Using New Technical Methods to Design Better Sucker Rod Pumping Systems
for Heavy Oil Production 

By Franklin L. Foster, Ph.D.

 Recent years have seen a massive conversion to Progressing Cavity Pumps (PCP) but the days of reciprocating rod pumping may not be over.  Better designs based on complex mathematical models and a better understanding of the physical sciences involved have surmounted many of the problems associated with heavy oil production, such as: rod floatation in highly viscous fluid, slippage past the plunger, pump friction, steam lock, and many others.  As well, new technologies can be applied to, for example, monitor every phase of the pump cycle via sensors reporting to computers which can adjust both downstroke and upstroke speed and torque to considerably improve production efficiency.

 These areas, and others, are addressed in the Power Point presentation slides attached below.

 The presentation was made to the Petroleum Society of CIM, Lloydminster (Heavy Oil) Section in September 2007 by Mark Mahoney of Harbison-Fischer Mfg. Co.

For Slide Presentation - click here
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