• Main website: https://infrascan.ai/
• Client portal: https://infrascan.ai/clients-portal

A pumpjack is a surface pumping unit used in rod-pumped oil wells. Its job looks simple: convert rotary motion into vertical movement and lift fluid from the well.

In reality, pumpjacks operate under constantly changing downhole conditions – gas, sand, friction, wear.

Most failures do not happen suddenly. Before rods break or production drops, the pump’s mechanical behavior starts to change.

The video below shows how this behavior can be monitored and analyzed in real time.

In the video, you see a typical pumpjack (rod pump) operating under normal conditions. Visually, everything looks stable: smooth motion, steady rhythm, no obvious shocks or interruptions.

From an engineering perspective, however, what really matters is something else: how the load changes over the stroke, how the cycle behaves, and how vibration and electrical parameters evolve.

Most common problems – gas interference, sand production, gearbox wear – first appear as subtle changes in dynamics, not as immediate failures.

The goal of monitoring is to detect this moment before production drops or equipment fails.

That is exactly what infrascan.ai does.

What infrascan “sees” in this video

Several key parameters are monitored and synchronized in real time:

• rod load
• motor current
• gearbox vibration
• and, most importantly, the surface dynamogram

Because all signals are aligned by stroke cycle, infrascan does not just collect data – it captures the operating behavior of the pumpjack as a system.

The key chart: surface dynamogram

One of the most informative plots in the video is the surface dynamogram (load vs stroke position).

In normal operation:

• the shape of the dynamogram is stable
• the area of the loop remains consistent cycle to cycle
• load is smoothly distributed along the stroke

This indicates proper pump fill, balanced mechanics, and healthy operation.

When gas interference (partial fill) appears:

• average load decreases
• the dynamogram area shrinks
• the loop becomes visibly “collapsed”

InfraScan detects this as a deviation from the well-specific baseline, even if the pumpjack still looks normal to the eye.

When sand or increased friction is present:

• load becomes more irregular
• cycle-to-cycle variability increases
• motor current rises
• gearbox vibration grows

These changes appear in the data long before audible noise or visible mechanical symptoms.

What problems infrascan.ai detects in pumpjacks

Gas interference / partial fill Indicators: reduced average load, smaller dynamogram area, motor unloading. InfraScan tracks these changes in real time and highlights deviation from baseline.

Sand / increased friction Indicators: higher load variability, increased motor current, characteristic vibration patterns. InfraScan automatically classifies the operating mode (NORMAL / SAND / GAS) and assigns a confidence score.

Gearbox & bearing wear Indicators: changes in vibration spectrum combined with temperature rise. These signals typically emerge long before an actual failure – if they are measured.

Electromechanical overloads InfraScan correlates electrical and mechanical parameters to distinguish electrical anomalies from true mechanical issues.

What infrascan.ai monitors (surface-based, no downhole tools)

• Rod load → automated surface dynamogram (load vs stroke position) • Stroke position & SPM → precise cycle synchronization and phase analysis • Motor current → torque/load indicator and operating mode validation • Gearbox vibration → early fault detection, impacts, spectral analysis • Temperature → friction, lubrication issues, overheating

All signals are combined into a single operational profile of the pumpjack.

How infrascan.ai turns signals into diagnosis

InfraScan is not about “plots for the sake of plots”.

The system:

• automatically segments cycles
• builds dynamograms and calculates features (such as dynamogram area)
• compares current behavior with a baseline specific to each installation
• classifies operating modes: NORMAL / GAS / SAND
• provides a confidence score, reducing false alarms

As a result, the operator sees not just an anomaly, but a clear engineering explanation of what is happening.

Sensors used

load cell on the polished rod / encoder or IMU for stroke position / current transformer (CT clamp) on the motor / vibration sensor on the gearbox / temperature sensor on gearbox/motor

• Surface installation only – Minimal intervention – Can start as a low-cost MVP and scale to a full industrial system

Practical outcome

• problems detected before downtime occurs
• less subjective “by-feel” diagnostics
• clear differentiation between gas / sand / mechanical issues
• a solid foundation for predictive maintenance and production optimization

If you work with artificial lift systems, you know this well: pumpjacks almost always signal problems early – the question is whether we are able to listen.

#infrascan #OilAndGas #Pumpjack #ArtificialLift #PredictiveMaintenance #IIoT #DigitalOilfield