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

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.