10
USER GUIDE
PCS 4000
SINGLE WELL CONTROLLER
MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME =
☛
SET 03
Optional
This time is used when a plunger does not surface.
Usually, after the A-valve and B-valve are opened, but a
plunger does not surface, a well likely needs more time to
rebuild pressure for the next plunger attempt.
Set the MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME to at least twice
the time required to build enough pressure to surface
the plunger. For example, if a well usually takes 2 hours
to build enough pressure to surface the plunger, set
MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME to 4 hours or more.
Note:
The MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME must be greater
than FALL TIME (and CLOSE TIME, if any). If the plunger
does not surface, MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME replaces
FALL TIME. MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME is not in addition
to FALL TIME.
If you are not using MANDATORY SHUT-IN TIME, set it to
00:00:00.
DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE
(DIP) =
☛
SET 13
Optional
After the plunger surfaces, the casing pressure falls and
then levels off. The casing pressure then starts to build
as liquids accumulate at depth. The higher you set the
DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP), the longer the
well attempts to sell gas.
Example: During an operation cycle, the controller records
the well’s minimum casing pressure at 150 psi.
If the DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) is 3 psi,
the controller stops the sale of gas and closes the well
when the casing pressure rises to 153 psi.
If the DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) is 10
psi, the controller stops the sale of gas and closes the
well when the casing pressure rises to 160 psi.
A good DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) setting
for many wells is 1, 2, or 3 psi.
The casing pressure flutters up and down as it falls.
For example, the casing pressure may go: 160, 159,
160, 159, 158, 159, 158, 157, 158, 157, 156 psi. To
keep the controller from closing the well too soon, use
DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) together with
DELAY CLOSE TIME (see below).
Important!
A good minimum DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE
PRESSURE (DIP) is 1 psi. If you set the DIFFERENTIAL
CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) to 0 psi and the DELAY CLOSE
TIME (see below) to 00:00:00, the controller closes the
well as soon as the casing pressure flutters up. Because
the casing pressure is still falling, the controller has closed
the well too soon.
DELAY CLOSE TIME =
☛
SET 08
This time ensures that the casing pressure increase is not
a brief spike in pressure. During the level period before
the casing pressure starts to build, the pressure may
flutter up and down. The controller delays closing the
A-valve to make sure that the casing pressure has not
dropped again.
If you set DIFFERENTIAL CLOSE PRESSURE (DIP) to
1, 2, or 3 psi, set DELAY CLOSE TIME to 10, 20, or 30
seconds.
Important!
Don’t set the DELAY CLOSE TIME to 00:00:00.
If you do, the controller may close the well too soon, while
the casing pressure is still falling. A good minimum DELAY
CLOSE TIME is 10-30 seconds.
