Sucker Rod Pump Research Articles

Technology for the NOISE Control of Oil Wells by Wattmeter Card of the Electric Motor of Sucker Rod Pumping Units

The possibility of using measuring information on the power consumption (watt-metrogram) by the electric motor of a sucker rod pumping unit for diagnosing the technical condition of oil well equipment is considered. It is shown that one of the possible ways in this case can be the application of Noise technology to the processing of wattmetrogram signals.A technology is proposed for forming a set of combinations of reference and current informative attributes from the estimates of the normalized correlation functions of the useful signal of a wattmeter card; it is shown that they are equivalent to informative attributes of a dynamometer card received from a force transducer installed on the hanger of a sucker rod pumping unit. It is also shown that they equally reflect the technical condition of the well, due to which the informative attribute of the wattmeter card can be used to solve the problems of control, identification and management the oil production process with a sucker rod pumping unit. Variants of decreasing the error in the results of correlation analysis of the watt-metrogram and a variant of using the normalized correlation functions of the useful signal of the watt-metrogram for solving problems of identifying the technical state of the equipment of sucker rod pumping stations are proposed. To increase the effectiveness of monitoring systems, it is proposed to duplicate the system diagnostic function using the spectral technology for the control of the onset and dynamics of development of faults. The features of implementation in the fields are given. Possible options for using the normalized correlation functions of the useful signal of the wattmetrogram for solving the problems of identifying the technical state of wells during its operation are considered. A simplified structural diagram of the remote monitoring and control system of the sucker rod pumping unit based on the wattmetrogram signals, which has been introduced at the wells of the oil production department "Bibiheybatneft" in Azerbaijan, is presented. It is shown that the algorithms and technologies for analyzing the interference of wattmetrograms proposed in the work, in principle, can be widely used in many areas of the economy where electric motors are used.

Analytic Solutions Help Predict Sucker-Rod-Pump Failure

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 200825, “Failure Prediction for SRP Using Analytic Solutions,” by Viorica Sirghii, SPE, Rudolf Konrad Fruhwirth, and Herbert Hofstaetter, University of Leoben, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. A method for prediction of sucker-rod-pump (SRP) failure based on improved, completely connected perceptron (ICCP) artificial neural networks (ANNs) is presented. Results are compared with historical wellbore data. The validity of the ANN model is proved to meet SRP failure prediction with a ±5% error, helping identify and prevent potential damage, reduce costs and risks, and optimize production. SRP Diagnosis To evaluate the performance of SRPs, dynamometer cards are used. The load on the top rod is measured and plotted in relation to the polished rod position as the pumping unit moves through each stroke cycle. The result is a surface card that illustrates the polished rod load vs. position (downhole diagnostics). To determine above-pump liquid accumulation, pump-filling efficiency, and displacement, the well’s producing and lifting efficiencies can be analyzed and quantified. Depending on the results, operational and equipment changes can be made to improve efficiency and production optimization. How the plunger picks up, holds, and releases the fluid load at each stroke can be seen in a dynamometer card’s shape. The most-common and most-harmful pump states are fluid pound, gas interference, and tagging. When the pump is not completely full, the rod string is damaged because of an excessive number of strokes.

A critical analysis of power conditions in sucker-rod pumping systems

The most decisive constituent of operating expenditures in sucker-rod pumping operations is related to the system's electric power use as most installations are driven by electric motors. Consequently, the reduction of operating costs can be translated to the reduction of energy losses both downhole and on the surface. Therefore, the energy efficiency of the surface and downhole components of the pumping system as well as the overall system efficiency play a big role in maximizing profits. The paper presents a critical analysis of the energy efficiency of the individual components of the sucker-rod pumping system and introduces novel models to find the system's total efficiency. The typical energy losses in the sucker-rod pumping system's main components (the downhole pump, the sucker-rod string, the surface pumping unit, the gearbox, the V-belt drive, and the prime mover) are discussed in detail. It is demonstrated that the level of the pumping unit's counterbalancing as well as any inertial effects do not impact on the net gearbox torques and on the required average mechanical output power of the motor. The energy consumption of the electric motor, however, is affected by the pumping unit's counterbalancing and the inertial effects because of the changes in motor efficiency due its variable loading within the pumping cycle. The system's useful output power is performed by the downhole pump when it lifts the produced liquid to the surface. The paper demonstrates that the so-called hydraulic power, calculated from the increase of the produced liquid's potential energy, is a reliable indicator of the system's useful power. Using the hydraulic power together with the electric power taken from the power supply permits an easy way to assess the over-all energy efficiency of the pumping system. The paper proposes several other variants of system efficiency calculations; they are based on the fact that all components of the pumping system are connected in series to each other. Sizing of electric motors for sucker-rod pumping installations is normally done with the use of a cyclic load factor (CLF) that accounts for the fluctuations in motor load during the pumping cycle. Originally, CLFs were found from the variation of motor current, but mechanical CLFs based on net gearbox torques are much more practical to use. This practice is fully justified in the paper by proving that the correlation between the motor's real current and its net torque loading is nearly linear. It is further shown that the safety of sucker-rod pumping installation design is improved if the electric motor is sized with the use of a mechanical CLF because that case gives the highest required nameplate motor power. • A critical analysis of the energy efficiency of the individual components of the sucker-rod pumping system is presented. • Novel models to calculate the over-all system efficiency of sucker-rod pumping systems are introduced and demonstrated. • The effects of counterbalancing on net gearbox torques and on the motor's mechanical power are evaluated. • Hydraulic power, representing the increase of the produced liquid's potential energy, is a reliable indicator of the system's useful power. • The use of mechanical instead of electrical CLFs to size electric motors is fully justified.

Electric Parameters Assist Rod-Pump Condition Diagnosis, Production Metering

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 204785, “Research and Application of Rod-Pump Working Condition Diagnosis and Virtual Production Metering Based on Electric Parameters,” by Ruidong Zhao, SPE, Cai Wang, and Hanjun Zhao, SPE, PetroChina, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. The conventional configurations of the Internet of Things (IoT) related to pumping wells include an electric parameter indicator and dynamometer. If working-condition diagnosis and virtual production metering of well pumping can be realized through electrical parameters, the need for dynamometers can be eliminated or reduced, with a potentially major effect on reducing investment and improving coverage of the IoT in oil wells. In the complete paper, an integrated multimodel diagnosis method is proposed. The diagnostic and virtual-production-metering method and software based on electrical parameters have been applied in many of the operator’s oil fields. Introduction In China, more than 90% of the more than 400,000 oil wells are sucker-rod-pump (SRP) wells. At present, with the popularity of IoT in the oil field, SRP wells have accumulated massive amounts of production and operation data such as polished rod load, displacement, and electric-motor-power parameters. The working performance diagnosis and production calculation for these wells mostly are based on dynamometer cards, whose IoT costs are relatively high and whose widespread applications are limited. In contrast, the acquisition of electric parameters is much cheaper and easier than is the case with dynamometer cards, but a lack of corresponding theories and efficient methods to make use of electric parameters persists. If a power curve can be transformed to a dynamometer card accurately in the same well working condition, well diagnosis and production calculation can be realized by the generated card. At present, few reports on transforming power curves to dynamometer cards exist. The approach to generate a dynamometer card from an electric power curve is to convert 1D timeseries data to 2D load and displacement-series data. Building the mathematical transformation model to generate cards from power curves is difficult because of uncertainties related to pumping units during working. Thus, transformation methods, by virtue of deep learning, seem more promising—specifically, transforming electric power to dynamometer cards by deep learning.

Technology Focus: Artificial Lift (March 2022)

What is the one thing you can do that will provide the greatest benefit to your artificial lift operations? For me, the answer to that question is simple: focus on surveillance. Surveillance is the foundation of any artificial lift optimization program. Effective surveillance practices allow you to keep track of how your system is performing against predefined targets, understand the current state of your artificial lift system, and identify which wells are at risk of failure. It also helps you identify ways to prevent failures through better selection, design, and application of artificial lift technology. At the heart of any effective surveillance program is a set of thoughtfully selected key performance indicators (KPIs). Establishing surveillance KPIs helps you set goals and track your progress against them so that you can zero in on the areas in greatest need of improvement. Typical KPIs include production volumes, operational expenditures, downtime, capital expenditures, failure frequency, and intervention frequency. A variety of tools and techniques are used daily to monitor and control the performance of artificial lift systems. As technology has evolved, so have these surveillance practices. Historically, artificial lift surveillance was performed using manual techniques, such as measuring and evaluating produced volumes, collecting acoustic fluid levels, evaluating two-pen charts and amp charts, collecting and analyzing dynamometer cards, collecting pressure and temperature surveys, performing teardowns and root-cause failure analysis, and using well and network models to understand system performance better. As automation technology developed, these techniques were enhanced through real-time data collection, the use of permanent downhole gauges, and real-time control using wellsite intelligence. With the introduction of automation, exception-based management techniques were introduced to leverage the time and energy of personnel to the greatest benefit. This allowed operators to focus their efforts on dealing with “bad actors” and finding “low-hanging fruit” rather than spending their time looking at every single well each day. Today, artificial lift surveillance practices continue to evolve through data-science and data-analytics techniques. Data analytics allow operators to put an ever-growing volume of data to work. Such techniques, generally classified as descriptive analytics, diagnostic analytics, predictive analytics, and prescriptive analytics, often combine statistical and physics-based principles to find opportunities faster than traditional practices can. Descriptive analytics allow operators to answer questions about what has happened, diagnostic analytics help operators answer questions about why the events happened, predictive analytics help operators answer questions about what will happen, and prescriptive analytics help operators answer questions about what should be done. This month’s JPT features examples of three such systems. Paper SPE 207290 provides an example of how automated well models are being used to improve the performance of progressing cavity pumps in a large Middle Eastern asset. Paper SPE 200825 shows how one operator is using artificial neural networks to predict failures in sucker rod pumping applications. Finally, paper IPTC 20254 shows how genetic algorithms can be used to accelerate the surveillance and optimization of a large population of gas lift wells. As an added bonus, one of our recommended papers for further reading, paper SPE 207550, illustrates how data analytics techniques are being used to predict failures in electric submersible pumping applications. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 208136 - Gas-Lift-Valves Replacement in Norway Field Using Riserless Light Well Intervention Vessel by Antonio Fiameni, Eni, et al. SPE 207550 - Real-Time Implementation of ESP Predictive Analytics—Toward Value Realization From Data Science by Antonio Andrade Marin, Petroleum Development Oman, et al. URTEC 208406 - Statistical Process Control for Early Detection of Progressive Cavity Pump Failures in Vertical Unconventional Gas Wells by Suren Indrajith Rathnayake, The University of Queensland, et al.

Viscoelastic Representation of the Operation of Sucker Rod Pumps

The issues of leakage with respect to the clearance between the pump plunger outer surface and the pump barrel inner surface and other operational conditions have been revisited in this paper. Both Poiseuille flow rate due to the pressure difference and Couette flow rate due to the plunger motion have been considered. The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of representing the entire downhole pump system with a simple viscoelastic model. We have explored both Kelvin and Maxwell viscoelastic models along with the dynamic behaviors of a mass point attached to the viscoelastic model. By using the time-dependent polished rod force measured with a dynamometer as the input to the viscoelastic models, we have obtained the displacement responses, which match closely with the actual measurements in experiments and operations. Further study and experiments have been planned and partially implemented in the McCoy School of Engineering at Midwestern State University, a member of the Texas Tech University System.

Analysis of the influence of water cut and clearance in pump efficiency for a well equipped with sucker rod pumping

A common problem verified in the sucker rod pumping technique is fluid slippage, reducing pump efficiency (PE). Approaches relating to the influence of water cut, viscosity, and clearance on fluid slippage lacks discussions in the literature. Thus, this work aims to study the effect of these three parameters upon slippage and PE. Rheological analyses were carried out to determine emulsions viscosities. The obtained data were inputs parameters in the QRod—Echometer software. The results showed that clearance was the parameter that most influenced the pump efficiency, and for fluids with low viscosity, the PE will be optimized when clearance is reduced.

RESEARCH STABILITY OF MAST ROPE-PIN DRIVE OF DOWNHOLE SUCKER-ROD PUMP

This scientific article is about the research stability of mast rope-pin drive of downhole sucker-rod pump. The design of downhole sucker-rod pump drive in the form of a mast, which is mounted directly on the column of the wellhead has been proposed. Calculations of the frequency of natural vibrations of the system from the rotation of the cranks during the breakage of the rods are performed, which completely eliminates the possibility of resonant phenomena that destroy the mast. This proves that the mast drive has a high stability margin. Key words: downhole sucker-rod pump drive, mast, long stroke drive.

Optimization of Sucker Rod Pump Operations Using Parallel Systems

With the exploitation of oil, oil pumping units are facing with the challenges such as low efficiency, increased mining difficulties and old infrastructures. The requirement of digital construction on oilfields is emerging, especially to these sucker sod pump (SRP) units built in last century. In this article, to facilitate the intelligent development of SRP systems, the concept of the parallel digital sucker rod pump systems (PDSRPS) was presented first, and their optimization framework was designed to efficiently improve the design and balance by data interactions. The real oil pump systems were integrated with their customized digital twins to establish the cyber-physical systems. The adaptive optimization on pumping processes was continuously developing with the interaction between physical pump units and their digital versions. The feasibility of the proposed framework has been demonstrated through the computational experiments on conventional beam-pumping units.

Ways to Increase the Efficiency of Sucker Rod Pump Units in Oil Production

Ways to Increase the Efficiency of Sucker Rod Pump Units in Oil Production by Aliev Telman Abbas1, Guluyev Gambar Agaverdi1, Rzayev Asif Haji1, Aliyev Yaver Gabil1, Rezvan Mahammad Huseyn1, Yashin Anton Nikolaevich2, Khakimyanov Marat Ilgizovich1,* 1 Laboratory “Control, diagnostics and management system for oil extracting facilities”, Institute of Control Systems of ANAS, Baku, 1141, Azerbaijan

Fault Diagnosis for Sucker Rod Pumping Systems: A Parallel System Approach

Fault Diagnosis for Sucker Rod Pumping Systems: A Parallel System Approach

A Novel Method for Trajectory Recognition and Working Condition Diagnosis of Sucker Rod Pumping Systems Based on High-Resolution Representation Learning

A Novel Method for Trajectory Recognition and Working Condition Diagnosis of Sucker Rod Pumping Systems Based on High-Resolution Representation Learning

ИСПЫТАТЕЛЬНЫЙ СТЕНД ДЛЯ МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЯ РЕЖИМОВ РАБОТЫ ЭЛЕКТРОПРИВОДА ШТАНГОВОЙ ГЛУБИННОЙ НАСОСНОЙ УСТАНОВКИ

Relevance In the practice of designing and developing high-tech types of equipment for electrical complexes, it often becomes necessary to conduct tests in the absence of access to existing equipment, for example, due to the specifics of oil production facilities. To assess energy efficiency, study diagnostic problems, and develop the functions of control stations for sucker-rod pumping units, it is advisable to use laboratory test benches allowing to perform these works in stationary conditions and significantly reduce the cost of their implementation. Aim of Research Development of a test bench for the study of dynamic processes in electric drives of sucker-rod pumping units for oil production. Research methods The following methods were used: mathematical and computer modeling, including real-time modeling; physical modeling based on a test bench. Results A test bench has been developed that, with a given scale, implements the electromechanical processes occurring in the electric drive of a sucker-rod pumping unit; the use of experimental power diagrams as training sets for diagnostic problems by machine learning is proposed; the possibility of creating and debugging control systems for the technological process of oil production on a test bench was demonstrated. Keywords: test bench, sucker rod pumping unit, load simulation, electric drive, oil production

Разработка и опытно-промысловые испытания скважинного штангового насоса с подвижным цилиндром

Разработка и опытно-промысловые испытания скважинного штангового насоса с подвижным цилиндром

Оптимизация режима эксплуатации установок скважинных штанговых насосов на основе количественного анализа динамограмм

Оптимизация режима эксплуатации установок скважинных штанговых насосов на основе количественного анализа динамограмм

Innovative developments of sucker rod pumps to improve the performance of sand producing wells

At the last stage of oil field development, the use of sucker rod pumps is widespread. Due to the drop in formation pressure and other reasons, the inflow of fluid into the well is reduced. The efficiency of the pumps decreases, the pump cylinder is not completely filled. To eliminate these obstacles, a new submersible pump has been developed with a intake valve, which opens and closes with the movement of the balance head. In flooded and sandy wells, sand destroys the working parts of the pump, especially the gap between the plunger-cylinder pair, as a result reduced productivity of the pump. The new pump design allows solving the problem by emulsifying part of the product. The operation of the pump is mathematically justified.

Wells production viscosity measurement results application for pumping equipment operation diagnostics

The article is devoted to the diagnostics of the well pumping equipment operation using wells production viscosity measurement results obtained by the developed field device VNP 1-4, 0-90. The method for making measurements with a field oil viscometer was developed in accordance with the provisions of GOST R 8.563, GOST R ISO 5725-2. It has gained certification and entered the State Register of the Russian Federation. On the basis of preliminary laboratory studies of oils viscosity from the group of fields of LLC UK «Sheshmaoil», a formula was obtained for the dependence of oil emulsions viscosity on temperature and the content of formation water in them. Viscosity measurements obtained with the developed device in field conditions have shown the applicability of the method for calculating the watered oil viscosity.The application of the results of measuring the watered oil viscosity at the wellhead allows diagnosing the downhole sucker rod pump unit operation based on the construction of a dynamic model of its operation. Keywords: equipment diagnostics; water cut; temperature; fluid viscosity; dynamic model; sucker rod pump.

ADJUSTMENT OF ROD STRING VIBRATIONS IN DEEP-WELL PUMPS UPON IMPACT

In the article, studying the behavior of a rod strings is considered, the character of the change in dynamic pressure in rods is studied. On the basis of the equation fluctuation of a homogeneous core, the question on fluctuations of rod strings is studied more deeply. 
 One of the most important problems in the operation of sucker rod pumps is the problem of selecting a sucker rod string. The growth of well depths requires not only a complete analysis of the operation of the existing equipment, but also the rational operation of such wells. Many researchers have dealt with the calculation of the dynamic forces acting on the sucker rods.
 Here, with the help of mathematical modeling, an analytical expression was obtained, which allows one to study the nature of changes in dynamic stresses in the rods, the problem of optimizing the choice of the dimensions and weight of the rods is formulated.

Research of carbon fiber plastic rod connections with steel heads at the action of bending loads

To increase the efficiency of the use of a sucker rod pumping unit (SRPU) today the columns of sucker rods of fiberglass and carbon fiber are used. Such polymer composites have a number of advantages over steel, but they have a significant drawback in the design of a sucker rod - a high concentration of stresses at the point where theyare connected to a steel head containing a thread. Many constructive solutions to this problem have been developed, but maintaining the connection of a fiberglass or carbon-plastic barrel with a metal head remains quite a challenge. As practice shows, the bending of the pump rods in the well are also subjected to bending loads, torque, friction to the column of tubing (tubing) and the like. Therefore, a comparative analysis of the parts of the pump rod structures: traditional steel and combined (metal tip with composite rod) should be carried out. In this work, such joints were subjected only to bending loads, which are particularly dangerous when passing through a rod of bent sections of a well and when running down the bar. It is established that at the time of bending the maximum normal stresses are distributed along the length of the pump rod unevenly and are concentrated in the transition between the head and the rod. The maximum normal stresses occurring in the transition between the steel tip and the carbon-plastic core, which are jointed without structural features (galtels, different transitions, etc.), have been determined to be greater than 1600 MPa. Such value of stress is undesirable when cycling the connection in well. For example, the design of a metal head was proposed, which allows reducing the stresses arising from bending and distribute them on the connection more evenly, compared to the traditional sucker rod.

Strategy of Compatible Use of Jet and Plunger Pump with Chrome Parts in Oil Well

During oil fields operation, gas is extracted along with oil. In this article it is suggested to use jet pumps for utilization of the associated oil gas, burning of which causes environmental degradation and poses a potential threat to the human body. In order to determine the possibility of simultaneous application of a sucker-rod pump, which is driven by a rocking machine, and a jet pump (ejector) in the oil well, it is necessary to estimate the distribution of pressure along the borehole from the bottomhole to the mouth for two cases: when the well is operated only be the sucker-rod pump and while additional installation of the oil-gas jet pump above its dynamic level. For this purpose, commonly known methods of Poettman-Carpenter and Baksendel were used. In addition, the equations of high-pressure and low-pressure oil-gas jet pumps were obtained for the case, when the working stream of the jet pump is a gas-oil production mixture and the injected stream is a gas from the annulus of the well. The values which are included in the resulting equations are interrelated and can only be found in a certain sequence. Therefore, a special methodology has been developed for the practical usage of these equations in order to calculate the working parameters of a jet pump based on the given independent working parameters of the oil well. Using this methodology, which was implemented in computer programs, many operating parameters were calculated both for the well and for the jet pump itself (pressures, densities of working, injected and mixed flows, flow velocities and other parameters in control sections). According to the results of calculations, graphs were built that indicate a number of regularities during the oil well operation with such a jet pump. The main result of the performed research is a recommendation list on the choice of the oil-gas jet pump location inside the selected oil well and generalization of the principles for choosing the perfect location of such ejectors for other wells. The novelty of the proposed study lays in a systematic approach to rod pump and our patented ejector pump operation in the oil and chrome plating of pump parts. The result of scientific research is a sound method of determining the rational location of the ejector in the oil well and the calculation of its geometry, which will provide a complete selection of petroleum gas released into the annulus of the oil well. To ensure reliable operation of jet and plunger pumps in oil wells, it is proposed to use reinforcement of parts (bushings, plungers, rods, etc.) by electrochemical chromium plating in a flowing electrolyte. This has significantly increased the wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the operational surfaces of these parts and, accordingly, the service life of the pumps. Such measures will contribute to oil production intensification from wells and improve the environmental condition of oil fields.