(11) High-Volume Rod Lift

Contemporary lift strategy for a newly completed well generally includes a period of unassisted flow followed by an Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP) system - up to half a dozen in certain situations. This is followed by one of a multitude of artificial lift options often culminating in a rod lift strategy for low-production to end of life. Ignoring entirely the financial component of these decisions, among the primary drivers of lift type selection is maximum uplift capability – an area in which rod lift has seen significant investment and improvement in recent years. Additional considerations include, but are not limited to, well-bore characteristics, equipment capability, and reliability.

This paper will seek to submit for consideration an alternative strategy for high-volume artificial lift made possible by recent improvements to what has historically been a popular, albeit marginal, lift type: reciprocating rod lift.