Systems and methods for driving a pumpjack

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a pump driving unit for driving an above ground pump. The pump driving unit utilizes a single prime mover and a drive train for actuating multiple components required to drive the above ground pump. Some implementations of the pump driving unit include phase separation devices, filtering units, and cooling units that may also be actuated by the drive train of the unit. Some implementations of the pump driving unit further include an enclosure and a platform for containing the unit and simplifying on-site installation.

1 . A combination pump driving unit, comprising:
 a drive train having a jack shaft;   a master pulley coupled to the jack shaft;   a prime mover having a first pulley supported by a rotor;   a first belt interconnecting the first pulley and the master pulley;   a first slave pulley coupled to a first portion of the jack shaft;   a second slave pulley coupled to a second portion of the jack shaft;   a hydraulic pump having a second pulley supported by a rotor;   a compressor having a third pulley supported by a rotor;   a second belt interconnecting the second pulley and the first slave pulley;   a third belt interconnecting the third pulley and the second slave pulley, wherein the combination pump driving unit is coupled to an above ground pump to drive the above ground pump.   
   
   
       2 . The combination unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic line in fluid communication with the hydraulic pump and a hydraulic component of the above ground pump. 
   
   
       3 . The combination unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas line in fluid communication with the compressor and a wellhead. 
   
   
       4 . The combination unit of  claim 3 , further comprising an oil-field separator in fluid communication with the gas line. 
   
   
       5 . The combination unit of  claim 3 , further comprising a filtering unit in fluid communication with the gas line. 
   
   
       6 . The combination unit of  claim 1 , wherein the prime mover is selected from the group consisting of a natural gas engine, a diesel engine, a petrol engine, a gas turbine, a water turbine, and an electric motor. 
   
   
       7 . The combination unit of  claim 3 , further comprising a cooling unit in fluid communication with the gas line. 
   
   
       8 . The combination unit of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure. 
   
   
       9 . The combination unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage tank in fluid communication with the gas line. 
   
   
       10 . The combination unit of  claim 6 , wherein the electric motor is powered by a battery. 
   
   
       11 . The combination unit of  claim 6 , wherein the electric motor is powered by an alternate power source selected from the group consisting of a hydro-powered generator, a solar-powered generator, a wind-powered generator, a geothermal powered generator, and an electrical power line. 
   
   
       12 . A method for driving an above ground pump, the method comprising:
 providing a pump driving unit having a drive train coupled to a prime mover;   coupling a gear reducer to a first portion of the drive train;   coupling a compressor to a second portion of the drive train;   coupling the gear reducer to the above ground pump;   providing fluid communication between a wellhead and the compressor via a gas line, wherein the above ground pump is actuated by the gear reducer to artificially lift a substance through the wellhead and into the gas line, whereafter the substance is compressed by compressor, the compressor being actuated by the prime mover via the drive train.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the drive train comprises a jack shaft having a plurality of slave pulleys and wherein the gear reducer is coupled to the jack shaft via a first slave pulley and the compressor is coupled to the jack shaft via a second slave pulley. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of interposing an oil-field separator between the wellhead and the compressor via the gas line. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of interposing a filtering unit between the well head and the compressor via the gas line. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of collecting the compressed substrate in a storage tank in fluid communication with the compressor. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of interposing a cooling unit between the compressor and the storage tank via the gas line 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of cooling the compressed substrate prior to collecting the compressed substrate in the storage tank. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of coupling the cooling unit to the drive train. 
   
   
       20 . A modular pumping unit, comprising:
 a pump driving unit having a drive train including a jack shaft, the jack shaft having a master pulley, the pump driving unit further including a prime mover having a first pulley and a belt interconnecting the first pulley and the master pulley, the jack shaft further having a first slave pulley coupled to a first portion of the jack shaft, and a second slave pulley coupled to a second portion of the jack shaft, the pump driving unit further including a hydraulic pump having a second pulley coupled to the first slave pulley of the jack shaft via the belt, and a compressor having a third pulley coupled to the second slave pulley of the jack shaft via the belt; and   a pumping unit including a hydraulic motor coupled to the hydraulic pump of the pump driving unit via a hydraulic line, the pump driving unit further including a pump associated with a well, the pump being coupled to the hydraulic motor, wherein the prime mover drives the jack shaft which in turn drives the hydraulic pump, thereby driving the hydraulic motor to actuate the pump associated with the well.   
   
   
       21 . The modular pumping unit of  claim 20 , further comprising components selected from the group consisting of an oil-field separator, a filtering unit, a cooling unit, a generator, a battery, and an alternative power source. 
   
   
       22 . The modular pumping unit of  claim 20 , wherein the belt is a serpentine belt. 
   
   
       23 . The modular pumping unit of  claim 20 , wherein the belt is a plurality of belts. 
   
   
       24 . The modular pumping unit of  claim 20 , wherein the pump associate with a well is at least one of an above ground pump and a subterranean pump. 
   
   
       25 . The modular pumping unit of  claim 20 , further comprising a gas line fluidly interconnecting a wellhead and the compressor, wherein the hydraulic pump drives the s pump to artificially lift a substance to the wellhead and through the gas line to the compressor coupled thereto. 
   
   
       26 . A combination pump driving unit, comprising:
 a prime mover;   a drive train directly coupled to both the prime mover and a plurality of drive components, the plurality of drive components being selected from the group consisting of   (a) a hydraulic pump;   (b) a compressor;   (c) a cooling unit;   (d) a generator;   (e) an alternator;   (f) an alternate energy source;   (g) an oil-field separator; and   (h) a second prime mover   wherein the drive train actuates the plurality of drive components to simultaneously drive an above ground pump, recover a lifted substance, and store the lifted substance from a well associated with the above ground pump.   
   
   
       27 . The combination unit of  claim 22 , wherein the compressor is a rotary screw compressor.