Implementation of a Digital Sucker Rod Pumping Unit for Research and Educational Purposes

Sucker rod pumps are one of the most popular solutions for artificial lift since its inception in the 19th century and its design has not changed much since then. In the present, companies are deploying digital technology in the field and, there has been a big push for a networked oilfield in recent years. This means technology is now able to control machines in remote places, calculate its performance and control safety operating parameters. But these digital solutions are still not available in universities, where there is a technological and technical gap for students and researchers in some respects. The main objectives in this thesis is to first, highlight how to build a digital sucker rod pump in the lab, mimic different rod string motions in the well under a single unit, help students understand the digital and mechanical aspects of this sucker rod pump, and to create a research platform with the generated data for analysis. The approach is to build a digital sucker rod pump and have a system like the ones in the field. The software selected for the system is LabVIEW that will control all the necessary equipment. Also, data output from the sensors could be used in the same software to make dynamometer calculations and graph the data without the need to export to other programs. In the last year, a lot of work has been put in selecting the right equipment, solving build issues and somewhat testing different hardware. But now there is a clear path on how to make this machine work properly by choosing solutions like LabVIEW, servomotors, digital control units, and sensors in a single system. This system can build personalized dynocards graphs, intake live data and can export the data to other programs live Excel, MATLAB, R, etc.… As a result, this digital machine will help researchers create dynocards corresponding to different pumping units, create a new platform to test gas lock or friction in deviated wells, use the data the machine produces for educational purposes and have a digital platform that can be automated and controlled like modern sucker rod pumps in the field