Methods and apparatus to determine operating parameters of a pumping unit for use with wells

A method, comprising:

• determining a first angle of a crank arm of a pumping unit;
• determining a first torque factor for the pumping unit, the first torque factor comprises a rate of change in a position of a polished rod with respect to an angle of the crank arm of the pumping unit;
• and
• based on the first angle of the crank arm, the first torque factor, and a reference polished rod speed, determining a rate at which to operate a motor of the pumping unit to enable the polished rod to move at the reference polished rod speed.

A method comprising:

• moving a polished rod through a first cycle of a pumping unit using a motor;
• determining first pulse count values of the motor through the first cycle using a first sensor;
• determining first position values of the polished rod through the first cycle using a second sensor;
• associating the first pulse count values with respective ones of the first position values to calibrate a processor of the pumping unit;
• generating a reference table using the first pulse count values and the first position values to show a correlation between the first pulse count values and the first position values;
• determining a first angle of a crank arm of the pumping unit based on the reference table;
• determining a first torque factor for the pumping unit, the first torque factor comprises a rate of change in a position of the polished rod with respect to an angle of the crank arm of the pumping unit;
• and
• based on the first angle of the crank arm, the first torque factor, and a reference polished rod speed, determining a rate at which to operate a motor of the pumping unit to enable the polished rod to move at the reference polished rod speed.

A method, comprising:

• determining a first angle of a crank arm of a pumping unit;
• determining a first torque factor for the pumping unit, the first torque factor comprises a rate of change in a position of a polished rod with respect to an angle of the crank arm;
• determining a first load on the polished rod at a first time;
• comparing the first load to a reference load;
• and
• based on the comparison between the first and reference loads, determining a speed at which to operate the polished rod to enable a second determined load on the polished rod at a second time to be within a threshold of the reference load;
• and
• based on the first angle of the crank arm, the first torque factor, and the determined polished rod speed, determining a rate at which to operate a motor of the pumping unit to enable the polished rod to move at the determined polished rod speed.

A method, comprising:

• moving a polished rod through a first cycle of a pumping unit using a motor;
• determining first pulse count values of the motor through the first cycle using a first sensor;
• determining first position values of the polished rod through the first cycle using a second sensor;
• associating the first pulse count values with respective ones of the first position values to calibrate a processor of the pumping unit;
• generating a reference table using the first pulse count values and the first position values to show a correlation between the first pulse count values and the first position values;
• determining a first angle of a crank arm of the pumping unit based on the reference table;
• determining a first torque factor for the pumping unit, the first torque factor comprises a rate of change in a position of the polished rod with respect to an angle of the crank arm;
• determining a first load on the polished rod;
• comparing the first load to a reference load;
• and
• based on the comparison between the first and reference loads, determining a speed at which to operate the polished rod to enable a second determined load on the polished rod at a second time to be within a threshold of the reference load.