Mar-April 2013

March/April 2013
Pumping and Related Technology for Oil & Gas

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2 Upstream Pumping Solutions March/April 2013
From the Editor
T
he oil and gas industry has the
attention of the mainstream
media. It is making headlines
in nearly every major newspaper and
magazine across the U.S. Operations
in the Bakken Shale even made the
cover of the March 2013 National
Geographic. he article focused on
the positive and negative social and
economic efects of the industryin-
cluding housing shortages and poten-
tial environmental impacts.
As we have been discussing since
the inception of the magazine, shale
plays are one segment of the industry
that is experiencing unprecedented
growth. As we prepared this issue of
Upstream Pumping Solutions, which
we will be taking with us to the
Ofshore Technology Conference
(OTC) in May, we could not ignore
another area of the industry with in-
creasing activitysubsea exploration
and production.
On page 31, new, high-speed, he-
lico-axial, subsea boosting pumps are
discussed. hese pumps help increase
production rates and improve recov-
ery from subsea ields.
Another facet of ofshore/sub-
sea activity is the maturation of ex-
isting wells. he article on page 33
covers a new technology for rigless
well-abandonment that has a proven
track record in the Gulf of Mexico. It
has been in successful operation in the
Asia Paciic since April 2012.
As with any industry, mainte-
nance and repairs are a constant in
the oilield. In this issue, we focus on
this important topic with articles on
sotware to help operators track and
record maintenance activities (page
19), mud pump luid end mainte-
nance (page 22) and replacement
parts for sucker rod pumps (page 26).
Let us know about your most
common maintenance and repair
concerns. Email me at lditoro@caha-
bamedia.com.
Upstream Pumping Solutions
and its team will attend OTC, the
Southwestern Petroleum Short
Course and Developing Unconven-
tionals during the next two months.
We hope to see you there!
Best Regards,
Lori Ditoro
Editor

Editorial Advisory Board
Cleon Dunham, President, Oileld Automation Consulting, &
President, Articial Lift R&D Council
David Jones, Business Development Manager, Siemens Industry Inc.
Chad Joost, Sales Manager, Well Stimulation Products, Stewart & Stevenson
Daniel Lakovic, Progressing Cavity Pump Technical Expert, seepex, Inc.
Santosh Mathilakath, Vice President - Mono Group, National Oilwell Varco
Gord Rasmuson, Sales Manager, Oil Lift Technology
Bill Tipton, Division Vice President - Business Development, Weir Oil & Gas
Doug Walser, Technology Manager, Pinnacle, a Halliburton Business Line
Shaun White, Mud Pump Designer, White Star Pump Company
Publisher
Walter B. Evans, Jr.
VP of Sales
George Lake
glake@pump-zone.com 205-345-0477
VP of Editorial
Michelle Segrest
msegrest@pump-zone.com 205-314-8279
Creative Director
Terri Jackson
tjackson@cahabamedia.com
EDITORIAL
Editor
Lori K. Ditoro
lditoro@cahabamedia.com 205-314-8269
Associate Editor
Amanda Perry
aperry@cahabamedia.com 205-314-8274
Contributing Editor
Doug Walser
CREATIVE SERVICES
Creative Director
Terri Jackson
Senior Art Director
Greg Ragsdale
Art Director
Jaime DeArman
PRODUCTION
Production Manager/Trafc
Lisa Freeman
lfreeman@pump-zone.com 205-212-9402
Web Advertising Trafc
Ashley Morris
amorris@pump-zone.com 205-561-2600
CIRCULATION
Jeff Heine
jheine@cds1976.com 630-739-0900
ADVERTISING
Associate Publisher
Vince Marino
vince@pump-zone.com 205-310-2491
Addison Perkins
aperkins@pump-zone.com 205-561-2603
Derrell Moody
dmoody@pump-zone.com 205-345-0784
Mary-Kathryn Baker
mkbaker@pump-zone.com 205-345-6036
Mark Goins
mgoins@pump-zone.com 205-345-6414
from the publishers of
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Editorial, Circulation and Production Ofces
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Birmingham, AL 35209, Phone: 205-212-9402
Advertising Sales Ofces
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Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, Phone: 205-345-0477
UPSTREAM PUMPING SOLUTIONS (ISSN# 2159-3035) is published bimonthly by Cahaba Media Group, 1900 28th Avenue So., Suite 110, Birmingham, AL 35209. Standard A postage paid at
Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing ofces. Subscriptions: Free of charge to qualied industrial pump users. Publisher reserves the right to determine qualications. Annual subscriptions: US
and possessions $48, all other countries $125 US funds (via air mail). Single copies: US and possessions $5, all other countries $15 US funds (via air mail). Call (205) 212-9402 inside or outside the
U.S. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address and form 3579 to Upstream Pumping Solutions, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. 2013 Cahaba Media
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any advertisements, articles or descriptions herein, nor does the publisher warrant the validity of any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles or descriptions. The opinions expressed
are those of the individual authors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Cahaba Media Group. Cahaba Media Group makes no representation or warranties regarding the accuracy or
appropriateness of the advice or any advertisements contained in this magazine. SUBMISSIONS: We welcome submissions. Unless otherwise negotiated in writing by the editors, by sending us
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You are free to publish your submission yourself or to allow others to republish your submission. Submissions will not be returned. Volume 4 Number 2
Flow Measurement
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Table of Contents
DEPARTMENTS
Drilling & Well Completion
12 Dual-Fuel Service in Hydraulic
Fracturing Pumps
By Doug Walser, Pinnacle, a Halliburton Business Line
Using natural gas to power the frac spread
16 Oil Companies Improve Efciency
By Brian Bennett & Jack Creamer, Schneider Electric
Automated solution for a xed displacement vane
pump helps save energy during tooling/logging
while drill testing.
Production, Separation
& Transport
43 Hold-Down Systems for High-
Temperature Rod Pump
Applications
By Paul McCreedy & Ray Neudorf, NOV Monoo
Flexibility and durability are necessary when thermal
uctuations occur.
46 Crude Oil Pumps
By Sean McCandless, Colfax Fluid Handling
Progressing cavity pumps and centrifugal pumps help
move oil and an oil/water mixture.
50 Vacuum Trucks in Oileld
Operations
By Rob Giese, Quadna, a DXP Company
Advancements in pump congurations improve pump
life in the oil patch.
IN EACH ISSUE
2 From the Editor
6 Industry News
40 Trade Show Coverage
52 Product Showcase
55 Classied Ads & Index of Advertisers
56 Upstream Oil & Gas Market
A helico-axial multiphase subsea boosting sys-
tem developed by FMC Technologies and Sulzer
Pumps being lowered into a testing tank at
Sulzer Pumps facility in Leeds, United Kingdom.
Photo courtesy of Sulzer Pumps, Ltd.
March/April 2013
Pumping and Related Technology for Oil & Gas March/April 2013
Volume 4 Number 2
30
18
FEATURES
The Aftermarket
19 Predictive & Preventive Maintenance
By Jory Lamb, VistaVu Solutions Inc.
Software solutions for tracking maintenance requirements can ensure
proper identication of priority equipment needs.
22 Optimal Mud Pump Fluid End Operation
By Earl Foote, Southwest Oileld Products, Inc.
Understanding uid end mechanics, a routine preventive
maintenance program and high quality replacement parts
are vital for ideal performance.
26 Equipment Selection Limits the Impact
of Sand & Solids
By Jyothi Samayamantula, Don-Nan Pump & Supply Co.
Combatting downhole contaminants can maximize
pump life and production.
Subsea Pumps
& Equipment
31 Boosting in Subsea Fields
By Rob Perry, FMC Technologies
A new system provides increased production rates
and improved recovery.
33 Aging Offshore Wells
By Mainer Herrera & Ian Smith, Weatherford
Rigless well-abandonment technology gains a foothold in
the expanding Asia-Pacic, end-of-life intervention market.
36 Low-Vibration Compressor Motors
By Sumit Singhal, Siemens
Large, high-speed motors are ideal solutions for gas compression
onshore and in subsea operations.
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Industry News
NEW HIRES,
PROMOTIONS &
RECOGNITIONS
LAMBERT EBOT, Atlas
HOUSTON (March 12, 2013)
Atlas appointed Lambert Ebot as re-
gional manager, USA. Ebot will head
the companys U.S. business opera-
tions, with new and existing clients
within the energy sector.
Atlas provides learning, compli-
ance and competency solutions to or-
ganizations in the oil & gas and other
safety-critical industries worldwide.
www.atlasknowledge.com
EXPRO
ABERDEEN, U.K. (March 11,
2013) International oilield
services company, Expro, has won
the Best Audio Visual Employee
Communication prize at this years
Scottish Communications Awards.
he No Leak is Acceptable video was
part of an internal safety campaign
focused on teamwork and commu-
nication as efective ways of reducing
hydrocarbon releases.
Expro provides low manage-
ment services. www.exprogroup.com
LOUIS A. RASPINO,
Chesapeake Energy
OKLAHOMA CITY (March 7,
2013) he Board of Directors of
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
accepted the resignation of board
member V. Burns Hargis. he com-
pany also announced that Louis A.
Raspino has been elected to ill the
vacancy and was appointed chairman
of the audit committee.
Chesapeake Energy Corporation
is the second largest producer of
natural gas, a Top 11 producer of oil
and natural gas liquids and a driller of
new wells in the U.S. www.chk.com
OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY
CONFERENCE
HOUSTON (March 7, 2013) he
Ofshore Technology Conference
(OTC)May 6 to 9 in Houston
announced 15 technologies that will
receive the 2013 Spotlight on New
Technology Award recognizing in-
novative new products that provide
signiicant impact for ofshore explo-
ration and production. For a list of
the winners, visit the website.
OTC is where energy profes-
sionals meet to exchange ideas and
opinions to advance scientiic and
technical knowledge for ofshore
resources and environmental matters.
www.otcnet.org/2013
JOHN COLLIS, PII
Pipeline Solutions
PERTH, Australia (Feb. 20, 2013)
PII Pipeline Solutions announced it
has appointed John Collis as the new
sales manager for the region. Collis
experience, both with PII and in the
broader Australian oil and gas indus-
try, will help PII grow its business in
a key growth area and better serve its
customers in the region.
PII Pipeline Solutions, a GE Oil
& Gas and Al Shaheen joint venture,
provides inspection and integrity ser-
vices for all gas and liquid pipelines.
www.geoilandgas.com/pii
CDL INERTIAL ENGINEERING
ABERDEEN, U.K. (Feb. 7, 2013)
CDLs underwater true north seek-
ing inertial system won the Subsea
Industry Innovation and Technical
Award. he companys Tiny Optical
Gyro System was developed for
remotely operated vehicles and many
other subsea applications.
CDL provides engineered solu-
tions supporting the subsea industry.
www.cdltd.net
CIRO FANG, Beta
Machinery Analysis
CALGARY, Canada (Feb. 6, 2013)
Beta Machinery Analysis (BETA) ap-
pointed Ciro Fang to lead its China
operations. As China business man-
ager, Fang coordinates service con-
tracts in China, including compres-
sor, pump and piping design services,
and ield engineering projects.
BETA provides engineering
services for land based and ofshore
rotating and reciprocating machin-
ery. www.betamachinery.com
MUSTAFA YAVUZ,
TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd.
HAMILTON, Bermuda (Feb. 4,
2013) TransAtlantic Petroleum
Ltd. announced that Mustafa Yavuz,
the companys chief operating oi cer,
has resigned. TransAtlantic does not
intend to seek a replacement for the
chief operation oi cer position.
TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd.
is an international energy company
engaged in the acquisition, develop-
ment, exploration and production of
oil and natural gas.
www.transatlanticpetroleum.com
STUART CAMPTON, Precision
Polymer Engineering
BLACKBURN, England ( Jan.
28, 2013) Precision Polymer
Engineering (PPE) appointed Stuart
Campton as distribution manager for
its Europe, Middle East and Africa
sales territories.
PPE is a manufacturer of molded
elastomer seals. www.prepol.com
LEIF OVE SVENSEN, TWMA
ABERDEEN, U.K. ( Jan. 25, 2013)
TWMA appointed Leif Ove Svensen
as the Scandinavia region manager.
He will help develope the companys
Stavanger and Mongstad bases.
www.upstreampumping.com 7
TWMA provides
drilling services and en-
vironmental solutions
for the international
onshore and ofshore
oil and gas industry.
www.twma.co.uk
MALLORI MCCLURE &
SAMANTHA MCDONALD, IPAA
WASHINGTON ( Jan. 15, 2013)
Mallori McClure and Samantha
McDonald joined the government
relations staf of the Independent
Petroleum Association of America
(IPAA). Both former Capitol Hill
stafers specializing in energy and
environment issues.
IPAA is a national trade as-
sociation that represents Americas
independent natural gas and oil
producers. www.ipaa.org
RICHARD KENNEDY, LOFA
Industries, Inc.
ATLANTA ( Jan.
9, 2013) LOFA
Industries, Inc., an-
nounced the addition
of Richard Kennedy
as vice president of
Engineering. Kennedy
brings more than 25 years of engine
industry experience to the organiza-
tion and has served in prominent
leadership positions with several
international organizations.
LOFA Industries, Inc. is a manu-
facturer of engine controls and acces-
sories for mechanically-governed and
CANbus-based J1939 electronically
governed engines. www.lofa.net
ARCHANA DESKUS &
MARTIN CRAIGHEAD,
Baker Hughes Incorporated
HOUSTON (Jan. 2, 2013) Baker
Hughes Incorporated announced that
Archana (Archie) Deskus joined the
global oilield services company as
its chief information oi cer. Deskus
came to Baker Hughes from Ingersoll
Rand, where she was the vice presi-
dent and chief information oi cer.
he company also announced
that Chad Deaton will retire on April
25, 2013, and Martin Craighead will
assume the role of chairman in addi-
tion to his current role as president
and chief executive oi cer.
Baker Hughes is a supplier of
oilield services, products, technology
and systems to the worldwide oil and
natural gas industry.
www.bakerhughes.com
Leif Ove
Svensen
Richard
Kennedy
800.603.7867
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VI SI T US AT OTC 2013 BOOTH 6208
Industry News
IN THE FIELD
CHEVRON Realigns Gas &
Midstream Business
NEW YORK (March 12, 2013)
Chevron announced that it will
realign its Gas and Midstream busi-
ness by consolidating the companys
supply and trading functions into a
single supply and trading group.
he companys executives also
reported that it is continuing to de-
liver operational and inancial results
and progressing key development
projects. Chevrons upstream results
include top rankings on earnings per
barrel, cash margin per barrel and
return on capital employed.
Chevron announced as well that
it conducted a successful production
test on the St. Malo PS003 well in
the Gulf of Mexico. Oil low rates,
though limited by testing equipment
constraints, exceeded 13,000 barrels
of oil per day.
Chevron is an integrated energy
company with subsidiaries that con-
duct business worldwide.
www.chevron.com
Workforce Survey Reveals
Compensation Up & Workers
in High Demand
HOUSTON (March 11, 2013) A
report published by OilCareers.com
inds that the continuing shortage
of skilled labor in the oil and gas
industry coupled with expanding
demand, presents a signiicant work-
force challenge and jeopardizes safety
standards in the industry.
OilCareers is a jobs board target-
ing the worldwide oil and gas sector.
www.oilcareers.com
GBI RESEARCH Reports
Oileld Services Industry to
Top $200 Billion by 2017
NEW YORK (Feb. 27, 2013)
Booming exploration and produc-
tion expenditures will see the global
oil ield services industry climb sig-
niicantly in value in the near future,
expects business intelligence com-
pany GBI Research.
he irm also reported that an
increase in ofshore discoveries is
prompting a surge in exploration
activity across the Middle East and
Africa and driving up the amount
spent on drilling, states the latest
report form business intelligence
irm GBI Research. Drilling outlay
is expected to grow across all major
nations in the region, with those in
West Africa leading in terms of explo-
ration activity. For the full reports,
visit the website.
GBI Research provides business
intelligence reports.
www.gbiresearch.com

CAMERON Opens
Manufacturing and Repair
Center in Shandong Province
HOUSTON (Feb. 21, 2013)
Cameron announced the commence-
ment of operations of its centrifugal
compression business at the Gaomi
manufacturing and repair center in
the Shandong province of China.
he company also announced
that it is an authorized distributor for
Napier turbocharger units and parts,
as well as an authorized provider of
service, unit exchanges and emissions
upgrades to operating Napier units.
he relationship will provide the
industry with the products, parts and
services to optimize engine perfor-
mance and improve reliability.
Cameron provides low equip-
ment products, systems and services
to worldwide oil, gas and process
industries. www.c-a-m.com
TRANSOCEAN DEEPWATER
INC. Pleads Guilty to
Criminal Conduct
WASHINGTON (Feb. 14, 2013)
Transocean Deepwater Inc. pleaded
guilty to a violation of the Clean
Water Act for its illegal conduct lead-
ing to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon
disaster. he company was sentenced
to pay $400 million in criminal ines
and penalties.
GLOBALDATA Forecasts
Decade of Unconventional Oil
Production Growth
LONDON (Feb. 14, 2013) A new
report from research and consulting
irm GlobalData states an increase in
global unconventional oil production
will be led by North America over
the next decade.
AXON ENERGY PRODUCTS
acquires Merrick RFID Technology March 6, 2013
SHELL
acquires new positions from Repsol S.A. Feb. 26, 2013
SKF
acquires Blohm + Voss Industries Feb. 14, 2013
TALO PRODUCTION LLC
acquires Energy Resource Technology GOM, Inc. Feb. 6, 2013
GE OIL & GAS
acquires GLS Holding S.A. Jan. 28, 2013
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Industry News
GlobalData is a global research
and consulting irm.
www.globaldata.com
ROSNEFT and EXXONMOBIL
Expand Strategic Cooperation
MOSCOW (Feb. 13, 2013)
Rosnet and ExxonMobil agreed
to expand their cooperation under
their 2011 Strategic Cooperation
Agreement to include an addi-
tional approximately 600,000 square
kilometers (150 million acres) of
exploration acreage in the Russian
Arctic and potential participation by
Rosnet (or its ai liate) in the Point
homson project in Alaska. hey
have also agreed to conduct a joint
study on a potential LNG project in
the Russian Far East.
ExxonMobil is an oil and gas
company. www.exxonmobil.com
Rosnet is an oil and gas com-
pany in Russia. www.rosnet.com
MOMENTIVE SPECIALTY
CHEMICALS Oileld
Technology Group Opens
Transload Facility
HOUSTON (Feb. 7, 2013) he
Oilield Technology Group (OTG)
of Momentive Specialty Chemicals
Inc. announced the opening of a
new transload facility to provide
resin coated proppants to fracturing
service companies and operators.
Momentive Specialty Chemicals
Oilield Technology Group provides
resin coated proppants for use in
hydraulic fracturing.
www.momentive.com/oilield
SULZER PUMPS & FMC
TECHNOLOGIES Sign a
Collaboration Agreement on
Subsea Pumps
HOUSTON (Feb. 5, 2013) Sulzer
Pumps Ltd and FMC Technologies,
Inc., strengthened their existing
relationship through the signing of a
long-term and exclusive collaboration
agreement. his agreement addresses
the supply of pumps for subsea appli-
cations and the further development
of pumping technology of Sulzer
Pumps to meet the future needs of
FMC Technologies and the subsea
exploration and production industry.
FMC Technologies, Inc. is a
provider of technology solutions for
the energy industry.
www.fmctechnologies.com
Sulzer Pumps designs, develops
and supplies pumping solutions and
related equipment worldwide.
www.sulzer.com
NEW WESTERN ENERGY
CORP. Establishes NWE
Technologies Inc.,
IRVINE, Calif. (Feb. 5, 2013)
New Western Energy Corp. an-
nounced that it has established
NWE Technologies Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary, to develop,
acquire and license technologies for
enhanced oil recovery.
New Western Energy Corp. is
an independent energy company
engaged in the acquisition, develop-
ment, production, and exploration
of oil, gas and minerals.
www.newwesternenergy.com
GEs Trailer-Mounted
Gas Turbine Selected for
Canadian Unconventional
Gas Demonstration Project
LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Canada
(Feb. 5, 2013) Oilield technology
company Evolution Well Services
has selected GEs trailer-mounted,
TM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbine
for a milestone on-site power project
in Canada.
Evolution Well Services is an
oilield technology company that
provides mobile, modular, electric-
powered high-pressure pumping
systems. www.evowellserv.ca
GE Power & Water provides
customers with an array of power
generation, energy delivery and
water process technologies. www.
ge.com
BAKER HUGHES Retains
Process and Pipeline
Services Business
HOUSTON (Feb. 4, 2013) Baker
Hughes Incorporated announced
that it will retain its Process and
Pipeline Services business. Going
forward, this business will be
reclassiied as continuing opera-
tions within the Industrial Services
segment.
Baker Hughes is a supplier of
oilield services, products, technol-
ogy and systems to the worldwide oil
and natural gas industry.
www.bakerhughes.com

To have an item considered, please
send the information to Amanda
Perry at aperry@cahabamedia.com.
EVENTS
Developing Unconventionals
Permian Basin
April 2 4
Fort Worth Convention Center
Fort Worth, Texas
713-260-1072
www.dugpermian.com
Southwestern Petroleum
Short Course
April 17 18
Lubbock Memorial Civic Center
Lubbock, Texas
806-742-1727
www.swpshortcourse.org
Midcontinent
April 22 24
Renaissance Tulsa Hotel &
Convention Center
Tulsa, Okla.
713-260-1072
www.dugmidcontinent.com
Offshore Technology
Conference
May 6 9
Reliant Park / Houston, Texas
972-952-9494
www.otcnet.org/2013
Oileld Housing Solutions
Conference
May 9 10
he Westin La Cantera Hill Country
Resort / San Antonio, Texas
888-906-9898
www.petroleumhousing.com
Frac Completions
May 21 23
Hilton Garden Inn / Houston, Texas
www.petroleumetc.com
Bakken & Niobrara
May 29 31
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colo.
713-260-1072
www.dugbakken.com
Gas & Oil Expo GoExpo
June 11 13
Stampede Park / Calgary, Canada
888-799-2545
www.gasandoilexpo.com
Eastern Oil & Gas Conference
Aug. 27 28
Monroeville, Pa.
www.pioga.org
To have an item considered, please
send the information to Amanda
Perry at aperry@cahabamedia.com.
I N D U S T R I E S
Brady, Texas
Brownwood, Texas
Early, Texas
www.loadcraft.com (800)803-0183
WORKOVER & DRILLING RIGS RKOVVER & DRILLING RIGS
DRAWWORKS PARTS&SERVICE
SAND SILOS WATER SILOS
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DRILLING & WELL COMPLETION
T
he technologies required to
retroit large diesel engines
so that they can operate on
a combination of natural gas and
diesel has been in use for a number
of years in midstream and upstream
applications. Until recently, however,
engines that power hydraulic fractur-
ing pumps have not had the attention
in this area that other ixed-footprint
power sources have received.
Historically, a number of limiting
conditions have combined to slow the
acceptance and implementation of
natural gas as a fuel in hydraulic frac-
turing operations:
he logistics associated with
delivering a clean and predictable
supply of natural gas to a given
fracturing leet in a temporary,
remote location raise challenges.
he logistics associated with
distributing the fuel safely in and
among a multitude of heavy ve-
hicles that are constantly being re-
positioned during the stimulation
and completion operations cause
Dual-Fuel Service
in Hydraulic
Fracturing Pumps
By Doug Walser, Pinnacle, a Halliburton Business Line
Using natural gas to power the frac spread
REPORT FROM
THE FIELD
Above: A signiicant challenge of converting to dual-fuel capability is distributing the fuel safely
among a multitude of frequently repositioned heavy vehicles.
concerns. hough such logistics
might seem minor, the ramiica-
tions of failure are so large that
extreme measures must be taken to
ensure system integrity and safety
during a wide range of unpredict-
able conditions.
In a 24-hour period of use, fractur-
ing pumps typically cycle through
many diferent combinations of
speeds and loads. he implication
is that the ratio of natural gas to
diesel injected into the system must
be instantaneously varied to allow
the development of the required
torque during these periods of
changing loads and engine speeds.
Regulatory tightening of new of-
road diesel engine criteria in the
U.S. (a progressive series of tiered
standards mandating increased
reduction of noxious gases and
particulate matter) may have tem-
porarily diverted attention from
dual-fuel service eforts until the
last two to three years.
he recent move toward imple-
mentation was initially driven by sev-
eral operators and their service com-
panies who recognized that the huge
diferential in the normalized cost of
diesel and natural gas would likely be
a long-term condition. In addition,
public demand for more environmen-
tally friendly fossil fuels suggested
that any substitutionary use of natural
gas could conceivably ofset the burn-
ing of heavier hydrocarbons.
Natural Gas Sources
Several sources of natural gas can be
used in dual-fuel service. Liqueied
natural gas (LNG) is an option in-
volving onsite storage at -260 F and a
vaporization unit. Approximately 1.6
gallons of LNG are required to pro-
duce the energy equivalent of 1 gallon
of diesel fuel (129,400 BTU).
Compressed natural gas (CNG)
is an alternative, which is typically
stored in mobile tube trailers at about
3,600 psi. he pressure must be re-
duced to a usable range, and no vapor-
ization equipment is required.
On a comparative energy basis,
approximately 4 gallons of CNG are
required to produce the same amount
of energy as 1 gallon of diesel. Local
ield gas can be used if it has been
properly conditioned with respect to
removal or reduction of water, hydro-
gen sulide (H
2
S) and other impuri-
ties. While ield gas has the distinct
advantage of limited transport cost,
approximately 1,000 gallons (133
cubic feet) of pipeline gas is required
to produce the energy equivalent of 1
gallon of diesel.
Dual-System Operation
With current dual-fuel systems, natu-
ral gas is introduced into the engine
through fumigation of the intake
airstream. Depending on speed and
load, substitution ratios as high as 60
percent can be achieved. Gas initially
lows from its localized source, and
its pressure is subsequently regulated
to near zero at the engine intake. It
is directed past a gas shutof valve,
heat exchanger, low-pressure variable
regulator, throttle body and inally to
the intake manifold.
A typical frac leet can use any-
where from 1.0 to 3.0 million stan-
dard cubic feet (MMSCF) for a days
operations, depending on the total
hydraulic horsepower present and
the number of hours spent pumping.
Current commodity pricing of natu-
ral gas per unit of heating value is ap-
proximately 15 to 20 percent of the
price of No. 2 of-road diesel.
From a purely iscal standpoint,
the extra cost of planning, infrastruc-
ture and implementation of dual-fuel
The cost to convert to dual fuel is a challenge since a signiicant expense is
associated with the installation of the conversion kits.
services can make sense even if the
diferential (cost/unit of heating val-
ue) between the two fuels is as low as
40 percent.
Dual-fuel systems are required
to demonstrate that they meet the
certiication standards of the engines
on which they are installed. In the
U.S., regulatory requirements man-
date that new, large, of-road engines
manufactured in or ater 2015 (EPA
Tier 4F) demonstrate even further
reductions of nitrogen oxides (NOx),
particulate matter and non-methane
hydrocarbons (NMHC).
Dual-fuel systems oten require
additional exhaust catalysts (depend-
ing upon the particular regulatory
tier), and such incremental upgrades
will likely be required to achieve the
ultra-low emissions required by Tier
4F regulation.
Application of
Dual-Fuel Engines
Dual-fuel scenarios in fracturing
leets are currently most applicable
when a leet is dedicated long-term
to a speciic play and/or particular
operator. Engine conversion kits have
signiicant capital cost associated
with their installation, and to take
advantage of the potential cost sav-
ings, a consistent source of natural
gas should be available at each pad
that a given pumping leet will oc-
cupy. However, if gas is not available
for a series of fracturing treatments,
the dual-fuel units can run on 100
percent diesel fuel.
From an ei ciency standpoint,
acquiring conversion kits and build-
ing up the extra infrastructure re-
quired may not make sense if dual-fu-
el services are used only sporadically.
In addition to the cost of installing
conversion kits, a typical leet must
carry auxiliary equipment and dis-
tribution infrastructure on a sepa-
rate truck or trailer. Maximizing the
overall value of dual-fuel process-
ing requires that the operators sup-
ply chain management focus on the
speciics of ensuring 100-percent or
near-100-percent use of the dedicat-
ed equipment.
Along this line, the industry
trend toward smaller hydraulic frac-
turing footprints is most consistent
with the use of clean and dry ield or
pipeline gas. hough LNG and CNG
are all part of the mix of options avail-
able to operators, they require more
tractors and trailers on location and,
by implication, more square footage
of pad space.
he abundance of unconven-
tional low-permeability gas in North
America suggests that the extreme
ratio of gaseous heating value cost
to liquid hydrocarbon heating value
cost could persist for an extended pe-
riod of time. herefore, both opera-
tors and pumping service companies
have real incentives to develop and
optimize these systems.
Doug Walser has extensive (31 years)
Permian Basin, Mid-Continent,
Appalachia, Rockies and South Texas
experience with Dowell Schlumberger;
he Western Company of North
America; BJ Services; and Pinnacle,
a Halliburton business line. He has
specialized in the calibration of three-
dimensional racture modeling via a
number of methods. Recently, he has
specialized in the examination and
comparison of the various emerging
resource plays in North America, and
more speciically, plays with liquid hy-
drocarbons. He has written 14 papers
and holds three patents in his areas of
interest. He can be reached at
doug.walser@pinntech.com.
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(432) 264-4600
I
nternational oil service compa-
nies with $18 billion in revenue
in 2010 understand the impor-
tance of energy saving resources. In
2011, an oil services company re-
quested bids for a pump to use for
its downhole tooling/logging while
drilling testing. he industry standard
for this type application is a variable
displacement piston pump, which
can be a large, costly and mechanical-
based solution that requires a long
lead time.
Ed Martell, vice president of sys-
tems for Romeo Engineering, in Fort
Worth, Texas, envisioned something
quite diferent. Martell had dreamed
of a more innovative solution but
had not made his dream a reality.
He wanted to reduce the cost of the
standard hydraulic components and
create an automated solution that was
smaller, less costly and available in a
shorter time period. Most important,
he wanted to develop a solution that
was more energy ei cient but just as
efective as a variable displacement
piston pump.
Solutions Outside
the Norm
With the help of an energy manage-
ment company that ofers integrated
solutions, the Romeo engineering
team, led by Martell, developed an
automated solution for a ixed dis-
placement vane pumpusing a drive,
a programmable logic controller
(PLC) and pressure transducers
that changes pressure by changing the
rpm of the motor.
Unlike the variable displacement
piston pump, with which the motor
runs at the nameplate rating, the drive
solution on the ixed displacement
vane pump sot starts the motor. hen
it only generates the required luid
power based on the pressure setting
and the low requirements.
In fact, Martell reported that the
ixed displacement vane pumps have
run at as low as 12 percent of power
at the maximum pressure of 3,500 psi,
an 88 percent savings for a 150-horse-
power motor. In the end, Romeo was
able to provide the oil services compa-
ny with a solution that was as respon-
sive as the industry standard but with
signiicant energy savings. From the
beginning, Romeo planned a green
solutionone that used less water,
much less electricity and required a
much lower electrical demand cycle
because the low and pressure require-
ments were managed more ei ciently.
Because the solution was auto-
mated, it gave the oil services company
a window into the health and welfare
of the solution. he PLC sends data
to a human machine interface (HMI)
with which operators can manage
many variablesincluding the rpm
of the motor, to dial in the gallons per
minute; the percent of energy that the
motor uses for each pressure setting;
the temperature of the oil in the in-
take; the pressures of the return mani-
fold; and the pressure and tempera-
ture in the heat exchanger. he system
brings up an alarm if conditions exist
outside of the set parameters.
Additional Benets
While the energy-saving beneits of
the ixed displacement vane pumps
certainly were considerable, other
beneits were also importantinclud-
ing a shorter lead time, much lower
replacement costs and a smaller size.
Because a ixed displacement vane
pump is a commoditized solution, it
is available from many manufacturers
worldwide. OEMs can receive the so-
lution in two to three weeks. A vari-
able displacement piston pump can
take up to 16 weeks to obtain.
he standard components of the
former solution allow OEMs to re-
spond more quickly to customer re-
quests and speed the time to market.
Additionally, the replacement costs
for a ixed displacement vane pump
are about 10 times less than that of a
variable displacement piston pump.
Not only are the replacement
Oil Companies
Improve E ciency
By Brian Bennett & Jack Creamer, Schneider Electric
Automated solution for a xed displacement vane
pump helps save energy during tooling/logging
while drill testing.
International oil service companies with
$18 billion in revenue in 2010 understand
the importance of energy saving resources.
cost magnitudes less for a ixed dis-
placement pump, but it is also a more
rugged and reliable solution, Martell
said. Pressure-compensated piston
pumps are especially susceptible to
contamination in the working luid
that can result in piston or swash plate
damage. We were able to reduce the
component cost and move the same
amount of money into the drive and
control portion of the solution, which
doesnt need to be replaced oten.
he size of the ixed displace-
ment vane pump is smaller than the
industry standard piston pump with
the same low ratinga huge beneit
because space is always at a premium.
Fewer plumbing connections and a
lower total part count are responsible
for the smaller size.
Brian Bennett is an
OEM business devel-
opment specialist for
Schneider Electric. He
has more than 25 years
of electrical and auto-
mation experience and has been with
the company for 10 years. He is based
in Texas and can be reached at brian.
bennett@us.schneider-electric.com.
Jack Creamer is the mar-
ket segment manager for
pumping equipment at
Schneider Electric. He
has more than 30 years
experience in the electric
industry, most recently focusing on de-
veloping energy saving solutions for the
pump industry. Creamer is based in
North Carolina and can be reached at
jack.creamer@schneider-electric.com.
For more information about Romeo
Engineering, please go to
www.romeoeng.com, or email Ed
Martell, vice president of systems, at
ed.martell@romeoeng.com.
Unlike the variable displacement piston pump, with which
the motor runs at the nameplate rating, the drive on the
xed displacement vane pump soft starts the motor.
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Contact your authorized Blackmer distributor today.
W
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t Sliding vane pumps provide sustained performance and trouble-free operation
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t Wide range of materials, models, and designs available for product compatibility
SUPPLIER
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SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
SPECIAL
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THE AFTERMARKET
THE AFTERMARKET
A
n oilield service company
only gets paid when equip-
ment produces. If the equip-
ment fails on the job, it is a costly
operational issue and could hurt the
reputation that the company has
worked long to build. Striking the
right balance between proitable up-
time and long-term reliability is the
heart of todays preventive mainte-
nance challenge.
Jesse Waters, co-owner of
Waters & Waters Services based in
Goldsmith, Texas, acknowledges the
importance of maintenance issues.
We have a large investment in
equipment, so you want to get the
longest life possible out of it, says
Waters. His company ofers oilield
servicesfrom pumping unit instal-
lation to fabrication to ield services.
You also want to maximize op-
erational runtime. he more robust
your preventive maintenance is, the
more uptime you have. We want to
take care of our assets and take care of
our customers.
White-Board
Maintenance Tracking
Waters & Waters has long used
one of the more common tools for
maintenance informationa dry-
erase whiteboard mounted on a wall
of the oi ce. It lists the companys
equipment assets, their location and
importantly, when each piece of
equipment is scheduled for any need-
ed maintenance.
Naturally, conlicts can arise
when equipment is urgently needed
for operations but is simultaneously
scheduled for maintenance. In this
case, who wins? As Waters explains,
by corporate policy, a scheduled date
for equipment maintenance must be
respected regardless of operational
requirements. It is a commandment,
not a suggestion.
here is deinitely a challenge to
address, but its about the diference
between proactive and reactive main-
tenance, he says.
If youre practicing reactive
maintenance, there is never a good
time for a breakdown, so maintenance
needs to be scheduled out. But if you
are thinking proactively, you need to
deine a day that every piece of equip-
ment goes down for maintenance.
For many years, the dry-erase
whiteboard approach served Waters
& Waters well. During the past
two years, however, the company
has experienced signiicant growth.
Newer staf members have not had
the same long-standing familiarity
with this manual information system.
An expanding equipment roster also
has Waters considering how well or
how long the old-school whiteboard
can keep up.
It is just the best practice that we
have found, and it is up there so that
everyone has visibility, and we can
forecast resources like parts and me-
chanics, says Waters. I wouldnt say
that our system is mature. Its still de-
veloping and growing, and its a work
in progress.
How Growth Changes
Preventive Maintenance
Whether it is a whiteboard, a binder
or a stack of ile cards, manual infor-
mation systems win points for sim-
plicity, ease of use and low cost. Still,
the day oten comes when such a sys-
tem stops making money and starts
costing money.
When an organization begins to
run multiple oi ce locations and its
equipment portfolio grows beyond
the capacity of the companys sys-
tem, a diferent approach to mainte-
nance scheduling and organization
may be necessary. Many companies
have too much at stake to continue
using a manual system indeinitely.
Economically, operationally, envi-
ronmentally and in terms of worker
safety, an electronic system will pay
for itself in short order.
Rather than depending on a
manual maintenance schedule being
observed, an electronic information
system can accommodate more robust
maintenance scheduling. It can notify
everyone who needs to knowopera-
tions, sales, maintenance and account-
ingthat a given piece of equipment
is unavailable and for how long. An
electronic system can automatically
Predictive &
Preventive
Maintenance
By Jory Lamb, VistaVu Solutions Inc.
Software solutions for tracking maintenance
requirements can ensure proper identication of priority
equipment needs.
SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
schedule the resources, such as hours
of labor and value of parts, needed
for the maintenance and track its cost
with precision.
One oilield company rents two
diferent brands of air compressors.
Using a sotware system for preventive
maintenance allowed the company to
compare the cost of operating and
maintaining each brand through a pe-
riod of years. When it was time to buy
more compressors, the company had a
highly credible set of data to support a
decision on which brand to buy.
In one electronic maintenance
system, a maintenance recommenda-
tion report allows end users to see the
relative priority in terms of red, yel-
low and green indicators. If someone
fails to do a scheduled oil change, for
example, this is expressed visually in
the system. If it is in the system, it is
not only visible, it is auditable. Using
a sotware system for preventive main-
tenance helps ensure that the highest
priority items are taken care of irst.
Important Questions
Some companies use manual infor-
mation systems to schedule preven-
tive maintenance. Others increasingly
have chosen integrated computer in-
formation systems.
Still, what kind of system is best
for operators and end users? Norm
Poynter, a Calgary, Alberta-based
maintenance reliability consultant,
has been through this journey many
times during engagements with North
Americas oil and gas industry leaders.
Poynter believes that it is impor-
tant for companies to take the discus-
sion back to irst principles and build
the conversation from there. He rec-
ommends companies start by asking
the four following questions.
Why Are We Doing his?
A companys motivations and needs
regarding preventive maintenance
are a signiicant indicator of which
system it should choose. In Poynters
experience, two if not three objectives
are typically in sight.
One objective is safety. A sec-
ond is reliability and availability and
a third is analysis, says Poynter. We
should be aiming at one, two and
three so that we can continuously
improve performance. You can look
A software system for preventive maintenance helps ensure that the highest priority items are taken care of irst.
Rather than depending on a manual maintenance schedule
being observed, an electronic information system can
accommodate more robust maintenance scheduling.
THE AFTERMARKET
at preventive maintenance as a cost
center versus a proit center or as a
problem that you have to deal with.
But if you look at it more holisti-
cally and you have your sight lines on
Objectives 1, 2 and 3, everyone can
have a stake in that.
What Are Our Assets?
Companies in this sectorwhether
they are in oil and gas services, explo-
ration and production, transmission,
or reiningare typically asset inten-
sive. Even so, companies can some-
times struggle to deine precisely what
is and is not an asset that should be
included in an asset registry. Poynters
go-to deinition of what to include in
an asset registry is something about
which an end user wants to know the
history, location, cost or state.
If you ask whether you want to
know the history, location, cost or
state of something, and you answer
yes to just one of these, then that asset
needs to be part of your asset registry,
says Poynter. Otherwise, you are for-
ever arguing about what to track and
what not to track.
For example, in my experience,
things such as ire extinguishers and
ladders are constantly in or out based
on someones opinion. his deinition
removes the subjectivity and puts ob-
jectivity into your asset inventory.
How Do We Need to Manage
hose Assets?
A simple list of assets can reside
comfortably on a sheet of paper, a
whiteboard or a basic spreadsheet. In
Poynters experience, a higher need
for functionality exists that ultimately
calls for business sotware.
You can create a library for those
assets that is a virtual facility that
matches the physical facility of those
assets and represents the true state of
it, says Poynter. You can create, as
Gartner Group terms it, a 360-degree
view around every asset. his includes
when it must be maintained and what
this will cost. I would then start to
build up data that supports future de-
cisions with information in this elec-
tronic format.
How Ready Are Our People for
the Change?
Todays business sotware is increas-
ingly powerful, capable and versa-
tile. It can serve as an advanced tool
to manage essential functions such
as preventive maintenance. Even so,
Poynter emphasizes that an operators
needs must be relected in any preven-
tive maintenance information system.
Its important to keep in mind
that the system comes empty, and you
have to populate it, he says. You are
asking somebody to use a computer
system to capture data and essentially
to be an analyst of that data. he ac-
tivity had better not turn into a bur-
den or it wont be done. here is an
entire human factor that has to occur
long before implementation.
Jory Lamb has been a
passionate entrepreneur
in Calgary, AB, since
1995. He has founded
six companies and is
presently the president
& CEO of VistaVu Solutions Inc. In
this role, he has been an integral part
of helping more than 60 companies in
the North American energy services in-
dustry run more ei ciently through the
implementation and use of tools such
as SAP Business One and FieldVu.
SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
W
hether onshore or of-
shore, well drilling sites
are highly complex work
environments that rely on numerous
systems to successfully perform the
drilling operation. Among these sys-
tems, the rigs mud pump is tasked
with circulating drilling luid (mud)
under high pressure (up to 7,500 psi)
downhole. he mud pump can be di-
vided into two key sections: the pow-
er end and the luid end.
he mud pump luid end uses the
reciprocating action of the power or
drive end to create a suction and dis-
charge low that essentially pumps the
mud down the drill string and back up
the wells annulus.
he key components of a mud
pump luid end are the piston and
liner system, valve and seat system,
and the luid end module. As with
most mechanical devices, any system
malfunction can impact the perfor-
mance of the entire unit or shutdown
the pump completely.
Having an in-depth understand-
ing of luid end mechanics, a routine
preventive maintenance program and
using high quality replacement parts
are vital to keeping a mud pump luid
end performing properly. his article
focuses on the importance of per-
forming proper routine maintenance
on mud pump luid ends to ensure ef-
icient operation.
Piston and Liner System
he piston and liner system of a mud
pump luid end consist of the piston,
liner, liner seal, wear plate, wear plate
seal, liner retainer, the piston rods
and rod clamps. Of these items, the
piston will experience the most wear
and will typically be replaced the
most. Routine piston maintenance
presents an excellent opportunity
to inspect other components in the
system. For example, because of high
levels of vibration during operation,
rod clamps can loosen, which causes
excess wear to the clamp and the rod.
Additionally, a worn rod clamp can
cause damage to the rod that would
afect its alignment with respect to
the centerline of the liner bore. Any
misalignment of this type would
cause accelerated wear of the piston
and liner. In respect to addressing
loose rod clamps, it is important to
note that over torquing rod clamp
bolts can have adverse efects as well.
he recommended tightening torque
for a rod clamp bolt is signiicantly
less than the same size bolt used in
a langed connection application. A
small gap should be between the two
halves of a typical rod clamp when it is
properly tightened.
Over tightening the clamp causes
the two halves to meet and runs the
risk of overloading the clamp, which
can lead to permanent damage of the
rod and clamp.
Pistons generally provide longer
service life when they are engineered
for the environment in
which they will operate.
herefore, operators must
know the properties of the
drilling mud that is being
used as well as the drilling
conditions. For example,
if the mud temperature is
more than 180 F, the op-
erator needs to consider a
piston that is designed for
high-temperature service.
Optimal Mud
Pump Fluid End
Operation
By Earl Foote, Southwest Oileld Products, Inc.
Understanding uid end mechanics, a routine preventive
maintenance program and high quality replacement
parts are vital for ideal performance.
Mud pump system Mud pump
he performance of all elastomers
will degrade as temperature rises,
but new elastomers are available on
the market that will yield longer run
times in high temperature environ-
ments. Generally, urethane pistons
do not perform as well when running
in water-based muds as nitrile or hy-
drogenated nitrile butadiene rubber
pistons. Conversely, nitrile pistons do
not perform as well in oil-based muds
as urethane pistons.
Valve and Seat System
he valve and seat system consists
of the valve, valve seat, valve spring,
valve guide and bushing, valve cover,
and valve cover seal. One of the most
overlooked components of the luid
end is the valve spring. his inexpen-
sive, small item can wreak havoc on
the mud pump luid end if it is not in
proper running order. When the pis-
ton transitions from its suction stroke
to its discharge stroke, the valve spring
is supposed to push the suction valve
down on the seat, closing the valve.
A weak valve spring allows the valve
to dwell in the open position longer
than it should. his results in reduced
ei ciency because of mud low rever-
sal as well as the valve being slammed
down on the valve seat by the return-
ing piston stroke.
If a valve runs for 500 hours at
100 strokes per minute, the spring
will experience 3,000,000 cycles.
Considering its high cycling function,
the valve spring should be replaced
with every valve replacement.
As with all operations, safety is
irst and needs to be given
a tremendous amount of
consideration when per-
forming valve and seat
maintenance. he full open
valve seat has become more
popular in recent years
due to improved low and
ease of maintenance. In valve over
valve luid ends, the full open valve
seat allows easy access to the suction
valve without having to remove the
discharge valve seat. his was previ-
ously not an option with webbed seat
designs. However, webbed seats are
easier and safer to remove from the
module because of their design and
anchor points with the removal tools.
Split puller heads are used to pull
full open seats. Split puller heads are
designed to collapse to allow inser-
tion into the full open seat. he puller
screw is then threaded into the puller
head to keep the puller head halves
spread and allow the seat to be pulled.
A common problem arises when
the puller screw is not completely
threaded into the puller head. When
attempting to pull the seat, the pull-
ing action collapses the puller head
halves and exerts a strong force on the
puller head retaining ring resulting in
a catastrophic puller head failure.
When this occurs, force is re-
leased, and the tool can severely injure
anyone standing nearby. Standing
clear when performing this operation
is critical for personnel safety.
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Correct and incorrect tightening of the rod clamp
Failed seat puller head
THE AFTERMARKET
SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
When replacing valve seats, care
must be taken. he seat deck taper
must be inspected for corrosive pit-
ting. Areas of corrosive pitting can
progress inward from the top and bot-
tom of the seat. If they meet, they will
create a luid path for a wash to occur.
When a valve seat becomes pitted, it
must be lapped to remove the pitting.
Some companies make tools for this.
However, a simple way to do this is to
use a three- or four-web seat as the lap-
ping tool.
Another part that is oten over-
looked in the valve and seat system is
the valve guide bushing. When per-
forming valve or seat maintenance,
the valve guide bushing should be
inspected for excess wear or damage.
he valve guide bushing should be re-
placed if necessary.
A worn or damaged valve guide
bushing can cause the valve to stick
or become misaligned and not engage
the seat properly. his malfunction
can lead to a module washout, a cata-
strophic failure of the module because
of the high-pressure luids.
Fluid End Modules
When a wash occurs in a luid end
module, little can be done in the
ield to repair it other than the lap-
ping of the seat deck tapers that was
previously mentioned. he module
must be sent to a repair facility that
is familiar with the proper weld pro-
cedure required to repair the washed
out area. he repair shop must have a
way to apply the proper preheating,
post-weld stress relieving and the ma-
chining capability to perform suitable
repairs to luid end modules.
Keep an eye on valve cover seal ar-
eas. Normally, valve covers are not sup-
posed to breath or move during op-
eration. However, if a loose valve cover
gland allows this to happen, wear in the
seal area will occur. If let unchecked
the valve cover will eventually leak.
Seals are an inexpensive item, and
if an opportunity presents itself, a seal
should be changed if an operator has
the slightest doubt about its condi-
tion or age. All elastomeric parts have
a shelf life, and heat and humidity will
drastically reduce the parts condition.
High Quality
Replacement Parts
Along with performing routine main-
tenance, selecting high quality re-
placement parts is equally important
because this has a direct impact on the
overall performance of a mud system.
As the old adage goes, You get what
you pay for.
Depending on the drilling envi-
ronment, some operators who have
chosen to run lower quality replace-
ment parts report a decreased life
cycle of their consumable items and a
reduction in the overall performance
of their mud pump systems.
In conclusion, a disciplined pre-
ventive maintenance program in
conjunction with using high quality
replacement parts is crucial for proper
mud pump luid end performance.
Earl Foote is the senior
engineer for Southwest
Oilield Products, Inc.
(SWOP). He has more
than 20 years of engi-
neering experience in
manufacturing and is
responsible for overseeing all engineer-
ing functions at SWOP. Foote can be
reached at efoote@swoil.com.
Seat puller head and screw, fully inserted Seat puller head and screw, partially inserted
A plug seal washout

Everywhere
you are we
are right there
with you.
Email: mission@nov.com

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O n e C o m p a n y . . . U n l i m i t e d S o l u t i o n s
National Oilwell Varco Mission offers equipment and services for
all of your well service needs. Along with an extensive product
offering of proven brands, Mission has a sales and after-market
network that spans six continents equipped for in-house and
on-site operations. All Mission well service equipment can be
VHUYLFHGUHSDLUHGDQGUHFHUWLHGHYHU\ZKHUH\RXDUH
For more information visit: www.nov.com/mission
MISSION
TM
Well Service Solutions
SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
D
ownhole sand and solids
cannot be eliminated. hey
can only be worked with
and/or around. he ultimate goal is
to stave a downhole sucker-rod pump,
rod or tubing failure as long as possi-
ble. Failure is inevitable. Minimizing
failure is the only success.
Steps can be taken to combat
downhole sand and solids in the
well. Just as a isherman must adjust
his tackle, string and bait for diverse
watering holes, oil and gas operators
must understand their sucker-rod
pump options to maximize pump life
and production.
his article includes ways to ma-
nipulate a pump and the drilling and
production process to achieve opti-
mized life and produced hydrocar-
bons. Operators should consider:
Hydraulic fracturing (frac)
sand selection
he plunger and barrel it
Barrel materials of construction
Plunger selection
Top or bottom hold
down selection
Other accessory selection
Frac Sand Selection
Sand complications can be mini-
mized before the sucker rod pump
ever enters the well. he type of frac
sand that an operator selects afects
the amount of downhole sand. By
upgrading to a resin-coated frac sand,
operators will pay more up front i-
nancially, but they will beneit con-
siderably from less sand lowing back
into the well, since more resin-coated
sand will remain in the fractures.
he higher cost of this approach
may deter many operators who will
opt to attempt to ight the sand
downhole. Each operator must ana-
lyze the production costs and choose
which direction is the most proitable
in the long run.
Plunger & Barrel Fit
In the past, common logic was to as-
sume that a tighter it between the
plunger and the barrel of a pump
would best combat sand and oth-
er solids from scoring the plunger
(0.002-inch clearance, for example).
Since then, operators realize that this
results in an increased likelihood of
sticking the pump, sooner rather than
later. Today, some operators have
lipped their thinking and try to give
the pump an extra-large clearance
it between the plunger and barrel
(0.008-inch clearance, for example)
efectively providing more room
for minimal scoring. However, this
also negatively increases slippage. Of
course, the amount of solids down-
hole will dictate which approach is
most efective for any given well since
no wholly right or wrong choice ex-
ists. Depending on the downhole en-
vironment, the appropriate selection
in clearance should result in minimiz-
ing the amount of damage and opti-
mizing the amount of production.
Barrels
A chrome-plated barrel would be
ideal for handling the abrasion of
downhole solids. However, the high
costs and limited supply of this type
barrel and its susceptibility to dete-
rioration within acidic environments
are the disadvantages of this option.
Other suggested barrel options when
Equipment
Selection Limits
the Impact of
Sand & Solids
By Jyothi Samayamantula, Don-Nan Pump & Supply Co.
Combatting downhole contaminants can
maximize pump life and production.
Modiied plunger adaptor for
funneling solids
THE AFTERMARKET
introducing acid to the downhole en-
vironment (a common practice for
combatting scale in the well) are brass
nicarb, steel or carburized hardened/
honed barrels.
Of these remaining barrel op-
tions, the brass nicarb will cost the
most, sometimes up to four times
more than a steel or carburized bar-
rel. A brass nicarb barrel, however,
may achieve twice the run-time.
Depending on average run-times for
a given well, the higher price may or
may not justify the extended produc-
tion time that a brass nicarb barrel
provides in sandy wells over steel or
carburized barrels.
Another common sucker rod
pump application for dealing with
solids is the use of some form of a
stroke-thru pump in conjunction
with a grooved-body plunger in
which barrel extensions are required
on both ends of a shortened barrel. In
providing a tighter plunger it within
the barrel than is allowed in both the
upper and lower barrel extensions, the
plunger grooves are washed clear of
most solids from the grooved body
plunger before stroking back through
the barrel. Since this allows most sol-
ids to remain within the luid that
exists above and below the barrel (in-
side the larger internal diameter of
the barrel extensions), the plunger is
minimally scored.
Plungers
he most common plungers in opera-
tion in the Permian Basin for solids
tend to be one of four types. hose
plungers are best described as:
Grooved-body plungers
Hardened plungers with a mini-
mum rating of 92 on the Rockwell
hardness scale
Plungers that funnel solids through
the plunger, not around
Non-metallic, sot-packed
ring plungers
If a pump runs long enough, sol-
ids will eventually score or damage a
plunger. he grooved-body plunger
minimizes damage. Without the
grooves, solids would score the plung-
er much more. With a grooved-body
plunger, the grooves along the plung-
er decreases the length of scoring.
If scoring occurs between the
grooves, it is lessened because a set-
tling space on the plunger allows a
location for the solids to rest before
being washed out on the upstroke or
downstroke in a stroke-thru pump.
his provides longer life for
the plunger because the bulk of the
plunger maintains its seal with the
barrel, which minimizes any produc-
tion inei ciencies.
Another practice is lipping the
plunger over and reinstalling it if the
bottom is still in good shape since
most scoring occurs in the upper end.
Scoring of the plunger deteriorates
the initial seal provided by the typi-
cally tight clearance between the bar-
rel and plunger.
his deterioration leads to inei -
cient pumping operations by allowing
luidthough minimalto fall back
down the side of the plunger. he goal
is to lit the luid to the surface. With
time, the scoring will continue to ex-
pand in length and depth, so the goal
is to maintain that initial tight clear-
ance. Even if the upper plunger has
lost the seal, the rest of the grooved-
body plunger still maintains the ini-
tial intended seal.
he hardened plunger, which
evolved from the grooved-body
plunger, has grooves, but only one at
the top and one at the bottom, about
6 inches into the length of the plung-
er. his plunger comes with a steel pin
end and a spray-alloy coating to pro-
vide strength and durability.
Sand shield for blocking solids
SPECIAL
s e c t i o n
Another type plunger works
with the solidsnot against them.
his plunger usher solids through the
plunger. By funneling solids through
the plunger, scoring of the plunger is
efectively reduced. However, with
a rod running through the center of
the plunger, luid volume is negatively
afected because there is less space to
move within the plunger. Since the
outer shell of this plungers wall is
thinner than a standard API plunger,
it may be more susceptible to break-
age in traditional or horizontal wells
at depths closer to 10,000 feet.
Operators at depths closer to
10,000 feet can use an alternative with
similar principles of a luid-and-sol-
ids-through plunger without losing a
thicker plunger wall for strength. By
using a standard plunger in conjunc-
tion with a plunger adaptor modiied
to divert sand through the plunger at
the top and ai xing a positive seal seat
plug to direct sand at the bottom, op-
erators maintain the same ei ciency
in deep wells as a luid-and-solids-
through plunger.
he key diferences between
these two systems enter when the time
comes to repair the plunger. Because
failure is a matter of when and not if,
the inevitable servicing of the plunger
is the primary diference between the
through plunger alone and using the
modiied plunger adaptor in conjunc-
tion with the positive seal seat plug. If
the through plunger becomes scored
or damaged, the plunger must be re-
placed. If the plunger with the modi-
ied plunger adaptor and positive seal
seat plug is scored or damaged, the
plunger may be reused by replacing
the damaged accessory.
Hold Downs
When selecting a hold down for sand
applications, operators must decide
on a top hold down or a bottom hold
down. In a solids-stufed well environ-
ment, top hold downs will compara-
bly be easier to unseat than bottom
hold downs. On the lip side, a top
hold down will not always be able to
sustain the pump longevity that a bot-
tom hold down will provide, given
equal downhole conditions.
With a bottom hold down, the
luid discharged from the top of the
pump allows sand and other particu-
lates to settle above the seating nipple
between the barrel of the pump and
the tubing, increasing the dii culty
of pulling the pump when neces-
sary. With a top hold down, the area
near the seating nipple is constantly
lushed with every upstroke and the
barrel underneath is free and clear of
solids for pulling of the pump.
A bottom hold down arrange-
ment provides longer sustainability
since the heavy hydrostatic pressure
load of the liquid column rests on the
standing valve.
his eliminates heavy pressure
diferentials across the inside and
outside of the barrel. For a top hold
down, the hydrostatic pressure load in
the tubing rests within the barrel, not
on the outside of the barrel since it sits
below the seating nipple.
In shiting the weight and pres-
sure of the luid column to only the
inside of the barrel with a top hold
down, the operator runs the risk of
swelling, deforming, or bursting the
barrel and/or standing valve. Resting
under the seating nipple, the barrel
no longer has an equalizing amount
of pressure on the outside walls. his
means that, on every stroke, the barrel
contracts and expands repeatedly. To
stave failure, a bottom hold-down ar-
rangement is the best choice for wells
deeper than 8,000 feet. Most new and
horizontal wells fall into this category.
Other Accessories
One of the most common sucker rod
pump accessories is a sand shield.
Sand shields rest just below the valve
rod guide and above the barrel. he
sand shield simulates the efect of a
top hold down because the solids dis-
persed from the top guide can rest on
the sand shield, preventing the solids
from settling farther down the side of
the pump. However, since the sand
shields are composed of a non-metal-
lic substance, this solutionas with
all thesewill eventually fail over
time due to continuous abrasion and
downhole thermal heat.
When sand shields do not work
long enough, operators may decide to
go with a top seal option. A top-seal
accessory can be substituted for a sand
shield. It also rests below the valve rod
guide. With a rubber pad circumfer-
ence, the top-seal essentially serves
as a mini pack-of rubber to prevent
the sand to traveling farther down the
annulus between the barrel and the
tubing. his, too, will eventually wear,
but operators may ind this solution
longer-lasting.
Operators may discover a mi-
nor weakness in this approach when
working in deeper wells. Currently,
anything smaller than a 2-inch hold
down (or 2 -inch tubing) will require
a smaller valve rod than is typically
used. In this scenario, by downsizing
an 1116-inch valve rod from a -inch
valve rod, the weakness introduced
becomes the threaded connection in
wells of about 8,000 feet or deeper.
Jyothi Samayamantula has a bach-
elors in mechanical engineering and a
masters in industrial engineering. He
specializes in downhole applications
regarding beam and rod artiicial lit
with Don-Nan Pump & Supply Co.
COVER SERIES
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SUBSEA PUMPS & EQUIPMENT
COVER
SERIES
R
ising global demand for pe-
troleum has forced oil and
gas production companies
to develop subsea ields in deeper wa-
ters and increasingly remote areas far-
ther from existing infrastructure. At
the same time, new ields under devel-
opment are experiencing more unique
challengessuch as deeper reservoirs
with more challenging luid and rock
properties. Fields already in produc-
tion are maturing and encountering
issues, such as high water cut and low
reservoir pressure.
For deepwater subsea ields, these
factors result in less available energy to
deliver the produced luids from the
reservoir to the production facilities.
Increased reservoir and water depth
and water cut lead to increased head
to overcome, and increased tieback
distance leads to increased frictional
pressure drop that must be overcome.
his has driven the installation of sub-
sea processing to add energy to the
produced luids at the seabedeither
through subsea separation and boost-
ing or subsea boosting alone.
Subsea processing positively af-
fects the economics through the en-
tire life cycle of subsea ieldsfrom
startup through the production pla-
teau to the end-of-life stagesand is
able to increase production and total
recoverable reserves, and even enables
the development of entire ields that
would otherwise prove not economi-
cally viable. hese developments have
created a demand for even more pow-
erful subsea boosting solutions.
he most important region for
subsea pumps is ofshore West Africa
and Brazil where numerous subsea
boosting pumps have been installed,
either as standalone boosting stations
or as part of subsea separation and
boosting schemes. he North Sea and
the Gulf of Mexico are also important
areas in which subsea boosting has
been implemented and will continue
to be in the future.
Boosting Technologies
Many subsea boosting technologies
are being used to meet the needs of
oil and gas operators. hese solutions
include electrical submersible pumps
(ESPs) and multiphase pumps.
Subsea multiphase pumps are sepa-
rated into two main categories: posi-
tive displacement and rotodynamic.
Twin-screw pumps are an example of
positive displacement pumps. In the
rotodynamic pump category, helico-
axial pumps are the most widely used.
ESPs consist of an electric mo-
tor and centrifugal pump unit. hese
pumps can be used in-well, at a cais-
son orientated vertically at the mud-
line or canned and orientated near
horizontal at the seabed. ESPs are
normally used when the pumped
luid is mainly liquid and is efective
in wells with low gas-to-oil ratios and
high water cut.
A main limitation of ESPs is their
pump power and lower ei ciency
when used in heavy crude applica-
tions or increasing gas liquid fraction
(ultimately not being able to function
when there is sui cient gas present
to hydraulically lock the pump).
Additionally, when installed in-well,
the lower reliability of ESPs can lead
to increased downtime with high in-
tervention costs resulting from the
need to use costly mobile ofshore
drilling units to replace pumps.
Twin-screw pumps are positive
displacement pumps and operate by
the screws and the casing forming a
cavity for the luids, which is pushed
along the pump. he gap between the
screws and the casing is sealed by the
liquid present in the pumped luids.
he pump is well suited for vis-
cous luids and can be used to pump
liquids through high gas volume frac-
tions and varying inlet conditions.
he possibility of liquid leakage or
backlow along the pump in the gap
between the screws and the casing,
the limited ability to handle signii-
cant amounts of solids and a narrower
operating window (for a given pump
selection) represent the main limita-
tions of this technology.
Helico-axial pumps use helico-
axial impellers to spin luids at high
rpms. he high-speed luid passes
through a booster section, which con-
verts kinetic energy into pressure.
he helico-axial design ofers
high operational lexibility and has
a strong installation track record.
In addition, they can operate over
a wide viscosity range. Multiphase,
Boosting in
Subsea Fields
By Rob Perry, FMC Technologies
A new system provides increased production rates and
improved recovery.
OPPOSITE: A helico-axial multiphase subsea boosting system submerged in a testing tank in Leeds, United Kingdom.
SU
COVER SERIES
helico-axial pumps have been devel-
oped, tested and installed in numer-
ous subsea ield applications. Typically,
helico-axial pumps are part of a fam-
ily with interchangeable hydraulic
cartridge sections that range from full
multiphase helico-axial pumps, to liq-
uid centrifugal and hybrid pumps that
comprise both multiphase helico-axial
and centrifugal stages. hese types al-
low the full range of operating condi-
tions to be addressed.
Increasingly, suppliers of subsea
technology solutions are looking to in-
clude subsea boosting as part of their
product oferings.
However, the qualiication pro-
cess involved with developing these
technologies dictates that these eforts
must be part of a long-term strategy
warranting signiicant investment. he
costs associated with the marinization
and qualiication of these systems, to-
gether with the high level of technol-
ogy involved, are the most signiicant
obstacles to entry into this market.
A New Subsea System
One supplier of subsea technology so-
lutions has addressed these obstacles
by forming a collaboration agreement
with a pump company to develop
subsea pumping solutions for subsea
exploration and production. he sub-
sea boosting solution developed by
the companies combines pumps with
subsea systems and permanent magnet
motor (PMM) technologies.
he irst result of this collabora-
tion is a helico-axial pump that is pow-
ered by a 3.2-megawatt PMM, capable
of withstanding pressures up to 5,000
psi (345 bar). he PMM technology
used in the subsea pumping system
is low-maintenance and provides the
speed and power required for subsea
multiphase pumping solutions.
Additionally, the PMM motor is
compact, has good rotodynamic prop-
erties due to the solid rotor and has a
superior ei ciency when compared
with regular, liquid-illed induction
motors. In addition to the helico-axial
hydraulics, ield-proven centrifugal hy-
draulics are also available.
he full-scale subsea pump system
was engineered, constructed and in-
stalled at a purpose-built pumps test
facility in Leeds, United Kingdom.
here, simulations of diferent working
conditions were tested, and the pump
system could be operated at diferent
loads and speedsa necessary part
of the development and qualiication
process. As these new technologies
were integrated, a rigorous qualiica-
tion testing program was undertaken
which was, in itself, a lengthy and time-
consuming process.
During the qualiication process,
operational personnel from subsea ex-
ploration and production companies
were invited to the test facility, so they
could witness the fully operational sys-
tem in a realistic environment equiva-
lent to that of the subsea environment
in which the system was designed to
operate.
By providing access to the testing
facility, small adjustments could be
made based on the operational per-
sonnels feedback. he subsea supplier
has already begun ofering the solution
for new subsea boosting projects with
design criteria that meet the subsea
pumps speciications.
With a signiicant proportion
of the worlds remaining oil and gas
reserves located in deepwater ields,
subsea boosting will continue to play a
signiicant role in production in these
areas. With its ability to increase pro-
duction rates and the ultimate recov-
ery from subsea ields, subsea boosting
will continue to be a key technology
employed by operators seeking to max-
imize recovery from these ields.
Rob Perry is the director,
Global Subsea Processing
Systems, for FMC
Technologies. He joined
FMC Technologies rom
BP where he was the
vice president for Deepwater Facilities
Technology. Perry holds an MBA rom
London Business School and a chemi-
cal engineering (Honors) degree rom
Loughborough University in England.
He is a professional engineer and a
member of the Society of Petroleum
Engineers and the Institute of Chemical
Engineers. For more information, visit
www.fmctechnologies.com.
The multiphase subsea boosting system in the testing tank before it is illed.
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O
fshore oilields worldwide
are aginga trend that
continues to spark an up-
tick in well-abandonment and late-
stage-intervention services. Nowhere
is this more evident than the matur-
ing, highly-regulated Gulf of Mexico
(GOM) where an estimated 9,000
wells sit idle. he region has served as
a proving ground for a rigless hydrau-
lic pulling and jacking unit (P&JU)
system. With a successful track record
in GOM well-decommissioning op-
erations, the technology has been se-
lected for the growing well interven-
tion market in the Asia-Paciic region.
Last year, the P&JU system was
selected over several conventional
technologies, including snubbing
units and workover rigs, to win the
bid for a signiicant late-stage inter-
vention campaign in South China
Sea. his P&JU, built in a record 160
days, began work in April 2012.
Designed for small or satellite
platforms without an existing der-
rick, have a downgraded derrick, or
have been storm-damaged, the P&JU
technology provides a safe and cost-
ei cient alternative to expensive jack-
up rig, or workover or snubbing unit.
his campaign marks the irst
time that the P&JU system has been
taken out of the GOM. It is also an
opportunity for the service company
to demonstrate its integrated ap-
proach to intervention.
he compact, diesel-powered
P&JU is designed in 27 modules and
has a hydraulically powered mast that
sits directly above the well. he unit
is completely independent from the
platforms crane and is certiied to op-
erate with a full rack of pipe in winds
up to 69 miles per hour (60 knots).
he system can skid easily from well
to well with a small footprint. It also
enables the placement of a blowout
preventer under the unit.
Aging
Oshore Wells
By Mainer Herrera & Ian Smith, Weatherford
Rigless well-abandonment technology gains a
foothold in the expanding Asia-Pacic, end-of-life
intervention market.
The rigless hydraulic pulling and jacking unit
SU
COVER SERIES
For an ofshore Borneo operation,
this P&JU pulled and ran pipe in and
out of the hole and also ran the nec-
essary downhole tools to extend the
life of the wells. However, the project
posed additional challenges, because
it involved several small platforms
with reduced deck space, requiring
support from a tender-assist barge
the irst time for such an operation.
he P&JU was scheduled to work on
two or three wells per platform and
was then required to be dismantled
and moved to the next platform in an
ei cient manner to minimize nonpro-
ductive time (NPT).
he P&JU technology has been
used successfully to decommission
several wells in the GOM, which is
governed by the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement regulations mandating
that wells that have not produced for
three or more years must be aban-
doned. Currently, six P&JUs are en-
gaged in the GOM.
A P&JU system was used in a
multidisciplinary, single-source solu-
tion for a GOM intervention and
plug-and-abandonment operation in
10 wells in the Mississippi Canyon.
he unit provided pulling ca-
pacity of 220,000 pounds (99,790
kilograms), jacking capabilities of
600,000 pounds (272,155 kilograms),
facilitated the support of 6,200 feet
(1,890 meters) of 3 -inch tubing,
and achieved an average well-to-well
skid time of 1 hour. he operation
was completed in 234 days108 days
ahead of scheduleand saved the op-
erator $10.8 million.
Global Operations
With the South China Sea deploy-
ment, the service company began a
new project and establishing a well
intervention business unit in Asia
Paciic. he South China Sea market
has an estimated 600 wells in need of
some kind of intervention.
hat market is expected to fur-
ther expand when the Asia Paciic
adopts additional abandonment reg-
ulations. Operators will either extend
production in mature wells or aban-
don them. Unlike the GOM and the
North Sea, the Asia Paciic has his-
torically been a region in which aban-
donment regulation is less stringent.
However, stricter rules are on
the horizon. In the meantime, with
oil prices high, many Asian govern-
ments are providing operators with
tax incentives to extend production
in mature wells. Individual govern-
ments oten enhance and adapt inter-
national regulations for speciic areas.
Operating companies have their own
initiatives based on international reg-
ulations and location-speciic versions
because they are ultimately respon-
sible for ensuring that all regulations
are observed.
From a service company stand-
point, the focus for both plug-and-
abandon and intervention programs
must be operational excellence.
Service companies must deliver prod-
ucts and services that are cost efective,
safe and environmentally responsible
and that comply with the internation-
al and regional regulations.
Worldwide, an estimated 20,000
wells have been designated for aban-
donment. he burgeoning market
pushes service companies to develop
safer and more cost-efective ways to
deal with wells that have shited from
asset to liability.
he abandonment process in-
volves integrating technologies,
products, and services and skill sets
to complete three main stagesthe
diagnostic and inspection phase; res-
ervoir isolation; and removal of the
casing, the main conduit between the
platform and the well.
One service provider has de-
veloped an integrated package of
products and services that provide
complete end-of-life services, from
initially maximizing production from
aging wells to eventually ensuring
their safe and ei cient abandonment.
In addition to the P&JU tech-
nology, these services include cantile-
ver systems, casing jacks, light-weight
work decks, wireline, coiled tubing,
tubular running services, cutting
tools, guillotine saws for boring and
pinning, and abrasive and dual-string
milling tools. hese services and tools
have been used on abandonment and
intervention applications beyond the
GOM, including large ixed platforms
and subsea wells in the North Sea.
North Sea Operation
In one of the largest ofshore aban-
donment projects undertaken, a
multidisciplinary approach was used
in a two-stage program to plug and
abandon 40 wells in the North Sea.
In the irst phase, intervention servic-
esincluding coiled tubing, wireline,
slickline, and cementing and plugging
technologieswere deployed to set
cement plugs in the wellbore through
the existing completion strings.
he second phase involved the
use of two existing platform drilling
rigs to recover 36,450 feet (11,110
meters) of tubing and 23,200 feet
(7,071 meters) of conductors along
with casing. he operation was com-
pleted without any safety or environ-
mental incidents and delivered a sig-
niicant time and cost savings for the
operator.
Subsea well abandonment is a
growing market but is also an under-
taking that operators view with some
trepidation because of the techni-
cal challenges and cost concerns. It
is relatively easy and less risky to use
a conventional drilling or hydraulic
workover unit, but rigs are expensive,
dii cult to procure and not always
suited for operations. To that end, op-
erators are looking for systems that are
ei cient and can be deployed from a
monohull vessel.
For subsea well abandonment
and well suspension, a mechanical
outside, single-trip system can reduce
rig time by cutting and retrieving
multiple cemented strings in a single
trip. he system has a 400,000-pound
(181,437-kilogram) pull capacity and
ofers three cutting optionstension
with mud motor, compression with
mud motor and compression with a
marine swivel or topdrive rotary.
he technology conirms the cut
without tripping, is easily latched and
released to inspect the cutting knives,
and causes little or no internal and ex-
ternal wellhead damage. he system,
designed for use with a semisubmers-
ible rig or a monohull vessel, has been
deployed in 1,500 wells globally. In
the worlds irst rigless subsea aban-
donment, the mechanical outside sin-
gle-trip system was deployed from a
monohull vessel to decommission ive
subsea wells in the North Sea, provid-
ing a safe alternative to dangerous ex-
plosives and an expensive rig.
he operation marked the worlds
irst surface recovery and storage of
oil-based drilling luids. Crews recov-
ered the 18 -inch subsea wellheads,
30-inch conductor, 20-inch casing
and the retrievable guidebase from
the seabed in a single trip. he proj-
ect was completed in 40 days, with no
accidents, environmental incidents or
NPT. As ofshore wells continue to
mature, the need for safe, reliable and
cost-ei cient abandonment and late-
stage intervention services will con-
tinue to increase. New technologies
are providing operators with safer and
more cost-ei cient options.
Mainer Herrera is the regional
business unit manager of Well
Abandonment and Rigless
Intervention at Weatherford Asia
Paciic and holds a Bachelor of
Science in mechatronics engineer-
ing. He is currently fully committed
to Well Abandonment and Rigless
Intervention with the aim to ofer a
fully integrated project approach to
satisfy market demands.
Ian Smith is Weatherfords
global business unit manager for
Well Abandonment and Rigless
Intervention Systems. Previously
with Weatherford, Smith has served
as the Business Group manager for
Well Maintenance/Well Intervention
Services and has had multiple man-
agement roles. He is a steering com-
mittee member in the North Sea Well
Abandonment Association and the
European chapter of the Intervention
and Coiled Tubing Association.
COVER SERIES
E
lectric motors for high-speed,
turbo compressors used in
the oil and gas industry are
limited by three factors: centrifugal
forces, thermal considerations and ro-
tordynamic (shat vibration) as shown
in Figure 1. he irst fully-electric liq-
ueied natural gas (LNG) production
began in autumn 2007 [1] at Ham-
merfest, Norway.
Variable-speed electric motors
with power ratings of 16 megawatts
(MW), 32 MW and 65 MW were
used to drive variable speed refrigerat-
ing compressors. Fully electric com-
pression systems are more ei cient
and reliable, and they help reduce the
carbon dioxide (CO
2
) footprint.
Another advantage of electric
motors is that they can start up the
process much faster and smoother
than compressor systems driven by
gas turbines. Choosing a fully-electric
drive solution is also based on the
economic advantages, such as higher
drive train availability, low mainte-
nance costs with long maintenance
intervals and operational lexibility.
he Netherlands has several
high-speed, electric-motor-driven
turbo compressor drive trains, which
are all equipped with magnetic bear-
ings on both the motors and compres-
sors. he variable-speed drive electric
motor has a rating of 23 MW at 5,400
rpm with a maximum speed of 6,300
rpm. Depending on the customer
demand, compressor systems do not
run at peak power all the time. he
requirement for the compression pro-
cess is that all 25 compressor systems
should run at the same time. Electric-
motor compressor drive trains have a
lower total cost of ownership because
of higher availability and reliability.
Magnetic bearings allow oil-free
operation, remote
monitoring of
vibration behavior
and a higher degree
of reliability.
A hermetically
sealed raw gas com-
pressor with a rating
of 6 MW at 12,200
rpm directly driven
by an integrated
high-speed induc-
tion motor is
operating in he Netherlands [1] on
booster compressor duty. his is a
canned motor-compressor with no
seals between the process luid and
the external environment, and sealed
active magnetic bearings, which pro-
vide the basis for future zero emis-
sions and subsea compression sys-
tems in which electric motors are the
only choice.
his design allows for the con-
taminated raw gas to be handled, and
it eliminates gas leakage to the envi-
ronment. he handling of poisonous
sour gas and the facilitation of inter-
vention-free operation for periods not
limited by the rotating equipment are
possiblea prerequisite for inacces-
sible subsea installations.
Large, high-speed electric motors
equipped with active magnetic bear-
ings are also employed in reineries
and compressor trains and in pipeline
applications. With an increasing pow-
er and speed range of the motor, the
mechanical design becomes more im-
portant for compliance with the strin-
gent noise and vibration limits in the
industry. To comply, special design
calculations have to be performed. To
avoid vibration issues on the test loor
or in the ield, rotor design, bearing
design and the dynamics of the inter-
action between the stator and rotor
have to be calculated and optimized.
For critical applications, rotor dy-
namics analysis has to be performed
to predict the overall vibration behav-
ior and the stability of the complete
system including the foundation data
when mounted in the ield.
Causes of Vibration
In electric motors used with variable
frequency drives, excitation forces
exist because of the presence of me-
chanical and electromagnetic forces.
Several vibration causes are discussed
in this section.
Low-Vibration
Compressor Motors
By Sumit Singhal, Siemens
Large, high-speed motors are ideal solutions for gas
compression onshore and in subsea operations.
Part One of Three
Figure 1. Feasibility chart
Mechanical Unbalance
API 684 [3], chapter 5.2 describes bal-
ancing as A procedure for adjusting
the radial mass distribution of a rotor
so that the mass centerline (principal
inertial axis) approaches or coincides
with the rotors rotational axis, thus
reducing the lateral vibration of the
rotor due to unbalanced forces of
inertia and forces on the bearings, at
once-per-revolution frequency (1X).
API 684 emphasizes that achieving a
balanced condition for a rotating as-
sembly is fundamental to maximizing
machinery reliability.
Critical Speed Resonance
A rigid rotor is deined as a rotor that
operates far below its irst bending
critical speed. he irst bending criti-
cal speed of a rotor can be calculated
based on the bending stifness of the
rotor only, not considering the bear-
ing or support stifness, and indepen-
dent of the bearing type.
However, the irst critical speed
of a rotor-bearing system changes
when the rotor is mounted on luid
ilm bearings. Critical speeds of a
rigid-rotor-sot-bearing system can
be predicted by performing a damped
critical speed analysis, which includes
oil ilm bearing stifness and damping
coei cients besides shat and support
stifness coei cients.
he combined stifness of a ro-
tor-bearing system is a function of the
shat and the stifness of the two bear-
ings (see Equation 1).
(1)
Equation 1 indicates that the
combined stifness of a rotor-bearing
system will be less than the stifness
of the most lexible element in the
system, which is generally the luid-
ilm stifness. In sleeve bearing mo-
tors, luid ilm stifness and damping
in plain cylindrical sleeve bearings are
anisotropic in nature.
hey have a diferent stifness
and damping coei cients in diferent
directions. Normally, the horizontal
spring is soter (weaker) than the ver-
tical spring.
Because of this, a stif shat/
sot bearing system will pass through
two resonance points, also known as
the rigid body mode of vibration [3]
before the irst bending mode oc-
curs. API 684 deines a critical speed
as a shat rotational speed that cor-
responds to a non-critically damped
(ampliication factor > 2.5) rotor sys-
tem resonance frequency.
To prevent catastrophic equip-
ment failure and increase reliability,
continuous operation close to or at
the critical speed should be avoided
at all cost. API speciications require a
minimum 15-percent separation mar-
gin between the critical speed and the
operating speed.
Self-Excited Instabilities
Oil Film Instability
In rare instances, induction motor
sleeve-bearing conigurations are sus-
ceptible to large-amplitude lateral
vibrations because of a self-excited
instability also known as oil whirl [3].
Oil whirl is independent of rotor un-
balance or misalignment and is a self-
excited instability caused by the forces
generated in the lubricating oil ilm
due to hydrodynamic action.
During oil whirl, the rotor orbits
in its bearing clearance at a frequency
that is approximately less than half
the rotor angular speed and in the
same direction as the rotor. If not con-
trolled, this non-synchronous, self-
excited orbital motion will continue
to grow without any restrictions. his
may lead to catastrophic bearing fail-
ure and equipment damage. [4]
At the onset of oil whirl, rotor be-
havior is unlike the resonance efect at
critical speed, where the amplitude of
motion builds up as the rotor reaches
its critical speed and then decreases
once it has passed through the critical
Image 1. Test installation at a gas production ield in The
Netherlands with a vertical, sealless moto-compressor (6
MW, 12,200 rpm) with active magnetic bearings
Image 2. Synchronous 2-pole motor (23 MW, 6,400 rpm) with
active magnetic bearings
COVER SERIES
speed. At the inception of non-syn-
chronous whirl, the amplitude of ro-
tor motion continually builds up at a
frequency of approximately less than
half that of the rotor speed and never
subsides.
Lightly loaded bearing or large
bearing clearances are the most com-
mon reasons for oil whirl problems in
an induction motor.
he use of magnetic bearings in-
stead of luid bearings can be a better
solution for motors susceptible to this
kind of instability.
Internal Damping
According to vibration theory, damp-
ing always reduces the amplitude of
vibration and stabilizes the system.
his is always true for a non-rotating
system. For rotating systems, when
the conditions are right, the internal
damping arising from the internal
friction within the material or struc-
ture of a revolving shat or rotor can
cause vibration to build up and also
lead to destabilization of the system.
his counterintuitive phenom-
enon that rotational internal damp-
ing destabilizes the system was ob-
served and explained in the 1920s by
Kimball and Dan Hartog [5, 6]. his
is the sub-synchronous, self-excited
phenomenon, which may be mani-
fested in lexible rotor systems oper-
ating well above their irst bending
frequency.
he primary causes of this type
of instability are internal
friction in the shat
material, friction forces
because of relative
movement between
shrunk itted parts, loose
rotating parts or com-
ponents rubbing against
one another.
Internal damping
within rotating systems
cancels the stabilization
efects of positive damp-
ing provided by external
sourcesincluding
bearings, aerodynamics
and material.
he risks of instabil-
ity caused by internal
damping becomes higher
in high-speed, lexible
rotor systems in which
luid ilm bearing damp-
ing or external damping
decreases because of
higher speed, turbulenc-
es within lubricating oil
ilm or location of
bending nodes (location of no dis-
placements) close to the bearings.
According to the authors knowl-
edge, sub-synchronous instability in
electric motors has not been report-
ed in published technical literature.
Nevertheless, care should be taken
during rotor design, rotor dynamics
and system design to ensure that all
the eigenfrequencies are adequately
and positively dampened.
Misalignment
To avoid misalignment, the mo-
tor should be coupled to the driven
equipment so that vibration does not
increase beyond the vibration limit
speciied for the coupled assembly.
he coupling should never be
considered as a vibration damping de-
vice, and it should always be aligned
according to the coupling manufac-
turers speciications.
Proper alignment during cold
and hot conditions reduces the load
on the shat and bearings and mini-
mizes vibration.
From experience in the ield and
rotordynamic simulation, a certain
degree of misalignment does not in-
luence the rotor vibration much.
However, if misalignment is above a
certain threshold, vibration increases
signiicantly. Drive train vibration
levels can luctuate from changes in
misalignment because of operational
thermal expansion.
Electromagnetic Excitation
In electric motors, the shat rotates
because of torque generated from an
electromagnetic ield in the air gap be-
tween the rotor and stator.
In addition to generating torque,
an electromagnetic ield produces
electromagnetic forces between the
stator and rotor, therefore creating a
Image 3. Schematic of a 12-MW, 9,500-rpm
induction motor for a compressor drive
pipeline application
Image 4. Schematic of a 6.3-MW, 8,200-rpm
magnetic bearings induction motor for compressor
drive pipeline application
coupling between the mechanical and
electromagnetic system.
Unbalanced magnetic pullAn
uneven air gap causes electromag-
netic excitations because of the
unbalanced magnetic pull, produc-
ing higher magnetic forces in the
direction of the minimum air gap.
Deviations in part speciications or
loose manufacturing tolerances in
the stator and rotor components
may cause an uneven air gap in the
motor because of one or more of
the following:
Out of round stator bore
Out of round rotor core
Out of round bearing housings
and frame
Bent rotor shat
Tolerance stacking of
mechanical components
hermal bow of the rotor
Twice the line frequen-
cy vibration (electrical
vibration)Vibration at twice
the line frequency can also be a
signiicant portion of the overall
vibration in induction motors.
he source of this type vibration
depends on parameters within
the motor. he power source is a
sinusoidal voltage that varies from
positive to negative peak voltage
in each cycle. he power supply
applied to the stator produces a
rotating magnetic ield developing
an electromagnetic attractive force
between the stator and rotor. his
force reaches its maximum magni-
tude when the magnetizing current
lowing in the stator is at either a
positive or negative maximum. As a
result, two peak forces exist during
each cycle of the voltage or current
wave. However, stator and rotor
forces go to zero when the current
and fundamental lux wave passes
through zero. his results in a
vibration frequency equal to twice
the frequency of the power source
(twice the line supply frequency).
his type vibration is extremely
sensitive to the latness of the
motor mounting feet, frame and
base stifness, and the consistency
of the air gap between the stator
and rotor. It is also sensitive to the
eccentricity of the air gap.
Part Two, in the May/June 2013 issue,
will cover compressor motor rotor and
bearing design. Part hree, in the July/
August 2013 issue, will discuss the mo-
tors structural design and foundation.
Sumit Singhal is with Siemens Drive
Technologies Division, Large Drives
Applications. He can be reached at
sumit.singhal@siemens.com.
60th Southwestern
Petroleum Short Course
April 15 Lubbock, TX
PRE-CONFERENCE COURSES
MONDAY, APRIL 15
Fundamentals of Sucker Rod Lift
TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Advance Field Optimization of Pump Wells
Artifcial Lift Selection and Operation
MONDAY & TUESDAY, APRIL 15 & 16
Conformance and Remediation for Water Floods and Shales
SWPSC CONFERENCE
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY, APRIL 17 18
The SWPSC Conference includes more than 50 papers/
presentations on articial lift, drilling and well completion,
production handling, stimulation and workover, reservoir
operations and environmental issues. Topics will be presented
by industry representatives. The buffet luncheons on Wednesday
and Thursday will be held in the Exhibit Hall for greater exhibit
exposure. Door Prizes will be given away each day of the
conference. You must be present to win!
For complete course descriptions and registration, visit
www.swpshortcourse.org
806-742-1727
Series References
1. H. Kuemmlee, P. Wearon, F. Kleiner, Large Electrical Drives
Setting Trends for Oil & Gas Applications, in IEEE PCIC
Conference Record, 2008, PCIC-2008-30.
2. S. Singhal, H. Walter, T. Tyer, Concept, Design and Testing of
16,000 HP 9,500 rpm Induction Motor with Oil ilm Bearings
for Pipeline Applications in North America, IEEE PCIC
Conference Record, 2013.
3. API Std 684: Tutorial on the API Standard Paragraphs Covering
Rotor Dynamics and Balancing.
4. S. Singhal, R. Mistry, Oil Whirl Rotordynamic Instability
PhenomenonDiagnosis and Cure in Large Induction Motors,
in IEEE PCIC Conference Record, 2009.
5. A. Kimball, Vibration Prevention in Engineering, New York,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1932.
6. D. Hartog, Mechanical Vibration, New York, McGraw-Hill,
1934.
7. API 546 Brushless Synchronous Machines 500 KVA and
Larger.
8. API 617 Centrifugal Compressors for Petroleum, Chemical
and Gas Service Industry.
9. ISO 14839: Mechanical Vibration Vibration of Rotating
Machinery Equipped with Active Magnetic Bearings, 1st Edition,
2004, ISO
10. DIN 4024 Machine foundations
TRADE SHOW COVERAGE
T
he Ofshore Technology
Conference (OTC) is an
annual event for the devel-
opment of ofshore resources in the
ields of drilling, exploration, pro-
duction and environmental protec-
tion. OTC promotes and furthers the
advancement of scientiic and techni-
cal knowledge of ofshore resources
and environmental matters. With
more than 80,000 attendees from
more than 110 countries and 2,500
exhibiting companies, OTC provides
attendees with access to technical in-
formation, an equipment exhibition
and networking opportunities.
OTC is sponsored by 13 in-
dustry organizations and societies
that develop the technical program.
Attendees gain technical knowledge
and make valuable contacts from all
aspects of the energy industry. Topics
related to the ofshore energy indus-
try will be covered during the OTC
2013 technical program. Experts will
provide information on emerging
technologies, project updates, best
practices, safety and en-
vironmental issues, and
the changing regulatory
environment. Some program top-
ics will include ofshore regulation
and policy and the role of national
oil companies. he program will also
provide information on topics such as
sub-salt geosciences, unconventional
subsea exploration and mining, deep-
water HP/HT well construction,
pore pressure prediction, and alterna-
tive energy.
OTC will also host special events
and activities during the show. he
University R&D Showcase provides
universities with the opportunity to
share their current and future R&D
projects related to ofshore tech-
nology. Daily topical and industry
breakfasts, luncheons and workshops
by Energy Education Institute will be
held. In addition, attendees will be
given the opportunity to watch the
Houston Astros play the Los Angeles
Angels at Minute Maid Park during
OTC Night at the Ballpark.
OTC also has an awards pro-
gram for exhibiting companies that
is designed to showcase the latest and
most advanced technologies. he
Spotlight on New Technology Award
will be given to some of the innovative
technologies at the show. For more
information, visit www.otcnet.org.
Exhibition Hours
Monday, May 6
9:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 7
9:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 8
9:00 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 9
9:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m.
Oshore Technology
Conference
May 6 9, 2013
Houston, Texas
he Southwestern
Petroleum Short Course
April 17 18, 2013
Lubbock, Texas
T
he Southwestern Petroleum
Short Course (SWPSC) is an
annual conference that pro-
vides practical, technical information
to the oil and gas industry. It focuses
on artiicial lit methods and includes
information on drilling, well comple-
tion, stimulation, workovers, reservoir
operations and production handling.
he SWPSC will include more
than 40 presentations during the con-
ference. In addition, more than 40
companies will be exhibiting. he con-
ference provides practical and imme-
diately useful information for solving
problems. It also presents new tech-
niques and practices. For more, visit
www.swpshortcourse.org.
Exhibition Hours
Wednesday, April 17
7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 18
7:00 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
DUG Permian Basin
April 2 4, 2013
Fort Worth, Texas
DUG Bakken & Niobrara
May 29 31, 2013
Denver, Colo.
D
eveloping Unconventionals
(DUG) conferences ofer
networking opportunities
for oil and gas professionalssuch
as landmen, oil and gas producers, i-
nance professionals and investors, up-
stream service companies, and pipeline
operators. DUG Permian Basin and
Bakken & Niobrara conferences are
events for individuals and companies
from all sectors of the oil and gas in-
dustry working in these regions.
DUG Permian Basin provides re-
view of continental and global oil and
gas dynamics, indepth sessions about
Permian unconventional plays and
special midstream tracks that focus on
changes in the regions infrastructure.
Play coverage includes Wolf Camp,
Bone Spring, Delaware Sands, Avalon
and others. For more information, visit
www.dugpermian.com.
DUG Bakken & Niobrara focuses
on the Bakken, the emerging Niobrara
and oil- and liquids-rich resource plays.
High-potential targets in the Denver-
Julesburg, Uinta, Piceance, Powder
River and Green River basins, drilling
and completion best practices, and
midstream challenges will be exam-
ined. For more information, visit www.
dugbakken.com.
Exhibition Hours
DUG Permian Basin
Tuesday, April 2
5:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 3
7:30 a.m. 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 4
7:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
DUG Bakken & Niobrara
Wednesday, May 29
4:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 30
7:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 31
7:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
PRODUCTION, SEPARATION & TRANSPORT
O
ilield problems oten breed
engineering innovations
which creatively make op-
erations more productive and ei -
cient. he universal pump hold-down
(UPHD) system and a thermal rod
pump hold-down (TRPHD) system
are excellent examples of these inno-
vations. A UPHD system is designed
to deliver lexibility with diferent in-
sert pump types used in heavy oil and
thermal applications. A TRPHD sys-
tem is designed to provide a durable
and reliable metal-to-metal seal in
high temperature and hydrogen sul-
ide (H
2
S) applications.
he production challenge in
wells with highly varied and chang-
ing downhole conditions spurred the
development of a tool that allows the
use of an insertable rod pump and
insertable progressive cavity (PC)
pump interchangeably while not be-
ing overwhelmed by the PC pumps
high torque. With that capability,
users could move from high- to low-
temperature production without
pulling tubing.
Designing Innovation
he key to the UPHD system (see
Figure 1) is its seating nipple for in-
terchangeability of the pump types, a
feature that calls for some downhole
explanation to provide perspective.
Operators are familiar with how the
production cycle works in heavy oil
and thermal applications.
When well temperature becomes
too high for a PC pump to function
at the cycles outset, the only viable al-
ternative was pulling the tubing string
and adding a seating nipple for an
insert rod pump, which results in un-
necessary costs and downtime.
he design solution derived from
what happens when well operations
proceed through diferent tempera-
tures during production or steam
injectionin general, changes in the
wells thermal proile. Speciically,
when temperatures decrease, the oils
viscosity increases and production
becomes less ei cient. During lower
temperatures and higher viscosity, a
rod string will not drop freely and a
PC pump becomes the better option.
Hold-Down
Systems for High-
Temperature Rod
Pump Applications
By Paul McCreedy & Ray Neudorf, NOV Monoo
Flexibility and durability are necessary when thermal
uctuations occur.
Figure 1. This
UPHD system
is designed for
use in heavy
oil and thermal
applications.
With a UPHD system, opera-
tors can best leverage the high-to-low
temperature change without the need
to pull the tubing string. Speciically,
a rotational PC pump or standard
reciprocating rod pump can be in-
stalled interchangeably into the same
seating nipple. he UPHD is simple
to operate and has only one moving
part. he installation is by set-down
weight, which is followed by rotation
and requires no orientation mecha-
nism. Retrieval is by straight pick and
requires no rod string manipulation.
In developing a related product,
the TRPHD (see Figure 2), emphasis
was on the high temperature produc-
tion spectrum. In this case, the chal-
lenge was providing a metal-to-metal
seal for use in high temperatures
and H
2
S applications. Subsequently,
a TRPHD was designed and engi-
neered to provide repeatable axial
seating and unseating forces over a
wide temperature range.
Solutions Become
Products
From a component standpoint, the
UPHD primarily consists of a one-
piece nipple; inner mandrel; torque
holding collet; and a ield-proven,
metal-to-metal axial ring (to prevent
sand accumulation). During its opera-
tion, this hold down releases when it
encounters sand and other solids.
his feature is noteworthy be-
cause it overcomes a shortcoming of
previous research and development
(R&D) attempts in the industry to
combat particulates interfering with
retrieval. By isolating the release com-
ponent from the well luids, no con-
taminating material can sabotage the
process. However, enough sand will
cause any design to be sanded in.
he UPHDs key features, en-
gineered around the fully selective
nipple internal diameter concept, are
the lexible connection options and
suitability both for deviated wellbores
and sour environments.
Field operation of the UPHD
system could not be simpler: set down
weight to install and straight pull to
retrieve with no rod orientation or
manipulation required. To suit a par-
ticular application, the axial force can
be readily adjusted.
As product designers approached
the development of the TRPHD, they
faced diferent challenges. he objec-
tive was to develop a hold down with
a ield-proven, metal-to-metal seal
that can be used in high-temperature
applications and in H
2
S ones. Features
include making the product available
in a wide range of tubing sizes. he
materials would be compliant with
National Association of Corrosion
Engineers (NACE) MR0175. his
compliance factor relates to the selec-
tion and usage of cracking-resistant
materials in H
2
S-containing environ-
ments in oil and gas production and
the necessary avoidance of risks to
both the public and industry person-
nel, while safeguarding against costly
corrosion damage.
When operating in high tem-
peratures or H
2
S applications, the
TRPHDs U-shaped 316 stainless
steel rings holding force is rela-
tively unafected by temperature.
Additionally, that holding force is not
restricted but can be revised by adding
or removing the stainless steel rings.
For example, for a 3,500 tubing size,
the setting/pulling force per ring is
1,300 to 3,100 pounds. However, for
a 5,500 tubing size, the setting/pull-
ing force is 1,700 to 5,500 pounds. It
can also be seated or unseated mul-
tiple times without afecting the rings
holding force.
Nor is this hold down limited to
only one or two types of operation.
Instead, it was designed for easy ad-
aptation to a bypass tube for steam,
lushing and chemical injection. he
assembly has ive diferent tubing siz-
es from 2 inches to 5 inches. his
hold down can be used in either top
or bottom hold-down conigurations.
Delivering Results
Sometimes, reinventing the wheel is
a good idea. Illustrating this point, the
design and engineering of these two
systems took a common development
approach. R&D turned initial indus-
try concepts into more sophisticated
systems that are simpler, more user-
friendly and more efective operation-
ally than the earlier iterations.
Figure 2. A TRPHD system provides
a durable and reliable metal-to-
metal seal in high temperature and
hydrogen sulide (H
2
S) applications.
With the UPHD system, a
change in the wells thermal proile
during production or steam injec-
tion does not present the challenge
it once did. Instead, quick and easy
changes can be made between a PC
and a rod pump in heavy oil opera-
tions. Additionally, the system can be
customized for any tubing diameter
and conigured for top or bottom
hold down.
On the other hand, the TRPHD
was developed to provide the versatil-
ity of operating in two types of appli-
cations: high-temperature and H
2
S.
Its metal-to-metal emphasis under-
scores the contrast with plastic or elas-
tomers, which may be compromised
in high downhole temperatures. Part
of the design challenge was to ensure
repeatable seating/unseating over a
generally wide range of well tempera-
tures, while conigurable for top or
bottom hold downs. All design crite-
ria were met and years of ield applica-
tion have proven successful.
As general manager of
the rod pump manufac-
turing facility in Canada
for National Oilwell
Varco (NOV) Monolo
division, Paul McCreedy
is responsible for the design and
manufacture of high-end rod pumping
systems and production accessories. His
background includes manufacturing
manager with Schlumberger, also in
Canada, and management positions
in engineering, ield service, techni-
cal sales and design. McCreedy holds
a BSc Honours degree in mechanical
and electrical engineering rom the
University of Ulster. He can be reached
at paul.mccreedy@nov.com.
Ray Neudorf, techni-
cal services manager, is
also with the National
Oilwell Varco (NOV)
Monolo division. Ray
spent the past 15 years
with Dura Products Inc. which was re-
cently acquired by NOV. Ray received
a computer aided design & drating
diploma rom the SIAST Palliser
Campus, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan,
Canada. He can be reached at ray.
neudorf@nov.com.
During lower temperatures and higher viscosity, a rod string will not drop
freely and a PC pump becomes the better option.
O
MV Austria Exploration
& Production GmbH and
its predecessors have been
pumping crude oil in Viennas wine
growing region for more than 50
years. Approximately 600 oil wells
make up Austrias Matzen oilield. he
company pumps an oil, gas and water
mixture (approximately 90 percent
water) through pipelines to a central-
ized, live oil collection station. At the
station, the oil is separated from the
water and natural gas. he oil is then
pumped into the Auersthal tank farm
for subsequent processing. Water is
directed to the water treatment plant,
and natural gas is sent to a compressor
station in Auersthal.
Complete Renovation
Before the centralized station came
online in 2005, 12 individual extrac-
tion stations were used. In 2005, in
anticipation of pumping crude prof-
itably for another 20 to 30 years, the
company embarked on a comprehen-
sive renovation of its entire infrastruc-
ture, including the network of pumps
and 43.5 miles of piping. he system
takes advantage of the discharge pres-
sure of the oil wells to pump the oil,
water and gas mixture through new
pipelines to the centralized Matzen
extraction station.
he earlier individual stations are
now used only as measurement sta-
tions for the live oil. Preparation and
separation of the live oil occurs only
in the Matzen station. hirty-one
pumps from one manufacturer re-
placed the existing pumps from difer-
ent manufacturers that were housed
in the individual stations. he tank
farm uses large progressing cavity
screw pumps from this manufacturer
to handle all qualities of crude oil.
hese pumps are equipped with fre-
quency converters to control the rate
at which the oil is moved through the
approximately 15.5 miles of pipeline
and into the Lobau reservoir (up to
528 gallons per minute [gpm], maxi-
mum of 560 psi). A progressing cavity
pump moves slop oil (wastewater) out
of the tank farm. Between 2005 and
2011, OMV invested 130 million
to completely renovate the collection
stations, the extraction station and
the tank farm.
High Expectations for
the Pumps
Progressing cavity pumps used for the
production of crude oil must fulill
special requirements. First, they must
be able to handle large crude oil vis-
cosity diferences. he pumps must
cover a wide viscosity range with
uniform and ei cient performance.
hey are also needed to deliver high
discharge pressure or high capacity,
depending on the requirements.
Progressing cavity pumps are
particularly well-suited for oil that
contains gas or foreign objects. hese
pumps are relatively insensitive to
oil that is contaminated with sand,
rust or parai n. hey are even able to
pump crude oil that contains gas or is
mixed with salt water.
heir low net positive suction
head values make them lexible in
terms of installation. For example,
they may be installed above the suc-
tion level. he progressing cavity
pumps can handle long suction lines
Crude Oil Pumps
By Sean McCandless, Colfax Fluid Handling
Progressing cavity pumps and centrifugal pumps help
move oil and an oil/water mixture.
The pumps in the Matzen extraction stations pump house. In front is
a screw pump for pumping crude oil. Behind it are three centrifugal
pumps that move formation water.
and completely drain tanks without
compromising performance or ei -
ciency. Low shearing forces minimize
the mixing of pumped liquids. In the
midstream process, separating oil and
water components in the crude oil is
straightforward and ei cient.
Materials Optimized for
Chloride Components
At the extraction station, six separa-
tors process the live oil and separate
it into qualitiesasphalt base (A
quality) and parai n base (P quality).
Tanks for each quality and a reserve
tank each hold 264, 172 gallons. Two
water tanks hold 528,344 gallons. he
total capacity of the system is approxi-
mately 245.6 million gallons.
Water that is generated as a waste
product is processed in the extrac-
tion station and treatment plant and
then pumped back into the storage
facilities. Six stainless steel centrifugal
pumps act as circulation pumps, mov-
ing 176 gpm of the oil/water mixture
at 28 to 42 psi at approximately 15
centistokes (A quality) and 200 to
300 centistokes (P quality).
he 10 loading centrifugal pumps
for the two water tanks move 88 gpm
at 63 psi. hey are constructed of
duplex stainless steel, making them
corrosion-free despite the high level
of chloride in the water. Salt content
is between 0.125 and 0.309 pounds
per gallon. For this reason, the me-
chanical seals on these formation wa-
ter pumps are among the most critical
components. A special metal bellows
seal in the centrifugal pumps has
proven to be efective in the extrac-
tion station. Two additional pumps
are in service as surface-water pumps
and condensate pumps. hey pump
salt water with natural gas condensate
and are constructed in duplex stain-
less steel.
Single Pump Source
In addition to the centrifugal pumps
and progressing cavity pumps, three
screw pumps are used at the site.
hese oil transfer pumps move up to
264 gpm of puriied crude oil (in both
qualities) to the Auersthal tank farm
at 280 psi.
Centrifugal pumps are installed
before these screw pumps, and they
serve as booster pumps, moving up
to 264 gpm at 39 psi. hey move the
crude oil from the tanks to the screw
pumps, compensating for the loss of
pressure in the screw pumps suction
line. he centrifugal pumps are also
used for pumping formation saltwa-
ter and reach a capacity of 2,420 gpm
at 49 psi.
he formation water is then
brought back into the storage facili-
ties with three centrifugal pumps. he
capacity of these wastewater transfer
pumps is up to 3,520 gpm without
resulting in signiicant wear.
Two stainless steel centrifugal
pumps also move warm water for
heating the system. All the pumps are
from the same manufacturer.
Important factors in the pump
manufacturer decision included the
ability to obtain the entire set of
pumps from a single supplier, the
process design with straightforward
maintenance and the spacer cou-
pling. Together, these characteristics
reduced expenses associated with
maintenance and the storing of spare
parts. hese factors kept the total cost
of ownership low.
OMV valued competent on-site
Screw pumps are used in the central Matzen extraction station to move the crude oil.
service. hey expected rapid reaction
times and straightforward commu-
nication. hese requirements elimi-
nated most vendors outside Germany.
he pump company provided all the
pumps and installed them on a con-
crete foundation, aligned the cou-
plings with a laser tool and commis-
sioned the system in collaboration
with OMV.
Continuous Operation
he pumps at the extraction station
are equipped with pressure-resistant
encapsulated motors. Frequency con-
verters provide speed control. hey
fulill the requirements of EX-Zone
1, electrical and mechanical ATEX
protection (ATEX100a: II2G Zone
1 T4). heir power consumption,
low and pressure are all monitored
continuously. Before installation, all
31 pumps passed a pressure and per-
formance test in accordance with ISO
9906 Class 2.
Nearly all the pump/motor
assemblies are redundant. his en-
sures that critical components in the
extraction station work without inter-
ruption. If the transfer pumps for the
formation water were to fail, the sta-
tion would be able to absorb no more
than four hours worth of material.
Price and Experience
Were Critical
According to Peter Winkler, project
manager for the extraction station,
he pump company was able to fulill
all the requirements with its chemical
standard pumps at an attractive price/
performance ratio. Over the years, we
have also had good experiences with
the quality of these pumps.
Sean McCandless is the
director of marketing
for oil and gas within
Colfax Fluid Handling,
located in Atlanta, Ga.
hroughout his career, he has illed
positions in technical sales, product and
marketing management. In his current
position, McCandless is responsible for
product and business planning and
leading target strategic initiatives. He
can be reached at
sean.mccandless@colfaxcorp.com.
The tanks for the A and P qualities and a reserve tank each hold 264,172 gallons.The two
water tanks hold a total of 528,344 gallons). The A and P tanks are supported by
progressing cavity screw pumps. The water tanks use centrifugal pumps.
A centrifugal pump that moves produced water
W
ell-equipped and versa-
tile vacuum trucks are
critical to all oil and gas
operations. Vacuum trucks are tank
trucks that feature a heavy-duty vac-
uum system designed to use vacuum
technology to load liquids, sludge or
slurry through suction lines. hese
pumps are also used to unload tanker
trucks using pressure. Many diferent
types of vacuum pumps are available,
and the type chosen depends on the
geographic location and the applica-
tions speciications.
Congurations of
Vacuum Pumps
Some vacuum pump conigurations
are V-belt, gearbox, hydraulic and
engine. In these conigurations, the
pumps can be water or air cooled.
In colder climates, water-cooled (or
heated) pumps are used. When using
a pump in vacuum mode, it sucks in
moisture. When shut of, the mois-
ture condenses on the bottom of the
pump. If let to freeze, the pumps
vanes can break ofwhich is why
using heated water is important to en-
sure that the water cannot freeze.
Most vacuum pumps are driv-
en of a semi trucks power takeof
(PTO) instead of of a stand-alone
engine. he two truck types that are
best suited for these installations are
the bobtail, which has an 80-barrel
capacity, and the transport, which
features a 130-barrel capacity.
A vacuum trucks pulley system
should house a PTO, drive shat, two
pillow block bearings, two sheaves and
three to four belts at a minimum. he
gearbox system should have a PTO,
drive shat, right-angle gearbox and
coupling. A hydraulic system should
contain a PTO, hydraulic motor,
hydraulic pump motor housing and
coupling, and a hydraulic oil cooler
with a fan. For many applications, the
hydraulic system coniguration is the
optimal arrangement.
he engine system is used only
when no truck PTO is available. Gas
or diesel engines are the best drive
choice for applications with a belt or
gearbox set up.
Oileld Operations
he vacuum pump industry has
changed drastically through the years.
Previously, vacuum trucks were used
primarily by the sewer and septic
industry. Today, they are used in oil-
ields throughout the country.
Vacuum pumps were irst used
for the disposal of produced water
and water from hydraulic fracturing
operations in the oilield. Typically,
these pumps were in a belt pulley
system coniguration consisting of
a PTO, drive line, pillow block and
sheaves to power the pump. his sys-
tem added wear to the pumps bearing
because of the tension of the belts re-
quired, which caused excessive wear
and early pump component failure.
Vacuum Trucks in
Oileld Operations
By Rob Giese, Quadna, a DXP Company
Advancements in pump congurations improve pump
life in the oil patch.
An 80-barrel tanker with
a vacuum pump
A vacuum pump with a pre-ilter
As technology changed, the
gearbox system was introduced. his
system used a drive line, right-angle
gear box and coupler to power the
unit. his advanced tank technology
increased the life of the pump because
of the direct, inline coupling of the
pump and gearbox, creating less later-
al wear to the bearings from excessive
belt tension.
he next improvement was up-
grading to a hydraulic power system.
his system featured a hydraulic pump,
hydraulic motor, coupling bracket and
coupling. he advantage of the hy-
draulic system was that no alignment
issues existed because everything was
a registered it between the hydraulic
motor and the pump.
Conclusion
During the past seven years, one
pump company has converted hy-
draulic systems for more than ive
major production and disposal com-
panies in the western region of the
U.S. that serve the oil and gas indus-
try. hese systems have created more
revenue and less downtime resulting
in greater proits for the end users.
he cost for the conversion is
roughly 25 to 30 percent higher than
the the cost of traditional conigura-
tions, and the improvements to opera-
tions are signiicant.
Rob Giese is the branch
manager for Quadna,
Grand Junction, Colo.
He can be reached at
rgiese@dxpe.com.
Quadna is a DXP Company and engi-
neers, fabricates and services mechani-
cal systems that move luids and gases
for industrial applications. For more
information, visit www.quadna.com.
A vacuum pump (on a tanker) with
a hydraulic drive
A vacuum pump on a tanker
,
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Epoxies Mud Service
Drives
Hydraulic Cranes
Quartz-Filled, Heat-Resistant Epoxy
Master Bond Supreme 45HTQ is a two-compo-
nent, quartz-illed epoxy for high performance
structural bonding, casting and sealing. his epoxy
produces high-strength bonds at both ambient
and elevated temperatures while maintaining
exceptional resistance to thermal recycling and
many harsh chemicals. It is suitable for applications
in which long-term exposure to temperatures from
-60 F to +450 F is required.
Master Bond
154 Hobart Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: 201-343-8983
Fax: 201-343-2132
www.masterbond.com
info@masterbond.com
Proco Molded Spherical Joints
Style 240/242
PROCO Products, Inc., is a leader in the supply of
spherical-shaped rubber expansion joints for mud
pump and shale shaker applications. he 240 style
units can be found on land-based or ofshore rigs.
Elastomer choices are neoprene for water-based
mud or nitrile for diesel-based mud. Visit www.
procoproducts.com for more information on the
Style 240/242 expansion joints.
Proco Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 590
Stockton, CA 95201
Phone: 209-943-6088
Fax: 209-943-0242
www.procoproducts.com
sales@procoproducts.com
FRENIC-MEGA
Series Drives
Fuji Electrics FREN-
IC-MEGA series
provides the industrys
highest performance
constant torque drive
for three-phase motor
applications. Ex-
panded power ratings
and lexible conigura-
tions are ofered that
support horse-
power up to 1,000
horsepower, AC. he
series is designed for
24/7, zero down-time
applications with
embedded motor
protection and critical maintenance functions with
a multifunction keypad and optional USB port
and a maintenance warning signal output.
Fuji Electric Corporation of America
50 Northeld Ave.
Edison, NJ 08837
Phone: 732-560-9410
Fax: 732-457-0042
www.americas.fujielectric.com
fea-marketing@fecoa.fujielectric.com
New 7060R for Oil Fields
Since 1977, QMC Hydraulic Cranes has been cus-
tom designing and manufacturing truck and trailer
mounted cranes for oil ield applications. Using the
best components and materials available, QMC
delivers a superior product that meets the demands
of oil ield work. Built in the U.S.
QMC Hydraulic Cranes
18071 Mt. Washington St.
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone: 800-331-7959
Fax: 714-546-4915
www.qmccranes.com
sales@qmccranes.com
A Special Advertising Section of
Product Showcase
Product Showcase
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Oil Industry Gloves Pump Alignment Pressure Pumps
Deep II Grip
Taking a grip of the oil industry, the DeepII
TM

Grip protects the back of your hand, ingers and
thumb from impact, punctures and cuts. It ofers
a one-piece, oil-resistant Skid-X Grip
TM
palm that
is double-stitched with Kevlar thread. Fingers
are ergonomically designed by conforming to the
natural curve of your hand for maximum comfort
and least resistance.
Cestusline, Inc.
4709 NE 148th Ave., #5
Portland, OR 97230
Phone: 503-894-8549
Fax: 503-894-8543
www.cestusline.com
elli@cestusline.com
Intelligent Sensor for
Pump Alignment
Keep your pumps running. Align them quickly,
easily and with 100 percent accuracy with
ROTALIGN ULTRA, which features the new
sensALIGN intelligent sensor technology.
LUDECA Inc.
1425 NW 88th Ave.
Doral, FL 33172
Phone: 305-591-8935
Fax: 305-591-1537
www.ludeca.com
info@ludeca.com
BOP Test Pump with Operator Cabin
15, 000 BOP Test Trailer with temperature
controlled operator cabin and test view window.
Internal controls to keep the operator free of
outside elements. AC/ heat with a 6,000-watt
portable diesel generator, exterior work lamps,
oice table with desk lamps, internal remote PTO
clutch and engine controls mounted inside the
cabin. Horsepower ranges from 80 horsepower to
300 horsepower. 24,000 GVW dual tandem axle
trailer with wooden deck, 2 5/16-inch adjustable
gooseneck hitch and 225-gallon reservoir tank.
Reliable Pumps
5404 Cedar Crest
Houston, TX 77087
Phone: 713-640-1803
Fax: 713-640-1604
www.reliablepumps.com
info@reliablepumps.com
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Exploring new
opportunities
for your business?
www.freedoniagroup.com
Oil & Gas Infrastructure
This study analyzes the $8.9 billion US oil and gas infrastructure equipment
industry. It presents historical demand data (2001, 2006, 2011) and forecasts
for 2016 and 2021 by product, application and US region. The study also
evaluates company market share and proles industry players.
Study #: 2922 ......Published: November 2012 ........Price: $5100
World Pumps
This study analyzes the global pump industry. It presents historical demand
data (2001, 2006, 2011) and forecasts for 2016 and 2021 by product, market,
world region and major country. The study also evaluates company market
share and proles industry participants.
Study #: 2771 ...... Published: December 2012 ........Price: $6400
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INDUSTRY LEADING SPEAKERS INCLUDE
CLASSIFIED ADS
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Artiicial Lift Research &
Development Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 45
Badger Meter, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 3
BLACOH Fluid Control, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 114 7
Blackmer, a PSG Company . . . . . . . . . . . 111 17
Burns Dewatering Services, Inc. . . . . . . . 130 55
Cestusline, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203 53
Dragon Products Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 5
Drillmec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 IBC
The Freedonia Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 53
Fuji Electric Corporation of America . . . . 201 52
Fullo Specialties Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 21
GoExpo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 51
DUG Bakken & Niobrara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 49
DUG Permian Basin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 54
John Crane Production Solutions . . . . . . 108 15
Loadcraft Industries, Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 11
LOFA Industries, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 14
LUDECA, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 53
Master Bond Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 52
Master Bond Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 55
National Oilwell Varco - Mission Products 105 25
National Oilwell Varco
Monolo - Artiicial Lift Systems. . . . . . 104 9
Proco Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 52
QMC Hydraulic Cranes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 52
Redrock Camps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 53
Reliable Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 23
Reliable Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 53
Schlumberger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 BC
SERO Pump Systems, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 55
SWPSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 39
Varisco USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 55
Vesco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 55
Weir Oil & Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 IFC
* Index of Advertisers is furnished as a courtesy, and no
responsibility is assumed for incorrect information.
Advertiser Name R.S. # Page Advertiser Name R.S. # Page

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Upstream Oil & Gas Market
W
orld demand for oilield
chemicals is expected to
increase 8.9 percent per
year to $28 billion in 2016 as high
oil prices and increasing demand for
energy spur new development. his
growth is especially strong in uncon-
ventional and ofshore ields. Nearly
all types of chemicals will post healthy
advances, but the best opportunities
will be in drilling luids and stimula-
tion chemicals.
Horizontal drilling and hydraulic
fracturing used to develop shale plays
in the U.S. and Canada have been a
driving force in the sales of fractur-
ing luids and high-tech drilling lu-
ids. While shale drilling is more of a
regional phenomenon, the develop-
ment of ofshore ields is increasing
in other areas. his will drive demand
for all types of chemicals, because
costs for ofshore wells are much
higher than onshore. hese and other
factors will drive demandespecially
in Brazil, Africa, and Russia, China,
India, and several other Asian coun-
tries. Also, while slowing, growth will
remain strong in North America.
U.S. demand for oilield chemi-
cals is projected to increase 8.3 per-
cent per year to nearly $12.5 billion
in 2016. Strong growth is expected
through the forecast period because
of increases in drilling activity, par-
ticularly in shale and other tight for-
mations, but activity in traditional oil
producing regions will support gains.
he U.S. is the largest market for
oilield chemicals by a wide margin. It
has a majority of the worlds produc-
ing oil and gas wells and generally ac-
counts for 40 percent or more of the
worlds drilling activity, despite being
responsible for only about 13 per-
cent of global production. With that
said, the U.S.s reliance on imported
oil and, to a lesser extent, natural gas
oten obscures that the U.S. was the
world leader in natural gas produc-
tion and the third largest crude oil
producer in 2011.
Rig activity and drilling levels
in the U.S. are expected to be strong
through 2016, which will sustain de-
mand for drilling luids and other oil-
ield chemicals. Value gains for drill-
ing luids have been boosted by a shit
in product mix toward more expen-
sive luids that are necessary in shale
gas development and other challeng-
ing production environments.
Well completion numbers are
expected to increase, and stimulation
techniques such as hydraulic fractur-
ing and acidizing will continue to
grow, although not at the pace seen
recently. Enhanced oil recovery will
be an attractive option because prices
remain at levels to justify the extra
costs. Despite dramatic changes in rig
counts and oil prices, U.S. oil and gas
production levels are consistent. his
allows for stable market conditions
for production-related chemicals.
Mike Richardson has been a senior
industry analyst with the Freedonia
Group for more than 10 years, special-
izing in the chemical industry.
For further details, please contact
Corinne Ganglof at pr@reedonia-
group.com or 440-684-9600, or visit
www.reedoniagroup.com.
Oileld Chemicals
By Mike Richardson, he Freedonia Group, Inc.
Growth in unconventional and offshore elds will help increase global demand.
World Oileld Chemical Demand
(million dollars)
% Annual Growth
Item 2006 2011 2016 2021 2006 2011 2011 2016
World Oileld Chemical Demand 10,749 18,245 27,930 40,850 11.2 8.9
North America 5,580 10,240 15,270 21,100 12.9 8.3
United States 4,300 8,350 12,450 17,000 14.2 8.3
Canada & Mexico 1,280 1,890 2,820 4,100 8.1 8.3
Central & South America 650 1,220 2,300 4,050 13.4 13.5
Europe 1,460 1,890 2,560 3,650 5.3 6.3
Africa/Mideast 1,531 2,430 3,850 5,850 9.7 9.6
Asia/Pacic 1,528 2,465 3,950 6,200 10.0 9.9
Source: The Freedonia Group, Inc.
What we do isnt complicated, just smart. For more than 50 years weve collected
insight from customers and combined it with one of the best engineering teams
to come up with todays advanced drilling rigs and tools. Designed for safety
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before its delivered. From top drives to mud pumps and just about everything
in between, the answer is simply Drillmec.
Learn more by visiting www.drillmec.com
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We offer a complete range of triplex pumps from
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Extreme-temperature environments
require extremely reliable ESPs.
REDA REDA REDA ED REDA REDA REDA REDA REDA DA REDA RED RED REDA R and and nd and and and nd nd anddddd andd Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot Hot ot ot ot ot ot Hot Hot Hot Hot ot ot ot oot ooot ottline line line line line ne line ne line line line line line line line n ine ine ne line lin nee inn SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 SA3 3 SSA3 SA33 3 SSA3 3 SSA SA33 A SA S 3 aar are are are are are are are are aare are are aaaar are are mark mark mark mark mark mark ar mark mark kk arkk mark k mark k mark mmark mark mma maaa s of s of s of s of s of s of s of s of s of s of s of s s of s of s o of of s of of s o Sch Sch Sch Sch SSch Sch Sch Sch Sch Sch Sch SSch SSc SSc SSc SSS lumb lumb lumb lumb um lumb m lumb lumb lumb lumb lllumb lu lu berge erge erge erge rg rg erge erge erge rg erge rg rg erge g erge erge rrgg erg gger. r. rr. r. rr. rr. r. rrr. rr. r. r. r. 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 201 2013 2013 20 201 22013 222013 2013 201 22013 13 2013 2013 20 2201 0 33 0 20 3 Sch Sc Sch Sch Sch Sch Sch Sch Sc Sch Sc SSch c SSc Sc lumb lumb lumb lumb umb lumb lumb lumb lumb mm ummb um u lumb uu erge erge erge erge rge erge erge erge erge erge e erge erge erge rge ge rge rg rge rge gggg r. r. r. r. r. r. r. r. r. r. r. rrrrr 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 1333 11333-AL- -AL- -AL -AL- -AL- -AL- -AL- -ALL- LLL- L -A -AL- LLLL- -ALLLLLLLL -AL- L- LLL 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 027 0027 0027 002 0027 0027 0027 2 0027 0027 0027 0027 0027 02777 277 0027 0027 0027 0027 0277 00 7 02
Selecting the right ESP system, one that can effectively handle abrasive, high-temperature
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Stemming from three generations of design and 80 years of high-temperature experience, the
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