Reducing Rod Pumps Stuck in Tubing in The Highway 80 Field

Abstract In 2019, we presented the early results of a design change on our insert sucker rod pumps in the Highway 80 field. The information presented previously was eighteen months of data after this change was made. We also included over seven years of data prior to the change. Today we will discuss the forty-eight months of data collected after the design change and more than 11 years reviewing sucker rod pumps stuck in tubing in this field. When an insert rod pump gets stuck in tubing, increases in well-servicing events drive costs and safety risks. The Highway 80 area team reviewed the number of pumps stuck in tubing from 2010 to July 31, 2021. There was a total of 1,159 insert rod pumps that could not be pulled with the rods to retrieve the pumps. Pioneer Natural Resources previously chose to use a rubber fin element below the discharge of their insert sucker rod pumps to prevent lodging from occurring. With this change, there was a reduction in pumps stuck in the tubing, but approximately 10% of their pumps continued to get stuck. In 2017, Harbison-Fischer installed their brush sand shield on all of Pioneer’s insert pumps in the Highway 80 field and continues to do so today. This paper will discuss the results of forty-eight months since the first brush sand shields were installed. We will compare the pumps that were stuck in the tubing with and without the design change since the implementation.