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U.S. Department of Energy
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Hydro-Balanced Stuffing Box field test

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/753855· OSTI ID:753855
 [1]
  1. Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center (RMOTC)

The Hydro-Balanced Stuffing Box is a seal assembly for polished rod pumping installations commonly used in oil and gas pumping well installations to contain produced well fluids. The improved stuffing box was developed and patented by Harold H. Palmour of The Palmour Group of Livingston, TX. The stuffing box is designed to reduce the incidence of seal leakage and to utilize an environmentally safe fluid, so that if there is any leakage, environmental damage is reduced or eliminated. The unit was tested on two wells at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center. During the test period, the performance of the stuffing box was measured by monitoring the pressure on the tubing and the inner chamber with a Barton Two-pen recorder. The amount of safe fluid consumed, fluid leakage at the top of the stuffing box, pressure supplied from the nitrogen bottle, ambient temperature, and polish rod temperature was recorded. The stuffing box is capable of providing a better seal between well fluids an d the environment than conventional stuffing boxes. It allows the polished rod to operate cooler and with lubrication, extending the life of the packing elements, and reducing the amount of attention required to prevent leakage.

Research Organization:
Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center, Casper, WY (US) (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves/ERIP (US) (US)
OSTI ID:
753855
Report Number(s):
DOE/RMOTC/05.98001
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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