Surface · Plunger Lift
Arrival Sensor
A sensor on the wellhead or lubricator that detects when the plunger reaches surface.
What it does
Tells the controller the plunger has arrived, so it can time the flow period and adjust the next cycle.
Basics
| Mounted on | Lubricator and catcher |
| Types | Acoustic or magnetic |
| Signal to | Controller, for cycle timing and optimization |
Common failures
- Missed arrivals that confuse the controller logic
- A failed sensor can shut in the well or let it load up
Troubleshooting
- Symptom
- Controller logs no arrival but the well unloaded
- Likely cause
- Sensor fault or electrical interference, such as cathodic protection on magnetic coil sensors
- What to check
- Test the sensor and adjust its sensitivity