US3801230A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pumping apparatus and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-03-06
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Granted: 1974-04-02
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Expires: 1993-03-06
Abstract
Abstract A differential of gas pressure between the wellhead and another pressure is applied across each of a pair of power cylinders whereby such pistons drive a piston bracket. A pair of counterbalance cylinders powered by pressurized gas assist in support of the well rod string, are tied to the same piston bracket and are automatically maintained at an adjustable pressure created by the piston bracket motion. The piston bracket operates a reversing valve to change the direction of power cylinder piston travel as the piston bracket and the pump shaft attached thereto complete cycles of operation; the differential of gas pressure is developed between the wellhead operating pressure and sales line pressure so that substantially no loss of gas is usually effected from production while providing alternative differential gas pressure systems alternatively tied thereinto to permit continued operation of this apparatus under unusual conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 R Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 23:45
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B41/00; E21B41/0021; E21B43/00; E21B43/12; F; F04; F04B; F04B47/00; F04B47/02; F04B47/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
387 words
A gas well pumping apparatus comprising, in cooperative combination, a cylinder assembly, a timer assembly, a reversing assembly, a counterbalance assembly, said cylinder assembly comprising a plurality of rigid parallel vertical power cylinders and counterbalance cylinders, a well casing with a sales outlet line, a well tubing, a rod string and a rigid horizontally extending piston bracket, each of said power cylinders and counterbalance cylinders including a piston movable axially thereof and a vertical rigid shaft vertically and axially extending therealong and attached near its top to said bracket and at its bottom to said piston a polish rod shaft attached to said rod string and said piston bracket, the shafts attached to said bracket being parallel to and symmetrically arrayed about said polish rod shaft, said reversing assembly comprising a reversing valve comprising a valve body and a valve spool, first conduits operatively connecting said well casing to each of said power cylinders and an adjustable reversing pilot means connected to said bracket and to said reversing valve whereby to move said reversing valve spool to different positions corresponding to different positions of said bracket, a gas power source connected to said pilot means and, therethrough, to said reversing valve, a second conduit connected from said well casing to a motor valve inlet, the motor valve having an inlet and outlet and operatively connected to the timer assembly and controlled thereby, a third conduit from the motor valve outlet to an adjustable throttle valve, a fourth conduit from said motor valve outlet to said reversing valve, a fifth conduit leading from each of said power cylinders to the sales line; the counterbalance assembly comprising a counterbalance pump assembly, a counterbalance reservoir and said counterbalance cylinders, said reservoir and pump assembly operatively connected by conduits to the bottom of said counterbalance cylinder, said reservoir having a volume which is a multiple of the volume of said counterbalance cylinders; said pump assembly comprising a pump actuation bracket attached to said piston bracket, and movable with said piston bracket in a vertical path, and counterbalance pump cylinder and piston, said counterbalance pump piston having a vertically extending shaft, said pump shaft extending in said vertical path, said pump attached to a vertically adjustable pump supporting means on said piston assembly, said pump being vertically adjustable on said support means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
387 words
A gas well pumping apparatus comprising, in cooperative combination, a cylinder assembly, a timer assembly, a reversing assembly, a counterbalance assembly, said cylinder assembly comprising a plurality of rigid parallel vertical power cylinders and counterbalance cylinders, a well casing with a sales outlet line, a well tubing, a rod string and a rigid horizontally extending piston bracket, each of said power cylinders and counterbalance cylinders including a piston movable axially thereof and a vertical rigid shaft vertically and axially extending therealong and attached near its top to said bracket and at its bottom to said piston a polish rod shaft attached to said rod string and said piston bracket, the shafts attached to said bracket being parallel to and symmetrically arrayed about said polish rod shaft, said reversing assembly comprising a reversing valve comprising a valve body and a valve spool, first conduits operatively connecting said well casing to each of said power cylinders and an adjustable reversing pilot means connected to said bracket and to said reversing valve whereby to move said reversing valve spool to different positions corresponding to different positions of said bracket, a gas power source connected to said pilot means and, therethrough, to said reversing valve, a second conduit connected from said well casing to a motor valve inlet, the motor valve having an inlet and outlet and operatively connected to the timer assembly and controlled thereby, a third conduit from the motor valve outlet to an adjustable throttle valve, a fourth conduit from said motor valve outlet to said reversing valve, a fifth conduit leading from each of said power cylinders to the sales line; the counterbalance assembly comprising a counterbalance pump assembly, a counterbalance reservoir and said counterbalance cylinders, said reservoir and pump assembly operatively connected by conduits to the bottom of said counterbalance cylinder, said reservoir having a volume which is a multiple of the volume of said counterbalance cylinders; said pump assembly comprising a pump actuation bracket attached to said piston bracket, and movable with said piston bracket in a vertical path, and counterbalance pump cylinder and piston, said counterbalance pump piston having a vertically extending shaft, said pump shaft extending in said vertical path, said pump attached to a vertically adjustable pump supporting means on said piston assembly, said pump being vertically adjustable on said support means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said adjustable reversing pilot means includes a vertically extending control rod with valve engaging means thereon attached to said bracket and extends to engage the pilot valve means located on said cylinder assembly and conduits operatively connected to said pilot valve from said well casing and conduits connected from said pilot valve to said reversing valve.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
concurrently passing gas from said formation to a second, pump drive, conduit against one face of a motor means to the other face of which a manifold pressure is applied and driving said motor means in a vertical upward direction and applying the force of such motion to pump liquid from the formation and empty it at the surface,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
concurrently passing gas from said formation to a second, pump drive, conduit against one face of a motor means to the other face of which a manifold pressure is applied and driving said motor means in a vertical upward direction and applying the force of such motion to pump liquid from the formation and empty it at the surface,
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
exhausting the gas passed to said one face of said motor means to said manifold,
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
exhausting the gas passed to said one face of said motor means to said manifold,
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
Apparatus as in claim 2 including also a differential sensor and motor assembly, said sensor and motor assembly comprising a first conduit operatively connected to a top portion of said casing, a second conduit attached to a manifold operatively connected to said sales line, a pressure differential sensing means with said first and conduits leading thereinto, a motor valve operatively attached to and actuated by said sensor means and attached to said manifold means, an inlet port of said motor valve means attached to said manifold and a discharge port of said motor valve open to a conduit which passes a throttle valve, said throttle valve having a discharge opening open to atmosphere.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said sensor assembly comprises a conduit operatively connected to said well casing and to a pilot valve actuated by said sensing means, said pilot valve connected by another conDuit to said motor valve.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
measuring the difference between the pressure in the first sales line and the pressure in the said casing near the ground surface and reducing the manifold pressure when the difference between the wellhead pressure and the manifold pressure falls below a predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
measuring the difference between the pressure in the first sales line and the pressure in the said casing near the ground surface and reducing the manifold pressure when the difference between the wellhead pressure and the manifold pressure falls below a predetermined value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Process of pumping liquid from an underground formation containing flowing gas, comprising the steps of
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
Process of pumping liquid from an underground formation containing flowing gas, comprising the steps of
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
Process as in claim 5 wherein gas is passed from the well casing to a compressor and the pressure of such gas is raised and passed to a reservoir therefor, and the gas in said reservoir is applied continuously to said motor means to assist the gas passed to said one face of said motor means to support the pump means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
Process as in claim 6 wherein said pressure in said reservoir is maintained at a predetermined value.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
Process as in claim 6 wherein the compressor reduces the volume of gas passed into said compressor to a predetermined fraction thereof whereby the pressure of said gas is raised to a predetermined multiple of the pressure of gas fed thereinto from the well casing, and gas passed from said compressor to said reservoir is maintained at a maximum pressure that is a predetermined multiple of the wellhead pressure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-01 | 1977-10-01 | 1978-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-01 | 1981-10-01 | 1982-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-01 | 1985-10-01 | 1986-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |