Some recordkeeping is required, either by a regulatory body or the lease company. They’re used to monitor production and help to understand the well’s behavior or help determine production allocation. Other records you might keep for yourself, and might include tips for the next time you have to perform a difficult task, or details that you’re likely to forget.

The record might be a notebook in your truck’s glove compartment or oil wells test sheet, but these days it’s more likely to be an app on your phone (like the GreaseBook). In either case, a good record is an important tool, as useful as a wrench or screwdriver.

Why Keep Records?

Daily recordkeeping can often seem like just another chore, more red tape to wade through while doing your job. In reality, accurate and precise recordkeeping is an important part of a lease pumper’s responsibilities. Complete records can be used to spot potential problems, increase efficiency, and predict when expensive maintenance may be required. That all can add up to money saved.

For the folks on the ground doing the work, records can also be of direct, practical help. If there is ever a question about what type of packing material or which sort of oil to use, the answer can be found in well kept records. When ancient or unusual equipment has to be pulled or serviced, the instructions for doing so are usually found in the lease records. A few minutes jotting down notes can save you hours of headache down the line.

You’ll want to keep records of basic information like the size and locations of fuses on the lease, size and type of rod packing, location of spare equipment, and more. Records will also indicate more important information as well, such as production quantities and details about equipment. The value of good recordkeeping shouldn’t be underestimated.

Recordkeeping

Each pumper should set up his own record book. The needs of each well and tank battery are going to be unique, so it may be helpful to have easy access to a range of information. In some cases, the pumping company may have a mechanic or other specialists on staff who keep records of their own. The pumper’s records may be less.

The record book itself can be as simple as a notebook that has been setup to keep information organized, but it can be helpful to get a little fancier. Using a three ring binder allows you to add, remove, or rearrange pages, and using section dividers or tabs can help to keep different types of records separate. Blank or graph paper is often useful, as it allows you to design an efficient recordkeeping system.

Lease records will usually include pumping and production records, records of communications, maintenance records, and materials records. Materials records are inventories that outline how much of different equipment is held and where.

Your Greasebook

The lease record books tracks monthly testing and production, as well as the general state of equipment and maintenance records. There’s a lot of day-to-day work that doesn’t get recorded in the lease record book, though, that may be helpful to know. Your greasebook is the best place for all that information. It should be updated daily and kept handy for at least a short while. While lease records are great at providing an overall look, some questions can only be answered by detailed information that isn’t kept in the lease records. If you don’t jot it down in personal record, the answer may be gone.

Information that it may be helpful to track in your greasebook includes gauge readings, meter readings, oil well testing, and any maintenance or repairs done for each day. It’s helpful to divide the greasebook so that records for each lease are kept in a separate section. There’s a few shortcuts you can use to save space in your greasebook:

• Stock tanks are numbered, with higher numbers usually being to the right. The last two letters in the ID number for each tank should be unique. The number and the last two letters are enough to identify a tank, in most cases.
• A new section can be added for each day. Use as much space as you need for the day, including any measurements, tests, or repairs made.
• When a greasebook is filled, mark the dates it covers and keep it somewhere accessible.

The greasebook might record information such as the gauging amounts for each day, the amount of oil sold, water or sediment levels, chemical added, and anything else that might be useful to know. Some information in your greasebook may end up in the lease records.

Is your appetite for oil & gas operating knowledge insatiable like ours? 😀 If so, check out these related articles: Well Records For Oil & Gas Production, Operational Records For Oil & Gas Production Wells and, Tracking Inventory In Oil & Gas Production – they’ll be sure to pump you up!!!