SUCKER RODS THE AMOCO WAY

Year Published: 1960s

Format: 16mm

Description: "Sucker Rods: The AMOCO Way" (1960s) is a color, Spanish-language informational film made by the AMOCO oil co. to demonstrate how the company services its wells using sucker rods. A sucker rod is a steel rod, typically between 25 and 30 feet in length, and threaded at both ends, used ito join together the surface and downhole components of a reciprocating piston pump installed in an oil well. The pumpjack is connected to the downhole pump at the bottom of the well by a series of interconnected sucker rods. This film features various scenes of the care and meticulous attention paid by AMOCO servicemen as they work on the oil rig. Opening credits (0:09). View from under pumpjack of carrier bar, horse-head as it lowers to the ground (0:34). Employees in hard hats stand at base of rig, inspect sucker rods as they are slowly drawn out of well (1:07). 1960s Chevy Flatbed delivers new replacement sucker rods, close-up special packaging to minimize damage during journey - rods between special wooden spacers, thread protectors on either end (1:37). Employee in hard hat stands on flatbed, prepares to carefully unload new rods by first removing chains used to secure rods during shipment (2:25). Crane carefully lifts sucker rods from flatbed (2:44). Workers lay wooden frames on ground where crane eventually lays rods (3:03). Employee uses lead, wire pliers to remove black bulk blades from rods (3:58). Service tools laid out on iron display area, serviceman selects riser - camera zooms in to show details, make sure riser is free from dirt and debris (4:16). Close-up of broken rod caught in faulty riser (4:47). Close-up hand in protective glove removes plastic thread protector caps, stores them in empty barrel (4:59). Removing rod protector: servicemen sit at either end of rods and chisel away at protector with screwdriver (5:38). Solvent sprayed on rod ends to ensure no debris, lubricant leftover (6:00). 1960s Chevy pickpup truck, pony rod tightened and adjusted to sucker rod as it lays on truck (6:19). Pony rod attached to drilling rig elevator, rod slowly lifted (7:07). Zinc tape removed from rod and it is lowered into pump, pony rod securely connected to pump (7:18). Team effort as three servicemen work together to clean threads of rod using wire brush and solvent, clear away debris, later add lubricant to pony rod (8:41). Rods are marked for tightness, where they should attach - hand wrenches used to tighten and secure rods (10:30). Men in AMOCO jumpsuits, hard hats, protective goggles watch as rod is lowered into pump, apply lubricant above pin of pony rod (11:07). Workers inspect and wipe the rods by hand, final check for imperfections (11:41). Marking rods with chalk or soft stone to denote proper distance that the joint is needed to turn, power tools affixed to rod (12:21). Workers repeat steps with precision, turning power tools, raising and lowering rod into pump (13:35). Preparations for switching to a larger rod: Changing the drilling rig elevator (15:25). Close-up of rod combiner used to connect two differently sized rods, silver of tube contrasts bright yellow of man’s shirt (15:36). Close-up applying combiner to pin in riser, lubricant placed, combiner screwed on by hand (15:53). Rod shears applied to combiner to tighten to proper offset (16:20). Final step in sucker rod installation: attaching the polished rod; close-up of polished rod combiner with letter PR stamped into it (16:57). Solvent sprayed on polished rod for final cleaning (17:32). POV from under the drilling rig elevator as it lifts polished rod up through rig, sun glare and blue skies (18:32). Serviceman repeatedly turns wrench to tighten rods, mouth clenched from exerting so much energy (18:59). View from under pumpjack of carrier bar, horse-head as it lowers to the ground, polished rod attached to carrier bar (19:40). AMOCO logo (20:13). The Amoco Corporation was founded by Standard Oil Company in 1889 around a refinery in Whiting, Indiana, and was officially known as the Standard Oil Company of Indiana until 1985. Amoco Corporation merged in 1998 into BP Amoco.

Complete Record: