Fiberglass Rod Study Review & Guidelines From the Resulting Project

Rod pumping with fiberglass rods is an industry accepted alternative to rod pumping with metal rods. Fiberglass tapers/strings are mainly utilized to overcome design limitations of existing beam lift equipment when additional lift capacity is required. Fiberglass rods are lighter and stretch more than metal rods resulting in lower loads and higher downhole stroke lengths. Economic analyses for new installations or repair jobs must take into account the run life of fiberglass rods. This study questions the cost effectiveness of fiberglass rod applications by reviewing their life spans in the Permian Basin. Our research resulted in a set of guidelines that extends the life of fiberglass tapers/strings to improve economics through cost savings.