Cable actuated downhole smart pump

In a well that extends downhole through a production formation from which fluid flows into the well;

• a wellhead at the top thereof opposed to the bottom thereof;
• a relatively flexible elongate member, a support adjacent the wellhead by which the elongate member is suspended for movement along the longitudinal axis of the well;
• a well pumping apparatus having a long pump barrel within which a plunger reciprocates for lifting fluid from the bottom of the well up through a tubing and to the wellhead as the plunger upstrokes and concurrently filling the barrel as the plunger upstrokes;
• a storing device operable in both directions to retrieve and extend said elongate member respective thereto wherein the member extends from the support into the well and is connected to provide a means for reciprocating the plunger;
• and a control system for responsively actuating the storage device in alternate directions and thereby lowering and raising the elongate member for stroking said plunger uphole and downhole during one cycle of operation to slowly remove fluid from the pump barrel during the plunger upstroke and to force formation fluid into the tubing and thereby produce fluid from the well;
• said control system comprises a position sensor responsive to plunger position to move said elongate member axially into and out of the well and means coordinating the time interval of one cycle of pump operation to coincide with a time interval for the well to make a quantity of fluid that represents a full pump barrel.

In a well having a production formation that flows fluid thereinto;

• a wellhead at the top thereof opposed to the bottom thereof;
• a cable support adjacent the wellhead by which a cable is suspended for movement along the longitudinal axis of the well;
• a well pumping apparatus having a long pump barrel within which a plunger is reciprocatingly received, means by which the plunger is reciprocated by said cable for lifting fluid from the bottom of the well up through a tubing and to the wellhead;
• a cable storing device operable to move the cable in both directions to retrieve and extend the cable therefrom wherein the cable extends from the cable support into the well;
• and means connecting the cable to reciprocatingly actuate the plunger of the well pumping apparatus;
• a prime mover connected to actuate said cable storing device for alternate change in direction of travel of the cable during each cycle of operation thereof;
• and a control system for responsively lowering and raising the cable to actuate the plunger to slowly remove fluid from the pump barrel each upstroke of the plunger and thereafter downstroke the plunger to force fluid into the barrel above the plunger and thereby produce fluid from the well borehole each cycle of operation at the same rate fluid flows from the formation into the well.

A method of producing a stripper well extending through a fluid producing formation located downhole respective the wellbore, comprising the steps of:

• step 1. supporting a long pump assembly having a barrel and a plunger downhole in the wellbore;
• reciprocatingly receiving the plunger within the barrel of the pump assembly, telescopingly receiving the barrel within a tubing string connected to a wellhead which is located at the top of the well;
• providing the barrel with a lower standing valve at the lower end thereof and an upper standing valve at the upper end thereof, and providing the plunger with a traveling valve therewithin for supporting a fluid column in the barrel and the tubing string on the upstroke of the plunger;
• step 2. Supporting a fluid column in the tubing string with said upper standing valve on the downstroke of the plunger;
• step 3. filling the lower end of the barrel below the plunger with well fluid by raising the plunger in response to the elevation of the liquid level in the well wherein the well fluid includes both compressible and non-compressible fluid;
• step 4. actuating the pump by slowly cyclically reciprocating the plunger within a range of positions between the upper and lower ends of the barrel, thereby forcing fluid from the barrel into the tubing string and up to the wellhead;
• and thereafter lowering the plunger to a position near the lower end of the barrel, thereby positioning the plunger adjacent the lower end of the barrel;
• step 5. raising and lowering the plunger controllably responsive to the quantity of fluid contained within the barrel;
• and, expelling compressible fluid entering the pump up the tubing string to enhance lifting fluid uphole each cycle of operation.

Method of skimming oil from formation fluid located in a lower end of a borehole containing oil, water and gas, comprising the steps of:

• step 1. removably connecting a relatively long pump assembly downhole in the borehole within a production tubing string attached to a well head;
• step 2. controllably and reciprocatingly receiving a plunger within a barrel of the pump assembly at a relatively slow rate of cyclical operation;
• step 3. arranging a lower standing valve at the lower end of the barrel through which fluid is forced to flow into the barrel below the plunger during an upstroke, and an upper standing valve at the upper end of the barrel for supporting a fluid column in the tubing string on a downstroke, and, providing the plunger with a traveling valve therewithin for supporting a fluid column in the barrel on the upstroke;
• step 4. determining the location of an interface between oil and water in the barrel by connecting a downhole sensor means to the plunger and stopping the plunger near the interface on subsequent cycles of operation, while reciprocating the plunger within the barrel at a rate responsive to the rate of accumulation of oil contained in the fluid until a preset oil/water ratio is attained each cycle of the pumping operation;
• step 5. upstroking the plunger while filling the barrel below the plunger with well fluid including both compressible and non-compressible fluids;
• step 6. continuously producing the well while determining the oil/water ratio of fluid contained in the barrel during a cycle of operation comprising:
• slowly upstroking the plunger to a position near the upper end of the barrel, thereby forcing fluid to flow up the tubing string to the wellhead while fluid flows into the barrel below the plunger;
• and, thereafter downstroking the plunger through the fluid in the barrel to a position near the lower end of the barrel;
• step 7. controllably raising and lowering the plunger during each cycle during a time interval which is changed responsive to the filling of the barrel to attain said preset oil/water ratio, and;
• expelling compressible fluid entering the pump up the tubing string to enhance lifting produced fluid in the barrel each cycle of operation.

A method of producing a stripper well comprising the steps of:

• step 1. arranging a long stroking pump assembly having a barrel downhole within a tubing string of a stripper well;
• the barrel having a standing valve at the lower end thereof, a stationary valve at the upper end of the barrel for supporting a fluid column within the tubing string;
• and a plunger having a traveling valve associated therewith is reciprocatingly received within the barrel for lifting formation fluid uphole;
• and,
• step 2. upstroking and downstroking the plunger respective the barrel in response to movement of a cable operated from the surface and connected to reciprocate the plunger to fill the barrel with well fluid on the upstroke of the plunger wherein the well fluid includes both compressible and non-compressible fluid;
• step 3. producing the well by upstroking the plunger to a position near the upper end of the barrel, thereby forcing fluid in the barrel above the plunger to flow up the tubing string to the wellhead;
• step 4. raising and lowering the plunger controllably in response to the rate of production needed to keep the well pumped down, and, expelling compressible fluid entering the pump up the tubing string to enhance lifting produced fluid.