US 12,540,612 B2 · Hydraulic powerhouse system for an oil well pumping unit

Abstract

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 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 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.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A hydraulic powerhouse system for an oil well pumping unit, comprising:

a prime mover;
a hydraulic pump powered by the prime mover;
a master fluid valve;
a first vertical linear actuator comprising a barrel, a piston rod and a plunger, wherein the piston rod is operatively connected to a polished rod of a wellbore;
and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured to cycle the master fluid valve between an upstroke pumping mode and a downstroke pumping mode, such that:
when the master fluid valve is in its upstroke pumping mode, hydraulic fluid is pumped by the hydraulic pump into the barrel of the first vertical linear actuator against the plunger, causing the polished rod to move along an upstroke;
and
when the master fluid valve is in its downstroke pumping mode, hydraulic fluid is released from the barrel of the first vertical linear actuator, allowing the polished rod to move along a downstroke;
and wherein the oil well pumping unit comprises:
a vertical support column having a front face and a back face;
and
a polished rod residing along and spaced apart from the front face of the vertical support column.

10 more elements

A method of producing oil, comprising:

providing an oil well pumping unit comprising:
a vertical support column having a front face and a back face;
and
a polished rod residing along and spaced apart from the front face of the vertical support column;
and
providing a hydraulic powerhouse system, comprising:
an electric motor;
a hydraulic pump powered by the electric motor;
a master fluid valve;
a first vertical linear actuator comprising a barrel, a piston rod and a plunger, wherein the piston rod is operatively connected to a polished rod of a wellbore;
and
a controller, wherein the controller cycles the master fluid valve between an upstroke pumping mode and a downstroke pumping mode, such that:
when the master fluid valve is in its upstroke pumping mode, hydraulic fluid is pumped by the hydraulic pump into the barrel of the first vertical linear actuator against the plunger, causing the polished rod to move along an upstroke;
and
when the master fluid valve is in its downstroke pumping mode, hydraulic fluid is released from the barrel of the first vertical linear actuator, allowing the polished rod to move along a downstroke.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Hydraulic powerhouse system for an oil well pumping unit

Life of this patent

Hydraulic powerhouse system for an oil well pumping unit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30