Oil & Gas Glossary 1.0

A surface unit similar to a pumping unit but having no individual power plant. Usually, several pump jacks are operated by pull rods or cables from one central power source. Commonly, but erroneously, beam pumping units are called pump jacks. Compare beam pumping unit.

A heavy-duty steel, T-shaped pipe fitting that is screwed or flanged to the top of a pumping well. The polished rod works through a stuffing box on top of the tee and in the run of the tee to operate a sucker rod pump in the well. Pumped fluid is discharged through the side opening of the tee.

A special steel pumping rod. Several rods screwed together make up the mechanical link from the beam pumping unit on the surface to the sucker rod pump at the bottom of a well. Sucker rods are threaded on each end and manufactured to dimension standards and metal specifications set by the petroleum industry. Lengths are 25 or 30 feet (7.6 or 9.1 meters); diameter varies from 1/2 to 1-1/8 inches (12 to 30 millimeters). There is also a continuous sucker rod (tradename: Corod).

A machine designed specifically for sucker rod pumping. An engine or motor (prime mover) is mounted on the unit to power a rotating crank. The crank moves a horizontal member (walking beam) up and down to produce reciprocating motion. This reciprocating motion operates the pump. Compare pump jack

To start a well flowing or pumping.

The pumping of a substance such as oil into an interval in the well.

2. any pumping procedure in which fluid is pumped into the well against pressure.

A well using a pumping unit and rods to lift fluid.

1. forcing gas back into a formation by pumping into the annulus from the surface.

A ram device used to close the annular space around the polished rod or sucker rod in a pumping well.

A bearing between the walking beam and the sampson post of a pumping unit.

Any little pump; used for many kinds of small temporary pumping operations.

A clamp used to hold the rod string in pumping position when the well is in the final stages of being put back on the pump.

A device used to suspend a rod string after the pump has been spaced or when the weight of the rod string must be taken off the pumping equipment.

To have too long a length of rods between the pumping unit and the pump seat so that the pump hits bottom on the down stroke.

The walking beam of a pumping unit.

Sucker rods that have been broken and separated in a pumping well because of corrosion, improper loading, damaged rods, and so forth.

In sucker rod pumping, the difference between the polished rod peak load on the upstroke and the minimum load on the downstroke.

The process of pumping mud downward to the bit and back up tot he surface in a drilling or workover operation. See normal circulation, reverse circulation.

1. a condition sometimes encountered in a pumping well when dissolved gas, released from solution during the upstroke of the plunger, appears as free gas between the valves. If the gas pressure is sufficient, the standing valve is locked shut, and no fluid enter the tubing.

To install a pump or pumping unit, sucker rods, and bottom-hole pump.

The topmost portion of a string of sucker rods. It is used for lifting fluid by the rod-pumping method. It has a uniform diameter and is smoothly polished to seal pressure effectively in the stuffing box attached to the top of the well.

A method of squeeze cementing in which cement is pumped in and the pumps are stopped for a few minutes. Pumping is started and stopped until the desired pressure is obtained.

A method of determining the amount of pressure that is allowed to appear on the casing pressure gauge as a kick is circulated out of a well. In general, it is determined by slowly pumping mud into the well while it is shut in and observing the pressure at which the formation begins to take mud.

A well is considered "stabilized" when, in the case of a flowing well, the rate of production through a given size of choke remains constant, or, in the case of pumping well, when the fluid column within the well remains constant in height.

A sucker rod string, that is, the entire length of sucker rods, which usually consist of several single rods screwed together. The rod string serves as a mechanical link from the beam pumping unit on the surface to the sucker rod pump near the bottom of the well.

One of the two valves in a sucker rod pumping system. It moves with the movement of the sucker rod string. On the upstroke, the ball member of the valve is seated, supporting the fluid load. On the downstroke, the ball is unseated, allowing fluid to enter into the production column. Compare standing valve.

A process used to repair a hole in the casing by pumping cement down tubing or drill pipe. First, the casinghead, or bradenhead, is closed to prevent fluids from moving up the casing. Then the rig's pumps are started. Pump pressure moves the cement out of the tubing or pipe and, since the top of the casing is closed, the cement goes into the hole in the casing. The tubing or pipe is pulled from the well and the cement allowed to harden. The hardened cement seals the hole in the casing. Although the term "bradenhead squeezing" is still used, the term "bradenhead" is obsolete. See annular space, casinghead, squeeze.