Principles of Sucker Rod Pumping

System

Sucker Rod Pump

Typical Beam Pumping system

Sucker Rod Pump

Artificial Lift Methods World Wide

Sucker Rod / Beam

Gas Lift
ESP
All others

Sucker Rod Pump

How does it work?

Simply, converting rotary motion to reciprocating
vertical motion

Sucker Rod Pump

 The Beam Pumping unit (pump jack or surface pumping

unit) is used to stroke the bottom hole pump up and down
so that it will pump reservoir fluids to surface.
This is accomplished by converting rotary motion to
reciprocating vertical motion.
Rotary power is supplied to a gearbox by an electric motor
or gas engine.
The gearbox uses a series of gears to convert this high
speed power to low speed power. (Usually a ratio of
approximately 30 to 1 on a double reduction unit).
The gearbox turns the cranks and the cranks lift the pitman
arms up and down (rotary to reciprocating).
Sucker Rod Pump

The pitman arms move the walking beam up and down

consequently the horses head has to go up and down.
This action causes the bridle cable to move the carrier
bar up and down which in turn moves the sucker rod
system up and down, and consequently the traveling
valve which connect to plunger.

Sucker Rod Pump

Movement
Circulation

Sucker Rod Pump

Sucker Rod Pumping

Four major components
Prime Mover
Surface Pumping Unit
Sucker-Rod String
Subsurface Pump

Sucker Rod Pump

Pumping unit
Clamp and
carrier bar
Polished rod
Stuffing box
Flow line

Sheaves and belts

Prime mover

Casing
Tubing
Sucker rods

Tubing anchor
Producing zone

Sinker bars
Pump
Gas anchor

Sucker Rod Pump

Sucker Rod Pumping

Pumping unit actuates the downhole pump,
which does the actual pumping and lifting of
liquid.
Pumping capacity controlled by pumping
speed, stroke length, pump type and size, and
pump efficiency.

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Sucker Rod Pumping

2000

Rate dependent
on tubing size

Production (B/D)

1000

800
600
Area where
sucker rod pumping
is most widely applied

400

200
0
0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000 14000

Depth (feet)
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Subsurface Equipment
Downhole pump
Sucker rods

Tubing anchor
Gas separator

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Downhole Pumps
Insert Pump - fits inside the production tubing
and is seated in nipple in the tubing.
Tubing Pump - is an integral part of the
production tubing string.

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Insert Pumps
Pump is run inside the tubing attached to sucker
rods.
Pump size is limited by tubing size.
Lower flow rates than tubing pump.
Easily removed for repair.

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Insert Pump
Tubing

Plunger

Traveling valve
Barrel
Standing valve
Seating nipple
Ball & seat
Cage
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Tubing Pumps
Integral part of production tubing string.
Cannot be removed without removing
production tubing.
Permits larger pump sizes.
Used where higher flow rates are needed.

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Tubing Pump

Tubing
Connection
w/tubing

Plunger

Traveling
valve
Barrel
Cage
Standing
valve
Ball & seat
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How a Dowhole Pump Works?

On the down stroke:
the T.V open and
S.V closed the fluid
moved from the
plunger to tubing

Tubing
Plunger Moving Up

On the up stroke:
the T.V closed and
fluid displaced from
tubing to surface,
also the motion of
the plunger cause
pressure different
which open the
standing valve and
admit the fluid from
formation

Plunger Moving Down

Traveling valve open

Barrel
Standing valve closed

Seating nipple
Ball & seat
Sucker Rod Pump

Cage

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Sucker Rod Types

Steel with varying degrees of corrosion
resistance
Fiberglass
Continuous (less common)

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Tubing Anchors
Often a device is used to prevent the tubing string
from moving with the rod pump during actuation. A
tubing anchor prevents the tubing from moving, and
allows the tubing to be left in tension which reduces
rod wear.

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Tubing Anchors

No buckling
Neutral point

Buckling

Downstroke
Standing valve closed; full
fluid load stretched tubing
down to most elongated
position. Tension in tubing
at maximum for cycle. No
buckling

Upstroke
Traveling valve closed;
portion of fluid load transferred to rods. Tubing relieved
of load contracts. Tension in
tubing at minimum for cycle.
Buckling occurs from pump
to neutral point

Breathing

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Gas Separators
A rod pump is designed to pump or lift liquids only.
Any entrained gas (formation gas) must be separated
from the produced liquids and allowed to vent up the
annulus. If gas is allowed to enter the pump, damage
will often occur due to gas lock or fluid pound.

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Rod Pumping
Advantages

Disadvantages

Possible to pump off

Maximum volume decreases

Best understood by field

personnel
Usually the cheapest (where
suitable)
Low intake pressure capabilities
Readily accommodates volume
changes
Works in high temperatures
Reliable diagnostic and
troubleshooting tools available
Virtually all applications,
including sandy, gaseous, and
high viscosity
Sucker Rod Pump

rapidly with depth

Susceptible to free gas
Frequent repairs
Deviated wellbores are
difficult
Reduced tubing bore
Subsurface safety difficult
Doesnt utilize formation gas
Can suffer from severe
corrosion

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What to Consider when designing a Sucker Rod

Pumping Well!

Fluid Production Rate

Type of Fluids
Depth
Gas Volumes & GOR
Corrosion
Tubing Size
Casing Size
Economics
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Pump Displacement
and
Efficiency Calculations

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Pump Size Determination

The major factor in the selection of a suitable pump size is the volume of fluid displaced
by the pump per unit length of each stroke. The diameter of the pump bore determines
the displaced volume; therefore, for a given pumping depth and amount of fluid to be
produced, there is an optimum size of pump bore which will result in effective pump
plunger travel and optimum speed of operation.

The theoretical pump displacement V p in BPD is equal to:

PD = Vp = (Ap, in.2) x (Sp, in./stroke) x (N, strokes/min) x 1440 min/day
_______________

9702 in.3/bbl
PD = 0.1484 Ap Sp N, bbl/day

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The Volumetric Efficiency

is defined as the ratio of the volume of the fluid actually handled to
the pump displacement
Ev = Q/Vp
Where Q is the rate of well production in BPD
- Many factors, such as fluid properties, surface operating conditions, the pump
type, depth of pump and gas interference affect the efficiency.
- In case of good separation of formation gas in the hole and ample pump
submergence, the volumetric efficiency commonly range from 70% to 80%.
- In case of foamy, gaseous production, Ev may be as low as 25-50%.
- For wells with no gas interference and high fluid level, Ev may be close to 100%.

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Effective Plunger stroke:

The movement of the pump plunger relative to pump barrel. the
plunger movement different to surface stroke length due to:
1- Rod and tubing stretch.
2- Plunger overtravel resulting from dynamic motion and elasticity
of the rods.
3- Rod vibration.
4- Subsurface friction effects.

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Cont. Effective Plunger stroke

Rod Stretch:
The basic stretch of the rod string in a given well fluid essentially depends on the length
of the rod string. The string is loaded by its own weight alone during the downstroke,
whereas during the upstroke there is an additional weight of the fluid column acting on
the plunger.
The total stretch for the rods in a tapered rod string is equal to:

ert = Lrvt = (5.20GDAp/E)(L1/A1 + L2/A2 + .)

Where:

ert is the total rod stretch

Lrvt is the elongation of each length in the tapered string L i (ft) of rods having crosssectional area Ai
G is the sp. Gr.
D is the depth of fluid from surface, ft
Ap is the plunger area, in.2
E is the modulus of elasticity, which is a characteristic of a rod material to which stress is
applied (e.g. E for steel is equal to 30 x 10^6 Psi)
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Cont. Effective Plunger stroke

Tubing Elongation (Stretch):
et = Ltv = 5.20GDApL/EAt
where At is the cross-sectional area of the tubing wall
- During each pumping cycle, as the travelling and standing valves of the
subsurface pump open and close, the fluid load is being transferred
alternately to the tubing and to the rod string. During the downstroke, when
the S.V. is closed and the T.V. is open, a certain amount of elongation
occurs in the tubing, which is caused by the fluid load.
- On the other hand, at the beginning of the upstroke the T.V. is closed and
elongation of the rods result. Stretch comes out of the tubing as a result of
opening of the S.V., the working barrel moves upward as a result of tubing
restoration to its original length and the plunger moves downward due to
elongation of rods. Thus there is a decrease in effective plunger stroke,
which is equal to the sum of rod and tubing elongations resulting from fluid
load.
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Cont. Effective Plunger stroke

- In addition to the fluid load, the rod load consisting of
the dead weight of rods and acceleration load causes
additional elongation with maximum value at the top
Acceleration Factor =
S: Stroke length, in
N: SPM
ep = 1.55(L/1000)2 x acc. Factor (for Steel)
ep is the plunger overtravel, in.
L in ft

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Cont. Effective Plunger stroke:

Where the rod and tubing stretch caused by fluid load decrases the effective plunger
stroke, whereas the plunger overtravel increases it
Thus the effective plunger stroke is equal to:
Sp = S+ep-(et+er)
Where:
Sp = effective plunger stroke, in.
S = polished rod stroke, in.
ep = plunger overtravel, in.
et & er = tubing and rod stretch respectively, in.
N.B.:
There is no tubing stretch in case of anchored tubing

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Example 1
Production from a pumping well is 145 BPD of 30o API (sp. Gr. = 0.87) oil.
The 1 in. plunger is set at depth of 6100ft in 2 7/8 in. tubing (2.875 in. O.D.,
2.441 in. I.D.). The fluid is at depth of 4800 ft in the casing annulus. The rod
string consists of 3233 ft of 3/4 in. rods and 7/8 in. rods up to the surface and
operates at 19.5 spm. Pump efficiency is 80%.The metal areas of the sucker
rod are 0.601 sq. in. for the 7/8 rods and 0.442 sq. in. for the rods.
Calculate the following:
A- Effective plunger stroke
B- Tubing stretch
C- Rod stretch
D- Polished rod stroke
E- plunger overtravel

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Example 2
A well is equipped with a beam pump system with a 1 in. plunger. The
pumping speed is 20 spm and the effective plunger stroke is 55 in.
Production at the surface is 210 B/D of fluid of specific gravity
0.85.Calculate the total pump displacement and the volumetric efficiency
of the pump.

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Example 3
A rod pumping well is producing 470 BPD of oil having specific gravity of
0.83. The 2 in. plunger is set at depth of 5000ft in 3 in. tubing (3.5 in.
O.D., 2.992 in. I.D.). The fluid is at depth of 4500 ft in the casing annulus.
The API tapered rod string Rod No.86 consists of 1850 ft for the upper
section, 1800 ft for the middle section and 1350 ft for the lower section and
operates at 10.8 spm. Pump efficiency is 80%.The metal areas of the
sucker rods are given in the following table. Calculate the following:
A- Effective plunger stroke
B- plunger overtravel

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Example 4
Rod pumping well for oil of sp. Gr. = 0.87. The 1 in. plunger is set at depth
of 6100ft in 2 7/8 in. tubing (2.875 in. O.D., 2.441 in. I.D.). The fluid surface is
at depth of 4800 ft and 70% liquid percentage in the casing annulus. The rod
string consists of 3233 ft of 3/4 in. rods and 7/8 in. rods up to the surface and
adjusted on 144 in Stroke length on the surface unit and operates at 11 SPM.
The metal areas of the sucker rods are 0.601 sq. in. for the 7/8 rods and
0.442 sq. in. for the rods. Calculate the following:
A- Downhole Pump Theoritical Production
B- Volumetric Efficiency of the Pump.

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