Easy. Accurate. Fast. Safe.

Using XBAL is the easy, accurate, fast, and safe way to balance pumping units. Are you spending a lot of money and time balancing pumping units? Do you want to minimize the time and expense required? Do you want to eliminate the field measurement of counterbalance effect? Do you want to eliminate the risk of injury or equipment damage when chaining off the unit? Do you want to eliminate the guess work of adding or removing counterweights? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then XBAL is the tool you need.

Expert System Logic

XBAL is the only program available that uses Expert System Logic to make the calculations and recommendations that you need to properly balance your pumping units.

XBAL does the following:

• It allows you to get counterbalance data without a field measurement.
• It calculates multiple counterweight positions to balance the unit (crank balanced units) in one step. For beam balanced units, XBAL calculates the exact position of the beam weights to balance the unit in one step.
• If the existing counterweights do not allow you to balance the unit, XBAL will find the easiest way to balance it such as exchanging, adding, or removing counterweights.
• XBAL contains a huge database of cranks and counterweights for most common units. Using this information, XBAL can quickly and accurately calculate the existing maximum counterbalance moment for crank balanced units or structural unbalance for beam balanced units.
• The XBAL database can be set up to only recommend counterweights you currently have available in the field, which makes balancing your units easier.

XBAL versus the Amp Plot

Up to now, pumping unit balancing has been done with the familiar trial and error approach using a amp meter. This method is based on the fact that the current drawn by the motor is proportional to motor torque.

If the peak amps drawn by the motor on the upstroke equals the peak amps drawn on the downstroke, then the unit is considered to be balanced. This method has the following disadvantages that XBAL eliminates:

• It is time consuming. To balance the unit you may have to move the weights several times. This may take from 30 minutes to three hours depending on the unit. Also, it depends on the experience of the crew doing the work. The time required to balance the unit may be even longer if you find that you need to add or remove counterweights. By saving only 10 hours of time this program has paid itself out.
• The trial and error approach is inaccurate because in many cases you balance the unit for the wrong fluid level. This occurs because to move the counterweights you must turn the unit off. While the unit is off, the fluid level in the annulus rises.
• The trial and error approach is dangerous. Since you have to move large counterweights several times, you are increasing the risk of injury. This is especially true if you have to remove or add counterweights.

XBAL for Windows allows you to figure out exactly what you need to do to balance the unit before you do any unnecessary field work.

Easy to Use, Unique Visual Interface

XBAL has an easy to use visual interface that allows you to run it without ever reading the manual. XBAL displays a picture of the front and back cranks and counterweights of crank balanced units. The beam and counterweights are displayed for beam balanced units. To change the crank type or beam size, simply right click the image. To select a counterweight, right click its picture.

To specify weight positions, you can click and "drag" the counterweight to the position you want. As you are moving the counterweights, the existing maximum counterbalance moment or structural unbalance value updates dynamically.

Context Sensitive Help

When entering data in XBAL, if you have any questions about any of the input fields, simply press the F1 key while in that field. You can get more general help by clicking the help icon on the toolbar. The toolbar provides you with the most common program functions such as opening and saving files, printing, help, etc.

Works with XDIAG, RODDIAG, RODSTAR, and other Wave Equation Computer Programs

You must use XBAL along with a wave equation diagnostic or predictive computer program to balance your unit. XBAL relies on the predictive or diagnostic software for torque and required maximum counterbalance moment calculations. XBAL and other Theta products are designed to pass this information quickly and effortlessly between programs.

Using XBAL with Diagnostic and Predictive Computer Programs

Modern diagnostic and predictive computer programs, such as XDIAG, RODDIAG, RODSTAR, and XROD, allow you to enter existing counterbalance data so they can do a torque analysis. This determines whether the pumping unit is balanced, if the gearbox is overloaded, and the counterbalance moment or structural unbalance required to balance the unit.

A common way of getting existing counterbalance data is by recording the counterbalance effect in the field, with a dynamometer system. This field measurement is time consuming and dangerous if you have to chain the polished rod.

XBAL eliminates the need for a CBE field measurement. You can simply select the cranks, or beam, and counterweights you have, and their positions. From this information, XBAL calculates the existing counterbalance moment, for crank balanced units that you can enter into your wave equation program to find out if the unit is overloaded or out of balance. XBAL works the same way for beam balanced units but instead calculates the structural unbalance.

Both diagnostic and predictive programs calculate the maximum counterbalance moment required to balance the unit. Up to now, this information was not easy to use. With XBAL, you can enter the maximum counterbalance moment you need and it will tell you where to move the counterweights. For crank balanced units, XBAL calculates several combinations of counterweight positions that will balance the unit. For example, if you have four weights on a crank balanced unit, it may recommend moving only two, or all four. XBAL advises you whether you need to add or remove counterweights, how close you can get with your existing weights, etc. You can also set up the counterweight database so that when XBAL finds that you need to add weights, it will only recommend weights that you have available.

XBAL works the same way with beam balanced units. Using the required structural unbalance to balance the unit, XBAL calculates the exact beam counterweight position and will recommend adding or removing counterweights as necessary.

Pumping Units Supported

XBAL contains crank, beam, and counter weight data for the following pumping unit:

• American (Conventional, Maximizer I & II, Producer I & II)
• Ampscot
• Bukaka
• Churchill Beam Balanced
• Jensen Beam Balanced
• LeGrand
• LS/Darco
• Lufkin (Conventional, Low Profile, Mark II, Reverse Mark, Mobile/Road Runner)
• National
• Oilwell
• Sentry (Beam Balanced)
• Torqmaster

No Per-Run Charges

XBAL is available for a one-time licensing fee. A monthly lease-purchase option is also available. For customers who have already purchased CBALANCE, with an up to date support account, you may upgrade to XBAL for free.

Outstanding Technical Support

Theta Oilfield Services Inc. is dedicated to your satisfaction. Our technical support includes a monthly newsletter, a support hotline, free upgrades and free "bug" fixes, podcasts and immediate response to problems or questions. When you have a problem, solving it becomes our highest priority. Technical support is included free for the first year and can be renewed annually at a reasonable price.