JJ Tech is the provider of complete Jet Pump Artificial Lift Solutions. As a provider of one form of Artificial Lift, we have always strived to be the solution expert in Hydraulic Jet Pumping. JJ Tech was formed in 2002 with our own patented down-hole jet pump. Like any other jet pump provider, JJ Tech would provide and utilize a traditional tri-plex plunger pump as the driver of the down-hole pump. The traditional plunger pumps were the industry standard at the time and were most commonly used in intermittent duty applications. When running a jet pump the surface pump is required to run close to maximum output at higher pressure and volumes for 24/7 duty applications. The problems that arose from using the plunger pumps were the required maintenance in replacing seals/packing and environmental due to packing lubricating oil and leaking saltwater from the packing. Although JJ Tech was building good customer base with confidence of their down-hole pump at the time, we continued to struggle with displeased operators due to the surface pump maintenance.
In 2005 JJ Tech came across what was believed to be a better solution to the traditional surface pump. The pump was a 30 HP Hydra-Cell diaphragm pump manufactured by Wanner Engineering. The diaphragm pump has no seals and no packing to wear and requires no external lubrication of plungers. The pump proved to be much more reliable and environmentally friendly. The D-35 pump was limited on HP and could only produce about 5% of jet pump applications. The E. Texas field where the D-35 was originally tested consisted of shallow, high bhp, and high PI wells. The operator continued to install more D-35’s in their field replacing rod pumps because they could reliably move much higher volumes in these E Texas stripper wells.
Due to great success with the D-35 pumps, JJ Tech felt that we had a better “mouse trap” than any of the competition. We soon filed for a process patent of using a diaphragm pump with a jet pump. The process patent was awarded in 2006 and is valid for 20 years. The Ultra-Flow Production System was now born.
One of the first Ultra Flow D-35 installations in E. Texas field
Now that a better solution was in place, our next obstacle was to provide higher HP surface diaphragm pumps. We worked closely with Hydra-Cell to develop a higher HP pump that was on the optimum pump curve to drive down-hole jet pumps. In 2009 we installed the first production model of the 100 HP T-8045 diaphragm pump for an operator in W Texas. This pump was capable of injecting at pressures up to 3000 psi and at rates up to 1550 bpd. We have since engineered a total skid package solution for the T-8045 which is now what we consider our flagship.
Ultra-Flow 100 HP skid package with T-8045 pump
While the T-8045 continued to prove to be a more reliable solution and we could now provide jet pump/diaphragm pump solutions for most applications there was still a need to run at higher pressures especially in concentric string applications for gas well dewatering. Next on the drawing board would be the 100 HP T-8030 pump which could output pressures up to 5000 psi and 900 bpd. The first T-8030 was installed in the filed in Oklahoma in 2010. This operator continued to replace ESP’s with diaphragm pump jet pump packages.
The first Utra-Flow T-8030 installation in Oklahoma
Next in the lineup would be a saltwater disposal solution utilizing the same technology as in the other T80 series pumps. Hydra-Cell developed the 100 HP T80-100 which can inject saltwater at rates up to 3200 bpd and at pressures up to 1500 psi. We installed three T80-100 field test pumps in February 2014 in the NW Louisiana area. We are now running Beta test pumps and the results look promising. JJ Tech is now in the business of replacing traditional plunger pumps for SWD. The T80-100 has been released into production as of 3/24/2015.
The first Ultra-Flow SWD installation in N Louisiana
JJ Tech now had a solution for the majority of jet pump applications. However, we would find some applications where the 100 hp driver wasn’t sufficient to power the down-hole pump. These applications were typically deeper wells with lower bhp. We knew that we now needed a 200 HP pump to drive our jet pump for these limited applications. Our first “Ultra-Flow 200” was installed in S Alabama in May 2014 and our second was installed in SE New Mexico in November 2014. The 200 HP pump skid consists of two T-8030’s with one 200 HP motor. This pump is capable of injecting at pressures up to 5000 psi and rates up to 1800 bpd.
The second Ultra-Flow 200 installation in New Mexico
JJ Tech will continue to build the Ulta-Flow product line. We are now in the process of placing three Q-155 pumps into the field for Alpha field testing. The new Hydra-Cell Q-155 will be a 155 HP pump capable of 3500 psi and 2300 bpd. This pump will be a 5 cylinder version of the T-8045 so the technology has already been proven. Up next on the drawing board will be a single 200 hp diaphragm pump.