Differential pressure controller

1. In a production system for producing oil or gas from a well, the production system including a plunger in well tubing having a first pressure, the well tubing connected to a plunger lubricator, which in turn is connected to a sales line having a second pressure, and a motor valve in the sales line, a differential pressure controller system comprising:

a. a plunger arrival sensor;

b. a differential pressure controller receptive to signals from the plunger arrival sensor and receptive to signals from pressure transducers to create a measured differential pressure across the motor valve, and having firmware that measures the time from when the motor valve closes until the time when the measured differential pressure across the motor valve equals a predetermined differential pressure set point, to create a recovery time of the well; and that uses the recovery time of the well to proportionately adjust the time that the motor valve remains open after the plunger arrival sensor is tripped;

c. a first pressure transducer conductively coupled to the differential pressure controller, and adapted for measuring the first pressure; and

d. a second pressure transducer conductively coupled to the differential pressure controller, and adapted for measuring the second pressure.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure transducer is adapted for measuring pressure at an input of the motor valve, and the second pressure transducer is adapted for measuring pressure at an output of the motor valve.

3. The system of either claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein a single differential pressure transducer, conductively coupled to the differential pressure controller, replaces the first and second pressure transducers.

4. In a production system for producing oil or gas from a well, the production system including a plunger in well tubing having a first pressure, the well tubing connected to a plunger lubricator, which in turn is connected to a sales line having a second pressure, and a motor valve in the sales line, a method for efficiently producing oil or gas comprises the steps of:

a. opening and closing the motor valve in the sales line in response to differential pressure measured between the first and second pressures,

b. adjusting the timing and rate of the cycling of the plunger,

c. measuring the time from when the motor valve closes until the time when the differential pressure set point is met, to create a recovery time of the well; and

d. using the recovery time of the well to proportionately adjust the time that the motor valve remains open after a plunger arrival sensor is tripped.

5. In a production system for producing oil or gas from a well, the production system including a plunger in well tubing having a first pressure, the well tubing connected to a plunger lubricator, which in turn is connected to a sales line having a second pressure, and a motor valve in the sales line, a method for efficiently producing oil or gas comprises the steps of:

a. opening and closing the motor valve in the sales line in response to differential pressure measured between the first and second pressures, including the steps of:

(i) measuring the time from when the motor valve opens until the time when a plunger arrival sensor is tripped, to create a plunger travel time; and

(ii) using the plunger travel time to adjust a differential pressure set point for opening and closing the motor valve;

b. adjusting the timing and rate of the cycling of the plunger;

c. measuring the time from when the motor valve closes until the time when the differential pressure set point is met, to create a recovery time of the well; and

d. using the recovery time of the well to proportionately adjust the time that the motor valve remains open after the plunger arrival sensor is tripped.