Surface Treatment Extends Plunger Life In Pinedale Anticline Test By Jonathan Robins, Christopher Aguilar, Anthony Mason and Jason Freeman A field study designed to evaluate the wear resistance, abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance of boron-carbide (B4C) treated steel plungers found that the B4C treatment more than tripled plunger run life. PureWest Energy came to this conclusion after conducting an eight-well test in conjunction with Endurance Lift Solutions, a provider of technologyenabled artificial lift components. The study was designed to compare the longevity of B4C treated 4140 steel plungers (using data collected during the study) with the run life of plungers made of plain 4140 steel (using operating company historical data). The study was conducted over 14 months, from April 2020 through June 2021, on eight wells in the Pinedale Anticline field of Wyoming. The B4C treated plungers ran an average of 414 days compared with 131 days for untreated plungers, resulting in a mean run time improvement of 283 days. The extended plunger life span reduced replacement cycles and equipment costs more than 67% during the study. 68 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER