Publications

The Sucker Rod Pump (SRP) is one of the most used Artificial Lift (AL) method globally. Its compatibility and cost-efficient nature has helped SRP establish itself as arguably the most fit-for purpose AL for wells in Old Rimau, a group of mature fields in South Sumatera. Despite so, SRPs come with its own set of problems, particularly when utilized in directional wells. Recurring problems include tubing leaks and parted rods, which are mainly caused by the excessive friction of metal to metal between tubing and Sucker Rod (SR) couplings. These problems become a major source of production downtime, painfully yielding in 17,000 barrels of oil loss per year, and also unnecessary rig-related expenses that amount to US$ 200,000 annually. This triggered a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and an initiative to find the best strategy to optimize Old Rimau’s production performance. It was decided to introduce Molded Rod Guides (MRG), which are made from plastics with high-performance additives and pre-installed at the factory, making them more rigid and durable compared to the previous Rod Guide (RG). These features create less friction between downhole equipment, hence extending run life. This technology has already been applied in 3 wells, so far with zero rod-related downtime, and already exceeding their average run life numbers.