An Improved Model for Sucker Rod Pumping

Dale Russel Doty, U. of Tulsa

Zelimir Schmidt, SPE, U. of Tulsa

Abstract
An improved model for predicting the behavior of sucker
rod pumping installations is presented. This model incorporates the dynamics of the liquid columns as well as the
sucker rod string through a system of partial differential
equations. This system of equations is solved by a
modified method of characteristics on a digital computer. The model predicts the polished-rod and pump
dynamometer cards and incorporates the effects of liquid
inertia and viscosity. The model is capable of simulating
a wide variety of pumping conditions for which liquid
physical properties are important. The information
predicted by the model is useful in the design and operation of sucker rod pumping installations.

gas interference, fluid pound, etc. However, the purpose

of the current study is to illustrate the effects of fluid
properties on a sucker rod pumping installation. As a
result, the following assumptions are made to segregate
more accurately the effects of the fluid column from
other effects: (1) fluid column contains no gas, (2) tubing is anchored, and (3) prime mover has no slip.
These assumptions are not necessary components of
the model, and are used in the current study only for the
purpose of illustration.
For additional information about the computer program for sucker rod pump system design, contact the
authors.

Introduction

Mathematical Model

Sucker rod pumping is the primary artificial lift method

used in the U.S. I Thus, there is a need for an accurate
sucker rod pumping model to assist in the design and
simulation of sucker rod pumping installations. Recently
there has been a substantial effort to develop sucker rod
pumping models that can be solved with the aid of a
digital computer. 2-5 These efforts, however, have been
restricted solely to the analysis of the dynamics of the
sucker rod string. As such, these models ignore the
dynamics of the fluid and tubing columns as well as the
fluid physical properties.
This study overcomes one of these shortcomings by including the dynamics of the fluid as well as the rods.
Thus, it is now possible to analyze the effects of fluid
physical properties on a sucker rod pumping installation.
The computer program for sucker rod pump system
design that was written to implement the following
model is very general. The program includes the effects
of motor slip, different types of pumping units, various
inertial effects in the surface equipment, tapered rod
strings, fiberglass rods, sinker bars, unanchored tubing,

Simulation of the sucker rod string requires proper attention to the dynamics of motion. This is accomplished by
performing a standard momentum balance on the rod
string, which yields the first-order partial differential
equation

0197-7520/83/0021-0249$00.25
Copyright 1983 Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME

FEBRUARY 1983

aV r
afr
PrAr-=-+Fif+FCf+Frt-PrgAr

at

ax

...... (1)

This equation is valid for each region of the rod string

that has constant taper. If, at some point, the rod string
changes size, then Eq. I must be modified. The various
frictional forces that act on the rod are represented by the
functions F if' F cf' and F rt
The function F if is the force per foot of rod arising
from the viscous forces of the fluid acting on the rod sur~ace (other than the rod coupling). The equation for F if
IS

1
F if=-Pfvflvfl7rDrt'l'

................... (2)

2
where f.. I is the dimensionless friction factor for the surface of the rod (other than the rod coupling).
The function F cf arises from the viscous force of the
liquid on the rod couplings. For each coupling, this force
33

is given by
1
Fc=-Pfvflvtl(Ac-Ar)A2, ................ (3)

2
where A2 is the dimensionless friction factor associated
with the rod coupling. To obtain the force per foot of
rod, the total force on each coupling is distributed over
the full length of the sucker rod:
F cf=F cISRL . ............................. (4)

The function F rt represents the force per foot of rod

arising from the friction between the tubing and rods.
This is an important component of the force acting on the
sucker rods, and a complete sucker rod model cannot ignore its effects. However, this function is highly dependent on the deviation of a well, along with many other
factors that are difficult to determine. Also, at the present time, there is little direct experimental evidence of
the exact size and nature of this force. Thus, even though
the current computer program can simulate this force, it
is taken to be zero in this study for the purpose of illustrating the fluid effects.
The second equation governing the motion of the rods
relates the amount of rod deformation to the tension in
the rods. For the purpose of this study, it is assumed that
the rods have a constant modulus of elasticity and that
Hooke's law applies. To generate a first-order partial
differential equation, the partial derivative of Hooke's
law with respect to time is taken to obtain
aV r
air
EA r - = - . ........................... (5)
ax
at

Eqs. 1 and 5 form a first-order hyperbolic system of

partial differential equations governing the motion of the
rod string.
For the purpose of this study, it is assumed that the
pump is producing a liquid with no gas phase. Thus, the
motion of the liquid column can be represented by a standard system of partial differential equations, the first being the equation of motion,
aVf
aVf)
apf
Pf(A -A) ( - + v f - =-(A -A ) r
r
at
ax
r
r ax

where F rf and F cf are defined by Eqs. 2 and 4, and the

function Fft is defined to be the viscous force associated
with the tubing. Fft has the representation
1
Fft=-Pfvflvfl'71D r AI,

................... (7)

where it has been assumed that the same dimensionless

friction factor that applies to the rods also can be used for
the tubing.
The second equation governing the motion of the fluid
column is the equation of continuity, given by
apf
a
-+-(Pfvf)=O . ........................ (8)
at
ax

The density and pressure are related by the equation of

state,
Pf=Pf (pt),
34

.............................. (9)

where, for purposes of illustration, we assume that the

well is isothermal and that a change of liquid density is
directly proportional to a change in pressure. If the rod
string does not have a constant taper, then the preceding
equations require modification.
Eqs. 6, 8, and 9 define a hyperbolic system of partial
differential equations describing the motion of the liquid
column. From this, it is possible to analyze the effects of
fluid inertia and friction on the sucker rod pumping
system.

Friction Factors
Experiments were performed in 1976 by Valeev and
Repin 6 to determine the dimensionless friction factors
associated with sucker rods and sucker rod couplings.
For the sucker rod surface (minus the coupling) they
obtained the equation

Al

24 [1--(0.2+0.39--)
N Re ,
Dr ]
...... (10)

=-

N Re

Dr

NRe

The Reynolds numbers N Re and N Re' are associated with

the liquid and rod velocities and are defined by
NRe =

vf (Dr -Dr)pf

....................

(11)

/J-

and
N Re , =

v r (Dr -D r)Pf

.................... (12)

/J-

Valeev and Rapin also did a study 6 to determine the

friction factor associated with each rod coupling that
would be valid for various motions of the rod and liquid.
They obtained the equation

5.2 X 10 4

(~-0.381) 2.57 (2.77 1.69 N Re , )

N Re

Dr

............... (13)
where the Reynolds numbers N Re and N Re' are defined
by Eqs. 11 and 12.
The sign in Eqs. 10 and 13 is chosen to be negative if
Vr and vf are of the same sign, and is positive otherwise.
The friction factors given by Eqs. 10 and 13 have been
verified experimentally only for the case when the liquid
is in laminar flow. Under certain pumping conditions,
and for liquids with low viscosity, the liquid can be in
turbulent flow for those portions of the pump cycle
where the plunger velocity is the largest. We expect that
both these friction factors would require modification for
the case of liquid in turbulent flow. However, no studies
specific to sucker rod pumping have been performed for
this case. Thus, this study will be restricted to pumping
conditions that yield only laminar flow.

Surface Boundary Conditions

The polished rod motion is governed by the geometry of
the pumping unit as well as the nature of the prime
mover. If the crank angle, 8(t), is known as a function of
SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

time, then the polished rod displacement, S(O) , can be

calculated from the equation

.......... (14)
where
h=.JL I 2 +L22 +2L 1L 2 cosO .............. (15)

See Gray 7 for a complete description of this equation.

To obtain the surface boundary condition for the
sucker rod string, it is necessary to specify the velocity
of the polished rod at any time t as
dS dO
vr(O,t)=----, ...................... (16)
dO
dt
where dSldO can be derived from Eq. 14 and dOldt is the
instantaneous angular velocity of the crank. The exact
angular velocity of the crank depends on the net torque
on the crank as well as the torque-speed characteristics of
the prime mover. The net torque can be computed 8 from
the polished-rod load, pump unit geometry, and the
counterbalance torque. If the gear box ratio, sheave
sizes, and torque-speed characteristics of the prime
mover are known, then the angular velocity of the crank
can be computed from this information and the net
torque.
The surface boundary condition for the liquid column
is taken to be the pressure at the tubing head,
PI (O,t)=Pth(t)

.......................... (17)

The value of P th can be specified in any appropriate

manner, but for most sucker rod installations the tubing
head pressure is nearly constant in time.

Downhole Boundary Conditions

The boundary conditions that exist at the subsurface
pump present a number of interesting problems. For example, there may be gas interference, fluid pound, sticking plunger, plunger hitting up or down, leaking valves,
unanchored tubing, etc. It is possible to simulate partially each of these conditions by appropriately modifying
the pump-plunger boundary condition. 2 However, for
the purpose of this study, no abnormal pumping conditions are considered. Also it is assumed that the fluid is
free of gas and the tubing is anchored. Under these conditions, it is possible to specify the conditions existing in
the pump.
If both the standing valve and traveling valve are
closed, then the plunger will not move. Thus, under this
condition,
vr(L,t)=O, .............................. (18)

and
vI (L*,t)=O,

ir(L,t)-pjCL*,t)(Ap-Ar)+pcAp=O, ........ (20)

where Pc is the pressure in the casing at the level of the

pump plunger. The liquid flow rates governed by the
motion of the plunger determine the relationship between
the velocities of the rod and the liquid. This relationship
is given by
vr(L,t)(A p -Ar)=vI(L*,t)(A t -A,) . .......... (21)
If the traveling valve is open and the standing valve is
closed, then the plunger is dropping. During this time,
the rods are acted on by the buoyant force of the liquid.
The relationship between rod tension and liquid pressure
is

i,(L,t)+pjCL*,t)A,=O . .................... (22)

The velocity of the liquid caused by the downward motion of the rods is given by
v,(L,t)A'+VI(L*,t)(At-A,)=O . ............ (23)

Eqs. 18 through 23 ignore such effects as plunger friction, fluid leakage past the plunger, and pressure drop
across the valves.
The computer program that implements the model
automatically determines which of the conditions the
pump is in, and applies the appropriate formula.

Initial Boundary Conditions

A complete description of the mathematical model must
include the initialization of the variables v" i" vI' and
PI at time t=O. For a given choice of these variables,
start-up transients will be introduced into the solution.
As time progresses, these transients will damp out as a
result of various types of frictional forces contained in
the system. Thus, irrespective of how these variables are
initialized, the correct solution will be approached as
time advances. However, in the interest of keeping the
computing time as low as possible, it is useful to initialize in a manner that keeps the start-up transients as
small as possible. Therefore, to initialize the sucker rod
string, the initial crank angle, 0, is chosen so that the
polished rod is in its lowermost position, which also corresponds to a polished rod velocity of zero. When starting the pumping unit in this position, it is natural to initialize the rod string and liquid column as follows. For
each point x, O=s;x=s;L,

:;:::::::J ............................

(24)

and, in the case of nontapered rods,

............................ (19)

where L represents the end of the sucker rod string and

FEBRUARY 1983

L * represents the location of the pump plunger relative to

the casing.
If the standing valve is open and the traveling valve is
closed, then the pump plunger is lifting the fluid. During
this time, the tension in the rod and the pressure of the
liquid at the pump plunger are related by the equation

i,(x,O) =gA,[p ,(L-x) -p IL1-A,Pth]

and
. . ...... (25)
PI(x,O)=Pth +xgpI
35

1.6

If the preceding initial conditions are used, then the

computer program need only run for three or four pump
cycles to damp out effectively the start-up transients.

F.

..J!... -0.3
Sk r

1.4

Numerical Solution Technique

1.2

1.0

Sp

0.8

0.4
0.2
o~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

No
PLUNGER STROKE FACTOR

Fig. 1-Effects of viscosity on plunger stroke.

1.2
Fo

1.0

--0.3
Sk r

0.7

To generate an accurate and efficient computer program,

a modified method of characteristics was developed to
solve the system of partial differential equations and
their associated boundary conditions.
The technique relies on the fact that the rod string and
fluid columns are only weakly coupled along their length
through the various frictional forces. Therefore, it is
possible to use the method of characteristics 9, to to solve
the rod equations and the fluid equations separately, using the current values for the frictional forces. The frictional forces are then updated, and corresponding corrections are made in the solution of the rod and fluid equations. For the low damping values encountered in pumping installations, no further correction usually is required
to maintain a highly accurate solution.
The computer program must monitor the conditions in
the pump systematically so that the correct pump boundary condition is applied. This can be accomplished if
information is available on which, if any, pump valves
are open. From this information it is possible to specify
the correct equations to be used at the pump plunger.
However, there is no procedure that can specify
beforehand which of the pump valves may be open.
Thus, we must guess which equation is correct. For example, if the guess assumes that both the traveling and
standing valves are closed, then Eqs. 18 and 19 are used
to calculate the values of fr(L,t) and PI(L*,t). These
values then are tested in the following manner to see if
the guess is correct.

Test For an Open Standing Valve

The standing valve will open when the pump plunger
supports the fluid. If

0.8

FI
0.6
Sk r
0.4

then the standing valve must be open and the values of

fn Vn PI' and VI are recomputed using Eqs. 20 and 21.

0.2

Test For an Open Traveling Valve

The traveling valve will open when the pressure above
the plunger is less than the pressure below the plunger.
Thus, if
F

No

S~r' PEAK POLISHED ROD LOAD

Fig. 2-Effects of viscosity on peak polished-rod load.

fAL,t)+PI(L*,t)A r <0, .................... (27)

then the traveling valve must be open and the values of

fn V" PI' and VI are recomputed using Eqs. 22 and 23.

Test For Both Valves Closed

If both the preceding tests fail, then the traveling and
standing valves are closed and the computed values of
fn V n PI' and vI are correct.

General Effects Of The Liquid Column

Historically, the original sucker pump models considered only the dynamics of the rod string and ignored
most of the influence that the fluid would produce in the
36

SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

system. 3. 5 For these models, the influence of the fluid

was limited to the static load of the fluid at the pump.
The plunger would feel only the weight of the fluid on
the upstroke and the buoyant forces on the downstroke.
Even the viscous effects of the fluid were absorbed into a
general damping term that was insensitive to both the
nature and dynamics of the fluid. It was known 2 that additional forces would be exerted on the plunger because
of the inertial effect of the plunger accelerating the fluid,
but there is no convenient way to modify these simple
boundary conditions to reflect this behavior accurately.
It would be inappropriate to consider the full fluid column as a point mass located on the plunger, as this
would ignore the fact that the fluid has a finite acoustic
velocity. This finite velocity creates a time lag between
the time that the plunger accelerates the fluid and the
time when this motion reaches the surface. Also, the
fluid column has a tendency to transmit and reflect
pressure waves from one end of the column to the other.
When this behavior is combined with similar behavior in
the sucker rod string, the resulting effect can produce
unexpected actions at the pump plunger. Thus, it seems
natural to model the fluid column in such a way as to incorporate the dynamics of its motion.
The fluid column is capable of influencing the sucker
rod string in two ways-through the pump plunger and
through the viscous effects along the surface of the rods.
The load that the fluid exerts on the plunger consists of
the static weight of the fluid and the dynamic load. The
net plunger area determines the weight of the fluid on the
plunger. However, the dynamic load depends on the tubing size as well. For a fixed pumping speed, different
combinations of rods, pump, and tubing can create different fluid dynamic loads on the system, even if the
weight of the fluid on the plunger remains the same.
The same observation is true for the effects of fluid
viscosity on the pumping system. Viscous effects are
sensitive to the velocities of the rods and fluid as well as
to the nature and size of the exposed surfaces. Again, the
choice of rods, pump, and tubing will have an effect on
the fluid velocities as well as the surface area. This in
tum will have varying effects on the sucker rod pumping
system, even if the mechanical loads are otherwise
equivalent.

Effects of Viscosity
The mathematical model can be used to simulate the effects of viscosity on the pumping system. These effects
are illustrated here for a conventional pumping unit using
I-in. (2.54-cm) rods in 2.44I-in. (6.20-cm) tubing. The
components of the pumping system were adjusted to
make the nondimensional parameter F 0 / Sk r = 0.3, and a
number of computer runs were made for a wide range of
fluid viscosities and pumping speeds. The results are
displayed in Figs. I through 3, in terms of various nondimensional parameters. 11 This makes it possible to
visualize the effects of viscosity on plunger stroke, peak
polished rod load, and minimum polished rod load.
Also, the design curves given in API RP IlL 11 for
F 0 ISk r = 0.3 are displayed for reference. For the purpose
of illustration, it is convenient to consider only the
isothermal case, where the viscosity will have only a
single value. However, if the temperature profile of a
well is known, then these effects also can be incorFEBRUARY 1983

0.5r--------------y---~

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

N
No

;~rtMINIMUM POLISHED ROD LOAD

Fig. 3-Effects of viscosity on minimum polished-rod load.

20,000
15,000

",WITH FLUID INERTIA

:!:! 10,000

ci
<t

' - WITHOUT FLUID INERTIA

5,000

o
2

4
6
DISPLACEMENT, fI

10

Fig. 4-Effect of fluid inertia on pump dynagraph.

50,000

40,000

0~~---2~~---+4---L--~6---L--~8---L--~IO

DISPLACEMENT, ft

Fig. 5-Effect of fluid inertia on polished-rod dynagraph.

37

3r-----------------------------,
1.6

Fo

Fo

sr& 0.3

--0.3
Sk r
1.4

WITH FLUID INERTIA

WITHOUT FLUID INERTIA

1.2
1.0

Sp
50.8
0.6
WITH FLUID INERTIA

0.4

WITHOUT FLUID INERTIA

0.2

0.1

0.2
S

0.3

Ji

0.4

0.5

0.7

No

-f PLUNGER STROKE FACTOR

I

Fig. 6-Effect of fluid inertia on plunger stroke.

0.8

Fo

sr&0.3
r

0.7
WITH FLUID INERTIA

0.6
0.5

F3
0.4
Sk r
0.3
0.2

WITHOUT FLUID INERTIA

0.1
00

0.3

0.4

0.5

N
No

;~r

POLISHED ROD HORSE POWER

Fig. 7-Effect of fluid inertia on polished-rod horsepower.

0L-~~~~-L~~~--~~~~~~

0.3

0.7

N
No
PEAK PLUNGER LOAD
Fig. 8-Effect of fluid inertia on plunger load.

porated into the model. It should be kept in mind that the

friction between the tubing and rods has been assumed to
be zero for the purpose of generating these graphs.
Fig. I illustrates the effects of viscosity on the plunger
travel. For a constant pumping speed, it is seen that the
plunger travel decreases with increasing viscosity. This
is to be expected because the viscous damping forces are
extracting energy out of the system.
Figs. 2 and 3 show the effect of viscosity on the peak
and minimum polished-rod loads. For moderate pumping speeds, it is seen that the peak polished-rod load increases slightly with increasing viscosity. However, for
higher viscosities, the resulting decrease in plunger
travel will tend to moderate the peak polished-rod loads.
The effect of viscosity on the minimum polished-rod
load is more pronounced. With increasing pumping
speed and viscosity, the minimum polished-rod load
decreases. This is to be expected because the rods and
fluid experience their greatest opposing velocities on the
downstroke, which in tum creates the largest viscous
damping force during this part of the cycle (see Eqs. 21
and 23).

Effects of Fluid Inertia

The model also illustrates the effects of fluid inertia on
the pumping system. These effects can be made more apparent by making a comparison with a model in which
the inertial effects are ignored intentionally. To accomplish this, a model was created in which the pump
boundary conditions given in Eqs. 20 and 22 were
modified so that the pump plunger would feel only the
static weight of the fluid. When the standing valve is
open, Eq. 20 becomes
frCL,t)=PfgL(A p -Ar)-PcAp' .............. (28)

38

SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

1.6

Fo

"Sk a
r

0.3

1.4
1.2
Fo
-=0.3

1.2
1.0

Sk r

1.0
0.8

Sp

0.8

FI
Sk r

0.6

0.6

0.4
0.4
0.2

0.2
0~L-~~~~~-L~~~~~~~

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

o~~~-L~~~~~~-L~~~~

0.1

0.7

0.2

1i.

-f

No

NO

S~

,PLUNGER STROKE FACTOR

Fig. 9-Effects of rods, tubing, and viscous damping on

plunger stroke.

and when the traveling valve is open, Eq. 22 becomes

fr(L,t) = - P fg LA r'

0.3
N

,PEAK POLISHED ROD LOAD

Fig. 10-Effects of rods, tubing, and viscous damping on peak

polished-rod load.

0.&----------------.

....................... (29)

i=0.3

For the new model, the fluid column was required to

move as if it were being controlled by the motion of the
plunger. Thus, Eqs. 21 and 23 were used to solve for
vf(L *,t) after v r(L,t) had been computed. All other components of the two mathematical models remained
identical.
Figs. 4 through 8 summarize the results of this comparison carried out for a wide range of pumping speeds.
In particular, Figs. 4 and 5 show typical polished-rod
and pump dynagraphs for a conventional unit coupled to
5,938 ft (1810 m) of I-in. (2.54-cm) rods in 2.441-in.
(6.20-cm) tubing. The liquid has a specific gravity of
0.85 and an assumed viscosity of 30 cp (0.03 Pa' s). The
plunger diameter and stroke were adjusted to give
FO/Skr=0.3, and a pumping speed of 16.5 strokes/min
was chosen. Fig. 4 demonstrates that the fluid inertia increases the load on the plunger above the static weight of
the fluid. Also, the maximum upward force when the
plunger is dropping is more than the buoyant force on the
rods. The results, as illustrated in Figs. 4 through 7, are
a decrease in plunger travel and an increase in both the
peak polished-rod load the polished-rod horsepower.
One interesting effect of fluid inertia is shown in Fig.
8. This figure compares the peak plunger load to the
static weight of the fluid for various pumping speeds. It
can be observed that the tension in the rods above the
plunger is increased dramatically at higher pumping
speeds. For this particular pumping system, the increase
can be as much as 145 % above the static weight of the
fluid. The corresponding increase in polished-rod
FEBRUARY 1983

0.5

Sk r

o.

0.2

0.1

QI

02

03

Q4

o~

No
;:r,MINIMUM POLISHED ROD LOAD
Fig. 11-Effects of rods, tubing, and viscous damping on
minimum polished-rod load.

39

7,000

3
4
DISPLACEMENT I If

Fig. 12-Comparison of measured polished-rod dynagraph to

the dynagraph generated with fluid inertia,

viscous forces associated with the rod surface. 6

Figs. 9 through 11 illustrate the effects of rod and tubing size on the pumping system. A conventional unit
pumping a liquid with a constant viscosity of 30 cp (0.03
Pa's) through 2.44I-in. (6.20-cm) tubing was used to
generate the figures. The pumping parameters were adjusted to keep F 0 / Sk r = 0.3. All other parameters were
held constant except for the rods, plunger, and pumping
speed. The largest and smallest rods that would fit in
2.44I-in. (6.20-cm) tubing were chosen to illustrate the
effect. Note that increasing the rod size has much the
same effect as increasing viscosity. As seen in Figs. 9
through 11, the larger rods tend to increase peak
polished-rod loads and decrease minimum polished-rod
load and plunger travel. For higher viscosities these effects are amplified, and, conversely, for lower
viscosities these effects are diminished.

Comparison of the Model to Field Data

3
4
DISPLACEMENT, ft

Fig. 13-Comparison of measured polished-rod dynagraph to

the dynagraph generated without fluid inertia,

3,000

2,000

......
PREDICTED WITHOUT FLUID INERTIA

ci

C3
-1

GENERATED FROM MEASURED DATA

_-/

PREDICTED WITH FLUID INERTIA /

1,000

I
/
.... - - _ _ _ /

o
o

3
4
DISPLACEMENT, ft

Fig. 14-Comparison of bottom hole pump dynagraphs,

horsepower is not nearly so pronounced, as shown in

Fig. 7. The reason, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, is the
decrease in plunger travel caused by the fluid inertia,
thus decreasing the horsepower required at the pump.

Effects of Rod Couplings and Tubing

A mathematical model that incorporates fluid physical
properties is capable of predicting the effects that different rod and tubing sizes will produce in a sucker
pumping system. The choice of rod and tubing size
determines the surface area exposed to the fluid as well
as the clearance between the rod coupling and the tubing.
Examination of the friction factor associated with the rod
coupling, Eq. 13, indicates that the viscous forces increase dramatically as the diameter of the coupling, Dc,
is increased. For tubing and rod couplings with little
clearance, it is possible for the viscous forces associated
with the rod couplings to exceed by many times the
40

The preceding results indicate that the effects of fluid inertia on a sucker rod pumping installation are increased
with increasing pumping speed and plunger diameter. As
a result of this observation, a I,558-ft (474.9-m) deep
well pumping at 13.6 strokes/min with a 2.25-in.
(5.72-cm) plunger was selected for comparison purposes. This particular well was pumping a virtually gasfree liquid comprised mostly of water. Fig. 12 shows a
comparison of the measured polished-rod dynagraph
with the dynagraph predicted by the model that incorporates fluid inertia. Agreement between the two
dynagraphs is quite good. Fig. 13 shows a comparison
between the same measured polished-rod dynagraph and
the dynagraph predicted by the model that does not include the effects of fluid inertia. Here the agreement between the model's prediction and the measured data has
deteriorated.
For a more accurate examination of the influence of
fluid inertia on a sucker rod pumping installation, examine the bottomhole pump dynagraph, where fluid inertial effects are more clearly visible. Because a
measured pump dynagraph was not available for this
well, the dynagraph was generated synthetically using
only measured polished-rod data and rod string information. The computer program for this does not use any information associated with the fluid column. Therefore,
any behavior displayed in the synthetically generated
pump dynagraph is a direct consequence of the measured
surface data and the validity of the model governing rod
string motion, not the fluid column. Fig. 14 is a comparison between the pump dynagraphs generated from
the measured polished rod data and the pump dynagraphs
generated with and without fluid inertia. Position A in
Fig. 14 is associated with the pressure pulse generated in
the tubing fluid as the plunger accelerates the fluid. Position B is associated with the combined effects of plunger
deceleration and the return of Pressure Pulse A after it
has reflected from the surface. Position C represents
another such reflection. The example shows that fluid inertial effects can produce large variations in plunger
load, which, as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, produce a
corresponding influence at the polished rod. Examination of Figs. 12, 13, and 14 shows that the inclusion of
fluid inertia in a sucker-rod pumping model improves the
accuracy of the model's prediction.
SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

Conclusions
The new mathematical model can provide useful information on the design and operation of sucker pumping
installations, especially in the case where the fluid
physical properties of viscosity and inertia are important.
These properties have been shown to exert a significant
effect on plunger stroke, peak and minimum polishedrod loads, polished-rod horsepower, and peak-plunger
load. The model also is useful in predicting the effects
that different choices of tubing or rod sizes would have
on the viscous damping of the pumping system.

Nomenclature
A ('
Ap

Ar
AI

Dc
Dr
Dl
E

Ir

rod coupling area, L 2

plunger area, L2
rod area, L2
tubing area, L 2
coupling diameter, L
rod diameter, L
tubing diameter, L
= modulus of elasticity, mL - \ t - 2
= rod tension, mLt- 2

viscous force per rod coupling, mLt- 2

viscous force per rod coupling per unit
length of rod, mt- 2
Fft = viscous force per unit length of tubing,
mt- 2
F if = viscous force per unit length of rod, mt- 2
F rt
frictional force between tubing and rods per
unit length of rod, mt- 2
F0
gross plunger load, mLt - 2
F\
peak polished-rod load, mLt- 2
F2
minimum polished-rod load, mLt- 2
g
gravitational constant, Lt- 2
kr
spring constant for rod string, mt - 2
L
length of sucker rod string, L
L*
pump plunger location relative to the
casing, L
L\
crank length, L
L2
fixed-bar length, L
L3
driving-bar length, L
L4
pitman length, L
L5
driven-bar length, L
N = pumping speed, t - \
NRc
Reynolds number for the fluid
N Re'
Reynolds number for the rods
No
natural frequency of the rod string, t - \
Pc
casing pressure at plunger level, mL - \ t - 2
Pf
fluid pressure, mL -\ t - 2
P lh
tubing head pressure, mL - \ t - 2

Fe
F cf

FEBRUARY 1983

S = polished-rod stroke, L
Sp
plunger stroke length, L
SRL = length of one sucker rod, L
t = time, t
vf
fluid velocity, Lt - \
Vr
rod velocity, Lt-\
X
depth below polished rod, L
"\
fluid friction factor
rod coupling friction factor
/-L
fluid viscosity, mL- \ t - \
Pf
fluid density, mL -3
Pr
rod density, mL -3
crank angle, radians

"2

References
I. Brown. K.E.: The Technology of ArTificial Lift MeThods,
Petroleum Publishing Co., Tulsa (1980) 2a. 1-94.
2. Gibbs, S.G.: "A General Method for Predicting Rod Pumping
System Performance," paper SPE 6850 presented at the SPE 1977
Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver. Oct. 9-12.
3. Gibbs, S.G.: "Predicting the Behavior of Sucker-Rod Pumping
Systems," 1. PeT. Tech. (July 1963) 769-78.
4. Adamache, I.: "Analytical Methods for Computer Diagnostic
Analysis of Sucker-Rod Pumping Well Performance," Bo/lerrino
della Associa~ione Mineraria Suhalpina Anno XIII (marzo-giugno
1976) n.I-2, 65-92.
5. Adamache. I., eT al.: "Researches on Deep-Well Pumping Made
by Means of an Analogue Computer," paper presented at the 8th
World Pet. Cong., Moscow. 1971.
6. Valeev, M.D. and Repin, N.N.: "IZVESTIYA VYSSHIKH
VCHEBNYKH ZAVEDENII." NEFT I GAZ. (1976) 8.39-44, in
Russian.
7. Gray, H.E.: "Kinematics of Oil-Well Pumping Units." paper
presented at the 1963 API Midcontinent District Meeting,
Amarillo, March 27-29.
8. Gibbs. S.G.: "Computing Gearbox Torque and Motor Loading
for Beam Units With Consideration of Inertia Effects." 1. PeT.
Tech. (Sept. 1975) 1153-59.
9. Ames. William F.: Numerical MeThods for ParTial Differel1fial
EquaTions, Barnes and Noble Inc .. New York City (1969) 165-86.
10. Watters. Gary Z.: Modern Analysis and Col1frol of UnsTeady Flow
in Pipelines. Ann Arbor Sciences Publishers Inc., Ann Arbor, MI
(1979) 47-82.
II. "API Recommended Practice for Design Calculations for Sucker
Rod Pumping Systems (Conventional Units)" API RP II L.
Dallas, Feb. 1977.

SI Metric Conversion Factors

API
cp
ft
in.
lbf
* Conversion

x
x
x

141.5/(l31.5+ o API)
1.0*
E-03
3.048*
E-Ol
2.54*
E+OO
4.448 222
E+OO

factor is exact.

g/cm 3

Pa 's
m

cm
N

SPEJ

Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers office July 18,1981

Paper accepted for publication May 11. 1982. Revised manuscript received Sept. 15.
1982. Paper (SPE 10249) first presented at the 1981 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in San Antonio Oct. 5-7.

41