Artificial Lift Research & Development Council

What Artificial Lift Research & Development Council does

ALRDC (Artificial Lift Research & Development Council) is an independent, private, not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization founded around 2000–2001 by Cleon Dunham (ex-Shell, 36-year career) alongside co-founders Jim Lea, Tony Podio, and Bill Lane. Headquartered in Wichita Falls, Texas, the council exists to share artificial lift information among users, suppliers, researchers, and consultants worldwide, and to promote research and development for improved artificial lift business and practice. Its core activities comprise organizing international workshops and continuing education courses on Gas-Lift, Gas Well Deliquification, Sucker Rod Pumping, Electrical Submersible Pumping (ESP), and Progressing Cavity Pumping (PCP); maintaining a technical presentations library of papers, case histories, and best practices; facilitating industry-sponsored research such as the HWDDDA (Horizontal Well Downhole Dynamometer Data Acquisition) project led by Dr. Victoria Pons; operating an annual Inventors of New Artificial Lift Technology Forum for technology commercialization; administering named scholarship endowments at the University of Tulsa (Dr. James F. Lea Jr. and the TUALP consortium), Colorado School of Mines (O. Lynn Rowlan), and Texas Tech (Cleon Dunham); and conferring industry recognition through the ALRDC Award for Exemplary Service and Contribution.

Name

Artificial Lift Research & Development Council

Legal name

Artificial Lift Research and Development Council

Website

https://alrdc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ALRDC is a 501(c)(6) non-profit founded circa 2000-2001 that organizes international workshops, maintains a technical presentations library, and runs industry-sponsored R&D projects on artificial lift technologies for the global oil and gas industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Petroleum Engineering Education and Industry Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Artificial lift technology
• Petroleum engineering workshops
• Oil and gas education
• Production engineering seminars
• Industry R&D collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Workshop and Event Registration Fees: ALRDC generates revenue through registration fees for workshops, seminars, and forums including the Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop, ESP Workshop, Gas Lift Workshop, and Inventor Forum. Pricing varies by event type and includes conference passes, class registrations, and exhibitor booth fees.
2. Sponsorships: The organization offers various sponsorship tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) for events, providing visibility and recognition opportunities for sponsors in the oil and gas artificial lift industry.
3. Scholarship Endowments and Donations: ALRDC maintains scholarship endowments (Cleon Dunham, Dr. James F. Lea Jr., O. Lynn Rowlan) at partner universities, funded through corporate and individual philanthropy. These are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ALRDC is an independent 501(c)(6) not-for-profit that organizes international workshops, seminars, and forums on artificial lift technologies (Gas-Lift, Gas Well Deliquification, Sucker Rod Pumping, Electrical Submersible Pumping, Progressing Cavity Pumping) for the oil and gas industry. It maintains a digital Presentations Library of technical papers, coordinates industry-funded R&D projects such as HWDDDA, and connects users, suppliers, researchers, and consultants worldwide. Revenue is generated through workshop registration fees, multi-tier event sponsorships, member donations, and scholarship endowments at partner universities.

Product overview

ALRDC is a not-for-profit organization (501(c)(6)) focused on sharing artificial lift information and facilitating research and development projects. Rather than offering a unified product or platform, ALRDC provides a portfolio of services: organizing international workshops and seminars on Gas-Lift, Sucker Rod Pumping, Electrical Submersible Pumping, and Progressing Cavity Pumping; maintaining a Presentations Library of technical papers; operating the HWDDDA research project for downhole data acquisition; managing an Inventor Forum for new technology promotion; awarding annual recognition to artificial lift contributors; and administering scholarship endowments at partner universities including Texas Tech, University of Tulsa, and Colorado School of Mines. The organization connects artificial lift users, suppliers, researchers, and consultants globally to advance technology and business practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ALRDC Workshops & Seminars
• ALRDC Forum (Inventors of New Artificial Lift Technology)
• Presentations Library
• HWDDDA Project (Horizontal Well Downhole Dynamometer Data Acquisition)
• Scholarship Endowments

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosts multiple international workshops annually covering all major artificial lift technologies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Tulsa - McDougall School of Petroleum EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALRDC partners with The University of Tulsa for the Dr. James F. Lea, Jr. Endowed Scholarship and the Tulsa University Artificial Lift Projects (TUALP) industry-university research consortium. The partnership supports undergraduate and graduate petroleum engineering students with focus on artificial lift and multiphase flow technologies.
• Colorado School of Mines FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALRDC maintains the O. Lynn Rowlan Endowed Scholarship at Colorado School of Mines for 3rd and 4th-year B.S. students and M.S. candidates with demonstrated interest in artificial lift or production engineering disciplines.
• Texas Tech UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALRDC partners with Texas Tech for the Cleon Dunham Endowed Scholarship, supporting undergraduate and graduate students specializing in digital oilfield architecture and production systems optimization with focus on artificial lift infrastructure and automation.
• American Petroleum Institute (API)coreTechnology or IntegrationALRDC board members chair API Task Groups (19G/11S managing product standards for artificial lift, Subcommittee 11 overseeing ESP equipment standards, and Task Groups 11AX and 11B). The collaboration ensures industry standards alignment and best practices development.
• Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALRDC works closely with SPE on technical committees, distinguished lecturer programs, and conference co-hosting. Many ALRDC board members serve on SPE technical committees and ALRDC supports SPE's artificial lift conference activities.
• Southwestern Petroleum Short Course (SWPSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerALRDC board members are active in SWPSC activities, sharing technical papers and organizing joint educational events. Several board members teach courses and serve on committees at SWPSC.
• Bush Convention CenterminorOthersVenue for ALRDC's Sucker Rod Pumping Workshop and ESP Workshop in Midland, Texas. The convention center hosts 250+ industry professionals during ALRDC events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE): Global professional society for oil and gas professionals, with dedicated artificial lift conferences, distinguished lecturer programs, and technical committees that overlap with ALRDC's mission. ALRDC co-hosts and coordinates with SPE on multiple events and many board members serve on SPE committees.
• American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG): International professional geological association with comparable nonprofit structure, conferences, publications, and continuing education programs serving upstream oil and gas professionals.
• International Petroleum Technology Conference (IPTC): Multi-society oil and gas conference organization (SPE, AAPG, SEG, EAGE). Overlaps with ALRDC in hosting technical events, sharing members, and serving the upstream petroleum technology community.
• Southwestern Petroleum Short Course (SWPSC): Long-running petroleum engineering education organization that hosts annual short courses and events, with overlapping artificial lift workshop content. ALRDC's Treasurer Ronda Brewer runs SWPSC, and several ALRDC board members teach and organize events there.
• International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC): Global drilling industry trade association with similar nonprofit membership structure, conferences, and technical committee model. Overlapping members from major operators and service companies.
• Energy Workforce & Technology Council: Trade association for oilfield service and equipment companies, with overlapping membership (Baker Hughes, Weatherford, NOV, ChampionX). Comparable nonprofit model focused on advocacy, events, and workforce development in oil and gas.

Regional players

• Oil & Gas UK: UK offshore oil and gas trade association with comparable membership-driven model, conferences, and R&D coordination. Like ALRDC, it operates as a nonprofit serving oil and gas industry professionals and suppliers.
• Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada (PTAC): Canadian nonprofit facilitating industry collaboration on technology and R&D in upstream oil and gas. Comparable model—industry-funded R&D cost-sharing, workshops, and knowledge sharing—serving a Canadian-only membership base.

Broad incumbents

• American Petroleum Institute (API): The largest U.S. oil and gas trade association, with which ALRDC board members chair API Task Groups and Subcommittees (19G/11S, 11, 11AX, 11B) managing artificial lift equipment standards. API is a broader incumbent with overlapping standards influence.
• Petroleum Equipment & Services Association (PESA): Trade association representing oilfield equipment and service companies, with overlapping membership and sponsorship base. PESA's broader OFS industry focus complements ALRDC's artificial lift-specific niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alrdc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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