J.R. White, Exxon Company USA
In the geographical areas of North and West Texas, 94 percent of all oil wells produce by means of artificial lift, and most of the artificial lift installations consist of sucker rod pumping equipment. This percentage equates to some 100,000 rod pumping units in this area alone." With these facts in mind, there should be no doubt as to why the proper management and surveillance of pumping equipment are important. This paper is limited to a discussion of computer application in the management and surveillance of rod pumping equipment. When terms referring to artificial lift equipment are used in the paper, they are in specific reference to sucker rod pumping installations. Methods and techniques cited for the surveillance and analysis of sucker rod pumping installations are from those employed in Exxon Company, U.S.A.