Petroleum Museum Will Unveil Historic Pumping Unit

The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a historic Lufkin pumping unit on October 12, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Oil and Gas

Isometric editorial illustration of a vintage iron pump jack set against a desert horizon, representing industrial equipment history. — The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland will unveil a historic Lufkin pumping unit donated by Diamondback Energy on October 12, 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Diamondback Energy has donated a historic Lufkin C640DB-144-30 pumping unit to the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland. The museum will host a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the installation of this vintage equipment on October 12, 2026.

Why it matters

The donation serves to preserve significant artifacts that chronicle the technical evolution of the oil and gas industry in the region. By housing this rare unit, the museum maintains a physical record of equipment that once powered domestic and international energy production.

Manufacturers produced only 39 of the Lufkin C640DB-144-30 pumping units between 1956 and 1958. The specific unit donated to the museum originally shipped to TXL Corporation in February 1956 for use on the Midland C No. 1 well.

The players

Diamondback Energy

This independent oil and natural gas company focuses on the acquisition, development, and exploration of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin.

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum

Located in Midland, this institution is dedicated to preserving the history of the petroleum industry and its significant impact on the development of the Permian Basin.

Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co.

This company is historically recognized for manufacturing pumping units and industrial gearboxes that became foundational components in global oil extraction operations.

The details

The retired pumping unit was sourced by Diamondback Energy after its decades-long service in the field. It represents a specific era of industrial engineering, as these units were distributed across Texas, New Mexico, and Venezuela during the mid-20th century.

February 1956: The pumping unit was shipped to TXL Corporation.
1956-1958: Manufacturers built 39 of these pumping units.
October 12, 2026: The museum will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m.

Market Landscape

This donation aligns with the historical preservation of oilfield equipment artifacts at the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum. It underscores the regional effort to archive the technological legacy of the oil industry as companies consolidate their operations and retire older infrastructure.

Local residents and visitors can view the historic equipment firsthand during the museum's upcoming public ceremony. The event provides community members with direct access to a rare piece of regional industrial history that is otherwise rarely seen outside of active field sites.

The takeaway

Preserving vintage oilfield equipment helps future generations understand the specific mechanical advancements that defined the mid-century energy boom. Citizens interested in history should check museum schedules for opportunities to view such artifacts before they are permanently retired to storage.