Unit of competency Outline
Date retreived
22/07/2026 6:58 AM AWST
22/07/2026 6:58 AM AWST
Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.
Conduct artificial lift
Conduct artificial lift
Unit of competency
National Code
PMAOPS320B
PMAOPS320B
State Code
W8875
W8875
TGA Status
Replaced
Replaced
DTWD Status
Replaced
Replaced
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
18/12/2008
Field of Education
030717 - Plant And Machine Operations
Original Release Date
18/12/2008
Nominal Hours
20
Description
In a typical scenario, an operations technician is responsible for controlling the artificial lift of fluids from operating wells either on land or off-shore using pumps, valves and compressors. The operations technician is also responsible for conducting tests and analyses of the product and the operating condition of the equipment.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare for work.
- 1.1. Identify work requirements
- 1.2. Identify and control hazards
- 1.3. Coordinate with appropriate personnel
2. Produce product.
- 2.1. Operate lifting process in accordance with local lease and lease equipment requirements and constraints
- 2.2. Operate pumps, valves and other production equipment to transfer product/fluid from well to surface
- 2.3. Test production equipment to ensure correct operating efficiencies are maintained
- 2.4. Monitor valves, pumps and other production equipment
- 2.5. Diagnose operational faults during the production phase
- 2.6. Take appropriate action.
3. Monitor product/ volume efficiencies.
- 3.1. Select and operate the required equipment
- 3.2. Monitor fluid produced
- 3.3. Monitor and observe equipment
- 3.4. Take appropriate action.
4. Transfer product to storage.
- 4.1. Maintain records and reports
- 4.2. Communicate transfer of the product to all appropriate support groups and work groups downstream of the well
- 4.3. Select an appropriate medium for safe transfer of the product to the next phase in the product process
- 4.4. Observe and act upon all environmental conditions and legislative requirements to ensure the protection of the working environment is maintained during product transfer
- 4.5. Monitor transfer and take appropriate action.
5. Isolate and de-isolate plant.
- 5.1. Isolate plant
- 5.2. Make safe for required work
- 5.3. Check plant is ready to be returned to service
- 5.4. Prepare plant for return to service.
RANGE STATEMENT
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicized wording, if used in the Performance Criteria, is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Codes of practice/ standards
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
This unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the wellhead system. For your plant this may include (select relevant items):
gas lifts
down hole pumps.
Typical problems
Typical problems for your plant may include:
gassing up
solids control
gas lift valve erosion
mechanical failures
electrical and instrument failures.
Monitoring of fluid produced
Monitoring of fluid produced may include:
testing and analysing product flow temperatures and pressures
determining fluid volumes
evaluating the production efficiencies of the well.
Monitoring equipment
Monitoring equipment may include:
operating condition
pressures and temperatures
operating parameters of the equipment.
Records and reports
Records and reports may be monitored to provide:
a history of the production capacities of the well
a record of any deviations which have occurred.
Appropriate action
Appropriate action includes:
determining problems needing action
determining possible fault causes
rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility
following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred
reporting problems outside area of responsibility to designated person.
Procedures
Procedures may be written, verbal, computer-based or in some other form. They include:
all work instructions
standard operating procedures
formulas/recipes
batch sheets
temporary instructions
any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.
For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (eg Responsible Care) and government regulations.
Health, safety and environment (HSE)
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between Performance Criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicized wording, if used in the Performance Criteria, is detailed below. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs if the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Codes of practice/ standards
Where reference is made to industry codes of practice, and/or Australian/international standards, the latest version must be used.
Context
This unit includes all such items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the wellhead system. For your plant this may include (select relevant items):
gas lifts
down hole pumps.
Typical problems
Typical problems for your plant may include:
gassing up
solids control
gas lift valve erosion
mechanical failures
electrical and instrument failures.
Monitoring of fluid produced
Monitoring of fluid produced may include:
testing and analysing product flow temperatures and pressures
determining fluid volumes
evaluating the production efficiencies of the well.
Monitoring equipment
Monitoring equipment may include:
operating condition
pressures and temperatures
operating parameters of the equipment.
Records and reports
Records and reports may be monitored to provide:
a history of the production capacities of the well
a record of any deviations which have occurred.
Appropriate action
Appropriate action includes:
determining problems needing action
determining possible fault causes
rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility
following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred
reporting problems outside area of responsibility to designated person.
Procedures
Procedures may be written, verbal, computer-based or in some other form. They include:
all work instructions
standard operating procedures
formulas/recipes
batch sheets
temporary instructions
any similar instructions provided for the smooth running of the plant.
For the purposes of this Training Package, 'procedures' also includes good operating practice as may be defined by industry codes of practice (eg Responsible Care) and government regulations.
Health, safety and environment (HSE)
All operations to which this unit applies are subject to stringent health, safety and environment requirements, which may be imposed through State or Federal legislation, and these must not be compromised at any time. Where there is an apparent conflict between Performance Criteria and HSE requirements, the HSE requirements take precedence.
EVIDENCE GUIDE
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Assessment of this unit should include demonstrated competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations, which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk-throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios, role plays and 3D virtual reality interactive systems. In the case of evacuation training or training for competencies practised in life-threatening situations, simulation may be used for the bulk of the training.
This unit of competency requires an application of the knowledge contained in the use of artificial lift systems and their integral equipment, to the level needed to maintain control and recognise and resolve problems. This can be assessed through questioning and the use of what-if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk-throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.
These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs as the stimulus with a walk-through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
As a general rule assessment will require access to an operating artificial lift system over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating competence over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.
Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units. Consider co-assessment with relevant fluid flow and sampling and testing units.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.
The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Assessment of this unit should include demonstrated competence on actual plant and equipment in a work environment. The unit will be assessed in as holistic a manner as is practical and may be integrated with the assessment of other relevant units of competency. Assessment will occur over a range of situations, which will include disruptions to normal, smooth operation.
Simulation may be required to allow for assessment of parts of this unit. Simulation should be based on the actual plant and will include walk-throughs of the relevant competency components. Simulations may also include the use of case studies/scenarios, role plays and 3D virtual reality interactive systems. In the case of evacuation training or training for competencies practised in life-threatening situations, simulation may be used for the bulk of the training.
This unit of competency requires an application of the knowledge contained in the use of artificial lift systems and their integral equipment, to the level needed to maintain control and recognise and resolve problems. This can be assessed through questioning and the use of what-if scenarios both on the plant (during demonstration of normal operations and walk-throughs of abnormal operations) and off the plant.
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Competence must be demonstrated in the ability to recognise and analyse potential situations requiring action and then in implementing appropriate corrective action. The emphasis should be on the ability to stay out of trouble rather than on recovery from a disaster.
Consistent performance should be demonstrated. In particular look to see that:
early warning signs of equipment/processes needing attention or with potential problems are recognised
the range of possible causes can be identified and analysed and the most likely cause determined
appropriate action is taken to ensure a timely return to full performance
obvious problems in related plant areas are recognised and an appropriate contribution made to their solution.
These aspects may be best assessed using a range of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs as the stimulus with a walk-through forming part of the response. These assessment activities should include a range of problems, including new, unusual and improbable situations which may have been generated from the past incident history of the plant, incidents on similar plants around the world, hazard analysis activities and similar sources.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
As a general rule assessment will require access to an operating artificial lift system over an extended period of time, or a suitable method of gathering evidence of operating competence over a range of situations. A bank of scenarios/case studies/what-ifs will be required as will a bank of questions which will be used to probe the reasoning behind the observable actions.
Method of assessment
In all plants it may be appropriate to assess this unit concurrently with relevant teamwork and communication units. Consider co-assessment with relevant fluid flow and sampling and testing units.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate and appropriate to the oracy, language and literacy capacity of the assessee and the work being performed.
Replaces
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| C5971 | PMAOPS320A | Conduct artificial lift | Unit of competency |
Replaced By
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXN06 | PMAOPS320 | Conduct artificial lift | Unit of competency |
| State Code | National Code | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| J572 | PMA30113 | Certificate III in Process Plant Operations | Qualification |
| W516 | PMA30108 | Certificate III in Process Plant Operations | Qualification |
| J571 | PMA40113 | Certificate IV in Process Plant Technology | Qualification |
| W517 | PMA40108 | Certificate IV in Process Plant Technology | Qualification |