunger in the cylinder or increase the gap, resulting in increased fluid leakage from the pump. To prevent sand from entering the gap, a sand-catching device has been developed. The device is being introduced into Azneft Oil and Gas Production Department. As a result of the implementation, additional oil production was obtained. Keywords: Oil fields; Well; Downhole rod pumps; Sanding; Leakage; Plunger sticking; Cylinder; Sand catcher.