Moving rod pump simulation data from desktop tools into a cloud platform sounds like a major project, but most teams finish the core migration in under a week. The process is straightforward once you know what to expect.
This guide covers the full migration path from RodStar, S-Rod, or similar desktop tools into PetroBench - from gathering files to running your first simulations on the new platform.
Before you start
Most migrations are triggered by a practical constraint: a license is expiring, a new engineer needs access, IT is consolidating desktop applications, or the team needs to collaborate across offices. Whatever the reason, it helps to set expectations upfront.
Identify who will run the migration. Typically one engineer or a small team handles the import and verification, while the rest of the group continues working in the desktop tools. There is no need to pause operations - the migration runs alongside normal work.
Decide what to migrate first. Active wells with upcoming design work are the highest priority. Historical wells and archived projects can come over in a second pass. Trying to migrate everything at once is unnecessary and makes verification harder to manage.
Gather your files
This is usually the most time-consuming step, and it has nothing to do with software. Simulation files accumulate over years - on individual laptops, shared network drives, project folders, sometimes email attachments. Before you can import anything, you need to find it all.
Supported file formats include .rsdx and .rsvx (RodStar), .inp6e and .inp7 (S-Rod), and standard Excel templates. Start by checking the obvious locations: the default save directories for your desktop tools, shared engineering drives, and any project folder structures your team uses.
Consolidate everything into a single folder organized by field or region. This makes the import step cleaner and verification much easier. If you have files in multiple formats from different tools, that is fine - PetroBench handles mixed-format imports.
Import into PetroBench
Drag and drop files into the import dialog. PetroBench parses each file automatically and creates individual well records with all the associated data - well geometry, rod string configuration, pump parameters, fluid properties, and operating conditions. No manual re-entry, no unit conversion, no reformatting.
Each imported file maps to a well record in the platform. The importer reads the file structure, identifies the data fields, and places everything in the correct location. You can review the mapping before confirming the import.
For larger migrations with hundreds or thousands of files, import in batches by field or region rather than all at once. Batching keeps the verification step manageable and lets you catch any mapping issues early before processing the full set.
Verify imported data
Spot-check a representative sample of wells against the originals. The key fields to compare are well depth, rod string sections (diameters, lengths, grades), pump specifications, and fluid properties. If those match, the import mapped correctly.
Run a simulation on a handful of imported wells and compare results to your desktop output. Load ratings, stress distributions, and pump efficiency should align. Minor decimal differences are normal - different solver implementations handle numerical precision slightly differently - but the engineering conclusions should be the same. If a well shows a meaningfully different result, it usually points to a data mapping issue with a specific field that is straightforward to correct.
The import log flags any warnings automatically. The most common ones are custom equipment grades that are not in the default library and non-standard pump configurations that need a quick manual review.
Set up team structure
Once the well data is in, organize it to match how your team actually works. Create divisions and regions that reflect your organizational structure, assign engineers to their areas, and set up role-based permissions.
PetroBench supports scoped access so a division manager sees their wells without seeing another division's data. Junior engineers can run simulations while senior engineers review and approve design changes. Setting this up during migration rather than after saves time and avoids the cleanup that comes from everyone dumping wells into a flat list.
Establish naming conventions for wells, projects, and design iterations while you are at it. Consistent naming is easy to enforce when everything is being imported fresh. It is much harder to fix later when thousands of wells already exist.
Run first simulations
Pick a few active wells that need real design work and run them through PetroBench. This is not a test exercise - use the platform for actual engineering decisions from the start. That is the fastest way for the team to build confidence in the new environment.
Running desktop tools in parallel for the first week or two is fine and most teams do it. Compare results on a few wells to confirm everything lines up, then start shifting new work entirely to the cloud platform. Most teams stop opening the desktop tools within two weeks.
What changes after migration
The immediate differences are practical. Your team works from the same environment regardless of location - office, field, home. Simulation data is centralized with automatic backups instead of living on individual laptops. When someone runs a simulation or modifies a rod string design, the rest of the team can see it immediately.
Version history on every simulation means engineers can experiment with configurations without worrying about losing a working design. Compare any two versions side by side, restore a previous state with one click, and see the full history of changes on any well.
Timeline
For 50 to 100 active wells, the full migration typically takes under a week. The import itself is fast - most of that time goes to gathering files and verifying the imported data.
For larger portfolios with thousands of wells, expect two to three weeks. The import step scales well, but verification takes longer at volume since you want to check a broader sample across different well types and configurations.
The first few days will feel slower while engineers learn the interface. That ramp-up is short - the core workflow (create well, set up rod string, run simulation) maps directly to what they already know from desktop tools.
FAQ
Do I lose my old files?
No. The import copies data into PetroBench. Your original files stay exactly where they are, unchanged. You can keep them as an archive or delete them once you are confident in the migration.
Can I use desktop tools alongside PetroBench?
Yes. There is no requirement to go all-in immediately. Many teams run both during the transition period and phase out the desktop tools once everyone is comfortable. PetroBench does not conflict with or require uninstalling any existing software.
What about custom equipment?
PetroBench's equipment library supports custom rod grades, pump types, and other components. You can add custom equipment before or after import. If your desktop tool used non-standard equipment definitions, the import log will flag those items so you can add them to the library.
What if I have wells in multiple desktop tools?
PetroBench handles mixed-format imports. You can import RodStar and S-Rod files in the same batch. Each file is parsed according to its format and mapped into the same well record structure.
