When it’s time to repair or rebuild a piece of downhole equipment, one of the main questions an operator needs to answer is whether to use parts made by the original manufacturer or aftermarket parts made by a third-party supplier. Both options have certain advantages. The right choice depends on an operator’s business and production goals.
This article will outline five important factors to consider when evaluating replacement parts. Specifically, we’ll look at:
- Quality and steel grade
- Short- and long-term costs
- Compatibility and fit
- Availability and customer service
- Lifespan and component integrity
Quality and Steel Grade in Original Manufacturer Parts vs. Aftermarket
Perhaps the most significant difference between original manufacturer and aftermarket parts is the assurance of quality. That’s not to say aftermarket parts will necessarily be poor quality. Rather, there’s no guarantee of quality with an aftermarket component.
In contrast, the original manufacturer can control the quality of every component and replacement part. The manufacturer has oversight into not just the workmanship employed in manufacturing a part but also the materials used to create it.
Combining a product made from high-grade U.S. steel with an aftermarket replacement part of questionable origin increases the risk of system failure. Without the assurance of quality from the original manufacturer, aftermarket replacement parts may not have the correct metallurgy to provide yield and tensile strength, toughness, durability, corrosion resistance, and adequate tolerances. For example, certain dissimilar metals will cause electrolysis where one metal begins to lose its mass due to corrosion, thereby weakening it. And it’s not necessarily the inferior part that loses material. That process can affect the higher-grade steel as well.
These issues could be especially dangerous when dealing with a tubing anchor catcher (TAC). The main purpose of the TAC is to keep the tubing string in constant high-load tension – upwards of 40,000 lbs. All the components of the anchor – the slips, the body, and the internal parts – need to resist the cyclic loading of the tubing as the rod pump reduces the hydrostatic load on the anchor on the upstroke and then transfers that load back to the anchor on the downstroke. That’s over 11,500 cycles in one day at 8 strokes per minute (spm).
When a piece of equipment is at 7,000 to 14,000 feet under constant high stress, every component must be top-notch.
Short- and Long-term Costs
Another important factor in evaluating original manufacturer versus aftermarket parts is cost. While there are some exceptions, in general, aftermarket parts are less expensive than those made by the original manufacturer. If short-term cost containment is a company’s top priority, aftermarket parts may be a good option.
However, the lower price may also increase certain risks. If the low price comes at the expense of quality, it could lead to a product failure. And that failure will cost far more than the initial savings on aftermarket parts. For example, saving a few hundred dollars on lower-quality aftermarket parts certainly doesn’t offset the increased risk of a costly downhole fishing job. In such a scenario, a workover rig will likely cost more than $10,000 per day.
In some ways, evaluating the cost difference between original manufacturer and aftermarket parts hearkens back to an old TV commercial for FRAM oil filters. In it, an auto mechanic and an engine repair specialist talk about using high-quality parts to maintain engine performance versus paying for an expensive engine rebuild later. The commercial aptly ends with the line, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later.” When it comes to auto engines or downhole equipment, paying now for high-quality parts is always a better investment than paying later for expensive repairs and lost productivity.
Compatibility and Fit
Not all parts are created equal, even if they’re made from the same materials using similar machining processes. Different companies make parts in slightly different ways. Using aftermarket replacement parts creates a risk that connections and threads won’t match. They could also compromise the effective operation of a tool. If the thread pitch is not exactly matching, for example, issues with the galling, make up, and tensile strength of a connection could arise.
Once again using the example of a TAC, compatibility goes beyond the quality of the components. The different parts of the anchor must be timed so that various mechanical elements meet in a specific way. For instance, with the Slimline® TAC, the body nut includes a steel nipple pointing down. The upper cone features a similar nipple pointing up. Those two nipples must contact at precisely the right place to ensure effective operation of the anchor. If one of those parts reaches the end of its threads before those nipples contact, the anchor could bind together and compromise the setting process. Using genuine TechTAC® parts in every anchor ensures the necessary level of interchangeability.
As one manager at an oilfield supply company in Texas commented, “We used to buy tubing anchors from a variety of manufacturers, but we often encountered problems, like oversized components, with other companies. Today we buy exclusively from TechTAC….”
Availability and Customer Service
In general, aftermarket parts for downhole equipment are more widely available than original manufacturer parts. Original manufacturer parts are typically available through a single company, while aftermarket parts can be produced by many suppliers. However, an abundant supply of a given part isn’t the only factor in determining availability. Delivery timelines can also have a significant impact. A widely available aftermarket part may be locked into a slow fulfillment process if the part is not a core competency of the aftermarket manufacturer.
Another factor in the availability of repair parts is whether an operator knows where to turn if there’s an issue. Consider this example:
Several years ago, as the TechTAC® Slimline® anchor was becoming a standard in the downhole completion designs of many operators, some engineers were starting to ask for the product by name. One enterprising manufacturer wanted to capture those requests by creating a Slimline® copycat anchor. However, the copycat used inferior components, except for one piece, which they purchased directly from TechTAC®. It was sort of like buying a Toyota truck but putting a Chevy tailgate on the back.
The copycat anchor struggled to perform under pressure. When the operators removed the broken anchors and saw the TechTAC® name, they assumed it was a TechTAC® product. Only after shipping the anchors to TechTAC® headquarters did the team discover that most of the parts came from another manufacturer.
The whole process cost the operator several days of production. Delays that could have been avoided through the use of genuine TechTAC® parts.
Lifespan and Component Integrity
The lifespan of downhole equipment parts is largely determined by the overall quality of the production process and the integrity of the resulting components. The higher the quality of the part, the longer an operator can stay productive after a replacement or rebuild.
With TechTAC® tubing anchors, using genuine TechTAC® parts is the best way ensure the quality and integrity of replacement components. The most reliable parts will leverage the same high-grade U.S. steel, the exact matching thread specifications, and proper sizing. In turn, the lifespan of those parts is maximized, even when under enormous pressure.
The Value of Original Manufacturer Parts
Replacing worn or damaged parts can be an excellent way to extend the life of downhole equipment. When choosing where to purchase those parts, buying from the original manufacturer offers many advantages. While genuine manufacturer parts may carry a slightly higher price tag, they tend to be higher quality, more compatible, and longer lasting.
TechTAC® offers replacement parts for all its tubing anchor catchers, including both the Slimeline® TAC and standard B2 TACs. Those parts are manufactured in the United States, using the same high-grade steel and precision machining processes as the original products. That commitment gives operators and service providers confidence in the quality, compatibility, and lifespan of every part they purchase.
