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Mon 25 Aug, 2014 10:25 am
During a drive through a remote area of south Texas we saw scattered and rather isolated oil wells with individual "jack pumps" (as a rancher called them) incessantly see-sawing up and down used to pump oil from the wells. A tenth-grade, rather precocious science student asked me how the jack pumps are powered, i.e., do they run on electricity from power lines; are they powered by gasoline or diesel fuel from nearby fuel storage tanks?
Embarrassed, I told the student that I didn't know, but I'd find out.
Help please. Thanks in advance for answers, comments. No jokes please, such as they are pedal or windmill powered.
@easyasabc,
Around her, in NW New Mexico, some are electric, if they are close enough to the grid. I have heard that some are powered by natural gas from the well, but can't state that as fact. We generally call them pump jacks, and they operate the pumps in the bottom of the hole by a string of sucker rods.
Sounds like you know us.
easyasabc wrote:
No jokes please, such as they are pedal or windmill powered.
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