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Tubing:

{ The “most expensive” failure

for a downhole beam pump
system failure

First section of slides excerpted from Ralph Harding, Chevron/Texaco, SWPSC, 2003

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Tubing

{Pick appropriate size based upon

casing size and production
{Set pump intake below the perfs or
as low as possible
{Install an internally coated joint
above seat nipple
{Decision TAC, gas anchor, mud
anchor, de-sander, etc. 3

Tubing: Select on below Criteria?

{ Type of construction
{ Grade of metallurgy
{ Size
{ Type of Connection
{ Consider coating in some
cases

First section of slides excerpted from Ralph Harding, Chevron/Texaco, SWPSC, 2003

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Seamless Tubing Construction

Advantages: less susceptible to

corrosion
Disadvantages: more expensive than
ERW, and less available

ERW Tubing Treating Choices

{ Non-Normalized

{ Seam Annealed

{ Full Body Normalized (FBN)

{ Full Body Normalized after upsetting

(Best choice for H2S Service)

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Tubing Grade

{ Wide variety from H-40 (40 ksi min yield)

to P-105

{ More strength means more potential

problems with corrosion

{ Most commonly used for rod pumping: J-

55 and H-40

{ J-55 is good choice considering both

strength and corrosion
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H2S Precautions
{ Max grade of L-80

{ Do not use N-80 or P-105/110

{ Specify full body normalization after

upsetting

{ In general high strength rods are

not a good choice with H2S
presence
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Tubing Connections
{ External upset (EUE)

{ Non-Upset (NU)

{ Integral Joint (IJ)

{ Special/Premium thread...
recommended for beam pumping

Tubing Size

{ Ranges from 1.05” to 4.5”

{ Most common sizes for beam

pumping are 2-3/8’s and 2-7/8’s

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 Externally
upset tubing
used for rod
pump
applications

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Tubing Anchor
{ Set anchor, justify not setting
anchor
{ Eliminates tubing buckling and
movement
{ Slightly more stroke at pump is
result
{ Reduces HP requirements
{ For wells <2000’ and 1.5” pump or
smaller, then use is not as critical
{ Anchor can slip if casing is corroded
and cause further damage 12
Anchor
{ Set near pump

{ Set above perforations

{ Set within 200’ of seating nipple

{ Set 2 joints above seating nipple if

pumps stick

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Anchors

{ A tension anchor preferred

{ Calculate tubing pickup

{ Calculate min hookload for shear

pins on each anchor

{ Use proper tubing grade to facilitate

possible worst case scenario
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 TUBING
MOVEMENT
AND
BUCKLING
WITH NO
ANCHOR

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Determine TubingTension to Set

Anchor: Use Program on AL Disk
Buckling of Tubing in Pumping Wells, Its Effects and Means for
Controlling It.
Arthur Lubinski, K. A. Blenkarn; AIME Transactions
Vol 210, 1957, Chapter 3, Volume 1
Programmed by S. A. Wong

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Tubing movement
can wear threads
in the tubing joints

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 19

TUBING ANCHOR EFFECT

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 Use of Inspected Tubing

Green Band tubing: 30-50% wall loss

Blue Band tubing: 15-30% wall loss
Yellow Band tubing: 0-15% wall loss
Could use in 1/3’s of length of well, Green Band at the
top, Blue Band in middle, and Yellow Band or new tubing
at the bottom. This for a well where wear is a problem.
Even with 50% wall loss, the tensile strength is still good
for applications to 5000’.

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Tubing
Externally upset tubing used for rod pump applications.
Thread dope is used for the threads and may not last
indefinitely. It may have to be cleaned out over time and
replaced.
Tubing anchors are used within 100-200 feet of the pump
seating nipple to prevent tubing stretch.Tension anchors are
recommended.
Rods may buckle above the pump. Therefore the joints of
tubing above the pump should be rotated with other tubing
joints further up the hole.
5/8’s or even ¾ inch rods are considered too small for just
above the pump. 22
 Tubing Best Practices
( Following 4 slides, M Brock BP)

{ Perform Wellhead tubing scanning on wells

where excessive rod wear is found and on
problem wells. Scan all the tubing, including
that below the TAC.

{ For wells 3500' or less in depth with historic

wear problems, pull and replace entire tubing
string when there is a tubing failure.
{ Change out entire tubing string (regardless of
the type of failure) once the tubing string has
reached the average age of tubing life for that
particular field.

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Tubing Best Practices

{ Lay down tubing on all wells having 2 tubing failures in

12 months or less. Exception to this would be where
all tubing failures have historically been right above
the pump in which case you should replace the bottom
10 joints.
{ In wells with tubing failure due to external pitting, lay
down all pitted joints and test tubing back in hole
{ Wellhead scan tubing on the first tubing failure after
tubing has been replaced with new or yellow band
pipe. The information is an excellent diagnostic tool
for evaluating the current rod design.

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 Tubing Best Practices

{ Verify the wellhead scanning tool was calibrated on

location before and after the job against a known
tubing sample and verify the pipe is pulled at the
proper speed. Some tools have a speed scale on the
chart.

{ Consistent speed is very important in scanning tubing.

When approaching the TAC crews tend to slow down
several stands before the TAC to keep from pulling it
into the wellhead. It is recommended that when the
pulling unit operator feels he must start slowing down
(generally 7 to 10 stands above the TAC) that he stops
scanning and stands back the remaining tubing down
to the TAC, remove the TAC, rerun the stands not
scanned, and then scan the rest of the string out at
the appropriate speed.
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Tubing Best Practices

{ When running tubing, always use a new

or yellow band joint in the wellhead
slips.
{ Always replace the seating nipple plus
the blast joints / internal plastic coated
joints / etc. in pump discharge or dead
space with new or yellow band when
tubing pulled.
{ Tag bottom for fill where applicable
when pulling tubing.
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 EXAMPLE
TUBING FAILURES

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Acid Producing Bacteria (APB)

Rod Guide Wear

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 A Tubing Rotator can distribute tubing wear
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Sulfate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) Attack

Rod Guide Wear

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 Pump Joint - Protruding ERW Seam

Tubing - Pump Joint - Stagnant Area (non coated)

Preferential Corrosion Along Seam 31

Poly - Lined Tubing

Tubing - Pump Joint - Wear Ring 32

 Wear Ring At Top of Pump

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Tubing - External View - Wear?

Same Failure - Internal View -

Severe H2S and SRB Attack
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Pipeline Failure - SRB Attack

Tubing - External Corrosion - CO2

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Tubing - Internal - Wear

Hydrogen Blistering 36
Cracks Due To Hydrogen Penetration

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