Pumps are provided, more particularly piston type pumps having increased energy efficiency, systems incorporating such piston type pumps, and methods of operating piston type pumps. The pumps are suitable for pumping of oil from an oil well or for pumping other liquids such as ground water, subterranean liquids, brackish water, sea water, waste water, cooling water, gas, coolants, and the like.

An oil well pumping unit. The pumping unit has a vertical support column residing adjacent a horizontal support base at a generally transverse orientation. The pumping unit has a standing sheave fixed proximate an upper end of the vertical support column, a carrier bar configured to be attached to a polished rod along the front face of the vertical support column, and a traveling sheave configured to move up and down along the vertical support column. A near-vertical actuator resides along the horizontal support base, and is connected to the traveling sheave. Cyclical movement of the linear actuator causes the traveling sheave to reciprocate up and down along the vertical support column such that upward movement of the traveling sheave produces a downstroke of the polished rod, while downward movement of the traveling sheave produces an upstroke of the polished rod. The linear actuator remains in tension at all times during movement of the polished rod.

An oil well pumping unit. The pumping unit has a vertical support column residing adjacent a horizontal support base at a generally transverse orientation. The pumping unit has a standing sheave fixed proximate an upper end of the vertical support column, a carrier bar configured to be attached to a polished rod along the front face of the vertical support column, and a traveling sheave configured to move up and down along the vertical support column. A near-vertical actuator resides along the horizontal support base, and is connected to the traveling sheave. Cyclical movement of the linear actuator causes the traveling sheave to reciprocate up and down along the vertical support column such that upward movement of the traveling sheave produces a downstroke of the polished rod, while downward movement of the traveling sheave produces an upstroke of the polished rod. The linear actuator remains in tension at all times during movement of the polished rod.

A jet pump system and method facilitate the production of a subterranean fluid. The jet pump system comprises a jet pump, a surface pump, a surface pump gauge, and a pump driver coupled to the surface pump to change a drive frequency of the pump driver based on production parameters and pumping parameters of the surface pump (drive frequency (FR) of the surface pump and the power fluid parameters) whereby the surface pump is selectively varied to optimize production. The jet pump method involves deploying the jet pump into the wellbore; pumping power fluid through the jet pump using the surface pump; measuring the pumping parameters; generating the production parameters of the subterranean fluid produced (production rate (QP) of the subterranean fluid); and optimizing the producing by changing the drive frequency (FR) based on the measured power fluid parameters and the generated production parameters.

A jet pump system and method facilitate the production of a subterranean fluid. The jet pump system comprises a jet pump, a surface pump, a surface pump gauge, and a pump driver coupled to the surface pump to change a drive frequency of the pump driver based on production parameters and pumping parameters of the surface pump (drive frequency (FR) of the surface pump and the power fluid parameters) whereby the surface pump is selectively varied to optimize production. The jet pump method involves deploying the jet pump into the wellbore; pumping power fluid through the jet pump using the surface pump; measuring the pumping parameters; generating the production parameters of the subterranean fluid produced (production rate (QP) of the subterranean fluid); and optimizing the producing by changing the drive frequency (FR) based on the measured power fluid parameters and the generated production parameters.

A tool includes a device including a housing and a rotor, the rotor to rotate about a longitudinal axis, and an axial gap generator including a stator assembly positioned adjacent to the rotor. The axial gap generator generates a voltage signal as a function of a gap spacing between the stator assembly and the rotor, the gap spacing being parallel to the longitudinal axis.

A tool includes a device including a housing and a rotor, the rotor to rotate about a longitudinal axis, and an axial gap generator including a stator assembly positioned adjacent to the rotor. The axial gap generator generates a voltage signal as a function of a gap spacing between the stator assembly and the rotor, the gap spacing being parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Pump assemblies for use with a subsurface fluid reservoir include an upper portion connected to a fluid conduit extending to the surface, a lower portion connected to the upper portion and in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir of the wellbore, and a plunger assembly movably located within the upper and lower portion of the pump assembly. As the fluid pressure within the tubing string, fluidly isolated from the fluid conduit, increases, fluid is forced into the pump assembly moving the plunger assembly upwell to draw fluid into the pump and forces fluid into the fluid conduit. As the fluid pressure within the tubing string decreases, movement of the plunger assembly forces fluid from the lower portion into the upper portion through a fluid passageway extending through the plunger assembly.

Pump assemblies for use with a subsurface fluid reservoir include an upper portion connected to a fluid conduit extending to the surface, a lower portion connected to the upper portion and in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir of the wellbore, and a plunger assembly movably located within the upper and lower portion of the pump assembly. As the fluid pressure within the tubing string, fluidly isolated from the fluid conduit, increases, fluid is forced into the pump assembly moving the plunger assembly upwell to draw fluid into the pump and forces fluid into the fluid conduit. As the fluid pressure within the tubing string decreases, movement of the plunger assembly forces fluid from the lower portion into the upper portion through a fluid passageway extending through the plunger assembly.

An artificial lifting system is disclosed. The artificial lifting system comprises an elongated cylinder fixed to a base or ground. The elongated cylinder receives a piston rod axially movable therein. The piston rod engages a downhole rod pump for driving the rod pump reciprocating uphole and downhole to pump downhole fluid to the surface. A control unit controls the axial movement of the piston rod, and automatically adjust the system operation to adapt to drift of the top and bottom stop positions of the piston rod. In an alternative embodiment, the system further comprises a dump valve controlled by the control unit to prevent over-stroke. In another embodiment, the system further comprises a chemical injection unit for injecting treatment fluid to a wellbore under the control of the control unit.