Organic inhibitors have been used in many applications but most extensively in the petroleum industry. In general, they may be divided into two groups. One group may be classed as "rust inhibitors" insofar as their primary purpose are to inhibit against attack by oxygen. The other group, as used to prevent corrosion in producing oil and gas wells and in the refinement of oil, are made to be effective in the prevention of attack by acids such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, hydrochloric acid, acetic, and propionic acids, and the like.

The removal of polymers utilized in oilfield applications is important to the conductivity and productivity of a well. Unbroken gel residue and dynamically formed filter cake on the formation faces are two forms of damage resulting from drilling, fracturing, gravel packing and workover operations. Monitoring the extent of polymeric damage and its cleanup through removal treatments is best achieved through the analysis of flowback samples. This form of analysis can provide valuable information regarding polymer degradation downhole and be used as a quantitative profile for the amount of treatment load recovered. Flowback samples can be tested before and after treatments to determine the total carbohydrate content, which is a measurement of sugar concentration, in pounds per thousand gallons. Guar, cellulose, starch, xanthan and other polysaccharides used as viscosifling agents are examples of complex sugars. Although high carbohydrate levels are a symptom of damaged wells, it is misleading to conclude that lower carbohydrate content equates to a lesser degree of damage. Other factors, such as bacterial presence, breaker activity and size distribution of polymer fragments, contribute significantly to the results of a flowback analysis. This paper presents an improved method to effectively analyze flowback samples. Laboratory protocols are provided and include tests for carbohydrate content, molecular weight distribution, enzyme/bacteria detection and viscosity measurements. This improved flowback analysis provides a method to evaluate polymer load recovery and to detect any polymer damage downhole. Several field studies are also included to demonstrate this comprehensive analytical procedure and how it supplies a more conclusive posttreatment evaluation.

This paper presents a method of evaluating true load capacity of pumping units. Comparisons of various standard and special geometries will be presented along with application techniques to enable the operator to fully utilize maximum unit capacity.

Port sizes of 5/16 in., 3/8 in., _ in., 11/16 in., and 1 in. were tested from 6000 ft. Different tubing loads were lifted with each port size and each tubing load was lifted with varying gas volume per cycle. The efficiency increased as the port size increased.

In 1973 and 1974, the petroleum industry experienced shortages of many items which formerly had been available at a reasonable cost. Not the least of these items are sucker rods. Prior to 1972, manufacturers were producing several types of rods in rather large quantities. From time to time, these rods were sold at "bargain basement" prices to reduce their inventories. During this same time, prior to 1972, pulling units were available usually on a day's notice, to do well work at competitive rates. Sucker rod failures and replacement of sucker rods were more of a nuisance to operators than a large expense. This pre-1972 atmosphere of plenty no longer prevails. Not only has the price of sucker rods increased 60%, but at times the size and type of rod needed is not available. It is also sometimes days or weeks before pulling units are available to fish, pull or repair sucker rod failures in a well. It has become imperative that a concentrated effort be made to eliminate as many sucker rod failures as possible, not only to reduce the direct expense of repair but also downtime and loss of current income. This paper presents one approach to the problem of trying to minimize sucker rod failures.

The recent development of the Bryant - G- Devonian Field (BGDF) has been a significant success for Texaco in the Permian Basin. The field had been producing about 2.0 MMCFGPD with 100 BPD associated condensate production. Through the application of enhanced reservoir imaging and horizontal drilling technology, production was increased to about 60.0 MMCFGPD and 2600 BCPD with expected recoverable reserves being increased by 300 percent. An additional benefit realized by this program was the increase in loading at the Texaco operated gas plant which processes the liquids from this gas stream. During this ongoing program about 50 horizontal laterals have been drilled, either as re-entries from existing wells or from "grass roots" new wells, some with single laterals and some with multiple laterals. As this was the largest package of deeper (>10,000") horizontal wells Texaco had developed in the Permian Basin, the learning curve was relatively steep and often times bumpy. The discussion to follow will outline some of the progressions followed to bring our drilling practices to their current form.

Presentation of the history and development of gas lift. An interesting coverage of gas lift from the first practical application in 1846 to present day equipment.

In an effort to reduce the emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), EPA has passed several regulations that affect the oil and gas industry in a variety of ways. The resulting regulatory quagmire can be difficult to understand and this can make ensuring compliance challenging. This paper examines the recently passed updates to 40 CFR 60 New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) Subparts J, Ja, KKK, LLL, IIII, JJJJ and the new Subpart OOOO. A regulatory review is provided for each subpart that provides a brief explanation of the subpart, affected facilities, and basic compliance requirements, including monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping (MRR) requirements. Compliance strategies, such as flowcharts and relationship entity tables, will be introduced with appropriate subparts when available.

Coiled tubing (CT) technology is continuing to evolve at a rapid pace due to the improvements in CT units, the CT and associated equipment. CT gives operators an alternative method for doing work traditionally reserved for drilling or workover rigs. The scope of this paper is to supply information on several applications currently expanding the use of CT. These include rig-less CT completions, CT electric line and drilling with coiled tubing

All environmental corrections which affect the determination of formation porosity have been experimentally and/or theoretically determined for a dual - detector thermal neutron porosity tool. Corrections which are a function of tool design have been derived from experimental data in over 100 laboratory test formation environments. These corrections are presented both in analytical form and as charts with the defining data points included. The theoretical bases for other corrections are discussed, and the resulting correction curyes are presented. Field logs run in a variety of borehole and formation conditions are compared with core data to verify the accuracy of the corrections. The effects of trace elements with large thermal neutron capture cross sections have also been quantified.

Important advances in oil-finding logs for cased hole use have been made in recent years. The Neutron Lifetime Log, now ten years old has been successfully demonstrated in California and Texas. It is now feasible to explore for new oil and gas in old wells using these logs, and it is confidently expected that further logging improvements would be made possible by additional research and development, to the point that nearly all types of oil bearing rocks could be identified and their oil content assayed. Since such oil finding methods have long been sought, it is peculiar that the commercial introduction of the Carbon/Oxygen ratio log has met with general apathy and lack of interest on the part of the oil industry. The implications of this lack of interest are discussed. It is suggested that more enthusiastic participation by the oil companies is needed in order to demonstrate to the service companies that the service is in fact beneficial and that further development would be desirable. In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it might be concluded that there is in fact very little interest in exploration for new oil in old wells. At least it is presently obvious that there is no significant program of exploration using cased hole logs, although it may be taken for granted that much new oil and gas could be found by this means. It is suggested that the risks associated with cased hole exploration would be less than conventional exploration operations. In the interest of alleviating the oil shortage, and for conserving overlooked and bypassed oil, a plan for stimulating cased hole exploration with oil finding logs would be beneficial to the public and profitable to the industry.

Plungers have been considered by many operators as short term or intermediate solutions to liquid loading problems in gas wells and gassy oil wells. Data is presented in this paper indicating that some producers have routinely utilized plungers to stabilize production and keep wells producing for years at a nominal cost. Well histories, production decline curves along with cumulative production reports will support the producer's case for utilizing the plunger system for such an extended period of time. Plungers, which are sometimes misapplied and often misunderstood, have been around for a long time. With the new state of the art equipment available and qualified personnel to educate operations people, plungers can be a valuable production system for many wells.

A greater number of deviated wells are being drilled to increase production and prolong the life of a well. Many times the build rates are very high and result in a well that is very difficult to artificially produce. Designing a pumping system that will give extended run times is an important part of maximizing profits. Working with Crimson Resources in the Bakersfield, CA area and ChevronTexaco in the Eunice, NM area, R&M Energy Systems has completed several case studies. We will examine these studies, showing best practice and cost saving.

In 2006, 18 subject wells were selected to increase the Mean Time between Tubing Leaks by strategically installing EndurAlloy Tubing. From August 4, 2006 through August 31, 2008, failure performance was monitored for these 18 wells. All 18 wells were initially installed with bare 2-3/8" tubing and 6 joints of 2-3/8" EndurAlloy on the bottom. As a result of 19 well service events (17 failures and 2 non-failures) in 10 wells, initial tubing designs were modified from the original design.

Recent developments of casing plunger technology have provided reliable tools that successfully remove well-bore fluids and reduce liquid loading in marginal or stripper gas wells producing in 4 _ inch casing strings of nonuniform casing weight. These advances are the result of better selections of elastomeric compounds suitable for variations in the casing inside diameter that occur with non-uniform casing weight strings in deeper wells. Significant advances in the mechanical design permit more efficient sealing of the elastomeric sealing cups with the
casing inside diameter variations encountered in non-uniform strings. The specific difficulty presented by 5 _ inch casing is the much larger variations in casing inside diameter that exist in common casing weights used in deeper wells. The status of field tests and current results will be presented as part of the ongoing development of casing plungers in broader applications

The purpose of this paper is to provide a concentrated review of significant water characteristics and treating methods as related to steam flood boiler operation. In recent years, considerable interest has developed in the direct application of high pressure steam for the purpose of recovering crude oil not obtainable otherwise. With the increasing size and number of steam flood operations; there has been a turn toward higher capacity generators and higher operating pressures. As these pressures increase, water supply characteristics and water treatment methods have increased in importance.

Fluid pound is thought to be a result of the pump hitting the fluid level when the pump is partially full of gas. However gas always is compressed to a value of pressure sufficient to open the traveling valve before the pump hits the fluid. The load on the pump is released very quickly and the pump is traveling faster when fluid pound occurs than at the beginning of the stroke. However, most down hole dynamometer cards do not show compression when fluid pound occurs. Also, the concept that there is fluid pound with gas in the pump at low pressures and gas interference when the pressure seems to be accepted. A model and all formulas for fluid pound and gas interference is presented and programmed into a short wave equation program. All code and formulas are shown. Results of high and low intake pressures on pumping with incomplete fillage are shown on the bottomhole dynamometer card and on the rod string loading. Also, effects of pumping speed and degree of pump fillage are shown on the dynamometer cards and the rod string loading. Conclusions on what effects fluid pound has on the pump system are presented, some of which conflict to some degree with traditional concepts.

There have been many papers, both technical and non-technical, written on this broad subject. This paper will be directed to those in attendance who are primarily responsible for the amount of crude oil that can be accumulated in the stock tanks. Improper operation of the surface pump is the major cause of failure in this assignment.

Foamed fluids have indeed become recognized as effective fluids for stimulation treatments. The unique properties of foam make it particularly suited for stimulation. The low fluid loss, low liquid content and high proppant-carrying capability of foams are among the many advantages. In addition, the lightened fluid column provides a built-in gas assist in returning the treatment fluid. Foam stimulation, however, often presents abstruse problems in fluid design and application. Successful foam stimulation treatments require careful design of foam quality, bubble texture and half-life. These design features are influenced not only by fluid volume and gas control, but also by surfactant and stabilizer selection. A variety of liquids can be foamed, such as fresh water, brines, acid, alcohol, hydrocarbons and combinations thereof. Thus, there is growing need to understand the chemical phenomena involved in producing high quality, stable foams in all these systems. This paper presents a review of the surfactant types commonly used as foaming agents. These surfactants may be classified by their ionic nature, which often influences performance. Anionics (soaps), non-ionics (alkyl polyoxyethylene), amphoterics and cationics (amine derivatives) are available for use as foaming agents. The performance of such additives in water, acid, alcohol, and hydrocarbon systems is compared. In addition, the chemical stress factors which must be considered when selecting surfactants for a foam treatment are outlined. These include formation character, interaction with other fluid additives, and surfactant wetting properties. Techniques for stability enhancement are discussed.

There are several factors which differentiate the operating methods of the independent operator from those of the major company. Some of these differences have a rational basis; some of them are debatable, while others may prove costly to the independent in the long run. As a starting point for this paper on the methods of independent operators, a definition of the independent operator, as used in this paper, should be given. This paper is concerned with the independent operator who is either a small individual operator beginning operations with limited cash, or who is that same operator after he has established production and whose main task is to increase his reserves through the investment of his existing oil income. The large integrated independent operation does not fall within the scope of this paper.

Failures in the sucker rod industry can be costly and time consuming. As an end user in this industry, it is very critical to understand the mechanics behind couplings. This paper addresses some of the important aspects of couplings which play an important role in the overall reliability of the rod string. The topics addressed in this presentation are as follows: 1. Strength of material analysis of coupling and sucker rods, 2. What happens to a sucker rod coupling joint during an improper makeup process, 3. Types of manufacturing processes for couplings, 4. Recommended field practices.

The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is assigned the responsibility for the Federal gas pipeline safety programs. These responsibilities involve a network of more than a million miles of gas transmission pipelines, distribution systems, and non-rural area gathering lines. Those systems under OPS jurisdiction are constructed, operated and maintained by more than 2990 separate operators who supply 40 percent of the nation's energy needs while serving 41 million customers. Age of the systems range from "brand new" to those which have been in the ground for over 150 years, so the duties of the OPS involve a variety of engineering and operating challenges. In addition to the gas pipeline safety programs of the OPS, the office also handles the technical details of liquid pipeline safety, the responsibility for which is assigned to the Federal Railroad Administrator. Provisions of those liquid pipeline safety programs affect some 130 interstate oil and products pipelines having 230,000 miles of system

This paper will highlight the overall effectiveness of fiberglass rods used in a portion of the Eagle Ford oil shale play. Data captured form real time SCADA software as well as from the POC, will be utilized to construct a clear picture of how fiberglass rods perform. The benchmarks used to determine the efficiency of fiberglass rods will be capital cost and LOE, power usage and fluid production.

Fiberglass sucker rods (FSRS) were developed in the early 1970s as an alternative material to help combat problems caused by corrosion. As with most new products introduced to the oil production industry, there were numerous problems to overcome before the product was accepted as a viable tool by oil producers. Over the Past ten Years many situations have arisen that have caused aggravating problems to users of FSRs. Many of these situations were caused by improper use of the rods, but some of the problems resulted from poor manufacturing processes. This paper identifies many of the problems associated with using FSRs and discusses what has been done to overcome these problems. The author details the evolution of the FSR and documents many of the benefits, including increased production, lower lifting costs, gear box torque reduction, and energy savings. The purpose of this paper is to answer often asked questions about string design, installations, hot oiling, fishing, etc. These answers will provide additional information to users of FSRs, former users wh have elected to quit using the rods, and non-users who are reluctant to use fiberglass rods due to reported difficulties

In many cases fast identification of the type of problem occurring in a oil, gas, injection or gas storage well is needed before remediation of the problem can start. The longer it takes to identify the problem the more expensive the problem becomes in lost production. Misidentification of the problem can lead to mistreatment which at best does nothing to help the well and could cause additional damage further complicating the well problems. What is needed is a set of simple tests that can be done in the field to tell the difference between organic and inorganic type problems. Is it a paraffin, asphaltene, emulsion, reverse emulsion, bacterial slime, scale, or solids problem? What type of treatment is needed? A set of simple tests will be presented that can determine the type of problem being experienced and what type treatment is needed. Case histories will be presented.