What is Tapping (or Tagging) Bottom?

A common practice among operators attempting to combat the adverse affects of gas interference.

The pump is spaced such that at the bottom of the stroke actual contact is made between the plunger and the bottom of the pump. Standing and/or traveling valves balls may be jarred off their seats. Know as “just a light tap”, it’s safe to bet that at it’s source, more than one or two miles (often more) below the surface of the ground, the actual impact is far from subtle.

Terms describing the effects that bottom-tagging has on the rod strings are “Rod-buckling’, “corkscrewing of rods” and “stacking out of rods”.

With the Gas Bailer (Anti Gas Lock) Valve – Tagging or Tapping bottom is a thing of the past.

Negative Effects of Tapping Bottom

Spacing the pump such that at the bottom of the stroke contact is made between the plunger and the bottom of the pump in a effort to jar the valve balls from their seat.

  • Damage to pump components
  • A light tap a surface? One can be sure that one or two mile below surface the actual impact is far from subtle
  • Damage to the rod string such as buckling, corkscrewing or stacking the rod string
  • Rod cut damage to the tubing as a result of the above

 

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