Paper: Replacing Beam Pumping Units With Plunger Lift

Converting beam pumping wells to plunger lift drastically cuts costs, improves profit. and keeps marginal producers profitable. This paper discusses one such case for a West Texas Field. The majority of the wells converted to plunger lift showed equal or more oil and gas production after the conversion. Some of the wells increased gas production by almost 2009/o. Twenty-one wells (11% of the total number of wells) have currently been converted to plunger lift. Saving chemical treatments both for corrosion and paraffin, Other benefits include reducing failures, eliminating rod pump repairs, rod parts, electrical costs and reducing environmental liabilities such as stuffing box leaks. Other savings include an increase in the return on capital employed (ROCE) by removing surplus equipment from inventory. The sale of surplus equipment pays for at least two plunger lift systems. This discusses well selection criteria. field results. new technologies in plunger lift operation. and related benefits