RoleofMicrostructureinSuckerRodStringFailuresinOilWellProductionSofianeBenhaddadandGlenLee(Submitted12December2000;inrevisedform20February2001)Sucker-rodpumpsareoperatinginveryaggressiveenvironmentsinoilwellproduction
Thecombinedeffectofacorrosiveenvironmentandsignificantmechanicalloadscontributetofrequentcasesoffailureoftherodstringduringoperation
Standardsandrecommendationshavebeendevelopedtocontrolandavoidthosefailures
Thisstudypresentsvariousfailurecasesofsuckerrodsindifferentapplications
Theheattreatmentofthesteelmaterialandtheresultingmicrostructureareanimportantfactorinthebehaviorofthesuckerrod
Aspheroidizedmicrostructurepresentsaweakerresistancetocorrosionaffectingtherodlife
Non-metallicinclusionsareapittingpreferentialsiteleadingtofatiguecrackinitiation
Heterogenousmicrostructurea