Give It A Lift

Because oil, natural gas and saltwater are under extreme pressure below the surface, these fluids sometimes flow up a well without assistance, much like a soft drink that has been shaken and then opened. This is called primary recovery. When the initial pressure is depleted from production, only a portion of the oil and natural gas has been produced. This does not, however, mean the end of the well's life.

Artificial lifting systems, or pumping units, are used to help pull the oil out of the reservoir rock and pump it up the well. A downhole pump in the well is connected to the pumping unit by steel rods that are screwed together. The pump is activated from the up and down movement of the pumping unit on the surface. As the pump plunges down, fluid from the rock formation flows into the pump chamber. On the upstroke, the fluid in the chamber is forced up the tubing to the surface.

These lifting systems are examples of how potential energy turns into kinetic energy.

For full instructions, download the lesson below.