Accutant Solutions
Houston, TX, USA
5 Days

Advanced Sucker Rod Pumping

  • Course Description
  • Course Details

This course covers the principles of one of the most common artificial lift methods, Sucker Rod Pumping (SRP) also known as beam pumping or reciprocating rod lift. The course introduces participants to important concepts of sucker rod pumping, illustrated with classroom examples and hands-on exercises. Class teaches beam pumping system components from the downhole to the surface including the real-time optimization infrastructure.  It covers challenges facing reciprocating rod lift applications and presents how these challenges are addressed. Special well conditions like high viscosity fluids, free gas production, and abrasive materials require special equipment completely covered during the course. A brief discussion on RRL application in unconventional wells is also included.

Trainees solve examples and class problems throughout the course. Animations and videos reinforce the concepts under discussion. The special feature of this course is a discussion of digital oilfield and a brief review of machine learning applications in the operations of RRL. Recent advances in real-time approaches to the rod lift management are also discussed using field case studies.

Option: Client’s real-time system-based workflows and examples can be incorporated in the class discussions. Requires two-days of consulting and access to the client system at least 4 weeks before the class.

Instructor:        Dr. Rajan Chokshi and/or Dr. Gabor Takacs

Discipline:         Production – Artificial Lift

Length:              5 Days (in person) or 40-hours (Virtual in multiple sessions)

CEUs:                5.0

Availability:       Public & In-House, In-House Only, Public

Who should attend:

  • Production, reservoir, completion, drilling and facilities engineers, analysts, and operators
  • Anyone interested in learning about implications of sucker rod-pumping systems for their fields and reservoirs.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Understand the fundamental theories and procedures related to SRP operations.
  • Easily recognize the different components of the SRP system and their basic structural and operational features.
  • Be able to design an SRP installation and select the optimum components.
  • Have a basic understanding of the SRP system's power efficiency and system losses.
  • Be able to conduct basic troubleshooting of SRP installations.
  • Understand how digital oilfield tools help address SRP challenges.
  • Recent advances in real-time approaches to the production monitoring and lift management

Course Content:

  • Pre-test
  • Introduction
    • Artificial Lift: When / Why / What of Lift Mechanisms; Types
    • How SRP is same and different from other lift forms. Relative market position.
  • Introduction to Sucker-Rod Pumping
    • Basic Features of Sucker-Rod Pumping
    • Advantages, Limitations
  • The Components of the Sucker-Rod Pumping System
    • Subsurface Pumps
    • API and Special Pumps
    • Downhole Gas Separators
  • The Sucker-Rod String
    • Sucker-Rod Specifications: Steel and Fiberglass Rods
    • Special Types of Sucker Rods: Corods, etc.
    • Rod String Design Theories    (Class Problems)
    • Example Rod String Design Calculations (Class Problems)
    • SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Identification and Classification of Rod String Failures
  • The Sucker-Rod Pumping Unit
    • API and Non-API Pumping Units: Geometries Comparison
    • Kinematic Calculations (Class Problems)
  • Pumping System Design with API RP 11L Procedure
    • Introduction (Class Problem)
    • Design Procedure for Steel Rod Strings (Class Problem)
  • Production Rate Calculations
    • Pump Displacement
    • Pump Leakage (Class Problem)
  • Calculation of Gearbox Torques
    • Torques on the Gear Reducer
    • Analysis of Gearbox Torques
    • Optimum Counterbalancing
    • Practical Torque Calculations (Class Problems)
    • SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Gearbox Torques Calculations
  • Power Conditions of Sucker-Rod Pumping
    • Hydraulic Power Calculations    (Class Problem)
    • System Energy Losses
    • Power Efficiency of Rod Pumping
    • CASE STUDY: Comparison of Energy Efficiencies of Rod Pumping and ESP.
  • Design of the Sucker Rod Pumping System using QRod
  • Analysis and Troubleshooting of Sucker Rod Pumped Installations
    • Well Testing
      • Acoustic Surveys
      • Bottomhole Pressure Calculations
      • Inflow Performance Calculations (Class Problem)
    • Principles of Dynamometry
      • Dynamometer Types
      • Dynamometer Surveys
    • Interpretation of Dynamometer Cards
  • SRP Challenges in Unconventional Production
  • Digital Oil Field for Production Optimization
    • What is production Optimization and Digital Oil Field (DOF)?
    • DOF components for SRP systems
    • Rod Pump Controller & Variable Speed Drive Controllers
  • Real-Time Downhole & Surface Measurements & Role of Data Analytics
    • Available Technologies
    • Role of software in visualization, analysis and surveillance
  • Brief discussion on use cases for data analytics
  • Post-test