System and method for evaluating reciprocating downhole pump data using polar coordinate analytics

A method for automatically evaluating data from a reciprocating pump driven by a surface-based beam pumping unit that includes a computerized processing unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• accessing a library of ideal and reference data sets with the processing unit, wherein each of the ideal and reference data sets corresponds to polar coordinate data for a known condition for the reciprocating pump;
• acquiring downhole position and load data;
• providing the position and load data to the processing unit;
• normalizing the position and load data with the processing unit;
• converting the normalized position and load data to a calculated polar coordinate data set with the processing unit;
• comparing the calculated polar coordinate data set against the library of ideal and reference data sets with the processing unit;
• identifying within the processing unit one or more ideal or reference data sets that match one or more portions of the calculated polar data set;
• outputting from the processing unit one or more statements regarding the probability of the presence of one or more of the known conditions within the calculated polar data set;
• calculating a key control parameter for the operation of the surface-based beam pumping unit based on the one or more statements regarding the probability of the presence of one or more known conditions within the calculated polar data set;
• and
• automatically adjusting operation of the surface-based beam pumping unit using the calculated key control parameter.

A method for determining a downhole condition of a reciprocating pump in a well that is driven by a surface-based beam pumping unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• acquiring downhole position and load data for the reciprocating pump;
• providing the position and load data to a processing unit;
• normalizing the position and load data;
• converting the normalized position and load data to a calculated polar coordinate data set;
• evaluating the calculated polar coordinate data set to determine the downhole condition of the reciprocating pump;
• and
• automatically adjusting the performance of the reciprocating pump by adjusting operation of the beam pumping unit with control signals automatically output from the processing unit that are based on the downhole condition of the reciprocating pump.