Chances are that if you oversee beam pumps you have pump off controllers (POCs) deployed as well. These POCs have been particularly popular because of their ability to display pump cards on-screen in real-time. Pump cards serve a valuable purpose in helping pumpers control well startup and pump off, protecting against excessive wear and tear from fluid pound, gas pound and other adverse downhole conditions.

Chances are also good that you have done all you can to set proper limits on the POC for each well. To get even more leverage out of your POC, add an IronHorse variable speed drive (VSD).

Here are four ways the IronHorse VSD helps you get more from your POC.

1. Lower electrical usage. The IronHorse pulls less power from the grid and uses it all. This typically reduces electrical usage by 25-40%. In addition, power factor is lower, improving cost efficiency.
2. Reduced maintenance. The IronHorse VSD adjusts pump speed to match reservoir inflow. When inflow is high, there is greater production. When inflow is low, the pump slows to the point where it can often continue to pump rather than pump off. You decide if you would rather pump for shorter periods at higher flows or longer periods at lower flows. The IronHorse responds rapidly to changing conditions in order to avoid damage to pumping equipment. This fine control extends equipment life. One less workover saves thousands of dollars in maintenance cost and increase production by as 1-2%.
3. Failover protection. The IronHorse has an optional built-in sensorless POC. If for any reason your POC fails, you can changeover to the IronHorse with the flip of a switch. Wait until the maintenance team arrives to shut down operations, or continue to use the IronHorse SPOC indefinitely. The SPOC comes with default settings that are sufficient for most situations. These can be adjusted through the easy-to-use ‘Wise Guy’ user interface.
4. Pump card display. You can continue to view pump cards directly in the POC user interface. You can configure the IronHorse to act as slave, master or dual master. In all cases, the pump cards will always be available.

To learn more about how to leverage your POC and other beam pump related equipment, check out our new paper “Drive Down Lifting Costs Through Integration”.