Pump Jacks Research Articles

Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Sucker Rods Provide Artificial Lift Efficiencies

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper IPTC 23949, “Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Sucker Rods Providing High-Strength, Lightweight, Low-Cost, and Environmentally Responsible Artificial Lift Efficiencies,” by Jeff Saponja, SPE, Oilify, and Corbin Coyes, SPE, and Michael Conner, SPE, Q2 Artificial Lift Services. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2024 International Petroleum Technology Conference. _ The complete paper focuses on the development of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP) sucker rods, highlighting their potential advantages and challenges, for rod pumping (in general) and for offering an earlier transition from electrical submersible pump (ESP) pumping or gas lifting to reliable deep high-rate rod pumping. A unique feature of an FRTP composite rod is its remarkably high shear failure resistance compared with that of a thermoset composite rod. A high shear-failure resistance means the rods have compressional loading tolerance and that an entire sucker rod string could be comprised of FRTP sucker rods. Introduction Sucker rods made from steel are relatively heavy. Extensive well-specific designs require tapering of rod strings to optimize the overall sucker rod string weight relative to the strength and fatigue requirements and consideration of the dynamic loadings from accelerations and decelerations of the rods and fluids, frictional effects, and structural or power limitations of the pump jack or unit at surface. Steels suffer from corrosion risks. Corrosion, which rapidly can accelerate fatigue failure, often is the root cause of sucker rod failure. Fiber-reinforced composites (i.e., fibers surrounded by or wetted by a resin matrix) have gained considerable popularity because they can be tailored to have outstanding mechanical, thermal, and physical properties, and have superior material mechanical properties to metal. The fatigue behavior of composite materials and structures is complex because composites fail by a series of, or collection of, damage mechanisms, including fiber breakage, matrix cracking, fiber/matrix debonding, delamination, and the effect of shear-induced damage on cracks. Cracking can be slowed somewhat if the reinforced fibers are of high stiffness. Composite materials can offer a lower environmental footprint over their entire life cycle. They can require less energy to manufacture, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. A high strength/weight ratio offers less energy consumption during operational use, further reducing CO2 emissions. Composite materials can be recycled and reused. Composite sucker rods, in the form of thermoset fiberglass sucker rods, have offered a high strength/weight ratio with greater corrosion tolerance, but they are too stretchy from a low glass fiber tensile modulus of elasticity for deep high-rate rod pumping and when a high production-rate decline is likely. This limitation results in a large bottomhole pump-stroke variability as operating conditions change. Such rods have low tolerance to compressional and impact loads, forcing a larger proportion of a sucker string to remain as steel. They are also more costly than steel rods. For sucker rod pumping, an ideal composite rod should tolerate compressional loads and feature high impact resistance and high fatigue endurance with an ability to limit or control crack formation. A composite material that potentially offers these important sucker rod properties is FRTP.

Design and Analysis of Harmonic Drive Reduction Pump Jack for Dynamic Performance in Oil Extraction

The purpose of this study is to provide a high gear ratio reducing pump jack system, utilizing the characteristics of high transmission ratio and precision of harmonic drives, in order to improve the efficiency of low-permeability oil field extraction. A comparison was made between the new system and the conventional walking beam pump jack. The results showed that at a stroke length of 1.5 m and pumping frequencies of 4.5 min-1, 3.5 min-1, 2.5 min-1, 1.5 min-1, and 0.5 min-1, the maximum acceleration of the suspended load in the harmonic reducing pump jack was reduced by 20.79% compared to the conventional walking beam pump jack.

Pump jack balancing control method depending on the load

This article focuses on the method of balancing the pump jack and optimizing its operation. In the course of the work, the main balancing methods were considered and a method based on changing the balancing value by moving the movable carriage was proposed. In the course of the work, a model was developed that made it possible to simulate loads, the results of which determined the effectiveness of the proposed balancing method. Based on the results of the study, a graph of the change in torque when the support is located during the operation of the drive was built. Based on the results of the work, the corresponding conclusion was made.

Wpływ czynników mechanicznych na wydajność i proces starzenia się kiwona

"The paper discusses the influence of mechanical factors on the performance and aging process of rocking machines, specifically focusing on oilfield equipment such as the downhole rod pump jack. The authors emphasize the importance of analyzing the condition and aging process of oilfield equipment to ensure reliability, safety, and efficiency in oil production processes. The mechanical factors discussed in the paper include vibrations, loads, wear, and corrosion. Vibrations can be caused by improper balance, bearing failures, or other factors, and they have a negative impact on equipment performance and can lead to breakdowns. High mechanical loads associated with raising and lowering sucker rods can cause wear and damage to the pump jack. Operating in harsh environments with sand, abrasive particles, or chemicals can also cause wear on surfaces and equipment parts. Corrosion of metal components can occur due to moisture, chemical attack, or improper storage and maintenance, leading to deterioration and breakage of equipment. The consequences of these mechanical factors on the aging of an oil pump jack include accelerated aging, decreased performance, and an increased risk of accidents. Continuous exposure to vibration, stress, wear, and corrosion accelerates the aging process, resulting in deterioration and reduced equipment life. Damage and breakdowns caused by mechanical factors lead to decreased efficiency, negatively impacting oil production processes. Moreover, insufficient maintenance and failure to address mechanical influences increase the risk of accidents, downtime, and damage to other parts of the manufacturing process. To assess the health and aging status of an oil pump jack, various analysis and diagnostic methods are used, including visual inspection, strength testing, monitoring of parameters, and non-destructive testing. Visual inspection helps identify visible damage, wear, and defects. Strength testing evaluates the reliability of pump jack parts and identifies potential issues. Monitoring parameters like vibrations, temperature, and pressure allows for detecting deviations from normal operation and preventing breakdowns. Non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and radiography help identify hidden defects and damage. The authors recommend several strategies to maintain the reliability and efficiency of an oil pump jack. These strategies include implementing a preventive maintenance program with regular inspection, testing, and parts replacement based on manufacturer’s recommendations and equipment condition analysis. Determining optimal service and part replacement intervals based on historical data, monitoring results, and manufacturer’s recommendations is crucial. Additionally, utilizing more durable materials, anti-corrosion coatings, improved designs, and technologies can increase equipment resistance to mechanical stress and improve performance. The paper also describes the device and components of a pump jack, such as the installation base, platform, balancer, electric motor, crank, connecting rod, and control station. It emphasizes the importance of considering various characteristics when selecting and evaluating the effectiveness of a pump jack, including working load, maximum plunger stroke, reducer dimensions, output torque, and swing frequency. The kinematics of the pump jack drive system are discussed, highlighting the need for reconfiguration to adapt to changing operating conditions and optimize oil production performance. Overall, the paper emphasizes the importance of analyzing mechanical factors, managing the aging process, and implementing maintenance strategies to ensure the reliable and efficient operation of oilfield equipment, specifically the pump jack used in oil production processes.

Technology Focus: Artificial Lift (October 2023)

Buying a vehicle can be a daunting experience. Sometimes you wish you could refer to a guide of what has worked out well for users of certain models over time and under various operating conditions. Paper SPE 213059 does this by correlating past testing of downhole centrifugal separators and adding a machine-learning twist. Once you’re about to make your selection at the car dealership, you may notice that the fine print states “mileage may vary” and wonder why that’s the case. Paper OTC 32398 explains how and why electrical submersible pumps (ESPs) are unable to perform as effectively when pumping viscous fluids by creating nondimensional models and validating them with field data. Paper SPE 214043 shows that frictional losses during plunger lifting can create a gap between actual and predicted performance. Even if you succeed in making a no-regrets purchasing decision, the day may arrive when financial, operational, or reliability considerations encourage changing vehicles and perhaps downsizing. Paper SPE 213089 describes an artificial lift selection tool for unconventional reservoirs driven by reduced-physics models that can help identify when the time is right for change. Paper SPE 213975 extols the value of gas lift downsizing by optimizing the selection and placement of Venturi, orifice, and dummy valves to spur production uplift. If you happen to have an emotional attachment to a vehicle, it can be difficult to let it go. But maybe you don’t have to; maybe you could repurpose that vehicle. Plenty of pump jacks in the history of the oil field have made use of truck transmissions instead of a standard gearbox. Paper SPE 214361 explains how ESPs could become electrical submersible generators to produce power in conjunction with injection or disposal operations. Then again, it may just be easier and less stressful to look up some bus schedules. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 213059 Application of Machine Learning To Evaluate the Performances of Various Downhole Centrifugal Separator Types in Oil and Gas Production Systems by Laura Camila Osorio Ojeda, University of Oklahoma, et al. OTC 32398 Relative Viscosity Model for Water-in-Oil Emulsion in Electrical Submersible Pumps: Comparing the ESP Head in a Real Scenario by Natan Augusto Vieira Bulgarelli, Unicamp, et al. SPE 214043 A Mathematical Modeling of the Plunger Lift Considering Effects of Fluid Friction and Plunger Travel Velocity by Saurabh Rajvanshi, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, et al.

Dynamics of pump jacks with theories and experiments

Dynamics of pump jacks with theories and experiments

RESEARCH ON THE IMPROVEMENTS OF CONSTRUCTION OF PUMP JACK WITH ONE-ARM SHOULDER

In the production of oil by downhole rod pumps, as a drive, both in Azerbaijan and abroad, balancing one-arm and two-arm pump jack are most often used ones. In this article the goal is - a comparative study of the advantages of one-arm pump jack over two-arm pump jack. For that, the calculation of the main parameters was maid – displacenemt, speed and acceleration of suspension poin of rods and built comperative graphs for commercially avaible deaxial pump jack type of SKD8-3-4000 and the proposed construction of a one-arm pump jack. There are existing options, for holding a one-arm pump jack on the weight of the balancer when changing the stroke length of the suspension point of the rods that reviewed. Options for improving the one-arm pump jack are proposed.

Seismic Periodic Noise Attenuation Based on Sparse Representation Using a Noise Dictionary

Periodic noise is a well-known problem in seismic exploration, caused by power lines, pump jacks, engine operation, or other interferences. It contaminates seismic data and affects subsequent processing and interpretation. The conventional methods to attenuate periodic noise are notch filtering and some model-based methods. However, these methods either simultaneously attenuate noise and seismic events around the same frequencies, or need expensive computation time. In this work, a new method is proposed to attenuate periodic noise based on sparse representation. We use a noise dictionary to sparsely represent periodic noise. The noise dictionary is constructed based on ambient noise. An advantage of our method is that it can automatically suppress monochromatic periodic noise, multitoned periodic noise and even periodic noise with complex waveforms without pre-known noise frequencies. In addition, the method does not result in any notches in the spectrum. Synthetic and field examples demonstrate that our method can effectively subtract periodic noise from raw seismic data without damaging the useful seismic signal.

An Active Damping Scheme With Energy Saving Feature for Use with Regenerative Converters

Regenerative drives, also known as four-quadrant drives are an integral part of many industrial applications ranging from wind power generation, elevators, escalators, centrifuges, pump jacks in oil fields, etc. All regenerative converters need passive LCL filters to filter out pulsewidth modulation frequency components. One disadvantage of using an input LCL filter in front of regenerative converters is that they are also a major source of power loss in the power system as their configuration allows for the flow of capacitive circulating currents even when the power converter is off . The associated power loss in the power system can significantly affect the overall system efficiency when there are large numbers of large power regenerative units in the power system. The filter capacitors also interact with pre-existing voltage distortion in the power system. Multiple regenerative units of various sizes have been shown in this paper to cause undesirable voltage ripple, which in turn causes current oscillations especially in smaller sized regenerative converters. A new active damping scheme is proposed, which also includes actively opening the neutral point of the filter capacitor to eliminate standby power loss associated with regenerative converters with LCL filters. Two ideas are proposed. In the first, only one damping resistor is used, whereas in the other two, damping resistors are used in parallel, where one resistor acts as the fixed damping resistor whereas the other is modulated depending on the amount of system distortion. Test results are given to demonstrate the fundamental concept.

Vaca Muerta Rising: Building Unconventional Production From the Ground Up in Argentina

Vaca Muerta Rising: Building Unconventional Production From the Ground Up in Argentina What is unconventional exploration and production in Spanish? YPF goes with “no convencional.” The translation, not conventional, is a literal description for the sort of ultra-tight reservoir rock in the Vaca Muerta, the huge formation that the Argentine oil company says can return the country to the ranks of energy-exporting nations. Not conventional is also the essential mindset required to do something nobody else in the world has accomplished: develop a massive shale play outside the US and Canada. The potential is there. The US Energy Information Administration ranks Argentina second in the world among unconventional formations for technically recoverable gas and fourth for oil. When YPF announced the discovery of a world-class shale play in 2011, it marked the start of years of work to solve a multidimensional puzzle presenting daunting geological, business, and political problems that has stymied the global spread of unconventional development. In the 6 years since then, YPF has shown it is possible to make money drilling and completing wells when oil prices are around $50/bbl while developing a block with Chevron. Vaca Muerta Rising: Faster and Cheaper Without Losing Better After Gustavo Astie, executive manager for unconventionals at YPF, presented what he thought was an aggressive growth plan for the coming year to YPF management, he was asked: Would it be possible to go faster? The answer was, there are limits. In the past 6 years, YPF has built a foundation for profitably developing the Vaca Muerta, but it is just now beginning to see if what worked in the initial pilots can be transferred elsewhere in the huge formation. When it comes to the pace of development, YPF needs to work with corporate partners providing much-needed money as well as expertise. Those partners include some of the biggest, most technically savvy companies in the industry, which took their time getting into unconventional development. Vaca Muerta Rising: A Trip Along the Learning Curve A drive down a gravel road in the Loma Campana follows the steep early learning curve in the Vaca Muerta. There are large pump jacks on old single wells left from the early days when vertical wells were drilled on scattered sites in a place that looks a lot like West Texas. There are pads with four vertical wells forming a rectangle. That pattern reduced the time needed to drill the wells by shortening the trip from well to well for older rigs not built to walk or slide on skids. Still it used two rigs, and the wells were far less productive than horizontal ones. A flexible pipeline snakes along the edge of the road leading to a fracturing site where it supplies the fresh water needed for the job. Flexible water lines have become a common sight, replacing fleets of trucks pounding down the bumpy, unpaved roads. Vaca Muerta Rising: Forces Favoring Shale Development are Aligned in Argentina, for Now It is easy to fixate on what it will take to extract huge volumes of oil and gas from the nearly impermeable rock within the Vaca Muerta. But in terms of the future of the huge Argentine unconventional formation, “the aboveground risk is far more important in the pace of development,” said Robert Lewis, a senior research analyst covering Latin America upstream for IHS Markit. Scaling up this unconventional play will require spending billions of dollars a year and support from government policies that promote a stable investment climate, the ability to move money and goods in and out of the country, affordable deals with labor unions, and improved infrastructure. Vaca Muerta Rising: Creating a Family-Friendly Oilfield Boomtown Añelo is a small town in an arid, sparsely populated area with a new supermarket, police station, bank, skate park, hotel, and hospital. In the past decade the population has roughly tripled to 7,000, and in 5 years, it is expected to nearly triple again to 20,000. The catalyst for this boom is the development of the Vaca Muerta, an enormous unconventional oil formation that extends under the town. As the town nearest to YPF’s office for this huge play, Añelo has recently attracted a cluster of service company offices, warehouses, and equipment yards on the edge of town. And more growth is expected as the national oil company scales up development. For YPF, the goal is to turn the fast-growing town into a good place to live for workers and their families. But that is hardly a sure thing.

Operators Begin Considering Pumps on Older Subsea Fields

Spotting oil wells on land is easy, just look for the pump jacks. They are a common sight because about 90% of the oil wells on land are on some kind of artificial lift. Don Underwood, director of subsea processing at FMC Technologies, cited that estimate to make the case that the same factors that make pumps standard equipment on land should increasingly apply to wellheads on the seabed. “If it is 90% onshore versus single digits under the ocean, there is growth potential,” he said. Realizing that potential has long proved elusive, made more so by the deep funk now in the offshore oil business. But he and others selling pumps sound upbeat about calls from potential customers looking at ways to add oil output without the cost of drilling wells. “The (oil) companies’ management is demanding gains to production … but they are not willing to go out and do enormous greenfield projects,” Underwood said. “The subsea playing field changed a lot after the oil crisis,” said Sven Olson, a senior consultant for Leistritz Advanced Technologies, which sells pumps made by Leistritz, a German manufacturing company, for oil industry use. Rather than major new field investments, oil companies are looking to add barrels by taking better care of existing assets. The two of them, who work for companies selling big, subsea pumps, use phrases like “enthused by the response we are getting,” “tipping point” for pump use, and Underwood went so far as to declare it a “golden age for subsea pumping.” To put that in perspective, a major upswing in this sector would not require a lot of orders. A 2016 survey of the market by Offshore magazine listed only 40 subsea boosting projects in the world, and 11 of those were classified as “abandoned/removed.” The number of working subsea systems that year rose to 17, with 12 projects at various stages of development, it said. In comparison, there are about 5,000 subsea wells, according to a panel discussion at the 2016 Offshore Technology Conference. The biggest cluster of new fields on the list is in the US Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Development in ultradeep water, such as Chevron’s Jack/St. Malo, have been equipped with pumps from the start. The goal is to sustain high production in water 7,000-ft deep from fields 25 miles apart to a floating production unit located in between. “We are using subsea boosting pumps at Jack/St. Malo, and other recent Lower Tertiary fields like Julia and Cascade- Chinook, also use subsea boosting,” said Stephen Thurston, vice president, Deepwater Exploration and Projects, Chevron North America Exploration and Production Company, adding “Folks are seeing the utility and value.” Those deepwater new field developments were approved before oil prices plunged and exploration and production (E&P) budgets shrank.

E&P Notes (April 2016)

E&P Notes Onshore Support for Mexico’s Deepwater Blocks Lacking Trent Jacobs, JPT Senior Technology Writer The deepwater blocks Mexico plans to lease to international operators in December are among the deepest, most remote, and geologically challenging in the world. But the difficulties of developing these areas will start onshore, where adequate and secure port facilities are few and far between. “This is where the issue is about deep water,” said Chris Garcia, the Mexico international account director and deepwater adviser at Schlumberger. “Logistics are going to be very challenging, much more so than on the American side.” New Technology To Cut Electric Costs, Not Production Trent Jacobs, JPT Senior Technology Writer Everhart Energy Technology, a startup company based in Beverly Hills, California, has developed a system it believes will help small to medium-sized operators cope with the reality that, while oil prices have fallen, their electric bills have not. Installed between a pump jack lift and its power source, the system regulates the power being transmitted to the electric motors and also captures the kinetic energy generated on the pump’s down stroke—similar to how a hybrid vehicle works. The technology was invented in South Korea for industrial and commercial equipment and Everhart, founded in 2014, has secured the rights to apply it in oil fields in the United States. Statoil Gets a Jump on Offshore Costs Stephen Rassenfoss, JPT Emerging Technology Senior Editor One of the latest offshore innovations from Statoil is nothing flashy, which is the point. A drawing shows a plain, steel jacket, standing in water 110 m deep, topped with a flat metal deck. The spare design is indicative of the disciplined approach to offshore development that led to a 52% decrease in the estimated break-even cost for its Oseberg Vestflanken 2 project, of which the platform is a key part. The lower break-even made it possible to move forward with development of three small oil and gas fields at a time when depressed prices are forcing mass cancellations of offshore projects globally.

Development of the compensation method of pressure pulsation effect on the multi-stage hydraulic cylinder motion

An example of the hydraulic wrench application is a maintenance process, associated with the main circulation pump jack at a nuclear power plant. Mathematical model of the hydraulic drive with two coaxial hydraulic cylinders is investigated to solve the problem of uncontrolled changes in the hydraulic drive system characteristics. The mathematical model considers the parallel connection of discharge chambers, nonlinear flow from the one-piston pump, fluid compressibility, the friction force between the actuator components. The drive operation is investigated at a full rotation of the feed pump crank. The system includes a throttle on the drain line in order to overcome negative hydrodynamic processes. The characteristics of the drive are investigated, and the throttle characteristics are defined to overcome pulsation. The values of the throttle opening area are determined for each time point, at a constant speed of the drive. Obtained matrix values are regarded as a law, and the speed becomes a calculated value, used to verify the results. Calculations have confirmed the possibility of providing the drive rod velocity, which is close to constant. Further development of the results provides a synthesis of the law of the throttle closing changes. It will provide the technological feasibility for manufacturing and ensure linear, close to constant, effort, generated by the hydraulic drive.

Oil Landscapes

Oil Landscapes Maria Whiteman (bio) Oil. Edward Burtynsky. Steidl. http://www.steidlville.com 215 pages; cloth, $128.00. This extravagant book is larger than most coffee table books, and one that catches the eye not only because of its bulk but by the visual demand made by the photo on its cover: an army of pump jacks stretching away to the California desert horizon. This latest collection of Edward Burtynsky's photographs (winner of the 2010 Deutscher Fotobuchpreis Silver Medal) is made up of both new and old photos that address the topic of oil from every possible angle. In Burtynsky's characteristic style, which emphasizes scale and number (most often from the vantage point offered by a construction crane), these photos prompt shock and awe in the face of the visual representation of the sheer size of those varied infrastructures that enable oil to course through the veins of global society. Burtynsky describes Oil (which has been exhibited at galleries and museums around the world, beginning at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in 2009) as the outcome of an "oil epiphany" he had in 1997. "It occurred to me that all the vast man-altered landscapes I had pursued for over twenty years," he writes, "had been made possible by the discovery of oil and the progress occasioned by the internal combustion engine.... These images can be seen as notations by one artist— contemplating the world made possible through this massive energy force, and the cumulative effects of the industrial evolution." The book is divided into three sections intended to document the life cycle of oil, passing from "Extraction and Refinement" to "Transportation and Motor Culture" to "The End of Oil." The photos making up each section are heterogeneous in theme and content, and photographed at numerous locations around the world. "Extraction and Refinement" includes images of older oil fields in the California desert, which tend to be jam-packed with drill rigs and pump jacks; the expansive oil sands extraction sites and tailing ponds in Fort McMurray, Alberta; and the complex, visually dynamic (if virtually incomprehensible) twists and turns of refinery structures in Ontario, New Brunswick, and Texas. "Transportation and Motor Culture" begins with a series of M. C. Escher-like images of enormous highway interchanges before taking us to massive car import lots in the U.S. and China, as well as sites at which people accumulate around the fantasy of driving, as in the biker and trucker jamborees held in Sturgis, South Dakota and Walcott, Iowa, respectively. Click for larger view View full resolution Detail from Cover If the photos in the first two sections draw our attention to the apparatuses and infrastructures that produce and are produced by oil—from sites of extraction largely hidden from view to the quotidian landscape of highways and car lots—"The End of Oil" probes the consequences of oil society, especially through the detritus that it leaves behind. The multiple images of the ancient oilfields of Baku, as well as of gigantic graveyards of cars, helicopters, planes, jet engines, tires, and oil drums, are concluded [End Page 6] with a sequence of photos on which Burtynsky made his fame: the shipbreaking yards of Chittagong, Bangladesh, where nineteenth-century labor meets twentieth-century garbage through the mechanism of twenty-first century offshoring of multinational capitalism's expenses and responsibilities. Oil is a photo narrative—an attempt to tell a story through images. Rather than an exhibition of his latest pieces, the book (and the show it represents) is akin to a curatorial exercise in which one aspect of an artist's thematic preoccupations are drawn out of a larger body of work. What makes Oil unique is that in this case, the curator is the artist himself, who has revisited his large body of images in an effort to produce a tale that might generate in its viewers the same oil epiphany that prompted their production. Burtynsky is far from the only photographer to generate photo essays with political intent. One thinks immediately, for instance, of Allan Sekula's Fish Story (1996), though text (the powerful essays included alongside his photos in most of his published work) is important for...

Multistage Plunger-Lift Systems Can Provide Economical Alternative to Pumping Units

Technology Update Plunger lift is a simple and economical artificial-lift (AL) system for wells that primarily produce gas. It is a widespread method of deliquefying wells with high gas-to-liquid ratios (GLRs), for lifting production from wells in which natural depletion has reduced flow rates below critical levels, or for producing from wells with high accumulations of solids, such as sand, salt, coal fines, paraffin, and scale. However, for some wells, plunger lift by itself may not add enough energy to the wellbore to produce gas in economic volumes. Deep gas and low-GLR wells, with ratios 1:1, may have lift requirements exceeding the capabilities of conventional plunger AL systems. Gassy oil wells often fall into the latter category. Frequently, pump jacks are installed on wells where conventional plunger lift is considered inadequate. Foaming methods to reduce the density of flowstream liquids may also be employed, but these are typically most effective in wells producing primarily water. A more effective strategy for increasing production from gassy oil wells and other wells where conventional plunger lift may be insufficient can be to install a multistage plunger-lift system. In these systems, a downhole tool is used to create multiple plunger-lift systems in one well. This multistage tool allows the liquid load to be lifted in sequences, a process that uses the well’s own energy to remove even large accumulations of liquids, or heavy liquids, efficiently. Multistage Plunger-Lift Tool The multistage tool (Fig. 1) is placed by wireline roughly 40–70% of the way down the tubing above an installed plunger-lift system, typically composed of a bottomhole bumper spring and a plunger above it. Then a second plunger is set on top of the tool. The system is operated like a conventional plunger-lift system. During the first sales cycle, the lower plunger carries fluids up the tubing and delivers them to the tool. They flow through the tool and are held above it by gas flow. Upon shut-in, the ball check in the tool engages, retaining the fluids until the upper plunger falls from the surface, settles through the liquids and lands at the tool. Simultaneously, the lower plunger falls back to the bottom. During the next sales cycle, the upper plunger delivers its fluids to the surface, while the lower plunger delivers more fluids to the tool. Both plungers work in tandem in subsequent cycles. In this way, the multistage tool acts like an intermediary standing valve. This process lifts smaller and more frequent liquid loads in stages, allowing the well to more efficiently use its own energy to remove liquids and increase productivity. The “nodding donkeys” visible at many wellsites demonstrate the popularity of using pump jacks as an AL method. Pump jacks (also known as sucker-rod pumps or beam-pumping units) are typically powered by fossil fuels or an electric motor. They require a significant upfront investment in equipment and installation, and maintenance costs can be considerable.

From Wyoming Song

108 Beginnings When this wanderlust comes calling in the night, you’ll rise from bed and pack a bag, get whiskey-drunk, then howl at the moon for luck. If it’s spring, cheatgrass wags its green seedpods all along the valley floor, weary even in its youth. If summer, willow forks in streambeds, wiry and insatiable. If autumn, deer come down to drink, knowing they are stalked, and take cover in the bottomland. Do not make the journey in winter. This high, snow does not fall, it drifts and snakes across the marbled blacktop. Best to find a bar and wait it out. Put down a dollar on the shake-a-day. You’ll never guess what five dice know about tomorrow. Oil Field Mysteries Days when snow closes all roads out of town, I come to sit among the ragged faces— regular morning drinkers alongside roustabouts, certain how to spend a midweek holiday— red beer for breakfast, bourbon in the afternoon. from Wyoming Song lucas howell 109 I take mine at the bar, watching my hands in the mirror, wiping sweat from a glass. Somewhere a pump jack rears on its saddle bearing, then bows to a bitter wind. Somewhere a flow line ices off and shatters steel. Nothing to be done about that now. Tomorrow one of these men will fit new pipe in its place. His crew will cover over stained earth with a dumper full of red rock. I’ll make my rounds to tend the dosing pumps seeping chemicals of every breed down into the oil sands. Hissing up from below, butane, pentane, helium— the sleepy respirations of our planet’s distilled and jellied dead. I breathe the ancient gases as they rise, dark, sweet as cane sugar. In a landscape of sage and steel, as mourning doves coo in the gasworks above me, I know this brew is rich with cancers, but light crude wafts an incense fit to conjure with...Lord, give me one more day to press the flesh of my palm against a pipe wrench. Between this world and the last you’ll find seabed salts, sediments, tails and spiny fossils of long-extinct fishes, sandstone, shale, then clay, an earthen layer cake conditioned to a slurry of drill mud to lubricate the bit pushing deeper beneath a string of pipe. And all to tap the porous reservoirs that wind for miles through this desolate basin’s catacombs. 110 ecotone We’re scaring up spirits here— primeval muck, the black sap of dinosaur hides. But also dreams so big only myth can bear the story’s magnitude. My manic love—this land, this life—is pure as four hundred barrels of crude, is true as the bones of dead Indians singing under every footfall. A ghost train’s whistle only I can hear. We are beings of errant faith, daily believing we shall not be washed from this earth, or made whole in it, shall not be brought low by time, heat, compaction. But—Oh, what sweet oils we also might become. Wyoming Song Finally, sky. A sun-rippled horizon of dust and blue ether. At highway speed, a string of meadowlark plays sound track to my going, their trills whistling through the pickup’s open window. I’ll need a cigarette or dip of snuff for this— the sweet burn of it to lighten my heart, let me breathe as if I mean to take the haunted country inside me— 111 lucas howell let the lark and magpie bless the hollow spaces in my chest, let two-lane blacktop be my blood, three-strand fence my ligaments and wooden posts my bones. May abandoned reservation towns be the melancholy regions of my mind. I do not want for anything but more of what I’ve found— space to reckon with myself and God, a day’s good work, my lover’s kiss, and always more— ...

Thermal Sealants Improve Cementing in SAGD Areas

Abstract With the high demand for oil and gas, operators are becoming increasingly interested in unconventional sources of hydrocarbon. One of the major sources in the world is heavy oil, which has been defined by the API as oil that has API gravity of less than 22.3 °API at 15.6 °C (60 °F) (extra heavy oil, or bitumen, has 10 °API or less). Because heavy oil does not flow on its own in the wellbore, a mechanism must be used to recover the oil by making it mobile. Among the different experimental and operational methods, steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) has been the method of choice for the past few decades. This process uses steam to heat the immobile oil and reduce its viscosity so it can be extracted, usually by using pump jacks. These heavy oil wellbores need to be zonally isolated to help ensure that the reserves are produced properly without environmental or production optimization challenges. In Alberta and Saskatchewan, many wells are drilled and cemented in designated heavy oil fields where SAGD is applied to stimulate production. Most of these wells are successfully cemented, however, some wells experience zonal isolation failures that result in steam breakout or steam loss into non-targeted zones. While the problem may be related to the primary cement job, it may also have been created by post-cementing operations and/or conditions. Sometimes the problem may be temporarily solved by conventional methods, however, the ultimate remedy may have to be applied eventually. The long-term integrity of the cement sheath behind the casing should be planned with drilling, completion, production/injection and abandonment stages considered. A properly designed and engineered cement slurry system can help save a wellbore/field from additional unplanned expenses. The process is shown below:Cement slurries are designed under defined wellbore conditions and exposed to field conditions in the laboratory.The mechanical behaviour of the cement sheath under downhole conditions is studied using three-dimensional, finite element analysis software.The endurance of the cement sheath under applied conditions is predicted and optimized.Operation and placement of the selected slurry is studied to help ensure optimum execution. Stresses exerted on the cement sheath from wellbore operations during construction, injection or production that could damage the cement sheath are integral to the study. These conditions are analyzed to help engineers understand the post-cementing operational effects on the sealant system. This paper presents the design criteria for finding the fit-for-purpose sealant systems that can successfully protect wellbores under harsh environmental conditions of SAGD and cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) operations. Introduction The long-term integrity of a cement sheath throughout a well's life is the ultimate factor for determining whether the sealant will withstand the planned operations, production and injection that are planned for the well. In the case of heavy oil operations, the primary design considerations for a long-lasting sealant are the temperature and pressure regimes. The stresses caused by the extreme changes are exerted on casing, cement and the rock.

Los Angeles 3D survey leads to deep drilling

Most 3D seismic surveys are designed and shot with little concern for movie studio lots, 10-lane freeways, or privacy fences. But when Plains Exploration & Production Co. (PXP) decided to acquire seismic data over the 81-year-old Inglewood Field—the first onshore 3D survey ever conducted in the Los Angeles Basin—the company knew it would be anything but a typical seismic shoot. The field is located in the Baldwin Hills area in the heart of one of the nation's largest and most populous metropolitan areas (Figure 1). Oil production was there long before the buildings, streetlights, and asphalt that have since crowded in and around the field. It is now a few square miles of pump jacks and stock tanks surrounded by urban sprawl. Downtown Los Angeles is only six miles to the east, and Los Angeles International Airport is a short drive south.

Using power measurements to diagnose degradations in motor drivepower systems: a case study of oilfield pump jacks

A study of diagnostics of faults in motor drive-power systems is reported. The study focuses on oil-field pump jacks and includes basic analysis, computer simulation, full-scale laboratory emulation and measurements in the oil fields. Spectrum analysis of instantaneous power and current delivered to the electric motor is used for diagnosis. An original electronic system for conditioning the input instantaneous power and current is explained. A model for the pump jack and its common degradations is given. A full-scale load control system emulates measured pump-jack loads in the laboratory.

The use of satellite-based radar interferometry to monitor production activity at the Cold Lake heavy oil field, Alberta, Canada

The Cold Lake heavy oil field has been studied by geoscientists for more than 30 years and has been producing bitumen for 20 years using the cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) process. Future development options can be improved by the resolution of steam movement and the avoidance of areas of faults and fractures. To locate these features, remote sensing has recently been investigated as a cheaper alternative to four-dimensional seismic surveys. Advances in satellite and radar technology have made it possible to measure very small movements of the earth's surface found in earthquake zones and volcanic regions. The technique uses synthetic-aperture radar interferometry (InSAR), allowing the measurement of deformation using a vertical resolution, in optimal conditions, on the order of millimeters between repeat acquisitions. This accuracy has only been achieved over dry areas without significant vegetation growth. At the Cold Lake oil field, it has been reported previously that the injection of steam to mobilize the bitumen causes the pump jacks to heave and subside by as much as 30 cm during the first steam cycle. The present project was instigated to determine if such small positive and negative vertical movements could be resolved over the field. Data from three satellite radar sensors were selected: ERS (European remote sensing satellite), JERS (Japanese remote sensing satellite) and Radarsat (the Canadian radar satellite). The present article has provided the first results of repeat-pass InSAR using JERS SAR data for the land subsidence application area. Contrary to the widespread belief that this technology can only be used for dry areas, we show that accurate results, on the order of a centimeter in resolution, can be obtained in a forested area such as Cold Lake using the JERS L-band spaceborne SAR system. (Begin page 782)