Stuck Pumps in 4" Wells

Users who are viewing this thread

Bob NH

In the Trades
Messages
3,310
Reaction score
9
Points
0
Location
New Hampshire
This is an opportunity to try my engineering and ordnance experience. It is NOT based on any experience with trying to pull a stuck pump. Some of this you may consider humorous.

1. Pump some hydrochloric and/or sulfuric acid down into the vicinity of the pump to dissolve some rock or rust to loosen it up.
2. If it has a steel drop pipe or cable to pull on, you could hook up a puller with a hydraulic jack that would jack against the casing. You could easily apply as much force as the pump will stand. I can give you a puller design if you need it.
3. If not a steel pipe or cable, rig something to get the plastic out of the way and screw a rod with a special fitting into the pipe fitting on the top of the pump. A special pipe fitting could be made with extra taper to make it easier to engage the threads. Then pull as per above.
4. If a steel pipe is available, can you altenately pound and pull on it to kind of work it back and forth.
5. If there is space below the aquifer, can you break off the pipe and just abandon it down the hole by pounding it below the aquifer?
6. Seal off the casing around the down pipe and put an explosive mixture of propane and oxygen down the down pipe to create a bubble below the pump. Using a wire that you have fished down the pipe before you pump down the propane, apply enough current to ignite the mixture. ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE DONE BY REMOTE CONTROL, AND NOT NEAR A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
 

Rshackleford

Member
Messages
283
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Eastern Montana (The Bakken)
Website
www.agriindustries.com
Interesting. We have found the most successful to be the acid treatment and the push down then pull up method.

The explosive thing is interesting too. I have heard of firing a shotgun down a well for other reasons.

I have though also about acid then blowing the well with an air compressor. This might loosen what is making us stuck and flush it.

There are a lot of 4†wells in our area and they are a pain in the ass. With an eight of an inch on either side its easy to get stuck. Any ideas or tips are appreciated.
 

Speedbump

Active Member
Messages
4,511
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Location
Riverview, Fl.
Sulphur is the biggest culprit with iron coming in second for sticking pumps. The old Sta-Rite with the mild steel pump jacket was the worse offender.

I have unscrewed 1-1/4" drop pipe down the hole, went back in with taper tap and jars and beat on a pump for over an hour after turning the drop pipe with a 24" wrench and a 5' 2" galvanized cheater until all the joints were butted and still couldn't spin the pump. Then after beating on it for an hour of more and making zero headway, my taper tap unscrewed and I was happy to get my tools back. That pump is still in the well today. There were others about the same, but I remember this one because it was in a building, which made it worse.

I haven't tried the acid because of the danger and liability. I just don't think taking those chances are worth the danger involved.

bob...
 

Bob NH

In the Trades
Messages
3,310
Reaction score
9
Points
0
Location
New Hampshire
Vibration Might Help

When I was designing equipment, the most difficult thing to design to survive was severe vibration. I think if you could get some serious vibration coupled into the pump you would wear away the interference and be able to pull it up.

Sound waves travel very well in water. Sonar can be heard for hundreds of miles. It might be possible to get a large enough transducer to lower into the well to set up a good axial vibration of the pump. Most of the smaller ones work at pretty high frequencies and you would need a power supply to match the sound transducer.

Electrodynamic/magnetic vibrators operate at lower frequencies, up to about 2000 Hz. I don't know how much power you can get out of something small enough to go in a 4" well along side the pulling gear. If you have a steel pipe to the pump you could run vibration down the pipe, but I suspect that the pipe would fail before the pump came free.

If you could fill the well with water to the top it might be possible to put the vibrator at the top of the well and drive the vibration down through the water column. It should not matter that there is water leaking around the transducer at the top so you could pump water into the casing to keep it full.

It might be possible to set up a pressure vibration with a big high speed positive displacement pump. I don't think the typical pressure washers put out enough flow to be effective. You would get rid of any pulsation dampers on the pump for this application. Pulsation is what you want.

I will continue to look for examples of equipment that might work.

Be careful when you search the internet. When I did a Google search for "electrodynamic vibrators" I got eight paid ads at the right side for personal appliances.
 

Spaceman Spiff

Architect
Messages
274
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
What about a demolition hammer or 60# jack hammer to do the vibrating?

My well driller after he did my well he went to another well and used his cable drilling rig to pound the pump into the dirt. After about 15 min he had pulverized the pump in the bottom, shoved it to the sides and was well on his way to getting a deeper well. Probably cost more to set up the rig than it is worth to simply pulverize a pump...
 
Last edited:

Speedbump

Active Member
Messages
4,511
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Location
Riverview, Fl.
I don't know why he didn't just pull the pump. If he could beat it down, he could beat it up just as easy.

It always bugs me when I hear of a driller knocking a pump to the bottom when he could have pulled it out with just a little more effort.

bob...
 

Speedbump

Active Member
Messages
4,511
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Location
Riverview, Fl.
I had a friend make a pair years ago. They worked all rite. But the store bought variety has hardened steel and it doesn't bend so easily and can take more punishment.

I own my jars. If your doing well repair it is a tool you can't live without.

bob...
 

Speedbump

Active Member
Messages
4,511
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Location
Riverview, Fl.
Yup, pretty much. Nothing more than an up and down motion. It is better to hit both ways, top and bottom to get something moving.

There is no spring. The 2" jars are used with 1" drill rod to go down the hole to the desired fish, screw the taper tap in tightly and go to beating it up/down until it comes loose.

bob...
 

Speedbump

Active Member
Messages
4,511
Reaction score
12
Points
38
Location
Riverview, Fl.
I've heard of down the hole hammers, but jars are used at the bottom not the top.

An air compressor could do a lot of good in wells for different things. But it wouldn't help in the instance of the Sta-Rite stuck in the casing.

bob...
 

Tilliam

New Member
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Arkansas
Guys I got a stuck pump in a 4 “ casing has anyone ever used explosives to blow a pump down the casing I mean this pump is stuck I be built a drop hammer that is about 100lbs the wire and rope is in the casing with the pump the wire is soften the drop hammer any ideals?????
 

Valveman

Cary Austin
Staff member
Messages
14,583
Reaction score
1,296
Points
113
Location
Lubbock, Texas
Website
cyclestopvalves.com
I use a spear with hooks to spin the wire and rope up and pull it out of the way. I am guessing steel casing? If so a little acid might clear enough rust to dislodge the pump. But be careful, acid can be dangerous and cause dangerous fumes. If the pipe is still connected, push down and turn to the right. If not you may have to just hammer the old pump to the bottom and set a new pump above it. I know of a lot of wells with an extra pump or 5 at the bottom of the well. :)
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks