Abstract: A system and method are described to determine a pump intake pressure in a petroleum producing well. The system includes a controller at a well site of the petroleum producing well, a system of valves connected to pipes collecting the well casing gas produced from a casing annulus of the producing well. The valves are controlled by the controller and a pressure sensor measures the pressure of the well casing gas in the casing annulus. The system determines a well casing gas flow rate by measuring a build-up pressure of the well casing gas in a casing annulus when a valve from the casing annulus is closed. A fluid level in the casing of the well is determined using a pressure wave created in the well casing gas using the controller and the one or more valves. A fluid gradient correction factor is found using an actual fluid level in the casing. The controller then calculates the pressure using the gas flow rate, the fluid level and the fluid gradient correction factor.

Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.

Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.

Abstract: An instrumentation system for assessing operation of a reciprocating pump system which produces hydrocarbons from a non-vertical or a vertical wellbore. The instrumentation system periodically produces a downhole pump card as a function of a directly or indirectly measured surface card and a friction law function from a wave equation which describes the linear vibrations in a long slender rod. A control signal or command signal is generated based on characteristics of the downhole pump card for controlling the pumping system. It also generates a pump and well analysis report that is useful for a pump operation and determination of its condition.

Abstract: A method for inferring production of a rod pumped well. Inferred production is estimated in a well manager which not only performs pump-off control with a down-hole pump card, but also estimates liquid (oil-water) and gas production using the subsurface pump as a meter. Methods are incorporated in the well manager for identifying and quantifying several conditions: pump leakage, unanchored tubing, free gas and oil shrinkage. Quantifying such conditions in the well manger enables accurate inferring of production thereby eliminating the need for traditional well tests.

Abstract: An acoustic method is disclosed for performing pump off control using fluid level in producing wells and other inaccessible cavities. The method uses flow induced pressure phenomena to locate the fluid level. Simplified equipment is involved and acoustic velocities can be measured externally from the well. The method applies to various artificial lift methods in which a conduit is accessible for measuring fluid level.

Abstract: An acoustic method is disclosed for measuring fluid level in producing wells and other inaccessible cavities. The method uses flow induced pressure phenomena to locate the fluid level. Simplified equipment is involved and acoustic velocities can be measured externally from the well. The method applies to known uses for fluid levels such as well productivity, lift equipment design, and reservoir studies.