U.S. patent application number 15/137354 was filed with the patent office on 2016-09-01 for system and method for tracking wellsite equipment maintenance data.
The applicant listed for this patent is Schlumberger Technology Corporation. Invention is credited to Kay Stefan Capps, Edwin Faught, Rock Rodriguez, Cole Tepe, Hubertus V. Thomeer.
Application Number | 20160253634 15/137354 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46601255 |
Filed Date | 2016-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160253634 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Thomeer; Hubertus V. ; et
al. |
September 1, 2016 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING WELLSITE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE
DATA
Abstract
A maintenance system and method are presented. The maintenance
system includes a plurality of wellsite equipment located at or
nearby a wellsite, and a communication interface device for
monitoring data that is representative of a health status of the
equipment. The system further includes a database comprising prior
health status of the equipment; and a central data server in
communication with the database and capable of communicating with
the communication interface device for generating analysis of the
equipment, wherein said analysis includes comparing the monitored
data with the prior health status to prescribe if maintenance is
required
Inventors: |
Thomeer; Hubertus V.;
(Houston, TX) ; Faught; Edwin; (Argyle, TX)
; Capps; Kay Stefan; (College Station, TX) ; Tepe;
Cole; (Fort Worth, TX) ; Rodriguez; Rock;
(Argyle, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Schlumberger Technology Corporation |
Sugar Land |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
46601255 |
Appl. No.: |
15/137354 |
Filed: |
April 25, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13341903 |
Dec 30, 2011 |
9324049 |
|
|
15137354 |
|
|
|
|
61428376 |
Dec 30, 2010 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
702/6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 43/26 20130101;
E21B 43/25 20130101; G06Q 10/06316 20130101; G06Q 30/06 20130101;
E21B 43/16 20130101; E21B 43/267 20130101; G06Q 10/20 20130101;
E21B 41/0092 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/00 20060101
G06Q010/00; G06Q 10/06 20060101 G06Q010/06; E21B 41/00 20060101
E21B041/00 |
Claims
1.-13. (canceled)
14. A maintenance system, comprising: wellsite equipment located at
or nearby a wellsite wherein the equipment comprises equipment
health status data, a communication interface device for monitoring
equipment health status data; a database comprising prior health
status of the equipment; and a central data server in communication
with the database and the communication interface device, wherein
the server or device performs analysis including comparing the
equipment health status data with the prior health status.
15. The maintenance system of claim 14, further comprising a
communication network at or nearby the wellsite.
16. The maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the communication
interface device is handheld.
17. The maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the communication
interface device stores the monitored data prior to transmitting
said monitored data.
18. The maintenance system of claim 14, wherein health status
comprises current operation of equipment, past operation of
equipment, prior maintenance operations performed or a combination
thereof.
19. The maintenance system of claim 18, wherein analysis comprises
trending the health status over time.
20. The maintenance system of claim 14, wherein the database is
located away from the wellsite.
21. The maintenance system of claim 14, wherein a user manual for
performing maintenance on a component of the equipment is
electronically accessible to the data acquisition device.
22. A maintenance system for planning maintenance and operation of
wellsite equipment units, comprising: a fleet of monitored wellsite
equipment units distributed over a geographical area; a
communication interface device located at or nearby a wellsite
where at least one of the fleet of monitored wellsite equipment
units are located, wherein the communication interface device
comprises hardware and software for monitoring data that is
representative of a health status of the equipment; a communication
network for sending and receiving the data between the
communication interface device and a central data server; and
wherein the central data server is capable of identifying if the
monitored wellsite equipment units are in operation, not in
operation or being maintained in order to plan maintenance and
operation of the fleet of monitored wellsite equipment units.
23. The maintenance system of claim 22, further comprising a fleet
of maintenance facilities distributed over a geographical area.
24. A method for tracking wellsite equipment maintenance data,
comprising: rigging up a plurality of wellsite equipment units at
or nearby a wellsite; scanning a unique machine-readable tag of at
least one of the wellsite equipment units; collecting data into a
communication interface device, wherein the data is representative
of a health status of the scanned wellsite equipment unit;
transmitting the data to a central data server for generating
analysis of the wellsite equipment units, wherein said analysis
includes comparing the monitored data with the prior health status
to prescribe if maintenance is required.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising generating a work
order based on the prescribed list of maintenance.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising performing
maintenance according to the prescribed list of maintenance.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The current application is based on and claims the benefit
of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
61/428,376, filed on Dec. 30, 2010; the entire contents of which
are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The statements made herein merely provide information
related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art,
and may describe some embodiments illustrating the invention.
[0003] Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to systems or
methods for facilitating, capturing, tracking, synthesizing,
analyzing, managing and/or utilizing wellsite maintenance data for
wellsite equipment. Embodiments disclosed herein also relate to
systems or methods for determining degradation conditions of
wellsite equipment or predicting residual life of wellsite
equipment before, during, and after an oilfield operation. Examples
of such oilfield operations include, but are not limited to,
hydraulic fracturing, acid stimulation, cementing, etc.
[0004] In some embodiments, the wellsite equipment being maintained
includes positive displacement pumps, sometimes referred to as
reciprocating pumps. Positive displacement pumps are generally used
in oilfield operations to pump fluids into a wellbore and the
surrounding reservoir.
[0005] A given reciprocating pump may comprise one or more pump
chambers that each receive a reciprocating plunger. When multiple
chambers are enclosed in a reciprocating pump, the reciprocating
pump is also called a multiplex pump. In any event, in a typical
reciprocating pump, as the plunger is moved in one direction by the
rotating crankshaft, fluid is drawn into the pump chamber through a
one-way suction valve. Upon reversal of the plunger motion, the
suction valve is closed and the fluid is forced outwardly through a
discharge valve. The continued reciprocation of the plunger
continues the process of drawing fluid into the pump and
discharging fluid from the pump. The discharged fluid can be routed
through tubing to a desired location, such as into a wellbore.
[0006] Typically, multiplex pumps have two sections: (a) a power
end, the motor assembly that drives the pump plungers (the
driveline and transmission are parts of the power end); and (b) a
fluid end, the pump container that holds and discharges pressurized
fluid. In triplex pumps, the fluid end has three fluid cylinders.
In quintuplex pumps, the fluid end has five fluid cylinders. A
fluid end may comprise a single block having all cylinders bored
therein, commonly referred to as a monoblock fluid end.
Alternatively, each individual cylinder can be bored in a single
block, and subsequently multiple blocks are connected together to
form an assembled fluid end, commonly referred to as a split fluid
end. Embodiments of the current disclosure can be applied to
multiplex pumps with monoblock fluid ends, split fluid ends, or
other variations thereof.
[0007] One particularly useful application of the multiplex pump is
hydraulic fracturing, where a fluid is pumped down a wellbore at a
flow rate and pressure sufficient to fracture a subterranean
formation. After the fracture is created or, optionally, in
conjunction with the creation of the fracture, proppants may be
injected into the wellbore and into the fracture. The proppant is a
particulate material added to the pumped fluid to produce a slurry,
which is often very abrasive and/or corrosive. Pumping this slurry
at the required flow rate and pressure is a severe pump duty. In
fracturing operations each pump may be required to pump up to
twenty barrels per minute at pressures up to 20,000 psi. The pumps
for this application are quite large and are frequently moved to
the oilfield on semi-trailer trucks or the like. Many times a
single multiplex pump will occupy the entire truck trailer. These
pumps are connected together at the well site to produce a pumping
system which may include several multiplex pumps. A sufficient
number of pumps are connected to a common line to produce the
desired volume and pressure output. For example, some fracturing
jobs have required up to 36 pumps.
[0008] Since fracturing operations are desirably conducted on a
continuous basis, the disruption of a fracture treatment because of
a failure of surface equipment is costly, time consuming,
inefficient, and unproductive. Further, when such massive pumps are
used, it is difficult in some instances to determine, in the event
of a pump failure, which pump has failed. Because of the severe
pump duty and the frequent failure rate of such pumps, it is normal
to take thirty to one hundred percent excess pump capacity to each
fracture site. The necessity for the excess pump capacity requires
additional capital to acquire the additional multiplex pumps and
considerable expense to maintain the additional pumps and to haul
them to the site. Therefore, multiplex pumps and other surface
equipment are frequently disassembled and inspected before and
after each fracture treatment and, in some instances, routinely
rebuilt before or after each fracture treatment in an attempt to
avoid equipment failures during subsequent fracture treatments.
[0009] Traditionally, wellsite maintenance data of multiplex pumps
or any other wellsite equipment is recorded manually on paper or in
Excel spreadsheets by field engineers at the wellsite. The
maintenance data is then communicated from the wellsite to a
central data location via telephone or e-mail. Sometimes, the
maintenance data is not communicated to the central data location
at all or gets lost during transmission. If the wellsite data
safely arrives at the central data location, it is traditionally
entered into a variety of computer databases by clerks or
administrators at the central data location. One prominent issue
associated with the traditional method is that the data capturing
and transmitting process is not automated and any breakdown in the
process may cause delay or failure to the equipment. Another
problem with the conventional method is that it is not uniformly
executed across operations; therefore, the data received at the
center may be incorrect or missing critical information. When the
maintenance data is incomplete or inaccurate, it is difficult for
the management to determine what maintenance is needed, when
maintenance is needed, and which equipment (or a component of
equipment) requires maintenance, where the equipment is currently
located, which location(s) the equipment has been deployed in its
life, etc.
[0010] In these respects, the current disclosure aims to provide a
method and system to capture maintenance data at the wellsite that
addresses the above-mentioned problems, and more specifically the
current disclosure relates to methods and systems to facilitate,
capture, track, and use wellsite maintenance data so that
appropriate maintenance can be prescribed timely, accurately, and
effectively, and equipment failure during field operations can be
minimized or eliminated. The following detailed description is
provided in the context of fracturing operations using triplex
pumps. However, it should be noted that embodiments of the current
disclosure can be applied to any other oilfield operation or
wellsite equipment operation.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0011] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, one or
more embodiments relate to a maintenance system preferably
comprising a plurality of wellsite equipment located at or nearby a
wellsite, a communication interface device for monitoring data that
is representative of a health status of the equipment, and a
database comprising prior health status of the equipment. The
system further comprises a central data server in communication
with the database and capable of communicating with the
communication interface device for generating analysis of the
equipment. Such analysis includes at least, comparing the monitored
data with the prior health status to prescribe if maintenance is
required.
[0012] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, one
or more embodiments relate to a maintenance system for planning
maintenance and operation of wellsite equipment units. The
maintenance system preferably comprises a fleet of monitored
wellsite equipment units distributed over a geographical area, a
communication interface device located at or nearby a wellsite
where at least one of the fleet of monitored wellsite equipment
units are located, and a communication network for sending and
receiving the data between the communication interface device and a
central data server. The communication interface device preferably
comprises hardware and software for monitoring data that is
representative of a health status of the equipment. The central
data server is preferably capable of identifying if the monitored
wellsite equipment units are in operation, not in operation or
being maintained in order to plan maintenance and operation of the
fleet of monitored wellsite equipment units.
[0013] In one embodiment, the system of the current disclosure
comprises a computer located at or nearby a wellsite, a computer
network (wired, wireless, satellite, Bgan, etc.), and a central
data server that is located away from the wellsite and connected to
the computer via the computer network. The equipment operator,
field supervisor and other field personnel may enter into the
computer wellsite equipment maintenance data such as job
observations and maintenance performed during the job, etc. Such
maintenance data can be subsequently transmitted to the central
data server via the computer network for storage and retrieval. The
central data server contains both the current and historic data of
the wellsite equipment, is connected to computers deployed at
various wellsites, and keeps maintenance data in wellsite computers
in synchronization with maintenance data in the central data
server.
[0014] Optionally, the system further includes a handheld input
device that can be carried by a field operator while working at the
wellsite. The field operator can input data into the handheld
device at a location nearby a piece of oilfield equipment that is
under inspection or maintenance. The field operator can then bring
the handheld device to a location nearby the computer to transmit
the data recorded in the handheld device to the wellsite computer.
The handheld device may also be equipped with network connecting
capability so that it can be directly connected to the computer
and/or the central data server via the computer network.
[0015] In one embodiment, the wellsite computer is a touch screen
computer with a graphic interface; therefore the field operator can
input data, issue command, print work order, etc. without the need
of a keyboard, a mouse, or other external data entry devices.
[0016] In one embodiment, a data acquisition program is provided in
the computer and/or the handheld input device so that wellsite
equipment maintenance data can be entered into the computer and/or
the handheld input device. In one embodiment, a wellsite modeling
program is provided in the computer and/or the handheld input
device so that a computer model can be generated at the wellsite
based on the data available at the time to reflect the healthy
condition of the wellsite equipment and the estimated maintenance
schedule for the wellsite equipment.
[0017] In one embodiment, the system and method of the current
disclosure comprises a remote control electronic device that is
configured to operate wellsite equipment. This allows pumps to be
controlled from a single place remote from the equipment, the
activities of which will be ultimately entered into touch screen
computer and/or the handheld input device.
[0018] In one embodiment, the computer and/or the handheld device
is provided at a maintenance shop that is located away from the
wellsite. Data captured at the maintenance shop is transmitted to
the central data server and combined with data captured at the
wellsite. The data contained in the central data server can be
accessed and downloaded for use by various stakeholders, including
but not limited to the maintenance shop, equipment vendors,
engineering design centers, logistics, procurement, the district
that manages the operation, and the field.
[0019] The current disclosure has several advantages. The network
connection ensures that equipment maintenance data is captured
timely, consistently, and continuously. Accordingly, the field
management can monitor the equipment regularly, measure
deterioration at any moment, and intervene as early as possible
when there is a risk of equipment breakdown. The central data
server will combine the knowledge of the equipment from all
sources, including jobs performed by the equipment, maintenance
performed on the equipment, materials and supplies used in the
equipment, major component breakdown, equipment appearance and
other observations, current location of the equipment, historic
locations of the equipment, engineers who worked on the equipment,
etc. Equipment data is constantly in synchronization with the
maintenance data; job data is constantly in synchronization with
the maintenance data. Equipment conditions and equipment location
can be actively monitored and maintenance schedules can be
appropriately devised.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] To assist those of ordinary skill in the relevant art in
making and using the subject matter hereof, reference is made to
the appended drawings, which are not intended to be drawn to scale,
and in which like reference numerals are intended to refer to
similar elements for consistency. For purposes of clarity, not
every component may be labeled in every drawing.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation depicting wellsite
equipment for performing an oilfield operation on a well in
accordance with an exemplary embodiment disclosed herein.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation depicting an oilfield
operation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment disclosed
herein.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating health
monitoring of an oilfield operation in accordance with an
embodiment disclosed herein.
[0024] FIGS. 4.1-4.7 are schematic illustrations depicting example
screenshots of a communication interface in accordance with an
embodiment disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It
is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention,
although different, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For
example, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic
described herein in connection with one embodiment may be
implemented within other embodiments without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention. Further, in the following
detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure,
numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more
thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be
apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments
disclosed herein may be practiced without these specific details.
In other instances, well-known features have not been described in
detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
[0026] It should also be noted that in the development of any such
actual embodiment, numerous decisions specific to circumstance must
be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as
compliance with system-related and business-related constraints,
which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it
will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex
and time-consuming but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking
for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this
disclosure.
[0027] The terminology and phraseology used herein is solely used
for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in
scope. Language such as "including," "comprising," "having,"
"containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, is intended
to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter,
equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited.
[0028] Furthermore, the description and examples are presented
solely for the purpose of illustrating the different embodiments,
and should not be construed as a limitation to the scope and
applicability. While any composition or structure may be described
herein as comprising certain materials, it should be understood
that the composition could optionally comprise two or more
different materials. In addition, the composition or structure can
also comprise some components other than the ones already cited.
Although some of the following discussion emphasizes fracturing,
the compositions and methods may be used in any well treatment in
which diversion is needed. Examples include fracturing, acidizing,
water control, chemical treatments, and wellbore fluid isolation
and containment. Embodiments will be described for hydrocarbon
production wells, but it is to be understood that they may be used
for wells for production of other fluids, such as water or carbon
dioxide, or, for example, for injection or storage wells. It should
also be understood that throughout this specification, when a range
is described as being useful, or suitable, or the like, it is
intended that any and every value within the range, including the
end points, is to be considered as having been stated. Furthermore,
each numerical value should be read once as modified by the term
"about" (unless already expressly so modified) and then read again
as not to be so modified unless otherwise stated in context. For
example, "a range of from 1 to 10" is to be read as indicating each
and every possible number along the continuum between about 1 and
about 10. In other words, when a certain range is expressed, even
if only a few specific data points are explicitly identified or
referred to within the range, or even when no data points are
referred to within the range, it is to be understood that the
inventors appreciate and understand that any and all data points
within the range are to be considered to have been specified, and
that the inventors have possession of the entire range and all
points within the range.
[0029] Referring to the drawings, illustrations and pictures, and
in particular FIG. 1, one example of a monitored piece of wellsite
equipment is illustrated therein. A plunger pump 101 is depicted
for pumping a fluid from a well surface to a wellbore. As shown,
the plunger pump 101 is mounted on a standard trailer 102 for ease
of transportation by a tractor 104. The plunger pump 101 includes a
prime mover 106 that drives a crankshaft through a transmission 110
and a drive shaft 112. The crankshaft, in turn, drives one or more
plungers toward and away from a chamber in the pump fluid end 108
in order to create pressure oscillations of high and low pressures
in the chamber. These pressure oscillations allow the pump to
receive a fluid at a low pressure and discharge it at a high
pressure via one way valves (also called check valves). Also
connected to the prime mover 106 is a radiator 114 for cooling the
prime mover 106. In addition, the plunger pump fluid end 108
includes an intake pipe 116 for receiving fluid at a low pressure
and a discharge pipe 118 for discharging fluid at a high
pressure.
[0030] A field operator, equipment operator or field engineer 125
is depicted therein for recording maintenance data, and/or
performing maintenance operations. For example, the field operator
125 may check the oil, change the transmission fluid, change the
seals and check for leakage, among many other maintenance related
operations known in the art. As will be explained in more detail
below, the engineer 125 may acquire and/or record data relating to
maintenance using a handheld data acquisition device, computer,
touch screen computer or communication interface device 400. The
field operator 125 can input data into the handheld device 400 at a
location nearby the wellsite equipment 101 under inspection or
maintenance. The field operator 125 can then transmit the acquired
data to a central data server using either a nearby computer, or a
communication network if the communication interface device 400 is
equipped with network connecting capability.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 2, one example of an oilfield
operation is shown with a field operator 125 depicted therein for
recording maintenance and operational data on a communication
interface device 400, and/or performing maintenance in accordance
with a prescribed maintenance plan. A pumping system 200 is shown
for pumping a fluid from a surface 118 of a well 120 to a wellbore
122 during an oilfield operation. In this particular example, the
operation is a hydraulic fracturing operation, and hence the fluid
pumped is a fracturing fluid. As shown, the pump system 200
includes a plurality of water tanks 221, which feed water to a gel
maker 223. The gel maker 223 combines water from the tanks 221 with
a gelling agent to form a gel. The gel is then sent to a blender
225 where it is mixed with a proppant from a proppant feeder 227 to
form a fracturing fluid. The gelling agent increases the viscosity
of the fracturing fluid and allows the proppant to be suspended in
the fracturing fluid. It may also act as a friction reducing agent
to allow higher pump rates with less frictional pressure.
[0032] The fracturing fluid is then pumped at low pressure (for
example, around 60 to 120 psi) from the blender 225 to a plurality
of plunger pumps 201 as shown by solid lines 212. Note that each
plunger pump 201 in the embodiment of FIG. 2 may have the same or a
similar configuration as the plunger pump 101 shown in FIG. 1. As
shown in FIG. 2, each plunger pump 201 receives the fracturing
fluid at a low pressure and discharges it to a common manifold 210
(sometimes called a missile trailer or missile) at a high pressure
as shown by dashed lines 214. The missile 210 then directs the
fracturing fluid from the plunger pumps 201 to the wellbore 122 as
shown by solid line 215.
[0033] In a typical hydraulic fracturing operation, an estimate of
the well pressure and the flow rate required to create the desired
side fractures in the wellbore is calculated. Based on this
calculation, the amount of hydraulic horsepower needed from the
pumping system in order to carry out the fracturing operation is
determined. For example, if it is estimated that the well pressure
and the required flow rate are 6000 psi (pounds per square inch)
and 68 BPM (Barrels Per Minute), then the pump system 200 would
need to supply 10,000 hydraulic horsepower to the fracturing fluid
(i.e., 6000*68/40.8).
[0034] In one embodiment, the prime mover 106 in each plunger pump
201 is an engine with a maximum rating of 2250 brake horsepower,
which, when accounting for losses (typically about 3% for plunger
pumps in hydraulic fracturing operations), allows each plunger pump
201 to supply a maximum of about 2182 hydraulic horsepower to the
fracturing fluid. Therefore, in order to supply 10,000 hydraulic
horsepower to a fracturing fluid, the pump system 200 of FIG. 2
would require at least five plunger pumps 201.
[0035] However, in order to prevent an overload of the transmission
110, between the engine 106 and the fluid end 108 of each plunger
pump 201, each plunger pump 201 is normally operated well under its
maximum operating capacity. Operating the pumps under their
operating capacity also allows for one pump to fail and the
remaining pumps to be run at a higher speed in order to make up for
the absence of the failed pump.
[0036] As such in the example of a fracturing operation requiring
10,000 hydraulic horsepower, bringing ten plunger pumps 201 to the
wellsite enables each pump engine 106 to be operated at about 1030
brake horsepower (about half of its maximum) in order to supply
1000 hydraulic horsepower individually and 10,000 hydraulic
horsepower collectively to the fracturing fluid. On the other hand,
if only nine pumps 201 are brought to the wellsite, or if one of
the pumps fails, then each of the nine pump engines 106 would be
operated at about 1145 brake horsepower in order to supply the
required 10,000 hydraulic horsepower to the fracturing fluid. As
shown, a computerized control system 229 may be employed to direct
the entire pump system 200 for the duration of the fracturing
operation.
[0037] In performing the example operation as described above at
the required pressure, flow rate, and hydraulic horsepower,
numerous opportunities for equipment failure are present.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the current disclosure provides a
system and method to facilitate/capture and use wellsite
maintenance data that allows an understanding of the state of
equipment, location of equipment and equipment maintenance cost. In
another aspect, the current disclosure provides a system and method
to facilitate/capture and use wellsite maintenance data that is
user interactive to provide a common language that is easily
understood and uses existing well site infrastructure to locate
where equipment is located. Other location identifiers such as GPS,
barcode, RFID-Tag, etc. are not required, but optional. In a
further aspect, the current disclosure provides a system and method
to facilitate/capture and use wellsite maintenance data that
provides a seamless method to provide each asset with prior health
status (e.g., maintenance history, usage, operational history,
manufacturer information, location data, and the like) which
follows the asset when it moves from location to location,
therefore reducing the need for unnecessary maintenance due to lack
of such health status. In yet another aspect, the current
disclosure provides a system and method to facilitate/capture and
use wellsite maintenance data that enables remote monitoring of
wellsite maintenance, remote inputting of wellsite maintenance, and
automated recording of maintenance data.
[0038] The operation of the current disclosure is further
illustrated in the context of a health monitoring maintenance tool
300 for monitoring and maintaining the fluid end of a multiplex
pump, such as a triplex pump, in a fracturing operation. However,
it should be noted that any other oilfield operations and equipment
can be used in the current disclosure as well.
[0039] Referring now to FIG. 3, an example work flow illustrating
health monitoring 300 of an oilfield operation, or fracturing job,
is shown. Allowing for some variation: in operation, the equipment
101 first arrives at a wellsite location 302 and is rigged up 304.
Upon arrival 302, the equipment 101 may be registered by the field
operator 125 with the communication interface device 400, or the
location of the equipment 101 may be known by the field operator
125 due to other location identifiers, such as GPS or the like. As
the location of equipment 101 is known or registered, the operator
sees a depiction of the equipment 101 via the communication
interface and may access the equipment's prior health status 310
along with other relevant wellsite-related data (e.g. current job
description, modeling data, and the like). The prior health status
310 and other relevant wellsite data may be located and stored on
an off-site database, central data server or the computerized
control system 229, which is preferably accessible by the
communication interface device 400 via a wireless communication
network connection. Therefore, prior to performing a required well
operation 308, the equipment operator 125 is provided with the
necessary historical information 310 in order to see what
maintenance and/or testing may need to be performed pre-job 306,
during the job 308, or post-job 312. For example, most fracturing
jobs pump one or more stages in an operation 308, thus post-job
maintenance 312 may be required after each stage or after a certain
number of pump hours have been reached.
[0040] The field operator 125 is enabled to monitor the equipment
101 throughout the job, and record both observations and
maintenance. Upon completion of the job 308 and any required
post-job maintenance 312, the equipment 101 is rigged down (i.e.,
disassembled) 314 and either sent to another wellsite location 316
or sent to the shop 318 for more maintenance and repair. The health
status of the equipment is updated 310' upon each recorded
maintenance operation, and the health monitoring 300 may continue
as the equipment 101 moves from one location to the next.
[0041] Using the monitored maintenance data, a field supervisor or
market manager may better manage a fleet of equipment units 101 by
knowing what units 101 are in operation, not in operation or being
maintained. As such, the market manager is better able to plan
maintenance and operation of the fleet of monitored wellsite
equipment units.
[0042] In one embodiment, where connection to the communication
network is problematic, the communication interface device 400 may
be equipped with a storage medium for saving the recorded
observations and maintenance on the device 400 until it can be
uploaded to the central data server when connection is
re-established.
[0043] In one aspect, the communication interface device 400 may
generate work orders that can be sent to, or otherwise accessible
by, the next equipment operator 125 or maintenance repair person.
The maintenance performed and recorded in the communication
interface device 400 is preferably synced through the network
access to the central data server. The maintenance shop, district
management, logistics and procurement can use the data to manage
the equipment maintenance, location and operations. As equipment
moves to another wellsite 316, a communication interface device 400
located at the new wellsite identifies the equipment's updated
health status 310' and can monitor the equipment and preferably
send data to the server.
[0044] In prescribing maintenance, the health monitoring
maintenance tool 300 performs such analysis based on factors, such
as: what prior operations were performed with the particular
equipment; how was the equipment used in prior operations; what are
the job parameters of the current operation to be performed; what
are the other equipment units on site to be connected to the
equipment for performing the required oilfield operation; how many
total hours has the equipment been used; mean time between failure
of the equipment; what reliability checks are required at the
current hours of operation; what previous maintenance operations
were performed; what current state is the equipment in; or the
like. Therefore, the field operator 125 receives a prescribed list,
or checklist, of maintenance components to be checked, or
operations to be performed 322 that is unique to the required job
and unique to the specific equipment 101. Such prescribed
maintenance using the health monitoring maintenance tool 300 saves
significant time, and is more efficient, than the prior art method
of standard checklists of maintenance operations to be performed
for every job regardless of any extenuating factors, such as those
listed above as an example. Thus, the disclosed health monitoring
maintenance tool 300 enables the field operator to deliver better
service quality at a lower cost of ownership.
[0045] In monitoring the equipment 101, the health monitoring
maintenance tool 300 may communicate with sensors located on the
equipment, for example via the control system 229, and monitor
trends of operation, for example: rate vs. pressure, temperature
over time, pressure and temperature over time, torque converter
temperature over time, and the like. Such data is filtered into the
analysis of the health monitoring maintenance tool 300 and used to
prescribe potential maintenance or sound certain alarms when a
monitored trend is outside of predetermined boundaries.
[0046] The communication interface device 400 of the health
monitoring maintenance tool 300 preferably provides an interactive
user experience. For example, the communication interface may be
touch screen operable, allowing the field operator 125 to easily
input maintenance-related data, and visually see depictions of the
equipment on which maintenance is to be performed.
[0047] Referring now to FIGS. 4.1-4.7, example screenshots of the
communication interface device 400 are shown. In FIG. 4.1
particularly, the communication interface device 400 may be used to
acquire the equipment identification 401 (e.g., serial number,
asset number) of the equipment 101. The equipment identification
401 may be captured using RFID tags implanted or printed on the
equipment 101, or likewise may be captured using the serial number
already printed on the equipment 101. For example, the
communication interface device 400 may comprise hardware and
software for recognizing the serial number and verifying the
recognition with the central data server. In operation, the
equipment operator 125 may use a camera on the communication
interface device 400 to take a picture or scan the equipment
identification 401 via OCR (optical character recognition). The
picture, or data related to the serial number, may then be sent to
the central data server where said data may be cross-checked with
related data on a database. Once the equipment is recognized via
the equipment identification 401, the health monitoring maintenance
tool 300 sends the operator 125, via a communication network, the
prescribed list of maintenance operations that are required, if
any. As explained herein, the operator 125 may also access prior
health status 310 of the equipment, as well as the
equipment/component user manual 320 and list of equipment
components 324.
[0048] In FIGS. 4.2 and 4.3, an example of a prescribed list 403 of
maintenance operations is shown for the equipment 101 identified in
FIG. 4.1. As shown, the list 403 may be graphically illustrated as
shown in FIG. 4.2 and/or may be textually presented as shown in
FIG. 4.3.
[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 4.4 and 4.5, an example detailed
action from the prescribed list 403 is shown. Provided the action
item 404, the operator 125 may request that the particular item
location 405 to be shown. As shown in FIG. 4.5, an
illustration/depiction of the equipment 101' may be presented to
help the operator 125 identify what needs to be checked or
repaired. Referring to FIGS. 4.6 and 4.7, other examples of
detailed actions from the prescribed list 403 are shown. In FIG.
4.6, the operator 125 may input the oil level 406 of a particular
equipment unit. And in FIG. 47, the operator 125 may input the fuel
level 407 of a particular equipment unit.
[0050] Although the present disclosure has been described with
reference to exemplary embodiments and implementations thereof, the
present disclosure is not to be limited by or to such exemplary
embodiments and/or implementations. Rather, the systems and methods
of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications,
variations and/or enhancements without departing from the spirit or
scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the present
disclosure expressly encompasses all such modifications, variations
and enhancements within its scope.
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