Sometimes benefits are a little tough to visualize. If you’re in the market for a new truck, it’s one thing to read about a vehicle with a 40,000-pound towing capacity. It’s something quite different to see that truck hauling 20 tons of rock and steel up a grade on the way to a jobsite. More often than not, seeing is believing.
A Flow-by Area Comparison
In the case of the Slimline® Tubing Anchor Catcher (TAC), documenting the increased annular area around the TAC, when compared to a Baker B2-style (standard) anchor, isn’t as compelling as seeing it in action. The Slimline® offers an increased flow-by capacity of up to 245%. That distinction can best be seen in a side-by-side comparison:
Both photos feature a 5.5” TAC within 17 ppf casing. The Slimline® on the left shows a much wider annular area. That increased flow-by area is what allows the Slimline® to reduce the occurrence of gas locking in sucker rod pump systems, as well as limit the number of stuck anchors. Gas can more easily flow up and around the Slimline®, while sand and sediment can fall past the anchor without cementing it in place.
One engineer with a large production company operating in the Southern United States described it this way: “Sand was a frequent problem in many of our wells. It would fall on top of a standard TAC and cement the anchor in place. After switching to the Slimline, that problem all but disappeared.”
A Closer Look
These next photos make the difference clearer with the addition of a tape measure. The 5.5” Slimline® offers a flow-by OD of 3.75 inches, compared to 4.50 inches with the standard TAC. In addition to minimizing downhole problems with gas and sand, that increased flow-by capacity minimizes the pressure drops and turbulent flow that precipitate out scale, iron sulfide, and paraffin.
Through almost 20 years of experience, we’ve found very few instances where a Slimline® TAC couldn’t benefit most downhole production strings. However, we offer a range of downhole tubing anchor solutions to be compatible with your downhole assembly, including standard (Baker B2 style) and quarter-turn anchors, as well as the patented Slimline® and Slimline® QuickSet™. For more information about any of these solutions, contact the TechTAC® team today.
