Horizontal Valve System: Enhancing Sucker Rod Pump Performance and Reducing Failure Rates in High-Angle Wellbores

Abstract This study presents a performance evaluation of the Horizontal Valve System (HVS) to enhance downhole flow dynamics by generating vortex flow and applying an effective seal from 60° to 90° inclination. Laboratory experimentation under simulated downhole conditions was compared with HVS rod-pumping field applications in the horizontal and build sections. An acrylic transparent flow run, filled with water, simulated downhole conditions at three flow rates in horizontal and inclined positions. Media, such as air, nanobubbles, frac-sand and guar, were added to mimic downhole fluid. Pressure measurements were recorded, with and without the HVS, at steady state and with reciprocation, to measure sealing efficiency. Flow and pressure values were captured during each test run, and qualitative observations were recorded at visual fields. A review of HVS installations across North America targeted a study set in the Bakken. Field data over 5 years was compared to laboratory results. Laboratory experiments and field deployments consistently demonstrate the HVS's effectiveness, particularly in high-angle wellbores. Controlled laboratory testing revealed reduced pressure fluctuations and the presence of organized vortex structures under simulated downhole conditions. Slow-motion recordings of fluid flow in the laboratory setting illustrated a 2-dimensional sinusoidal waveform, further validated by reciprocation tests that measured pressure signatures before and after the HVS—evidence of structured vortex flow. A hydrodynamic effect of the barbell firmly seated in the vortex insert was observed at the end of the reciprocation cycle. These hydrodynamic effects correlate with field observations, demonstrating that the HVS maintained stable operation at inclinations between 55° and 70°. Field data from 14 wells lowered on average 722 ft deeper into the wellbore to an inclination of 70° sho wed a 143.5% increase in total fluid production. The results challenge the conventional use of ball-and-seat valve systems, highlighting the HVS as a promising alternative for reciprocating pump applications. It underscores the HVS's capability to optimize sealing, enhance flow in deviated wellbores, and suggest a potential reduction in pump failure frequency after HVS installation in high-angle environments. The study opens new avenues for leveraging hydrodynamic sealing mechanisms to enhance reliability and performance.