If you have driven through Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, or even North Dakota, you may have seen dozens of pump jacks along the highway. Although pump jacks had their beginnings half a century earlier, the distinctive up-and-down, nodding motion we see today was designed in the 1950s. That seesaw motion extracts oil from underground reservoirs because natural pressure isn’t pushing it to the surface. It typically operates with the help of a motor or an engine, powering a rotating crank that moves a horizontal arm (walking beam) up and down. The beam moves upward, pulling the long sucker rod located deep into the well, lifting the oil toward the surface. The counterweights on the other side of the walking beam help balance the movement. Each stroke gradually brings up oil and collects in storage tanks at the surface. Powered by electric, natural gas, or diesel engines, the pump jack’s power takes off is often on duty 24/7.
Why a Pilotless® PTO for your pump jack?
To efficiently operate the pumping sequence, a clutch system is required to turn the belts at high speed. Attached to the diesel or natural gas engine, the WPT Pilotless® Power Take-Off (PTO) is the number one choice for users wanting to get the most out of their pumping unit. The WPT Pilotless® PTO has a dual main bearing design allowing for higher sideload capacity in pumping applications that require belt tension. Users out in the field often over-tension the belts on the clutch shaft, which can cause premature failure of the clutch. The WPT Pilotless® PTO is the perfect solution for this because it eliminates pilot bearings. The direct benefits are eradicating pilot bearing failures and removing the need to keep them stocked in inventory.
It is important to have a reliable clutch to keep pump jacks working out in the field. That is why WPT is the number one chosen provider for making sure your pump jack keeps running. Contact a WPT Applications Engineer or Sales Representative today for more information.