A pump jack with counterbalance system is provided, including a supporting structure, a linear actuator with a housing and a shaft, a first pulley carried by the shaft, a second pulley fixed above the first pulley, an elongate flexible member, and a weight cared by the shaft. The housing is vertically oriented and mounted to the supporting structure above a ground surface. The shaft has a first end received within the housing and a connection end that extends out of the housing and carries the first pulley and the weight. The linear actuator drives the shaft between extended and retracted positions. The elongate member passes around the pulleys and has a first end fixed relative to the housing and a second end connected to a surface rod, such that reciprocating movement of the shaft causes the surface rod to move vertically and the weight to act as a mechanical counterbalance.

A system for energy recovery from a rod pump includes a reversible hydraulic pump; a variable speed reversible motor-generator connected to the reversible hydraulic pump; and a variable speed drive that operates the motor-generator to rotate the reversible hydraulic pump in a forward direction to pump hydraulic fluid to the rod pump during an upstroke, and to operate the motor-generator in a generator mode in which a weight of a rod string lowers a piston in the rod pump during a downstroke to pump hydraulic fluid to rotate the hydraulic pump in reverse such that the motor-generator generates electricity, and the variable speed drive modulates a speed of the motor-generator during the downstroke to modulate a speed of the reversible hydraulic pump to control a rate of flow of hydraulic fluid through the reversible hydraulic pump and thereby modulate a rate of downward motion of the rod string.

A pump system is presented having a pump with a generally cylindrical pump housing that is arranged with a liquid inlet in one end and a liquid outlet in a second end. A tubular membrane is arranged inside the pump housing and a first passage is arranged in the vicinity of the liquid inlet for introducing pressurized fluid between the membrane and the housing. A second passage arranged in the vicinity of said liquid outlet for releasing said pressurized fluid where the membrane is arranged with an elasticity providing a local radial compression and an annular fluid compartment when a pulse of pressurized fluid is entered through the first passage. The annular fluid compartment travels along the housing bringing a volume of liquid with it. An expansion vessel can be operably attached to the liquid outlet for reducing pressure changes in the liquid caused by the action of the pulse of pressurized fluid.

A pump system is presented having a pump with a generally cylindrical pump housing that is arranged with a liquid inlet in one end and a liquid outlet in a second end. A tubular membrane is arranged inside the pump housing and a first passage is arranged in the vicinity of the liquid inlet for introducing pressurized fluid between the membrane and the housing. A second passage arranged in the vicinity of said liquid outlet for releasing said pressurized fluid where the membrane is arranged with an elasticity providing a local radial compression and an annular fluid compartment when a pulse of pressurized fluid is entered through the first passage. The annular fluid compartment travels along the housing bringing a volume of liquid with it. An expansion vessel can be operably attached to the liquid outlet for reducing pressure changes in the liquid caused by the action of the pulse of pressurized fluid.

A system and method for optimizing performance of an artificial lift system are provided. The optimization process can be performed automatically by a controller configured to receive optimization parameters from the user and information regarding the performance of the system. The optimization process adjusts the pumping speed of the system in response to measured rod load and a position of the downhole pump or surface pumping unit. More particularly, the optimization process can increase or decrease the pump speed of the system in response to the measured rod load at a reference position relative to a reference rod load at the reference position. The reference load and position can be selected to indicate pump inefficiencies. For example, the target reference load and position can indicate fluid pounding if the measured rod load at the reference position is greater than the reference rod load at the reference position.

An example system for detecting mud pump stroke information comprises a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data collection system coupled to a downhole drilling system, a stroke detector coupled to a mud pump of the downhole drilling system configured to detect strokes in the mud pump and to generate mud pump stroke information based on the detected strokes, and a fiber disturber coupled to the stroke detector and to optical fiber of the DAS data collection system configured to disturb the optical fiber based on mud pump stroke information generated by the stroke detector. The system further comprises a computing system comprising a processor, memory, and a pulse detection module operable to transmit optical signals into the optical fiber of the DAS data collection system, receive DAS data signals in response to the transmitted optical signals, and detect mud pump stroke information in the received DAS data signals.

An example system for detecting mud pump stroke information comprises a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data collection system coupled to a downhole drilling system, a stroke detector coupled to a mud pump of the downhole drilling system configured to detect strokes in the mud pump and to generate mud pump stroke information based on the detected strokes, and a fiber disturber coupled to the stroke detector and to optical fiber of the DAS data collection system configured to disturb the optical fiber based on mud pump stroke information generated by the stroke detector. The system further comprises a computing system comprising a processor, memory, and a pulse detection module operable to transmit optical signals into the optical fiber of the DAS data collection system, receive DAS data signals in response to the transmitted optical signals, and detect mud pump stroke information in the received DAS data signals.

The invention corresponds to a mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated to the chassis and a hydraulic circuit which allows it to operate with high flow rates and low pressure or with low flow rates and high pressure. This mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated is used to supply a particular pressurized oil flow to a hydraulic actuator, which in turn lifts the load exerted by a string of rods and lift the hydrostatic column that is inside an oil well. The main feature of this mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated is that the radiator is part of the machine's chassis and is located in the middle of two hydraulic oil tanks. The first of these tanks is the oil suction tank, while the second is the oil return tank.

The invention corresponds to a mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated to the chassis and a hydraulic circuit which allows it to operate with high flow rates and low pressure or with low flow rates and high pressure. This mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated is used to supply a particular pressurized oil flow to a hydraulic actuator, which in turn lifts the load exerted by a string of rods and lift the hydrostatic column that is inside an oil well. The main feature of this mechanical hydraulic pumping unit with a radiator integrated is that the radiator is part of the machine's chassis and is located in the middle of two hydraulic oil tanks. The first of these tanks is the oil suction tank, while the second is the oil return tank.

A hydraulic lift apparatus for operating a downhole pump features a hydraulic linear actuator with a piston longitudinally slidable on a central axis of a rotatable portion of a housing. An anti-rotation rod runs longitudinally through the piston at a position radially offset outwardly from the central axis to prevent rotation between the piston and housing. A stationary motor powers a drive train whose output is connected to the rotatable portion of the housing and centered on the central axis. The actuator is one-way actuator with a hydraulically driven upstroke. A leak detection passage extends through the piston to collect fluid that has leaked across the piston seals and convey it to a leak detection port and associated containment tank. A position sensor for monitoring the piston movement features a sensing rod depending downwardly into a hollow piston shaft carried by the piston and connected to the pump rod.