U.S. patent application number 15/190172 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-28 for robotic manipulators for subsea, topside, and onshore operations.
The applicant listed for this patent is OneSubsea IP UK Limited. Invention is credited to Brent David Gable, Diana Kathryn Grauer, Andrea Paulina Rubio.
Application Number | 20170370173 15/190172 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59152745 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170370173 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gable; Brent David ; et
al. |
December 28, 2017 |
ROBOTIC MANIPULATORS FOR SUBSEA, TOPSIDE, AND ONSHORE
OPERATIONS
Abstract
An apparatus including a robotic manipulator coupled to an
oilfield device to facilitate support operations. The robotic
manipulator can include a tool for interacting with components of
the oilfield device, and the robotic manipulator can provide three
translational degrees of freedom of the tool with respect to the
oilfield device. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also
disclosed.
Inventors: |
Gable; Brent David;
(Cypress, TX) ; Rubio; Andrea Paulina; (Houston,
TX) ; Grauer; Diana Kathryn; (Cypress, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
OneSubsea IP UK Limited |
London |
|
GB |
|
|
Family ID: |
59152745 |
Appl. No.: |
15/190172 |
Filed: |
June 22, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/076 20130101;
B63C 11/52 20130101; E21B 41/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 33/076 20060101
E21B033/076 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: an oilfield device configured to be
installed at a fixed location as part of a subsea production
system; a robotic manipulator fixedly mounted on the oilfield
device, the robotic manipulator having a tool for interacting with
components of the oilfield device, wherein the robotic manipulator
provides three translational degrees of freedom of the tool with
respect to the oilfield device, the tool is a removable tool
configured to be detached from the robotic manipulator, and the
tool is one of a plurality of interchangeable tools configured to
be installed on the robotic manipulator; and a tool box for holding
multiple tools of the plurality of interchangeable tools, wherein
the tool box is mounted at a location accessible by the robotic
manipulator so as to facilitate interchanging of the tool on the
robotic manipulator with one of the multiple tools that is held by
the tool box, the tool box includes individual slots for holding
the multiple tools of the plurality of interchangeable tools, and
the individual slots include an empty individual slot for receiving
the tool on the robotic manipulator to facilitate interchanging of
the tool on the robotic manipulator with one of the multiple tools
that is held by the tool box.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robotic manipulator
includes an articulated arm mounted on the oilfield device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the articulated arm includes a
proximal end mounted on the oilfield device and a distal end having
the tool.
4-6. (canceled)
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool box is provided on
the robotic manipulator.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool box is provided on
the oilfield device.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool includes a gripping
tool or a torque tool.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the oilfield device includes
a subsea manifold, a tree, a blowout preventer, or a pump.
11. An apparatus comprising: a subsea manifold configured to be
installed as part of a subsea production system; and a robotic arm
fixedly mounted on the subsea manifold, wherein the robotic arm
includes an articulated arm having a head with one or more tools
for interacting with components of the subsea manifold, wherein the
robotic arm is coupled to the subsea manifold via a mounting base
of the robotic arm that enables electrical power and data to be
provided to the robotic arm from the subsea manifold through the
mounting base.
12. (canceled)
13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the robotic arm is a
retrievable arm that can be disconnected and separately retrieved
from the subsea manifold while the subsea manifold is installed on
a seabed.
14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the robotic arm includes a
camera that enables visual inspection of the subsea manifold via
the robotic arm.
15. A method comprising: moving a robotic arm that includes a tool
and is fixedly mounted on an installed oilfield device of a subsea
production system so as to move the tool with respect to the
installed oilfield device; and operating the robotic arm to perform
a support operation for the installed oilfield device; wherein
operating the robotic arm to perform a support operation for the
installed oilfield device includes operating the robotic arm to
actuate a valve of the installed oilfield device, moving the
robotic arm so as to move the tool with respect to the installed
oilfield device includes moving the robotic arm to position the
tool alongside an actuator of the valve, and operating the robotic
arm to actuate the valve of the installed oilfield device includes
operating the tool to actuate the valve via the actuator; the
method further comprising: using the robotic arm to remove a debris
cover, with an additional tool of the robotic arm, from the
installed oilfield device to expose the actuator of the valve; and
using the robotic arm to replace the debris cover, with the
additional tool of the robotic arm, following actuation of the
valve by the robotic arm.
16-18. (canceled)
19. The method of claim 15, wherein operating the robotic arm to
perform a support operation for the installed oilfield device
includes operating the robotic arm to facilitate installation of a
component in the installed oilfield device or retrieval of the
component from the installed oilfield device.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein operating the robotic arm to
facilitate installation or retrieval of the component includes
operating the robotic arm to align the component with the installed
oilfield device, to move the component into engagement with the
installed oilfield device, and to connect one or more leads between
the component and the installed oilfield device.
21. The method of claim 15, comprising disconnecting the tool from
the robotic arm and replacing the tool with the additional
tool.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein disconnecting the tool from the
robotic arm and replacing the tool with the additional tool
includes: moving the robotic arm so as to insert the tool into a
tool box having the additional tool; disconnecting the tool from
the robotic arm while the tool is received in the tool box; and
moving the robotic arm away from the tool and into engagement with
the additional tool so as to receive the additional tool on the
robotic arm in place of the tool disconnected from the robotic arm
and received in the tool box.
23. An apparatus comprising: a subsea production system including
oilfield devices installed along a seabed, the oilfield devices
including: a plurality of trees coupled to subsea wellheads; a
subsea manifold connected in fluid communication with the plurality
of trees, the subsea manifold including valves to control flow of
produced hydrocarbons or other fluids from the plurality of trees
through the subsea manifold; and a pumping station connected in
fluid communication with the subsea manifold; wherein the subsea
production system also includes a robotic arm fixedly mounted on
the subsea manifold, the robotic arm includes an articulated arm
having a head with a tool for actuating the valves of the subsea
manifold to control flow of the produced hydrocarbons or the other
fluids from the plurality of trees through the subsea manifold, the
robotic arm is coupled to the subsea manifold via a mounting base
of the robotic arm that enables electrical power and data to be
provided to the robotic arm from the subsea manifold through the
mounting base, the tool is one of a plurality of interchangeable
tools, and an additional tool of the plurality of interchangeable
tools is held by a tool box mounted at a location accessible by the
robotic arm so as to facilitate interchanging of the tool and the
additional tool on the robotic arm.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein an additional robotic arm is
installed on the pumping station or on a tree of the plurality of
trees to enable the additional robotic arm to perform support
operations for the pumping station or the tree.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various
aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the
presently described embodiments. This discussion is believed to be
helpful in providing the reader with background information to
facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the
present embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that
these statements are to be read in this light, and not as
admissions of prior art.
[0002] In order to meet consumer and industrial demand for natural
resources, companies often invest significant amounts of time and
money in finding and extracting oil, natural gas, and other
subterranean resources from the earth. Particularly, once a desired
subterranean resource such as oil or natural gas is discovered,
drilling and production systems are often employed to access and
extract the resource. These systems may be located onshore or
offshore depending on the location of a desired resource.
[0003] Offshore systems can include topside devices positioned
above the surface of the water, such as on a vessel or platform,
and subsea devices positioned underwater, such as on the seabed.
Whether located subsea, topside, or onshore, devices used in
drilling and production systems can themselves include many
components to be actuated, installed, or retrieved to facilitate
drilling or production. In topside and onshore contexts, operators
may manually perform such support operations. In subsea contexts, a
working vessel can be positioned above a subsea installation and a
remotely operated vehicle (ROV) can be launched to travel to the
subsea installation to perform support operations for the subsea
devices.
SUMMARY
[0004] Certain aspects of some embodiments disclosed herein are set
forth below. It should be understood that these aspects are
presented merely to provide the reader with a brief summary of
certain forms the invention might take and that these aspects are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Indeed, the
invention may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set
forth below.
[0005] At least some embodiments of the present disclosure
generally relate to robotic manipulators for facilitating support
operations for an oilfield device. The robotic manipulators can
include robotic arms with various degrees of freedom that allow the
arms to perform a wide array of support functions. The robotic
manipulators can be used with subsea, topside, and onshore devices,
such as manifolds, trees, pumps, and blowout preventers. In some
instances, a robotic manipulator includes a head adapted to receive
any of multiple, interchangeable end effectors to increase the
versatility of the robotic manipulator and enable a wider range of
support operations. When not installed on the robotic manipulator,
the multiple end effectors can be held in a tool box accessible to
the robotic manipulator to enable efficient retooling of the
robotic manipulator by simply switching end effectors.
[0006] Various refinements of the features noted above may exist in
relation to various aspects of the present embodiments. Further
features may also be incorporated in these various aspects. These
refinements and additional features may exist individually or in
any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in
relation to one or more of the illustrated embodiments may be
incorporated into any of the above-described aspects of the present
disclosure alone or in any combination. Again, the brief summary
presented above is intended only to familiarize the reader with
certain aspects and contexts of some embodiments without limitation
to the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of certain
embodiments will become better understood when the following
detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout
the drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 generally depicts a production system having devices
with robotic manipulators in accordance with one embodiment;
[0009] FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a robotic manipulator
in the form of an articulated robotic arm with a gripping tool in
accordance with one embodiment;
[0010] FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of an articulated
robotic arm like that of FIGS. 2 and 3, but with both a gripping
tool and a torque tool, in accordance with one embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a subsea manifold having a
robotic arm for facilitating support operations for the subsea
manifold in accordance with one embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the subsea manifold and robotic arm
of FIG. 6;
[0013] FIG. 8 depicts the robotic arm of FIGS. 6 and 7 in an
extended position during a support operation, with a gripping tool
of the arm facing the subsea manifold, in accordance with one
embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 9 depicts the robotic arm of FIG. 8 with a torque tool
of the arm facing the subsea manifold during a support operation in
accordance with one embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 10 depicts the subsea manifold of FIGS. 6 and 7 as
having a tool box holding multiple, interchangeable tools that can
be installed on the robotic arm in accordance with one
embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tool box of FIG. 10,
shown isolated from the subsea manifold, in accordance with one
embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the subsea manifold of
FIGS. 6 and 7 as having the tool box of FIG. 11 mounted on the
robotic arm in accordance with one embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 13 generally depicts various components with which a
robotic manipulator may interact to perform support operations in
accordance with one embodiment; and
[0019] FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a control system of a robotic
manipulator in accordance with one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described
below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these
embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be
described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in
the development of any such actual implementation, as in any
engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific
decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals,
such as compliance with system-related and business-related
constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another.
Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort
might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a
routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for
those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0021] When introducing elements of various embodiments, the
articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that
there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising,"
"including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean
that there may be additional elements other than the listed
elements. Moreover, any use of "top," "bottom," "above," "below,"
other directional terms, and variations of these terms is made for
convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the
components.
[0022] Turning now to the present figures, an apparatus 10 is
illustrated in FIG. 1 in accordance with one embodiment. The
depicted apparatus 10 is a production system that facilitates
extraction of a resource, such as oil or natural gas, from a
subterranean reservoir. The apparatus 10 is generally shown in FIG.
1 as a subsea production system having trees 12 (e.g., production
or injection trees) coupled to wellheads 14 on a seabed. The
wellheads 14 can include various components, such as casing heads,
tubing heads, spools, and hangers, and the trees 12 can include
valves for controlling fluid flow into and out of wells through the
wellheads 14.
[0023] Reservoir fluid can be produced from the reservoir through
the wellheads 14 and the trees 12, which are connected (e.g., via
jumpers) to subsea manifolds 16 installed on the seabed. The
manifolds 16 include valves to control flow of produced
hydrocarbons or other fluids from the trees 12 through the
manifolds 16. The produced fluid can also be routed from the
manifolds 16 to processing equipment. For example, produced fluid
may be routed to a pump (or pumping station) 18 for adding energy
to the produced fluid to facilitate delivery of the fluid through
various flowlines or risers to some other location, such as a
production platform, a floating production storage and offloading
(FPSO) vessel, or an onshore processing facility.
[0024] Wells can be drilled into the seabed with a drilling rig,
such as a drillship or semi-submersible, positioned above the
seabed. In at least some instances, the drilling rig will be
coupled to a blowout preventer stack 22 mounted on a wellhead 14
via a riser and a lower marine riser package 24. As will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art, the blowout preventer
stack 22 can include ram-type and annular preventers, and the lower
marine riser package 24 can include various control components for
operating the preventers of the blowout preventer stack 22.
Additionally, the lower marine riser package 24 may itself include
one or more preventers, such as an annular preventer.
[0025] A rotating drill string lowered from the drilling rig
through the riser, the lower marine riser package 24, the blowout
preventer stack 22, and the wellhead 14 may be used to bore a well.
Once drilling of the well is finished, the well can be completed,
the blowout preventer stack 22 and the lower marine riser package
24 can be disconnected, and a tree 12 can be mounted on the
wellhead 14. The tree 12 can be connected to a manifold 16 by a
jumper, as discussed above, to enable fluid communication between
the well and the manifold 16 through the tree 12.
[0026] The apparatus 10 also includes robotic manipulators 26
coupled to various installed devices described above. More
specifically, the apparatus 10 is depicted in FIG. 1 as having
robotic manipulators 26 on the trees 12, the manifolds 16, the
pumping station 18, the blowout preventer stack 22, and the lower
marine riser package 24. These robotic manipulators 26 can be used
to carry out various support functions for the installed devices.
Several examples of such support functions include actuating
valves, installing or retrieving components, inspecting the
installed devices, and cleaning the installed devices, though the
robotic manipulators 26 may facilitate other support functions. The
robotic manipulators 26 can be controlled by human operators, but
in some cases the manipulators 26 are provided as autonomous, smart
devices programmed to perform various tasks with minimal input from
human operators.
[0027] Some of the installed devices each include a single robotic
manipulator 26, though others (such as the manifolds 16 in FIG. 1)
may include multiple robotic manipulators 26. In certain
embodiments, a robotic manipulator 26 may include a robotic arm
with a design that allows the arm to walk between multiple
locations. This walking may be accomplished in any suitable manner,
such as by gripping a fixed portion of an installed device with one
end of the arm, disconnecting a base of the arm from the device,
repositioning the base of the arm to a new location along the
device, and reconnecting the base to the device at the new
location. The tooling carried by the robotic manipulators 26 may
vary depending on the support functions to be performed. In some
instances, and as described in greater detail below, a robotic
manipulator 26 includes multiple interchangeable tools to
facilitate performance of a greater number of support functions for
an installed device.
[0028] Although shown here as a subsea system, the apparatus 10
could take other forms in different embodiments, such as a topside
system, an onshore system, or a system having any combination of
subsea, topside, and onshore devices. It will be appreciated that
the apparatus 10 can include various devices in addition to or in
place of those depicted in FIG. 1, and that some devices noted
above may be omitted in certain embodiments. The lower marine riser
package 24 can be omitted from onshore embodiments, for instance.
Further, the trees 12, the wellheads 14, the manifolds 16, and
various other devices of the apparatus 10 could be installed at a
fixed location in an oil field or a gas field. For ease of
reference, the term "oilfield devices" is used elsewhere herein to
generically refer to devices intended for use in an oil field or a
gas field. While certain examples of the use of robotic
manipulators 26 for performing support functions for subsea devices
are described below, it will be appreciated that robotic
manipulators 26 can also be used to perform support functions for
topside and onshore devices.
[0029] The robotic manipulators 26 can take any suitable form, but
in at least some embodiments these robotic manipulators 26 are
provided as robotic arms. By way of example, a robotic manipulator
26 may be provided in the form of a robotic arm 30 as depicted in
FIGS. 2 and 3. In this embodiment, the robotic arm 30 includes a
mounting base 32, arm sections 34 and 36, and a head 38. The arm 30
can be attached to any of numerous different structures, such as
various oilfield devices, via the mounting base 32. This allows the
arm 30 to act as an onboard remotely operated manipulator for the
connected structure.
[0030] The depicted robotic arm 30 is an articulated arm with
joints that provide rotational degrees of freedom and allow the arm
to move and assist in numerous operations, examples of which are
described below. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a base joint 40
connects the arm section 34 to the mounting base 32, the arm
sections 34 and 36 are connected by an elbow joint 42, and the head
38 is connected to the arm section 36 by a head joint 44. The
joints 40, 42, and 44 allow the arm components connected by these
joints to pivot with respect to one another. In some cases, for
instance, the base joint 40 provides two rotational degrees of
freedom between the mounting base 32 and the arm section 34, the
elbow joint 42 provides one rotational degree of freedom between
the arm sections 34 and 36, and the head joint 44 provides three
rotational degrees of freedom between the arm section 36 and the
head 38. It is noted, however, that other arrangements in which one
or more of the joints provide a different number of rotational
degrees of freedom are also envisaged. Movement of the arm 30 can
be accomplished with any suitable actuators. Electric motors (e.g.,
step motors) may be used to control rotation of various arm
components in certain embodiments, though other actuators (e.g.,
hydraulic or pneumatic) could also or instead be used.
[0031] The robotic arm 30 includes at least one end effector for
interacting with the device to which the robotic arm 30 is to be
attached, such as an end effector for manipulating a component of a
subsea manifold or of another oilfield device. For example, the
robotic arm 30 depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 includes an end effector
in the form of a gripping tool 48 having a pair of jaws for
grasping objects. The arm 30 can be moved to position the head 38
near an object and the gripping tool 48 can be used to engage and
manipulate the object in a desired manner.
[0032] The rotational degrees of freedom of the arm 30 facilitate
positioning of the head 38 and the carried tool 48 alongside the
manipulated object. More specifically, in at least some embodiments
the rotational degrees of freedom of the arm 30 enable the end
effector (e.g., the gripping tool 48 or some other tool) to have
three translational degrees of freedom with respect to the device
to which the arm 30 is attached. This is in contrast to
alternatives allowing fewer than three translational degrees of
freedom, in which movement of the end effector is more heavily
constrained (e.g., two translational degrees of freedom) and in
which a device with components to be manipulated is specially
configured to accommodate the limited mobility of the end
effector.
[0033] Although shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the gripping tool 48,
the robotic arm 30 may also or instead carry other tools. For
instance, the robotic arm 30 may also include a torque tool 52 on
its head 38, as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. This torque tool 52 can
be used to rotate various components, such as to operate a valve
actuator of an oilfield device.
[0034] Operation of the robotic arm 30 may be better understood
with reference to FIGS. 6-9. As depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7, the
robotic arm 30 is connected to an upper surface 54 of a subsea
manifold 16. In at least one embodiment, the robotic arm 30 is
removably coupled to the subsea manifold 16 so as to permit the
robotic arm 30 to be disconnected and separately retrieved from the
manifold 16 while the manifold 16 is installed on a seabed. The
robotic arm 30 may also be operated to assist in its own
installation and retrieval in some cases.
[0035] The robotic arm 30 can be moved to facilitate various
support functions, as noted elsewhere herein. For example, other
devices (e.g., trees 12, another manifold 16, and the pumping
station 18) can be connected in fluid communication with the
manifold 16, and the robotic arm 30 can be used to actuate valves
of the manifold 16 to control fluid flow. In one such instance, the
robotic arm 30 is moved from the resting position shown in FIGS. 6
and 7 toward an extended position in which the head 38 of the arm
30 is positioned near a valve actuator 60, as generally shown in
FIGS. 8 and 9. In this extended position, the arm 30 can be lowered
or raised to move an end effector toward or away from the actuator
60 (or any other component that is to be manipulated with the
robotic arm 30). In conjunction with this movement of the arm 30,
the gripping tool 48 can be used to grasp and remove a debris cover
56 from the subsea manifold 16 to expose the valve actuator 60, and
the torque tool 52 can be used to control a valve by applying
torque to the exposed actuator 60. Once manipulation of the valve
actuator 60 is complete, the debris cover 56 can be returned to its
place over the valve actuator 60.
[0036] The robotic arm 30 is depicted in FIGS. 6-9 as having both
the gripping tool 48 and the torque tool 52. In this arrangement,
the head 38 of the arm 30 can be rotated to generally alternate the
positions of these tools with little movement of the rest of the
arm 30. But in other embodiments the robotic arm 30 may carry just
a single tool at any given time. In some cases, multiple robotic
arms 30 can be used to facilitate support operations, such as one
robotic arm 30 with a gripping tool 48 and another robotic arm with
a torque tool 52.
[0037] In still other cases, a robotic arm 30 may be used with
multiple, interchangeable end effectors (e.g., gripping tool 48,
torque tool 52, and other tools) designed to perform different
functions. These interchangeable end effectors may include any of a
multitude of different tools that can be connected to and
disconnected from the robotic arm 30 on an as-needed basis. When
not in use, the interchangeable end effectors in at least some
embodiments are positioned within reach of the robotic arm 30 to
facilitate retooling of the arm 30 with different end effectors.
The number and types of different, interchangeable end effectors
can be selected by a user based on the support functions expected
to be carried out by the robotic arm 30.
[0038] The interchangeable end effectors are held by a tool box in
at least some embodiments. As one example, a tool box 70 is shown
in FIG. 10 as coupled to the upper surface 54 of the manifold 16
near the robotic arm 30. The depicted tool box 70 holds additional
end effectors in the form of tools 72, 74, 76, and 78. These
additional tools 72, 74, 76, and 78 can include any of a variety of
tools that facilitate desired support operations, such as gripping
tools, torque tools, and spraying tools (e.g., water jet tools for
cleaning) to name just a few examples. As best shown in FIG. 11,
the tool box 70 includes individual slots 80 for holding the
assortment of tools.
[0039] A tool (e.g., the gripping tool 48) carried by the robotic
arm 30 can be disconnected from the robotic arm 30 and replaced
with a different tool, such as one of the tools 72, 74, 76, and 78.
In one automated retooling process, for example, the robotic arm 30
carrying a first tool is moved to insert the first tool into the
empty slot 80 of the tool box 70 and the robotic arm 30 is
disconnected from the first tool to leave that tool in its slot 80.
The arm 30 is then moved away from the first tool and into
engagement with a second tool in the tool box 70 to enable the
second tool to be carried in place of the first tool by the arm 30.
In this manner, the robotic arm 30 can fit itself with different
tools appropriate for performing an array of desired support
operations. It is noted, however, that in some other embodiments
(e.g., in topside or onshore implementations) the tools can be
interchanged manually by an operator. The tool box 70 can be
positioned at any suitable location near the robotic arm 30. In
some instances, this can include mounting the tool box 70 on a
portion of the robotic arm 30, such as generally depicted in FIG.
12.
[0040] While certain examples of support tasks that can be
performed with robotic manipulators 26 (e.g., the robotic arm 30)
are described above, it is again noted that such robotic
manipulators 26 can have many capabilities and can be used to
enable a wide array of support functions. This versatility is
generally represented in FIG. 13, in which an oilfield system 90 is
shown to include a robotic manipulator 26 capable of interacting
with numerous components. The system 90 can include one or more
oilfield devices, which may be located subsea, topside, or onshore.
The components depicted in FIG. 13 are representative of components
of such oilfield devices, and it will be appreciated that the
oilfield devices can include any combination of these or other
components with which the robotic manipulator 26 may interact.
[0041] More particularly, the robotic manipulator 26 can be used to
facilitate installation or retrieval of many different components
from a given installed device (e.g., a tree 12, a manifold 16, a
pump 18, or a blowout preventer stack 22). For example, the robotic
manipulator 26 can be used for installing or retrieving (or
otherwise manipulating) the following: various connectors 92, which
may include clamps; connector tooling 94; various seals 96, such as
hub seals; insulation doghouses 98; process compensation units 100;
flowmeters 102; control modules 104; processing modules 106;
sampling modules 108; hotstabs 110; lifting slings 112 (including,
in one embodiment, manipulating shackles of a lifting sling);
chokes 114; covers 116, such as debris covers; umbilicals and
flying leads 118, such as electrical flying leads (EFLs), hydraulic
flying leads (HFLs), steel flying leads (SFLs), umbilical
termination heads (UTHs), optical flying leads (OFLs), and
associated equipment; electrical distribution units 120;
communication distribution units 122; intervention workover control
systems (IWOCs) 124; acoustic detectors 126; accumulation modules
128; pigging loops 130; pig launchers and receivers 132; and valve
actuators 134. The robotic manipulator can also be used to operate
valves 136 (e.g., mechanical operation of all override types),
running tools 138 (for connection systems, control modules, etc.),
other tools 140 (e.g., replacement and cleaning tools for
connection systems), gasket test panels 142, and locking mechanisms
144. Still further, the robotic arm 30 or some other robotic
manipulator 26 can perform on-demand inspection services (e.g.,
verifying valve indicators and bullseye inspection), cleaning
(e.g., of the installed device and associated components), and
cathodic protection point monitoring.
[0042] Several representative examples of such support operations
are described in greater detail below for explanatory purposes.
First, a robotic manipulator 26 (such as the robotic arm 30) can be
used for valve intervention. As generally described above, the
robotic manipulator 26 can be used to remove a debris cover,
operate the valve (e.g., to open or shut the valve), and then
replace the debris cover. The manipulated valves (e.g., valves 136)
can be of any size, class, and override type (e.g., rotary, linear,
or paddle type).
[0043] The robotic manipulator 26 can also be used for connection
system intervention. In some instances, this may include using the
robotic manipulator 26 to facilitate make up or disconnection of
connectors 92, such as by aligning a jumper and a running tool 138,
operating the running tool 138, and installing and retrieving
associated caps (e.g., covers 116). In other cases, the robotic
manipulator 26 facilitates make up or disconnection of connectors
92 by aligning a jumper, operating a pull-in cylinder to set or
break a connection, and installing or retrieving associated
caps.
[0044] In another embodiment, the robotic manipulator 26 may be
used to facilitate pigging operations. For instance, the robotic
manipulator 26 can align and install a pigging loop 130 (e.g., on a
subsea manifold) with running tools 138, operate an isolation valve
136, operate a gasket test panel 142, and operate running tools 138
for retrieval of the pigging loop 130 after a pigging operation is
completed. The robotic manipulator 26 can also be used to align and
install a pig launcher and receiver 132, operate an associated
connection system, and operate the gasket test panel 142.
[0045] The robotic manipulator 26 can also be used to install or
retrieve flowmeters 102, chokes 114, or various modules, such as
control modules 104, processing modules 106, sampling modules 108,
communication distribution units 122, and accumulation modules 128.
Such support operations using the manipulator 26 may include
removing a dropped object cover, aligning the module (or flowmeter)
with an oilfield device, moving the module into engagement with the
oilfield device, replacing the dropped object cover, and connecting
one or more leads 118 (e.g., EFLs or OFLs) between the installed
module and other components of the oilfield device. The robotic
manipulator 26 can also be used to remove the dropped object cover,
uninstall the one or more leads 118, remove the module from the
oilfield device, and replace the dropped object cover. In some
cases, locking mechanisms 144 or other components may also be
manipulated via the robotic manipulator 26 to facilitate
installation or retrieval of a flowmeter, module, or other given
component.
[0046] Certain additional features of a robotic manipulator 26
(e.g., a robotic arm 30) are generally depicted in FIG. 14 in
accordance with one embodiment. Particularly, the robotic
manipulator 26 may be operated via a processor-based control
system, an example of which is provided in FIG. 14 and generally
denoted by reference numeral 150. In this depicted embodiment, the
system 150 includes a processor 152 connected by a bus 154 to a
memory device 156. It will be appreciated that the system 150 could
also include multiple processors or memory devices, and that such
memory devices can include volatile memory (e.g., random-access
memory) or non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory and a read-only
memory). The one or more memory devices 156 are encoded with
application instructions 158 (e.g., software executable by the
processor 152 to perform various functionality described above), as
well as with data 160 (e.g., positions of, and other information
about, components with which the robotic manipulator may interact).
In one embodiment, the application instructions 158 are stored in a
read-only memory and the data 160 is stored in a writeable
non-volatile memory (e.g., a flash memory).
[0047] The system 150 also includes an interface 162 that enables
communication between the processor 152 and various input or output
devices 164. The interface 162 can include any suitable device that
enables such communication, such as a modem or a serial port. The
input and output devices 164 can include any number of suitable
devices. For example, in one embodiment the devices 164 include
actuators 166 (e.g., step motors) for moving the robotic
manipulator in a desired manner, cameras 168, and sensors 170. For
instance, the robotic arm 30 can be fitted with one or more cameras
168 to facilitate operation of the arm 30 and on-demand visual
inspection of nearby devices and components (e.g., a subsea
oilfield device and associated components). The robotic manipulator
26 can include any desired sensors 170 and, in at least some
embodiments, the sensors 170 include location or proximity sensors
that may be used by the control system 150 for collision avoidance
(i.e., to avoid unintentional collision of the robotic manipulator
with some other object). Power and data may also be communicated
between the robotic manipulator 26 and the structure to which it is
attached, such as an oilfield device. For instance, electrical
power, data, and operating commands may be provided to the robotic
manipulator 26 from the structure (e.g., through the mounting base
32 of the robotic arm 30). Additionally, data may be communicated
from the robotic manipulator 26 to the structure, from which it may
be communicated to some other location, such as a topside or
surface monitoring station. The actuators 166, cameras 168, and
sensors 170 can be provided as part of the robotic manipulator 26,
though other devices 164 (e.g., human-machine interfaces) may be
separate from the robotic manipulator 26.
[0048] Use of the robotic manipulators 26 described above may allow
a reduction in the use of small working class vessels in the field
by providing on-demand inspection capabilities, by operating valves
and other mechanisms on the installed devices, by facilitating
installation and retrieval of most retrievable components, and by
allowing cleaning of the installed devices by the robotic
manipulators 26. Further, the robotic manipulators 26 may also
enable a reduction in overall weight of the installed devices, an
increase in productivity (e.g., by allowing the onboard robotic
manipulator to perform certain operations on demand, rather than
waiting for intervention from an ROV), and a reduction in downtime
of offshore installations and intervention campaigns. Although
described above in connection with oilfield devices, it will be
appreciated that the robotic manipulators 26 may be used with
other, non-oilfield devices in full accordance with the present
technique.
[0049] While the aspects of the present disclosure may be
susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms,
specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the
drawings and have been described in detail herein. But it should be
understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the
particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all
modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the
spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following
appended claims.
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