This is an oil well pump from about 30 years ago. What you are seeing here is the last bastion of the old style of getting oil from the ground. In today's world, they inject water or gas into the oil wells and then FORCE the oil out of the ground. Once it hits the surface, giant unwieldy tanks and pumps strip these elements from the crude before sending it on. This one you see here is the older style that slowly drudges along, pumping oil out of the ground at the rate of natural pressure. This particular pump has been sitting in this same place and slowly grinding day after day for over thirty years.

Posted By Gandalf