Downhole Electronic Memory Recorder

A pre-programmable electronic recorder for sensing and recording in memory fluid dynamics data downhole in an oil well, said recorder having the same external configuration as a gas lift valve and being installable in and retrievable from a sidepocket mandrel in the well pipe of the oil well in the same manner as a lift valve of like external configuration is installable and retrievable, said recorder comprising fluid dynamics sensor means, a static random access memory ( SRAM) program, means for conditioning, multiplexing, digitizing and storing the data generated by the sensor means, a central processing unit controlling the data collection, and battery type power supply means controlled by the central processing unit and energizing the data generation and storage components on a intermittent, preprogrammed basis over a period of at least about thirty days, the periods of non-energization of the data generation and storage components being at least several hundred times longer than the periods of energization thereof.