David Bishop, Fasken Oil & Ranch LTD
Through the years, oil operators have discussed the pros and cons of holding tubing backpressure in rod pumped wells. Although backpressure on tubing is not a panacea for every well, there are definitely applications where it can aid in the operation of a rod pumped system. Most commonly, backpressure is used to prevent a well from "flowing off" at surface when gas is present in tubing fluid column. Backpressure may also be used to increase differential pressure across pump valves when needed. It is beneficial to know when backpressure is needed and only use it when necessary to optimize pumping system performance This paper will discuss how tubing backpressure can be effectively used in some wells. It will also discuss the unintended effects of holding backpressure such as increased "slip-stream" flush volume, changes in polished rod loading, and possible increased power usage.