A manufacturing project supported by the Australian Composites Manufacturing CRC (ACM CRC) is bringing together Oilfield Piping Systems (OPS) and The University of Queensland (UQ) to develop more durable composite sucker rod guides designed for high-temperature oil and gas applications.
According to ACM CRC, the project aims to engineer, develop and commercialise a new composite material and design for rotary and reciprocating sucker rod guides (SRGs), with the goal of delivering a high-temperature composite wear guide suitable for increasingly demanding well conditions.
Sucker rods are used in artificial lift systems, where sucker rod guides help minimise metal-to-metal contact between rods and tubing. However, ACM CRC said existing guides can struggle to prevent early production tubing failure, particularly in high-temperature environments.
OPS Operations Manager and Industry Partner Project Supervisor Tony Chapman said the project builds on the company’s collaboration with UQ to expand its product offering.
“We plan to leverage our unconventional proprietary and patented composite over-moulding method, built in collaboration with UQ, to identify a new SRG design, and expand our wear guide portfolio to include SRGs suitable for high-temperature applications,” Chapman said.
“The high temperature guide will be a critical addition to our portfolio, both with respect to addressing our local market needs, as well as those overseas through new export opportunities.”
ACM CRC said the project is also focused on improving manufacturing efficiency by developing thermoplastic matrix composite wear materials compatible with a novel injection overmoulding process. The materials are intended to withstand harsher operating conditions associated with deeper and more complex geological formations while supporting large-scale production.
UQ Co-Deputy Director for the Centre for Advanced Materials Processing and Manufacturing (AMPAM) and Research Partner Project Lead Dr Luigi Vandi said the materials would be designed to suit automated manufacturing.
“The material will be specifically designed to be suitable for mass production of composites via the novel injection overmoulding process, and the compounds will have optimised flow and solidification characteristics, to improve part compatibility and cycle time in the hybrid injection overmoulding process,” Vandi said.
Chapman said the manufacturing improvements could have broader applications across the company’s operations.
“What this basically means is that the process can be automated and improved, making it suitable for true mass production,” he said.
“It’s anticipated that this process will reduce labour input and cycle time by at least 50%. As such, we’ll be looking to implement these improvements within other OPS guide manufacturing operations, thus amplifying potential benefits.”
According to ACM CRC, the enhanced guides and manufacturing processes are expected to strengthen OPS’s competitiveness in domestic and international markets while supporting industries requiring durable infrastructure for high-temperature well servicing and drilling.
ACM CRC chief executive officer Luke Preston said the project addresses the performance requirements of critical oil and gas components.
“The small SRG plays a very big role in oil and gas industries, which is why we can’t afford reduced asset efficiency when it comes to SRGs in high temperature settings,” Preston said.
“Essentially, what’s being developed through this industry-led collaborative project is a new value proposition to end-users here and overseas, offering improved wear performance at higher operation temperature. This will translate to lower operational costs and reduced rates of failure.”
