sPETechnology
Today sERIEs
Courtesy Shell Development Co.
Introduction
Currently 85 to 90% of U.S. oil wells are produced by use of
sucker rods with beam pumps. Perhaps 25% of these are large
~nitsJ representing a significant investment in equipment,
maintenance, and energy. The systems discussed in this paper
monitor and calculate the surface and downhole performance of
these large pumping units.
For more than 60 years, the surface dynamometer card,
which describes the polished-rod displacement· vs. load for a
pump cycle, has been used to analyze the performance of
beam-pumped wells. In sucker-rod strings that are more than
3,000 ft [915 m] long, however, stretching caused by fluid
load and distortion from reflections of stress waves in the rod
string cause significant differences between the surface and
downhole pump cards.
More than 25 years ago, Gibbs and Neely 1 first used the
damped-wave equation, which describes longitudinal vibration
in long rods, to calculate the downhole pump card. With
minimal changes, 2 •3 this algorithm is still used with the rod-
string transmission characteristics and measured surface card to
calculate load vs. position cards at the top of each taper and at
the downhole pump. The downhole card has become invaluable
for identifying subsurface problems and for calculating well
production.
System Description
Analysis systems calculations are based on polished-rod· load
and position measurements. Portable systems use a load cell
mounted in series with the pumping-unit carrier bar and the
polished rod and a spool-type variable resistor to measure the
polished-rod position. Some systems include either an amp
probe or a three-phase power meter to measure motor power.
Rod loads and displacements were originally recorded on a
strip chart and manually transcribed for a remote mainframe
computer. Modern portable diagnostic systems use van-
mounted computers with data-acquisition systems that directly
Copyright 1989 Society of Petroleum Engineers
Journal of Petroleum Technology, May 1989
A Review:
Analyzing Beam-
Pumped Wells
H.A. Tripp, SPE, Shell Development Co.
record 75 or more measurements from each transducer per
pump cycle, while the computer monitor displays the real-time
surface card. The analysis, which requires less than one minute
after setup, has three parts.
Surface Card. The measured surface card represents the
horsepower at the top of the rod string. Changes in the real-
time surface-card shape result from well or system changes,
such as the onset of fluid pound. Excessive gearbox torque,
rod loads, or major downhole pump problems can frequently
be inferred from rod loads and the card shape. In shallow
wells, the surface and downhole cards are similar and no
additional analysis is needed.
Downhole Card. Calculating the shape of the downhole card
simplifies problems of interpreting pump performance and
minimizes the judgment required to diagnose subsurface
problems. Fig. I shows a typical surface card and the
calculated downhole pump card. Deviations from the
rectangular downhole card shape indicate such problems as
deep rod parts, unanchored tubing, improper pump spacing, or
leaking pump valves and fluid pound (gas interference).
The downhole card calculations include gross pump stroke,
fluid load, and pump inlet pressure. The pumped fluid,
calculated from the downhole stroke, is one of the more
accurate methods of determining well production. Gross
differences between this and the well test are a good .indication
of a tubing leak, pump malfunction, or bad well test.
Rod-String and Surface-Equipment Analysis. Alternating rod
loads at the surface and at the top of each rod taper are easily
converted into stresses, which indicate the susceptibility to
fatigue failure when used with a modified Goodman diagram.
The maximum polished-rod load also represents pumping-unit
beam load.
A complete system analysis includes three-phase power
measurements of kilovolt-ampere, kilowatt, and kilovar. In
addition to indicating system efficiency and cost, these
measurements are used to size capacitors to improve the m<;>tor
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SPE TecluiiJtogy
Today SERIES

power factor and to indicate the unit balance on the up and
down strokes.
Peak gearbox torque, which is an indication of gearbox
wear, can be estimated from the surface rod load and stroke
length, or more accurately calculated from the unit geometry
with measured rod loads and positions. 3
Current and Future Technology
In addition to portable van-mounted computers, analysis
systems have evolved into mainframe computer systems that
4. Dunham, C.L.: "Supervisory Control of Beam Pumping Wells," paper
SPE 16216 presented at the 1987 Production Operations Symposium,
Oklahoma City, March 8-10.
5. ''Electric Analog Study of Sucker-rod Systems,'' Drill. & Prod. Prac.,
API (1968) 232-49.
6. Gibbs, S.G.: "Predicting the Behavior of Sucker-Rod Pumping Sys-
tems," JPT (July 1963) 769-78; Trans., AIME, 228.
7. Doty, D.R. and Schmidt, Z.: "An Improved Model for Sucker Rod
Pumping," JPT (Feb. 1983) 33-41.
8. Foley, W.L. and Svinos, J.G.: "Expert Advisory Program for Rod
~mping," JPT (April 1989) 394-400.

remotely monitor all the wells in large fields. 4 Each pumping

unit has permanently mounted load and position transducers JPT
with a transmitter for relaying the measurements to the central
computer. The system continuously scans the wells, monitoring This paper Is SPE 19031. Technology Today Series articles provide useful summary in·
the surface cards, calculating the corresponding downhole formation on both classic and emerging concepts in petroleum engineering. Purpose: To
provide the general reader with a basic understanding of asignificant concept, technique,
cards, and comparing these with 'cards previously stored in the or development within a specific area of technology.
computer memory.
Starting in the early 1960's, analogous methods were
developed for predicting the performance of wells with various
pumping systems.S-7 These methods evolved into API RPJJL
and several computer programs used to select pumping units,
rod-string tapers, and pump sizes for particular wells.
Future analysis systems will probably include expert
systems. Foley and Svinos 8 developed a system that uses a
statistical pattern-recognition scheme coupled with a network of
rules based on company expertise to diagnose surface and
downhole cards and to prepare diagnostic reports.

References
1. Gibbs, S.G. and Neely, A.B.: "Computer Diagnosis of Down-Hole
Conditions In Sucker Rod Pumping Wells," JPT (Jan. 1966) 91-98;
Trans., AIME, 237. . DOWN-HOLE CARD
2. Schafer, D.J. and Jennings, J.W.: "An Investigation of Analytical and
Numerical Sucker-Rod-Pumping Mathematical Models,'' paper SPE
16919 presented at the 1987 SPE Annual Technical Conference and DISPLACEMENT , INCHES
Exhibition, Dallas, Sept. 27-30.
3. Gibbs, S.G.: "Computing Gearbox Torque and Motor Loading For F1g. 1-Measured surface dynamometer card with the calcu-
Beam Pumping Units With Consideration of Inertia Effects,'' JPT (Sept. lated downhole pump card.
1975) 1153-59; Trans., AIME, 259.

458 Journal of Petroleum Technology, May 1989