Patent ID: 7343969

Claim:
For a well producing at least first and second quantities of well fluids, and in combination with a reciprocating plunger type pump having a polished rod, and a stuffing box through which the polished rod moves, the stuffing box having a stuffing box packing seal, a secondary packing arrangement, through which the polished rod moves, the secondary packing arrangement, comprising: a housing having a top member and a chamber; a packing assembly, positioned within the housing chamber, through which the polished rod moves, the packing assembly having: a cylinder, the cylinder having an outer wall sealed against the housing; a packing seal, having at least one packing seal element, the packing seal having a top and a bottom, the packing seal and the cylinder dividing the housing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber containing the first well fluid quantity, the second chamber in fluidic communication with the stuffing box packing seal; a retaining member supporting the packing seal, such that the first well fluid pressures the packing seal bottom; and a cap on the cylinder, the cap having fluid passages; a barrier fluid in the housing second chamber, the barrier fluid pressurably engaging the packing seal top through the cap fluid passages; and a pressure transmitter having a cylinder and a piston within the cylinder, the cylinder having a well fluid communication end, the well fluid communication end fluidically communicating with the second well fluid quantity such that the second well fluid quantity pressures the piston, the cylinder having a barrier fluid communication end, the barrier fluid communication end fluidically communicating with the housing second chamber, such that the barrier fluid pressurably engages the piston; the piston being sized such that the pressure from the second well fluid quantity on the piston is transmitted to the barrier fluid, the barrier fluid pressure opposing the first well fluid quantity pressure exerted by the first well fluid quantity on the packing assembly packing seal bottom.