Methods and apparatus for control of oil well pump

摘要

Inventive methods and apparatus for automated control of a pump utilized to draw liquid from a fluid reservoir. Certain aspects relate to one or more components of an oil well pump control system. Other aspects relate to methods for automated control of a pump utilized to draw oil from an oil well.

主权项

1. A method of automated control of a pump utilized to draw oil from an oil well, comprising:
selectively causing said pump to run for at least a watchdog time out period after an off cycle; monitoring an oil flow detector in an oil conduit fed by said pump and measuring an actual pump run time period while said pump is running, said oil flow detector indicating whether oil is flowing in said conduit; continuing to run said pump beyond said watchdog time out period when said oil flow detector indicates oil is flowing in said conduit prior to the end of said watchdog time out period; wherein when said pump runs beyond said watchdog time out period, said pump is allowed to run until at least one of said actual pump run time equals a maximum continuous pump run time or said oil flow detector indicates oil is no longer sufficiently flowing in said conduit; causing, when said pump runs beyond said watchdog time out period, said pump to enter said off cycle when at least one of said actual pump run time period equals said maximum continuous pump run time or said oil flow detector indicates oil is no longer sufficiently flowing in said conduit; entering said off cycle at the end of said watchdog time out period when said oil flow detector does not indicate oil is flowing in said conduit during said watchdog time out period; and increasing the duration of said off cycle when said oil flow detector does not indicate oil is flowing in said conduit during said watchdog time out period.