Guidelines for sucker rods inspection

”Guidelines for well pumping plant sucker rods inspection using the metal magnetic memory method” were developed at the end of 2025. The Guidelines provide the procedure for performing inspection and analyzing the results, and contain quantitative criteria for rejecting sucker rods prone to damage (and/or with developing damage), including fatigue.

Sucker rods are critical components, damage to which leads to failure of the entire oil production plant and significant economic losses. Sudden damage, usually developing through the fatigue failure scenario, is the most common cause of sucker rod failure.

Fatigue damage of the metal is the most unpredictable failure cause and at the same time it is the most difficult diagnostic task, especially in relation to dynamic equipment containing sucker rods, since it is not known, on which specific rod the failure will occur, and the time from microcrack initiation in the metal, its development until the rod failure is minimal. However, the metal magnetic memory method, when used, easily detects the metal fatigue damage due to the magnetoplastic effect - one of the basic effects in the MMM method.

In addition, it is generally unlikely in practice that the repair (sucker rods inspection) period will coincide with the moment of crack opening to the macro level, as well as the possibility of its recording by conventional flaw detection methods, which leads to sudden damage.

The use of the MMM method is especially relevant for 100% sorting of sucker rods after the service life has been reached or during repairs, to assess the quality of sucker rod metal reduction, for example, by means of heat treatment. Inspection by the MMM method will allow for timely withdrawal from operation of sucker rods prone to damage, which will definitely result in increased operational reliability and reduction of economic losses from emergency incidents. This approach allows for technically validated extension of sucker rods service life.