1,500 PC 60 and 390 PC 80 balancer-free chain drives have been manufactured at the Bugulma Mechanical Plant (BMZ) of OAO TATNEFT by now.

 

Balancer-free chain drives manufactured by BMZ have been developed together with experts of TatNIPIneft and are designed to drive downhole sucker rod pumps during the process of crude oil production.

 

Being a manufacturer of PC 80 chain drives, BMZ was a winner of the contest “100 best goods of Russia” in 2009. Currently there are 7 different chain drive modifications for sucker-rod pumps. Technical documentation for chain drive prototypes designed to operate under conditions of Far North or in hot climate areas has also been developed at BMZ.

 

Chain drives (PC 60 and PC 80) have been used by OAO TATNEFT for 12 years already.

 

The advantages of PC 60-18-3-0.5/2.5 (stroke length of 3 m) in comparison with a beam analogue include significant reduction of hydrodynamic drag force in the underground part of downhole sucker rod pump installations; the possibility of operating low-productivity wells in a continuous mode; reduction of specific energy consumption, dynamic loads, number of well servicing operations, the need for which is caused by emulsification, number of rods parting and breaking, as well as increase of downhole equipment lifetime.

 

The advantages of PC 80-6-1/4 (stroke length of 6 m) include the possibility of operating high production wells with application of sucker rod pumps, including wells producing extra-viscous oil and complicated with salt and asphaltene/resin/paraffin deposits; the ability of operating wells with additional production casing strings and small diameter wells without productivity loss. Application of PC 80 reduces dynamic loads, specific energy consumption for products lifting by 50 percent and more in comparison with ESPs; increases the lifetime of downhole equipment when operating high-rate wells with utilization of sucker rod pumps.

 

In contrast to the ESPs, chain drives provide for the possibility of adjusting well operation mode within drive’s technical specifications without any loss of efficiency and mobilization of workover crew in order to replace the pump with that of another unit size.