Method for autonomous control of oil and gas well down-hole pump surface unit and reduction of gas interference

Abstract

A method for the autonomous control of a surface unit of an oil well or gas well down-hole rod pump to provide for a reduction of gas interference and an increase in production, the method providing for autonomous adjustment of one or more pump operation characteristics, including one or more of dwell time, polished rod travel, compression ratio, and pump cycle rate, and the method including autonomous determination of a weight transfer position, autonomous determination of a rate of weight transfer, determination of a stretch factor of the polished rod, and autonomous adjustment of one or more of the pump operation characteristics for successive pump cycles of the down-hole pump installation based upon the weight transfer position, the rate of weight transfer, and the stretch factor.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting one or more pump operation characteristics for a rod pumped oil or gas well, the rod pumped oil or gas well comprising a surface pumping unit, a production tubing string within a wellbore, a polished rod, a sucker rod string residing within the production tubing string below the polished rod, and a down-hole pump, with the down-hole pump having a traveling valve and a standing valve within the wellbore, and the method comprising: providing a controller; providing a position sensor and a load cell associated with the polished rod; using the surface pumping unit, reciprocating the polished rod, the sucker rod string, and the traveling valve together in order to pump fluids from the wellbore; using the position sensor, monitoring a position of the polished rod during the reciprocating, and sending signals to the controller indicative of the position of the polished rod; using the load cell, monitoring load on the polished rod during the reciprocating, and sending signals to the controller indicative of the load on the polished rod; and using the controller, associating positions of the polished rod and loads on the polished rod as a function of time during the reciprocating; determining a position of the polished rod when a weight transfer is detected by the load cell during one or more pump cycles of the down-hole pump, recorded as a weight transfer position when the traveling valve is forced open; recording changes in load on the polished rod as the polished rod travels from a top-of-stroke down to the weight transfer position during the one or more pump cycles of the down-hole pump; and adjusting one or more of the pump operation characteristics for successive pump cycles of the down-hole pump based upon the weight transfer position and the recorded changes in load on the polished rod.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: upon beginning production, using the surface pumping unit, lowering the polished rod at the surface pumping unit, thereby lowering the connected sucker rod string and the traveling valve until the traveling valve contacts the standing valve and weight loss is detected by the load cell; continue lowering the polished rod until stretch is taken out of the sucker rod string; using the position sensor, identifying the position of the polished rod where stretch is taken out of the sucker rod string as a first static position; using the surface pumping unit, raising the polished rod at the surface pumping unit, thereby raising the connected sucker rod string and the traveling valve; using the position sensor, identifying the position of the polished rod where weight is again detected by the load cell and stretch is fully returned to the sucker rod string as a second static position; identifying the linear difference between the first static position and the second static position as a static stretch factor of the polished rod string; and autonomously adjusting the position of the polished rod at the surface based on the static stretch factor to avoid the traveling valve tagging the standing valve at a bottom-of-stroke during the pump cycles.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: obtaining one or more of a yield rating, a polished rod diameter, a polished rod length, a diameter of the sucker rod string, a number of sucker rod threaded connections, a fluid column load, a polished rod lifting velocity, and a polished rod lowering velocity as additional stretch factors; adjusting the static stretch factor based upon two or more of the additional stretch factors; and setting the position of the polished rod at the surface unit based on the adjusted static stretch factor to avoid the traveling valve tagging the standing valve at the bottom-of-stroke during the pump cycles.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: using the controller, autonomously: determining respective successive weight transfer positions and respective recordings of load on the polished rod taken from successive pump cycles of the down-hole pump, determining a weight transfer position variance from the successive weight transfer positions; determining a variance in load on the polished rod from the successive recorded changes in load on the polished rod, and using the controller, adjusting one or more of the pump operation characteristics for successive pump cycles of the down-hole pump based upon the weight transfer position variance and the recorded changes in load on the polished rod.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more pump operation characteristics comprises compression ratio; and the compression ratio is increased by the controller in response to decreasing values in the recorded changes in load by lowering the bottom-of-stroke for successive pump cycles.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein: the one or more pump operation characteristics comprises polished rod travel; and the adjustment of polished rod travel comprises autonomous adjustment of (i) the top-of-stroke, (ii) a bottom-of-stroke, or (iii) both the top-of-stroke and the bottom-of-stroke.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein: the surface pumping unit and the controller are capable of providing infinite polished rod motion control, and the ability to stop, hold, and reverse direction anywhere within travel limits of polished rod movement.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more pump operation characteristics comprises dwell time at the top-of-stroke and pump cycle rate.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the controller utilizes the stretch factor to correlate the actual traveling valve position with polished rod position during pumping.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: operating the pumping unit in order to create pump cycles representing upstrokes and downstrokes for the downhole pump, taking into account the static stretch factor to permit the traveling valve to extend down to the standing valve; re-measuring the first static position and the second static position; and adjusting the polished rod travel while pumping to ensure the traveling valve opens.

11. A method of reducing gas interference in a wellbore, the wellbore being placed at a well site, and the method comprising: using a surface pumping unit at the well site, reciprocating a polished rod, a rod string, and a connected traveling valve in order to pump fluids from the wellbore; during the reciprocating, monitoring a position of the polished rod using a position sensor; during the reciprocating, monitoring changes in load on the polished rod using a load cell; during the reciprocating, sending position signals from the position sensor to a controller at the well site; during the reciprocating, sending load signals from the load cell to the controller at the well site; using the controller, (a) associating positions of the polished rod and loads on the polished rod as a function of time across a selected number of pump cycles for the surface pumping unit; (b) determining a weight transfer position (WTP) of the polished rod where the traveling valve is forced open during a downstroke of the rod string across each of the selected number of pump cycles, as WTP readings; (c) comparing the WTP readings to determine if the weight transfer position is elevating or lowering within the wellbore during the selected number of pump cycles; and (d) recording changes in load on the polished rod as the polished rod travels from a top-of-stroke down to the weight transfer position across the selected number of cycles for the surface pumping unit, as a weight transfer test; (e) compare results of the weight transfer tests to determine if the changes in load are increasing or decreasing; and (f) based on steps (c) and (e), using the controller to reduce gas interference in the wellbore by (i) changing a dwell time at a top-of-stroke, (ii) adjusting a length of polished rod travel, or (iii) both.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: if a condition of gas interference exists in the wellbore, using the controller to autonomously (iv) decrease pump cycle rate, (v) add dwell time at a top-of-stroke, (vi) decrease length of polished rod travel, or (vii) any combination of (iv), (v), and (vi) while pumping.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising: if a condition of no gas interference or less gas interference as previously measured exists in the wellbore, using the controller to autonomously (viii) increase pump cycle rate, (ix) reduce a dwell time at a top-of-stroke, (x) increase length of polished rod travel, or (xi) any combination of (viii), (ix) and (x) while pumping.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: using the controller, calculating average loads with respect to measured positions on the polished rod across a first selected number of pump cycles; and preparing a first surface unit card.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: using the controller, calculating average loads with respect to measured positions on the polished rod across a second subsequent selected number of pump cycles; preparing a second surface unit card; and comparing a total area or data points within the first surface unit card with a total area or data points within the second surface unit card.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: if a condition of decreased work is presented by the comparing step, autonomously (a) decreasing pump cycle rate, (b) adding a dwell time at a top-of-stroke, (c) decreasing length of polished rod travel, or (d) any combination of (a), (b) and (c); and if a condition of increased work is presented by the comparing step, autonomously (e) increasing pump cycle rate, (f) reducing a dwell time at a top-of-stroke, (g) increasing length of polished rod travel, or (h) any combination of (e), (f) and (g).

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the surface pumping unit and the controller are capable of providing (j) infinite polished rod motion control, and (k) the ability to stop, hold, and reverse direction anywhere within travel limits of polished rod movement.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is an elevation view schematic of an oil or gas surface unit interface and wellhead.

(2) FIG. 2 is an elevation view schematic of the surface unit interface and wellhead of FIG. 1 and a polished rod string assembly extending into the well and illustrating a polished rod string assembly stretch factor.

(3) FIG. 3 is an elevation view schematic of the surface unit interface and wellhead of FIG. 1 with the polished rod string assembly of FIG. 2 and an enlarged elevation view of the downhole pump.

(4) FIG. 4 is an elevation view schematic of the downhole pump.

(5) FIG. 5 is an elevation view schematic of the surface unit interface and wellhead of FIG. 1 with the polished rod string assembly of FIG. 2 and an enlarged elevation view of the downhole pump illustrating normal pump spacing between the traveling valve and the standing valve at bottom of stroke.

(6) FIG. 6 is the elevation view of FIG. 5 further illustrating lowering of bottom of stroke and a resultant increase in the compression ratio.

(7) FIG. 7 is the elevation view of FIG. 6 illustrating a further lowering of bottom of stroke and further increase in the compression ratio.

(8) FIG. 8 is the elevation view of FIG. 7 illustrating a still further lowing of bottom of stroke and still further increase in the compression ratio.

(9) FIG. 9 is the elevation view of FIG. 8 illustrating an even further lowering of bottom of stroke and still further increase in the compression ratio.

(10) FIG. 10 is the elevation view of FIG. 9 illustrating further lowering of the bottom of stroke to the tag position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, polished rod string assembly 100 consists of the polished rod 105, sucker rods 110, couplings 115 threaded together forming a long elastic energy transfer device transferring surface energy to the downhole high pressure positive displacement plunger pump 120, also known as the downhole pump 120. The moving portion of the downhole pump 120 is called the traveling valve assembly 123. It consists of two moving sub-assemblies the plunger 125 and the traveling valve check valve 127.

(12) The traveling valve assembly 123 reciprocates up and down within the inside diameter of the downhole pump working barrel 130. The working barrel separates the traveling valve assembly 123 from the stationary standing valve assembly 140. The working barrel 130 is the downhole pump displacement chamber during the pumping process.

(13) Referring also to FIG. 4, the mobile traveling valve assembly 123 is comprised of two sub-assemblies the plunger 125 and the traveling valve check valve assembly 127. The traveling check valve consists of two parts. The moveable ball 128 and the stationary seat 129 and are considered a matched set. The stationary seat 129 does move but moves in unison with complete traveling valve assembly 123 hence considered stationary in relation to freely moving ball 128.

(14) The stationary standing valve assembly 140 is permanently mounted to the production tubing string 169 within the wellbore and typically does not move when properly anchored. The standing valve assembly 140 is comprised of a moveable ball 141 with stationary seat 142 also a matched set.

(15) When the balls are off their respective seats the valves are considered open. When the balls are forced into their respective seats from fluid differential pressure acting upon their surface areas, the valves are considered closed. When the valves are open they allow fluid media to pass both directions. When the valves are closed they do not allow fluid media to pass except for the volumetric leakage. The individual volumetric leakage of traveling valve is 123L and the standing valve is 140L.

(16) During the pumping process the polished rod string assembly 100 is lifted and lowered by the surface unit. The surface travel of the polished rod 105 is typically measured in inches.

(17) One lifting and lowering motion traveled a specific distance within a specific time duration is considered one stroke or cycle. The most common block of time duration is one minute, hence strokes per minute. The lifting velocity versus the lowering velocity are the speeds which the polished rod 105 travels a specific distance upwards and downwards within one stroke/cycle.

(18) Referring also to FIG. 5 and again to FIG. 2, the wellhead 180 has the polished rod assembly 100 protruding from the wellhead and reciprocated up and down. The traveling valve 123 and the standing valve 140 are mechanically spaced apart at the bottom of the well.

(19) They are manually adjusted at time of installation and the spacing remains the same till mechanically readjusted at the surface. The over travel and under travel of the traveling valve 123 is estimated during assembly of the wellbore installation. The lifting velocity and lowering velocity are controlled by the surface unit while pumping the well.

(20) Rod pumping surface units commonly use rod pump controllers called pump off controllers, run timers plus other names and types. All basically do the same thing reducing strokes per minute or run time or both while the well is subject to fluid pound, this is commonly known today. Run timers simply operate on a selectable time on versus selectable time off. Both types regulate their surface unit pumping characteristics without human observation or attendance locally onsite.

(21) Various pump off controllers sold by numerous suppliers typically have a means of measuring a gross position of the polished rod assembly 100 and a means of detecting weight transfer position occurring downhole during the normal operation of the downhole pump 120.

(22) Some sophisticated pump off controllers may be able to detect various routine occurrences at the downhole pump 120 such as falling weight transfer position which could be caused by decreased pump liquid fluid infill during intake portion of the pump cycle. Some may be able to detect various forms of gas interference within the downhole pump 120. This is commonly known today.

(23) Some sophisticated pump off controllers may be able to regulate the electric motor operating RPM which affects surface unit strokes per minute based on rising or falling weight transfer position.

(24) Or maybe able to selectively switch the prime mover on or off for time elapsed cycles allowing the well fluid volume to gather additional volume of ground fluid above the pump inlet enabling the downhole pump 120 to continue pumping while not fluid pounding.

(25) Fluid pound is the industry term used to describe the downhole pump 120 not being full of liquid fluid during its compression portion of pumping cycle. This is commonly known today.

(26) All the above details and descriptions are well known and commonly practiced in today's upstream oilfield sector.

(27) The downhole pump 120 stroke length and its slide ably connected traveling valve assembly 123 are also in a fixed travel distance ratio of surface travel distance to downhole travel distance and velocity per every complete cycle of the downhole pump 120 regardless what the pump off controller is able to detect.

(28) If the ground fluid column cannot fully fill the void or pumping chamber created during the pump intake cycle the entire pump intake volume may be subjected to a pressure reduction level causing the fluid to de-gas further and producing additional gas interference issues during the compression cycle.

(29) The pumping process is transferring surface unit energy and direction of travel to the downhole pump 120 during operation while monitoring weight transfer position and rate of weight transfer change.

(30) Pumping process always attempting to elevate the detected weight transfer position and decrease the rate of change while pumping through autonomously adjusting the pumping motion profile.

(31) The motion profile of polished rod string 100 receives motion control energy of various levels that produce lifting and lowering. The motion profile includes polished rod travel distance, strokes per minute, lifting velocity, lowering velocity plus having the ability to stop and hold for specific time dwell XXX seconds at any position commanded, being determined autonomously thru measuring weight transfer position of polished rod 105 and rate of change in load supported by polished rod 105 thru polished rod transducer 102 or other means to calculate load hanging beneath polished rod 105 while pumping improves overall efficiencies while producing well.

(32) During rod pumping operations polished rod assembly 100 undergoes total travel distance length changes as compared to polished rod 105 end and traveling valve 123 end actual travel deviations. The polished rod travel distance being very precisely measured is position command able and a constant pumping attribute which effectively does not change in comparison to actual traveling valve motion differentials due to external forces during the course of rod pumping a typical oil or gas well.

(33) Traveling valve 123 actual travel distances change due to the natural lengthening and shortening when applying and removing external forces upon a long slender polished rod assembly 100 in tension, this is called stretch factor SF1.

(34) These travel differences are commonly known within the oil industry today, called over travel and under travel. Until now these travel distance variations were not able to be autonomously and dynamically managed or utilized while rod pumping an oil or gas well installation.

(35) When gas interference occurs at the downhole pump 120 it can drastically change total liquid fluid volumetric efficiencies of the downhole pump and hydrocarbon output at wellhead 180. If bad enough can actually prevent the liquid fluid volumetric pumping action from occurring when the traveling valve does not open during the compression down stroke.

(36) Having the ability to modify the compression ratio of the downhole pump autonomously while pumping based on varying well conditions as measured at the polished rod 105 could drastically improve the overall pumping efficiency and profitability of the oil or gas well.

(37) Stretch factor SF1 comes into play while determining actual traveling valve 123 travel and position downhole in relation to standing valve 140. The closer traveling valve 123 is to standing valve 140 during compression stroke while pumping creates a higher compression ratio when attempting to correct for gas interference problems.

(38) Downhole pumps 120 are installed within the well having initial pump spacing, as defined as the linear travel distance between the standing valve 140 and the expected lowest position of the dynamically lowered traveling valve 123 while pumping.

(39) This distance is currently manually calculated, measured and adjusted at the surface with polished rod clamp(s) 101 placements being manually calculated and measured then fixed to a specific position on the polished rod 105.

(40) The calculation includes the expected rod stretch from the hanging force of the steel and liquid column loading being supported by the carrier bar 104. The distance is a calculated dimension based on polished rod string 100 construction details, all material yield values, all dimensions, all lengths and expected fluid loads while pumping. This is common industry practice today.

(41) When downhole pump liquid fluid intake is high resulting weight transfer occurs at or near the top of polished rod travel after direction change. Upon starting the lowering direction when pump liquid fillage percentage is high and fluid density is high and weight transfer occurs quickly then it is commonly accepted that downhole pump 120 has a high percentage of high density liquid fluid fillage within working barrel 130. This scenario is ideal.

(42) If weight transfer does not occur immediately upon polished rod string 100 lowering and if weight transfer loading as measured by polished rod transducer 102 or other means to calculate load hanging beneath polished rod string 105 slowly changes versus quickly changes then one scenario is likely the downhole pump 120 is suffering from gas interference.

(43) Which could mean the pump spacing was initially adjusted for normal liquid fluid pump media fillage but now gas is interfering which is highly compressible media and resulting pump spacing is now set at too great of measured distance between traveling valve 123 and standing valve 140. This is one common well known scenario dealt with every day in the upstream oilfield.

(44) During the course of rod pumping an oil or gas well it is a common event to have gas interference occur at the downhole pump 120, and to detect gas interference, stretch factor SF1 becomes relevant.

(45) Having the ability to autonomously adjust the compression ratio live while pumping based upon weight transfer position and rate of change as measured at polished rod transducer 102 or other means to calculate load hanging beneath polished rod 105 in determining the load suspended via polished rod 105 while pumping provides the apparatus and method of combating and reducing gas interference problems.

(46) Polished rod string 100 has a physical length being supported and positioned with rod clamp(s) 101 and carrier bar 104. This gross positioning of polished rod string in relation to known standing valve 140 position must be physically adjusted initially at the surface to allow potential contact downhole of traveling valve 123 and standing valve 140.

(47) This contact is called tagging and is a well-known and practiced oilfield technique of defeating severe gas interference. However, it has severe limitations including all manual adjustments at the surface. These adjustments typically requiring heavy lift equipment and man power to make contact possible. The resulting force of impact is difficult to manually adjust for with rod stretch and dynamic changing loads which occur while pumping.

(48) A surface unit may provide an easy and safe method to move, position and hold polished rod 105 on command. This allows a human to safely stack off the polished rod string 100 by using extra polished rod clamp(s) 101 be added below the carrier bar thus unloading the carrier bar 104.

(49) This technique of unloading or stacking is a common oilfield procedure but previously required heavy lift crane or some other apparatus to lift and support the weight of the polished rod string 100 off the carrier bar 104.

(50) Surface unit is commanded to lift the polished rod string 100 a manually determined amount, typically several feet up off of full down position and held stationary. A human manually and securely attaches an additional polished rod clamp(s) 101 onto polished rod 105 slightly above top of wellhead or wellhead support to carry the load.

(51) Surface unit is commanded to slowly lower polished rod string 100 allowing additional installed polished rod clamp(s) 101 to contact top of wellhead or wellhead support taking full weight of the polished rod string 100, thus unloading the bridle 103 and carrier bar 104.

(52) The original installed polished rod clamp(s) 101 are then repositioned, lowering expected traveling valve 123 furthest down stretched position, thus allowing contact of traveling valve and standing valve downhole. The procedure is reversed, reloading the bridle 103 and carrier bar 104 with the polished rod string 100 and well is now prepared to begin the gas interference detection and abatement pumping process.

(53) The new pumping process will have numerous actual procedures, one is detailed here. Surface unit initially elevates and holds polished rod assembly 100 stationary against gravity with traveling valve 123 near but not at furthest down position.

(54) The stationary position being registered and transferred for position recording along with polished rod transducer 102 output or other means in determining pounds load also transferred. Polished rod string 100 is then lowered slowly till pounds force change is detected in polished rod transducer 102 output or other means. The traveling valve 123 is now in contact with standing valve 140.

(55) The position of polished rod 105 where polished rod transducer 102 output or other means detects a load change is physical indication where traveling valve 123 bottom position is while moving slowly downward.

(56) Most likely the polished rod string will have some fluid load on it due to high probability of traveling valve 123 not opening during prior pumping actions so fluid load of some value will most likely be present and rod string stretch of some amount will be present. This is static traveling valve position 151.

(57) Using static traveling valve position 151 in conjunction with known estimated total rod stretch per the well installation records, bills of materials and manually calculated stretch amounts previously described provides for an initial position of polished rod 105.

(58) Knowing the static traveling valve position 151 and comparing with calculated total rod stretch allows a differential position of polished rod 105 to be used as a starting point for further pumping operations.

(59) Once traveling valve position 151 is interpolated for a static non-pumping position.

(60) The lifting velocity and lowering velocity along with polished rod transducer 102, or other means in detecting when or if a change in the suspended load is detected all being closely regulated and monitored.

(61) Through the slow lifting and lowering closed loop position cycling of polished rod 105 and by adding additional velocity into the motion, rod stretch is accumulating; meaning traveling valve 123 will ultimately have a lower bottom of stroke.

(62) This difference of travel measured at the surface and when force changes monitored from polished rod transducer 102, or other means is detected.

(63) This process is duplicated several times to verify results are the same at the identical slow rates of lifting velocity and lowering velocity while comparing the resultant polished rod position in duplicating the detection and recording of new traveling valve position 151.

(64) This position will change when polished rod string 100 is operated at normal pumping speeds and loads. This is where stretch factor SF1 and traveling valve position 152 are now factored in.

(65) Stretch factor SF1 is a dynamic value made up of polished rod string 100 components, yield ratings, diameters, overall lengths, number of threaded connections, quality of the torqued threaded connections, fluid column loads, velocity lifting, velocity lowering along with strokes per minute of polished rod assembly 100 while pumping well.

(66) These dynamic values are difficult to reliably mathematically calculate due to the many variables that may or may not be consistent with published values used in the numerous mathematical methods of determining actual polished rod string 100 total dynamic stretch values under loaded conditions downhole.

(67) Meaning the actual lowest position of traveling valve 123 while pumping at operating speed is difficult to calculate but through this empirical process of comparing traveling valve position 151 and 152 surface unit is able to repeat ably position polished rod 105 with reliable downhole results by using the measured actual stretch factor 151:152 ratio and relying on the steel components repeatable consistencies unless there is a failure of the components installed in polished rod string 100. When a failure is detected a notification in the prescribed manner is dispatched.

(68) This process should be done more than once at different lifting and lowering velocities to determine stretch discrepancies at new velocities. The stretch factor SF1 will change at higher inertia speeds, hence more stretch and resulting over travel and under travel downhole will change. Meaning the absolute bottom position of travel valve 123 will increase further downward due to increased rod string stretch factor SF1.

(69) This process should be done at desired pumping strokes per minute and velocities to again determine what actual traveling valve position is at furthest down position where load changes can be registered. The goal is to find the furthest rod string stretch factor SF1 position 152 at rated load on polished rod string 100 at desired pumping strokes per minute using desired travel velocities.

(70) Knowing the measured positions of traveling valve 151 and 152 differences allows surface unit to autonomously alter downhole pump 120 spacing forcing weight transfer to occur on each gas interference compression cycle.

(71) Surface unit being able to produce very accurate, repeatable and high resolution positioning and detection of loads on polished rod string 100 provides benchmarks for reference with the variability of actual traveling valve 123 furthest downward position dynamically positioned at speed and force while pumping as a reliable means of knowing stretch factor SF1 position with high degrees of reliability because the steel physical properties of polished rod 100 will not change downhole while pumping.

(72) When a position or force outside a predetermined motion parameter does change while pumping a change from previous stroke or stroke averages of position and force has occurred within the well and a notification is autonomously dispatched. If a severe parameter change occurs a safe shut down procedure is performed.

(73) Surface unit having the ability to autonomously and dynamically change the downhole pump 120 compression ratio based on where and how the traveling valve 123 opens provides the opportunity to autonomously regulate the pumping process as gas interference is detected while pumping.

(74) Referring also to FIGS. 6-9, these compression ratio steps are illustrated in traveling valve positions 153 thru 157 but in reality the steps could be many more providing a higher degree of resolution downhole. The continued lowering of traveling valve 123 is for the purpose of developing increased internal pump pressure which forces the traveling valve open thus allowing new volumetric liquid fluid to enter working barrel 130 to continue pumping.

(75) Referring also to FIG. 10, tagging the traveling valve 123 to standing valve 140 is an industry known process in mechanically forcing by impact the traveling valve 123 open. By forcing the traveling valve 123 to open the trapped working barrel 130 volume content enters the tubing string 169.

(76) Surface unit in compression ratio modifications while pumping allows the creation of traveling valve position 157 also called auto tag position. Having the ability to know the dynamic SF1 stretch factor amount and repeat ably and incrementally alter the polished rod 105 position while pumping allows traveling valve 123 to be precisely and repeat ably lowered to eventual contact with standing valve 140. The impact force is controllable by the command able incremental stroke travel dimension changes of polished rod string 100.

(77) The results of success are easily determined. If while pumping previously the traveling valve did not open preventing weight transfer to occur and attempts of increasing the compression ratio still had not produced weight transfer.

(78) Then further incremental lowering of traveling valve upon reaching contact with standing valve 140, in small steps, limiting the impact force, then forces open the traveling valve 123 allowing weight transfer to occur, then success is achieved with a command able variable minimal impact force all easily verifiable.

(79) Further this means that propagation time delays experienced from detecting loads at the surface being generated at opposite end of the long polished rod string 100 plus related natural frequency of movements and associated harmonics from reciprocating motions are more accurately portrayed at the surface and used for pumping process refinements and averages of command able future pump stroke cycles.

(80) In view of the disclosures of this specification and the drawings, other embodiments and other variations and modifications of the embodiments described above will be obvious to a person skilled in the art. Therefore, the foregoing is intended to be merely illustrative of the invention and the invention is limited only by the following claims and the doctrine of equivalents.