Weatherford Artificial Lift

Systems Offers Customers

Optimization Solutions
28
M
anaging surface
pumping assets is a
key step in optimiz-
ing production
from mature petroleum reservoirs.
Often, fluctuations in oil and gas
prices can add uncertainty for
operators trying to predict profits.
To minimize expense in this busi-
ness climate, many operators look
to service companies to control
lifting costs and help cushion
themselves against falling product
prices.
Two recent additions to
Weatherford Artificial Lift Systems
pumping unit services have
expanded the range as well as the
reach of the capabilities offered to
customers. The recent acquisition
of PumpJack Masters and Oil
Patch Enterprises Internationale
allows Weatherford ALS to offer
customers extensive engineering
experience and efficient applica-
tion of the latest technology in the
United States and Mexico.
Pri me Movers Meet Surface
Pumpi ng Needs
Enhanced by the availability of
well-equipped and experienced
pumping unit service profession-
als, Weatherford can address most
pumping unit demands utilizing
proven application methods and
design innovations. There is an
extensive family of surface pump-
ing units ranging from conven-
tional designs to special applica-
tion units with unique features
and enhanced geometries that
allows Weatherford to offer the
LOWER LI FTI NG COSTS ADD VALUE
28
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right pumping solution for the job.
Some of the pumping units avail-
able are:
Conventional Pumping Units
Long-Stroke Pumping Units
Nitrogen-over-Hydraulic
Pumping Unit
Low-Profile Pumping Unit
PumpJack Mast ers
Joi ns Weat herford
Weatherford recently purchased
PumpJack Masters and expanded
its offering of pumping unit
services into the Southeastern
United States. The family owned
enterprise had been recognized as
a dominant supplier of refurbished
beam pumping units in that
region.
The beam pump is the most
common form of artificial lift
because of its long history and
overall reliability. The equipment
is easily refurbished and main-
tained to provide long-term service
in a variety of well applications.
These systems are primarily used
to recover light and heavy oil from
land wells.
PumpJack Masters provides a
value-added service to operators
by selecting the right pumping
unit for a particular well and keep-
ing that unit running efficiently.
This standard of providing cus-
tomers with the right pumping
solution for their unique needs
allows them to meet pumping
challenges at a lower cost. Because
of this, Gas Solutions, a produc-
tion management operations
company in East Texas, selected
PumpJack Masters to service 1,200
wells for an independent oil
company there. According to pro-
duction manager Larry Luce, the
firm had used other pump service
and maintenance companies, but
switched to PumpJack Masters
because of superior service, knowl-
edge, and employees. He was
impressed by the money-saving
solutions the company offered by
analyzing mechanical problems
and recommending cost-effective
repairs to improve mechanical effi-
ciency. Repairs were usually per-
formed right on location. All these
factors combined allowed the
field to run more efficiently and
economically.
Int ernat i onal Expansi on
In April 2000, Weatherford
acquired OilPatch Enterprises
Internationale. Headquartered in
Altimira, Mexico, the company
operates approximately 247 pump-
ing units for Pemex; of those, 172
are being produced with the
Tieben pumping unit. The remain-
der are being produced with other
types of Weatherford ALS systems.
OilPatch leases and services
surface pumping units on a turnkey
basis. The high reliability of the
pumping equipment used by
OilPatch allows them to structure a
turnkey agreement of this type to
the satisfaction of both parties. The
company is totally self-sustaining
with respect to high reliability
equipment, spare parts inventory
and talented employees who are
available 24 hours per day.
Key in the high degree of
service OilPatch provides is the
unique Tieben pump, a nitrogen-
over-hydraulic pumping unit
originally developed in Kansas.
Some special characteristics of the
Tieben pump make it well suited
for work south of the border.
These advantages include: low
energy consumption, minimal
transportation and setup costs,
minimal site preparation and the
versatility to pump a wide range
of wells.
Building on the success
of the Tieben pump in Mexico,
Weatherford has improved the
design of the pump by eliminating
two-thirds of the hydraulics
power package. The new pump
design, called the VSH-2, can
handle polish rod loads up to
40,000 lbs. and pump depths to
10,000 ft. The strokes per minute
(SPM) can be changed with a turn
of a knob. The unit operates with
50 percent less energy consump-
tion than conventional pumping
units.
As a result of the acquisition,
Weatherford can offer the Mexico
marketplace a full range of artificial
lift solutions and continue to build
upon the outstanding reputation
earned by the OilPatch team.

Enhanced by the availability of well-equipped and experienced

pumping unit service professionals, Weatherford can address most
pumping unit demands utilizing proven application methods
and design innovations.

29
John Jameson, Vice President,
U.S./Mexico Operations
Phone: (713) 693-4519
E-mail: john.jameson@weatherford.com
For more information:
http://www.weatherford.com/divisions/
artificiallift/rrl/rrl_index.asp
Heres the way the new pump works:
1. Nitrogen gas pushes down on the
accumulator piston. Hydraulic fluid
under the piston is forced into the
upper stage of the cylinder and
pushes up on the cylinder piston.
2. The servo valve routes pressurized
fluid from the pump, to the lower stage
of the cylinder. This cycles the cylinder
rod up and down, using less horse-
power as nitrogen furnishes approxi-
mately two-thirds of the lifting power.
3. The proximity switches activate the
electric displacement control that
operates the servo valve, which
changes the direction of the stroke.
4. Stroke speed is adjusted simply by
turning knobs on the control panel.
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PUSH, PULL
&PUMP
The Second Generat i on Ti eben Pump
W
eatherfords engineers have improved the original
Tieben nitrogen-over-hydraulic pump design. This
unique reciprocating rod pump was specifically
developed for fields with heavy crude oil, rod fall problems and
ease of operation to the field pumper. By using the Tieben
nitrogen-over-hydraulic technology and the changes Weatherford
has made, this allows the unit to lift greater loads and give the
operator greater flexibility in operating the equipment and
adjusting to the well conditions with the turn of a knob.
This system has only three moving parts (excluding the
prime mover), hydraulic cylinder, accumulator and the direct
drive pump. Maintenance to this unit consists of just one filter
per year and the normal visual inspections required on any
piece of equipment. The system also has low set-up and freight
costs and minimal site preparation.
JimTrapani, Product LineManager, Tieben Pump
Phone: (713) 693-4528
E-mail: jim.trapani@weatherford.com