The valve incorporates three straightforward components working in harmony to harness the natural pressure within your pump's downstroke and transform it into a force that physically opens the traveling valve. The first of these components is a hydraulic amplifier, capable of multiplying the force applied to open the traveling valve ball by a factor of six. This amplified force is then directed to a lever, which, in turn, engages an inclined plane that makes rolling contact with the ball, facilitating its opening. With force amplification ranging from 50:1 to 100:1, depending on the model and size of the valve, even minor forces within the pump, observed at the initial stages of the downstroke, are effectively converted into substantial forces to open the traveling valve. This remarkable process is consistent, even in the presence of gas within the pump, as hydraulic amplifiers operate uniformly in any fluid, regardless of whether it's a liquid or gas.
We've received reports of pump service extending up to 7 years without the need for a pump pull, which represents a world record, although longevity depends on well conditions. Our consistent goal is to increase the time between pump pulls. By enabling the ball to open and close with each stroke, we reduce dynamic forces, leading to extended pump service life. The valve's operation during the downstroke allows the produced fluid to lubricate below the plunger effectively, even with the fluid level at the seating nipple, creating a true pumped-off condition. High-stress conditions typically accelerate corrosion, but with the DARTT Valve in place, stresses on pump components are significantly reduced. This results in longer pump, sucker rod, and tubing lifespans, ultimately increasing the time between pump pulls.
The DARTT Valve enables the pump to efficiently handle 100% gas. However, to conserve electrical costs, most wells are operated on a time clock once the liquid level has descended to the seating nipple.
By precisely timing the opening and closing of the traveling valve, the downhole effective stroke length at the pump is maximized. With this consistent operation, downhole efficiencies can reach nearly 100%, maintaining optimal performance until the liquid level descends to the seating nipple.
The DARTT Valve effectively eliminates gas lock issues in the actuated ball. Gas lock problems can arise in various pump configurations, including sliding sleeves and two-stage pump balls. Our recommendation is to use a single traveling valve cage with a DARTT Valve attached, ensuring that the pump consistently meets performance expectations.
The DARTT Valve actuator's natural operation, lifting the traveling ball from its seat with an inclined plane, induces vertical spinning in the ball. This vertical rotation is instrumental in maintaining heavier elements like sand in suspension. What sets the DARTT Valve apart is its continuous flow action on every stroke, preventing sand from embedding in the sealing surface between the ball and seat. The DARTT Valve actuator's consistent action on each stroke effectively prevents pump plugging due to sand, making it a remarkable solution for ensuring smooth operations.
A common industry practice involves "killing" a well by filling it with salt water for maintenance. However, to maximize gas production, it's more logical to remove all salt water and expose the formation to an empty well. In gas wells, high water levels are often present, and any water above the seating nipple reduces gas production. Even a modest reduction of ten feet in water level can significantly boost gas output. The need for high water levels is due to fluid pound issues when attempting to pump water to lower levels, primarily because of the gas content in the water. Incorporating a DARTT Valve into the pump eliminates fluid pound problems, allowing operators to pump water down to the seating nipple. In all cases reviewed after DARTT Valve installation, relieving pressure on the formation has consistently led to substantial increases in gas production. Additionally, this system can be power-efficient through time-clock settings without the risk of gas lock when the pump restarts.
Operators often aim to minimize flash-gas and fluid pound by maintaining a fluid level within the well, typically in the range of 300-500 feet. This level is often determined by the pump-off controller, which halts well operations when fluid-pound vibration is detected. The challenge is that shutting down the well doesn't fully address pump-off, and the residual high fluid level in the well exerts hydrostatic pressure on the formation, hindering fluid delivery. Introducing the DARTT Valve into the pump eliminates fluid pound and its tight-valving design efficiently draws all well fluid into the pump. This allows for pumping right down to the seating nipple, becoming the standard operation with the DARTT Valve. In most cases, this alleviates pressure on the formation, leading to increased fluid production.
