U.S. patent application number 15/556674 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-22 for erosion management system.
The applicant listed for this patent is ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED. Invention is credited to Simon Charles HOLYFIELD.
Application Number | 20180051549 15/556674 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55542645 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180051549 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HOLYFIELD; Simon Charles |
February 22, 2018 |
EROSION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Abstract
An erosion management system is configured to monitor erosion of
a component of a mineral extraction system. The erosion management
system includes a controller configured to receive feedback from a
flow meter related to a flow rate of a production fluid flowing
through the component. Additionally, the controller is configured
to receive feedback from an erosion detector related to an amount
of solids in the production fluid. The controller is configured to
determine an erosion rate of the component based on the feedback
from the flow meter and the feedback from the erosion detector.
Inventors: |
HOLYFIELD; Simon Charles;
(Norwich, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ONESUBSEA IP UK LIMITED |
London |
|
GB |
|
|
Family ID: |
55542645 |
Appl. No.: |
15/556674 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
March 11, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2016/055374 |
371 Date: |
September 8, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62131639 |
Mar 11, 2015 |
|
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62173740 |
Jun 10, 2015 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 47/001 20200501;
E21B 47/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 47/00 20060101
E21B047/00; E21B 47/10 20060101 E21B047/10 |
Claims
1. A system, comprising: an erosion management system configured to
monitor erosion of a component of a mineral extraction system,
wherein the erosion management system comprises: a flow meter
configured to generate feedback relating to a flow rate of a
production fluid flowing through the component; an erosion detector
configured to generate feedback relating to an amount of solids in
the production fluid flowing through the component; and a
controller configured to: receive feedback from the flow meter and
feedback from the erosion detector; and determine an erosion rate
of the component based on the feedback from the flow meter and
feedback from the erosion detector.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the erosion detector comprises an
acoustic detector, an electrical resistance detector, or both.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the flow rate of the production fluid based on feedback
from the flow meter; determine a mass flow rate of the solids in
the production fluid based on the flow rate of the production fluid
and the feedback from the erosion detector; and determine the
erosion rate based on the mass flow rate of the solids in the
production fluid.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the erosion management system
comprises a fluid density meter configured to generate feedback
relating to a density of the production fluid, wherein the
controller is configured to: receive feedback from the fluid
density meter; and determine the erosion rate based on the feedback
from the fluid density meter.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to
monitor the erosion rate over a period of time and to determine an
amount of accumulated erosion for the component by determining an
integral of the erosion rate over the period of time.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the erosion management system
comprises a user interface operatively coupled to the controller,
wherein the controller is configured to cause the user interface to
provide a recommendation to adjust the flow rate of the production
fluid based on the erosion rate.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to
determine a recommended flow rate of the production fluid based at
least in part on a comparison of the erosion rate to an erosion
rate threshold.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the erosion management system
comprises a user interface operatively coupled to the controller,
wherein the controller is configured to cause the user interface to
display the recommended flow rate.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to
control a choke to adjust the flow rate of the production fluid to
the recommended flow rate.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to
determine a predicted remaining life of the component based at
least in part on the erosion rate.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to
determine the predicted remaining life of the component by
determining when a wall thickness of the component will be less
than a predetermined minimum wall thickness.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to
determine when the wall thickness of the component will be less
than the predetermined minimum wall thickness based at least in
part on predicted future values of the erosion rate and an initial
value of the wall thickness of the component.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a
wellhead, a production tree, or a manifold.
14. A system, comprising: a mineral extraction system configured to
extract a production fluid from a wall, wherein the mineral
extraction system comprises: a flow meter configured to generate
feedback relating to a flow rate of the production fluid flowing
through a component of the mineral extraction system; an erosion
detector configured to generate feedback relating to an amount of
solids in the production fluid flowing through the component; a
controller configured to: determine an erosion rate of the
component based at least in part on the feedback from the flow
meter and the feedback from the erosion detector; compare the
erosion rate to an erosion rate threshold; and determine a
recommended flow rate of the production fluid based at least in
part on the comparison.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the mineral extraction system
comprises a user interface, and wherein the controller is
configured to cause the user interface to display the recommended
flow rate.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the mineral extraction system
comprises a production tree, and wherein the production tree
comprises the component.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the production tree comprises a
choke configured to adjust the flow rate of the production fluid
and a choke actuator configured to control the choke, and wherein
the controller is configured to send a control signal to the choke
actuator to cause the choke to adjust the flow rate of the
production fluid to the recommended flow rate.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the production tree comprises a
choke configured to adjust the flow rate of the production fluid,
and wherein the flow meter is disposed in a bore of the production
tree upstream of the choke, and wherein the erosion detector is
disposed in the bore downstream of the choke.
19. A method for monitoring erosion of a component of a mineral
extraction system, comprising: determining a flow rate of a
production fluid flowing through the component of the mineral
extraction system based on feedback from a flow meter; determining
an amount of solids in the production fluid flowing through the
component based on feedback from an erosion detector; and
determining an erosion rate of the component based at least in part
on the flow rate of the production fluid and the amount of solids
in the production fluid.
20. The method of claim 19, comprising: determining a predicted
remaining life of the component based at least in part on the
erosion rate; comparing the predicted remaining life of the
component to a threshold; determining a recommended flow rate of
the production fluid based on the comparison; and providing a
user-perceivable recommendation to adjust the flow rate of the
production fluid to the recommended flow rate.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/131,639, entitled "Erosion
Prediction & Warning System", filed Mar. 11, 2015, and U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/173,740, entitled "Erosion
Predicting & Warning System," filed Jun. 10, 2015, the
disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference in their
entireties for all purposes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various
aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the
present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. 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 disclosure. Accordingly, it should
be understood that these statements are to be read in this light,
and not as admissions of prior art.
[0003] Natural resources, such as oil and gas, are a common source
of fuel for a variety of applications, such as heating homes,
powering vehicles, and generating electrical power, for example.
Mineral (e.g., oil, gas, and/or hydrocarbon) extraction systems are
typically employed to access, extract, and otherwise harvest
desired natural resources, such as oil, gas, and/or hydrocarbon,
that are located in a reservoir below the surface of the earth. For
example, a mineral extraction system may include one or more
wellhead assemblies and Christmas trees for controlling the flow of
a production fluid including oil, gas, and/or hydrocarbon out of a
well. In some instances, the production fluid may also include
solids, such as sand. The solids in the production fluid may erode
equipment (e.g., piping, valves, etc.) of the mineral extraction
system, which may reduce wall thickness of the equipment, damage or
remove protective layers on the equipment, and/or reduce the life
of the equipment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present
disclosure will become better understood when the following
detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying
figures in which like characters represent like parts throughout
the figures, wherein:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a mineral
extraction system with an erosion management system;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an erosion
management system;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an erosion
management system coupled to a wellhead system;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for managing erosion of
a mineral extraction system based on erosion parameters;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for managing erosion of
a mineral extraction system based on erosion rate; and
[0010] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method for managing erosion of
a mineral extraction system based on predicted erosion
parameters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0011] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure
will be described below. These described embodiments are only
exemplary of the present disclosure. Additionally, 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.
[0012] The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain
features of the embodiments may be shown exaggerated in scale or in
somewhat schematic form, and some details of conventional elements
may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
Although one or more embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments
disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting
the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. It is to be
fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments
discussed may be employed separately or in any suitable combination
to produce desired results. In addition, one skilled in the art
will understand that the description has broad application, and the
discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that
embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the
disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that
embodiment.
[0013] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the
present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended
to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms
"comprising," "including," and "having" are used in an open-ended
fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean "including, but not
limited to . . . ." Any use of any form of the terms "connect,"
"engage," "couple," "attach," or any other term describing an
interaction between elements is intended to mean either an indirect
or a direct interaction between the elements described.
[0014] Certain terms are used throughout the description and claims
to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in
the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same
feature or component by different names. This document does not
intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in
name but not function, unless specifically stated.
[0015] The present disclosure is directed to embodiments of an
erosion management system configured to monitor (e.g., oversee)
erosion of one or more components of a mineral (e.g., oil, gas,
and/or hydrocarbon) extraction system. For example, the erosion
management system may be configured to monitor and determine one or
more erosion parameters for the one or more components, such as a
rate of erosion, an amount of accumulated erosion, a wall thickness
of the respective component, a thickness of protective layers on
the respective coating, and so forth. In order to determine and
monitor the erosion parameters, the erosion management system may
include a controller that receives feedback (e.g., signals, data,
etc.) from one or several flow meters and sensors of the mineral
extraction system. The controller or another device (e.g.,
computer) may use the feedback in algorithms, modeling programs,
and/or lookup tables to determine the one or more erosion
parameters.
[0016] Additionally, in some embodiments, the erosion management
system may be configured to monitor and determine one or more
predictive erosion parameters based on the one or more erosion
parameters. For example, the erosion management system may
determine a remaining usable life of the respective component based
on the one or more erosion parameters. Further, in certain
embodiments, the erosion management system may be configured to
provide recommendations to a user based on the one or more erosion
parameters and/or the one or more predictive erosion parameters.
For example, the erosion management system may provide
recommendations to adjust a flow rate of a fluid (e.g., a
production fluid) to reduce the erosion rate and/or to increase the
remaining useable life of a component. In some embodiments, the
erosion management system may provide recommendations based on
inputs from a user. For example, a user may input a desired or
target life of a component, and the erosion management system may
recommend one or more actions that, if executed by the user, may
enable use of the component for the duration of the desired or
target life. In some embodiments, the erosion management system may
automatically adjust one or more parameters of the mineral
extraction system, such as a flow rate of a production fluid, to
reduce the erosion rate and/or to achieve a desired useable life of
a component.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a mineral
extraction system 10 with an erosion management system 12 that
determines and monitors one or more parameters or conditions of the
mineral extraction system 10. For example, as described in more
detail below, the erosion management system 12 may determine or
monitor one or more erosion parameters for one or more components
of the mineral extraction system 10, such as a rate of erosion, an
amount of accumulated erosion, a wall thickness of the respective
component, a remaining usable life of the respective component, and
so forth. Additionally, as described in more detail below, the
erosion management system 12 may provide recommendations to a user,
monitoring system, or control system relating to recommended
adjustments for one or more parameters of the mineral extraction
system 10 and/or may automatically adjust one or more parameters of
the mineral extraction system 10 based on the determined erosion
parameters (e.g., via a control system).
[0018] The mineral extraction system 10 may be configured to
extract various minerals and natural resources, including
hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas), from the earth. In
some embodiments, the mineral extraction system 10 may be
land-based (e.g., a surface system). In certain embodiments, the
mineral extraction system 10 may be subsea (e.g., a subsea system).
As illustrated, the mineral extraction system 10 may include a
surface vessel 14, such as a rig or platform, generally located at
a surface 16 of the earth.
[0019] Additionally, the mineral extraction system 10 may include
one or more wellhead systems 18 located at a depth or distance
below the surface 16. Each wellhead system 18 may include a
wellhead 20 coupled to a production tree 22 (e.g., Christmas tree).
The wellhead systems 18 may each couple to a well 24 that enables
extraction of a production fluid containing minerals and natural
resources, such as hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas),
from a subterranean reservoir 26. In some embodiments, one or more
of the production trees 22 may be coupled to a common manifold 28
by a jumper 30 (e.g., hose, pipe, tubing, flow line, etc.).
Production fluids extracted from the wells 24 may flow from the
production trees 20 to the manifold 28 via the jumpers 30. The
manifold 28 may direct the production fluids to the surface vessel
14 through one or more risers 32 for collection and/or processing.
In some embodiments, one or more production trees 22 may be coupled
to (e.g., directly coupled to) a riser that directs the production
fluids to the surface vessel 14.
[0020] Additionally, the mineral extraction system 10 may include
components to control the extraction and production processes from
the wells 24. For example, the mineral extraction system 10 may
include one or more fluid control devices 34 (e.g., valves, chokes,
choke actuators, etc.) configured to control the flow of the
production fluid. For example, the fluid control devices 34 may be
configured to adjust the flow rate of the production fluid. In some
embodiments, the manifold 28 and each production tree 24 may
include and/or may be coupled to a fluid control device 34.
Further, in some embodiments, each wellhead system 18 (e.g., each
wellhead 20 and/or each production tree 22) may include one or more
chemical injection metering devices (e.g., chemical injection
metering valves (CIMV)) 36 configured to inject one or more
chemicals into the production fluid flow from the wells 24. In some
embodiments, mineral extraction system 10 may include CIMVs 36 in
the manifold 28, the riser 32, and/or other locations in the
hydrocarbon extraction system 10.
[0021] During extraction operations, additional substances, such as
water and solids (e.g., solid particulates, sand, sediment, rock
fragments, etc.), may flow out of the wells 24 with the
hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas) in the production fluid
flow. For example, solids may be present in the production fluid
due to the characteristics of the reservoir 26, such as the
strength and/or porosity of the reservoir 26. Additionally, solids
may be present in the production fluid if the drawdown pressure
(e.g., the differential pressure between the reservoir 26 and the
wellhead system 16) is too high. The solids in the production fluid
may erode one or more components of the mineral extraction system
10, such as the wellheads 20, the production trees 22, the manifold
28, the fluid control devices 34, and so forth. For example, the
solids in the production fluid may reduce the wall thickness (e.g.,
pipe thickness) of the components and/or may wear through
erosion-protective layers on the components. The erosion from the
solids in the production fluid may damage and/or reduce the useable
life of various components in the mineral extraction system 10,
which may increase the downtime and expense of the mineral
extraction system 10 associated with repairing and/or replacing the
various components. While the embodiments described below relate to
solids in a production fluid, it should be appreciated that the
present techniques for monitoring and controlling erosion may be
applied to any suitable fluid including solids or erosive
particles.
[0022] As described below, the erosion management system 12 may
determine and monitor one or more erosion parameters of one or more
components of the mineral extraction system 10, such as the
wellheads 20, the production trees 22, the manifold 28, and/or the
fluid control devices 34. For example, the one or more erosion
parameters of a component may include the rate of erosion of the
component, an amount of accumulated erosion of the component (e.g.,
the reduction in wall thickness of the component and/or the
reduction in the thickness of protective layers on the component),
the wall thickness of the component, the thickness of protective
layers on the component, and so forth. Additionally, as described
below, the erosion management system 12 may be configured to
determine and monitor one or more predictive erosion parameters of
the one or more components based at least in part on the one or
more erosion parameters. For example, the one or more predictive
erosion parameters of a component may include a remaining useable
life of the component. Additionally, as described below, the
erosion management system 12 may provide recommendations to a user
and/or may automatically adjust one or more parameters of the
mineral extraction system 10 based on the one or more erosion
parameters. In particular, the erosion management system 12 may
provide recommendations and/or adjust parameters of the mineral
extraction system 10 to reduce, block, or minimize erosion to one
or more components of the mineral extraction system 10.
[0023] In order to determine and monitor the erosion parameters
and/or the predictive erosion parameters of the mineral extraction
system 10, the erosion management system 12 may include sensors 38
(e.g., erosion detectors, solid particulate detectors, sand
detectors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, conductivity
probes, optical sensors, salinity sensors, water sensors, etc.),
flow meters 40 (e.g., multi-phase flow meter, wet-gas flow meter,
etc.), and a controller 42. For example, as described below, the
sensors 38 may measure and/or generate feedback relating to
erosion, a mass flow of solids in the production fluid flow, a
concentration and/or amount of solids in the production fluid flow,
temperature, pressure, conductivity, salinity, water content (e.g.,
water cut) in the production fluid flow, or any other suitable
parameter. Additionally, the flow meters 40 may measure the flow
rate of a fluid (e.g., the production fluid). Further, as described
below, the controller 42 may be configured to determine erosion
parameters and/or predictive erosion parameters based at least in
part on feedback from the sensors 38 and the flow meters 40.
[0024] The sensors 38 and the flow meters 40 may be placed in
different locations in the mineral extraction system 10. For
example, in some embodiments, the sensors 38 and/or the flow meters
40 may be disposed in and/or adjacent to one or more components of
the mineral extraction system 10, such as the wellhead systems 18
(e.g., the wellhead 20 and/or the production tree 22), the manifold
28, the jumpers 30, the riser 32, and/or other locations in the
mineral extraction system 10. In certain embodiments, the sensors
38 and/or flow meters 40 may be mounted on a pipe section (e.g., a
bore) downstream of a bend, a change (e.g., reduction) in
cross-sectional area, or other point that may be susceptible to
erosion from solids in the production fluid. Further, in some
embodiments, one or more components of the mineral extraction
system 10 may include multiple sensors 38 and/or multiple flow
meters 40 disposed about different locations of the respective
component. By providing the sensors 38 and the flow meters 40 in
multiple locations in the mineral extraction system 10, the erosion
management system 12 may provide precise monitoring and/or targeted
control of erosion throughout the mineral extraction system 10.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the erosion
management system 12. As illustrated, the erosion management system
12 may include the controller 42 (e.g., one or more controllers)
that may be configured communicate with and/or control the sensors
38 and the flow meters 40. Additionally, in some embodiments, the
controller 42 may be configured to communicate with and/or control
the flow control devices 34 (e.g., chokes, choke actuators, etc.),
and the CIMVs 36. The controller 42 may be operatively coupled to
the sensors 38, the flow meters 40, the flow control devices 34,
and/or the CIMVs 36 via any suitable communication link, such as,
for example, RS-422, RS-435, RS-485, Ethernet, controller area
network (CAN) (e.g., CAN bus, CANopen), optical fibers, and/or
wireless communication.
[0026] As described below, the controller 42 may include one or
more processors 60 that are configured (e.g., programmed) to access
and execute instructions stored by one or more memories 62 (e.g.,
tangible, non-transitory memory devices) to control the erosion
management system 12. Additionally, in some embodiments, the
controller 42 may include a user interface 66 (e.g., an input
and/or output device) configured to receive inputs from a user
and/or to provide user-perceivable indications related to the
mineral extraction system 10 and/or the erosion management system
12. For example, the user interface 66 may include a display, a
speaker, a keyboard, a mouse, buttons, switches, a workstation, a
computer, a handheld device, and so forth.
[0027] During operation, the controller 42 may receive feedback
(e.g., data, signals, etc.) from the various sensors 38. As
illustrated, in some embodiments, the sensors 38 may include one or
more erosion detectors 68 (e.g., solid particulate detectors, sand
detectors, etc.), one or more pressure sensors 70, one or more
temperature sensors 72, one or more fluid density meters 74 (e.g.,
fluid densitometers). However, as noted above, the erosion
management system 12 may include any suitable sensors 38, such as
water sensors, conductivity sensors, salinity sensors, optical
sensors, and so forth. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 70
and the temperature sensor 72 may be combined (e.g., a pressure and
temperature transmitter (PTTx)). Additionally, the controller 42
may receive feedback from the various flow meters 40 (e.g.,
multi-phase flow meter, wet-gas flow meter, etc.). In some
embodiments, the multi-phase flow meters 40 may measure the full
three-phase performance over the entire gas volume fraction (GVF)
and water liquid ratio (WLR) ranges.
[0028] Further, as described below, the controller 42 may send
control signals to the CIMVs 36 and/or the flow control devices 34
to control the erosion management system 12. For example, the
controller 42 may send control signals to the CIMVs 36 to cause the
CIMVs 36 to inject one or more chemicals into the production fluid
flow and/or to adjust a flow rate of one or more chemicals injected
into the production fluid flow. Additionally, the controller 42 may
send control signals the flow control devices 34 to cause the flow
control devices 34 to adjust a flow rate of the production fluid.
In some embodiments, the flow control devices 34 may include a
choke 76 operatively coupled to a choke actuator 78. The choke 76
may be configured to adjust the flow rate of the production fluid
based on control signals from the choke actuator 78. Accordingly,
in some embodiments, the controller 42 may send control signals to
the choke actuator 78 to control the choke 76.
[0029] The controller 42 may determine measurement data (e.g.,
parameters of the mineral extraction system 10) based on the
feedback from the sensors 38 and/or the feedback from the flow
meters 40. In some embodiments, the measurement data may include
real-time or substantially real-time measurement data. In
particular, the measurement data may include parameters or
characteristics of a fluid flow of the mineral extraction system
10, such as the production fluid. For example, the controller 42
may determine the pressure of the production fluid based on
feedback from the pressure sensors 70, the temperature of the
production fluid based on feedback from the temperature sensors 72,
and the density of the production fluid based on feedback from the
fluid density meter 74. In some embodiments, mineral extraction
system 10 may include additional sensors 38 (e.g., salinity
sensors, water sensors, conductivity sensors, optical sensors,
etc.), and the controller 42 may determine additional parameters of
the production fluid flow, such as the salinity, water content,
composition, conductivity, and so forth. Further, the controller 42
may be configured to determine the flow rate and/or mass flow of
the production fluid based on feedback from the flow meters 40. In
some embodiments, the controller 42 may determine the flow rate
and/or mass flow of the liquids in the production fluid and the
flow rate and/or mass flow of the gases in the production fluid
based on feedback from the flow meters 40.
[0030] Further, the controller 42 may determine one or more
parameters related to solids (e.g., solid particulates, sand,
sediment, rock fragments, etc.) in the production fluid based on
feedback from the erosion detectors 68 relating to solids in the
production fluid. For example, in some embodiments, the erosion
detectors 68 may generate feedback relating to the mass flow of
solids in the production fluid. In certain embodiments, the erosion
detectors 68 may be generate feedback relating to a proportion, a
concentration, a percentage, and/or an amount of solids in the
production fluid. In some embodiments, the erosion detectors 68 may
generate feedback (e.g., output signals) relating to a velocity of
solids in the production fluid, such as an impact velocity of
solids in the production fluid impacting a surface of a component
of the mineral extraction system 10. Accordingly, the controller 42
may be configured determine the mass flow of solids in the
production fluid, the amount of solids in the production fluid,
and/or the velocity of the solids in the production fluid, which
may be collectively referred to as erosion measurement data, based
at least in part on the feedback from the erosion detectors 68. For
example, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may use the
feedback in one or more algorithms, look-up tables, databases, or
models to determine erosion measurement data.
[0031] The erosion detectors 68 may be any suitable type of sensor
configured to generate feedback relating to the solids in the
production fluid. For example, in some embodiments, the erosion
detectors 68 may include acoustic detectors 80 (e.g., acoustic sand
detectors) configured to detect acoustic signals and to convert the
detected acoustic signals to an output signal. The characteristics
of the acoustic signals, such as amplitude and frequency, and
therefore, the characteristics of the output signals, may vary
based on the mass flow of solids in the production fluid, the
amount of solids in the production fluid, and/or the velocity of
the solids in the production fluid. Accordingly, the controller 42
may be configured determine the mass flow of solids in the
production fluid, the amount of solids in the production fluid,
and/or the velocity of the solids in the production fluid, which
may be collectively referred to as erosion measurement data, based
at least in part on the output signals from the acoustic detectors
80. In some embodiments, the controller 42 may determine the
erosion measurement data based at least in part on the output
signals and the location of the acoustic detectors 80 in the
mineral extraction system 10.
[0032] In some embodiments, the erosion detectors 68 may include
electrical resistance detectors 82 configured to generate output
signals based on the electrical resistance of the electrical
resistance detectors 82, which may vary based on an extent or
degree of erosion of the electrical resistance detectors 82. In
particular, the electrical resistance detectors 82 may include a
sensing element covered (e.g., protected) by an electrically
insulated material. In operation, solids from the production fluid
may impinge upon the electrically insulated material, which may
erode (e.g., wear) the electrically insulated material and may
expose the sensing element to the production fluid. The resistance
of the sensing element may vary based on the extent or degree of
exposure of the sensing element (e.g., the degree of erosion). In
some embodiments, the electrical resistance detectors 82 may also
include a reference sensing element, which may be disposed on a
protected portion of the electrical resistance detector 82 that is
protected or blocked from exposure to the production fluid and may
generate a reference signal related to the resistance of the
reference sensing element. Accordingly, the controller 42 may be
configured determine the erosion measurement data based at least in
part on the resistance of the sensing element and, optionally, the
resistance of the reference sensing element from the electrical
resistance detectors 82.
[0033] In certain embodiments, the erosion detectors 68 may include
pressure sensors 84 (e.g., piezoelectric sensors) that may be
configured to generate output signals based on detected pressure,
which may vary based on the mass flow of solids impacting the
pressure sensors 84. Accordingly, the controller 42 may be
configured determine the erosion measurement data based at least in
part on the pressure detected by the pressure sensors 84. Further,
in some embodiments, the erosion detectors 68 may include optical
sensors 86, which may be configured to emit and detect one or more
wavelengths of light corresponding to absorption peaks of one or
more components of the production fluid, such as solids, water,
oil, and/or natural gas. The controller 24 may be configured to
determine the amounts (e.g., proportion) of solids and/or other
components in the production fluid flow based on the detected light
(e.g., reflected light).
[0034] Further, the controller 42 may be configured determine one
or more erosion parameters for one or more components of the
mineral extraction system 10, such as the wellheads 20, the
production trees 22, the flow control devices 34 (e.g., the chokes
76), the manifold 28, the jumpers 30, and/or the risers 38. As
noted above, the one or more erosion parameters may include the
rate of erosion of the component, the accumulated erosion of the
component (e.g., a reduction in wall thickness of the component
and/or a reduction in the thickness of protective layers of the
component), the wall thickness of the component, and/or the
thickness of the protective layers of the component. In particular,
the controller 42 may determine the erosion parameters based at
least in part on the measurement data, such as the mass flow of
solids in the production fluid, the amount of solids in the
production fluid, the velocity of the solids in the production
fluid, the flow rate of the production fluid, the density of the
production fluid (e.g., the density of the liquid phase of the
production fluid), the temperature of the production fluid, any
other suitable parameter, or any combination thereof. In order to
determine the one or more erosion parameters, the controller 42 may
be configured to use the measurement data with one or more modeling
programs, algorithms, look-up tables, databases, user inputs from
the user interface 66, or any combination thereof. For example, the
controller 42 may include one or more modeling programs,
algorithms, look-up tables, and/or databases stored in the memory
62 that the processor 60 executes or accesses to determine the
erosion parameters.
[0035] In some embodiments, the controller 42 may execute one or
more algorithms to determine the erosion rate. For example, in some
embodiments, the controller 42 may determine erosion rate using the
following equation:
E . L = m . p .times. K .times. U p n .times. F ( .alpha. ) .rho. l
.times. A t .times. C unit , ##EQU00001##
where .sub.L is the erosion rate in millimeters (mm) per year
(mm/yr), {dot over (m)}.sub.p is the mass flow of solids in
kilograms (kg) per second (s) (kg/s), K is a material constant
(e.g., of the respective component) in meters (m) per second (m/s),
U.sub.p.sup.n is the impact velocity of the solids (e.g., the
velocity or flow rate of the fluid) in m/s, F(.alpha.) is a
function characterizing the ductility of the material (e.g., of the
respective component), .rho..sub.l is the density of the liquid
phase in kg/m.sup.3, A.sub.t is the area exposed to corrosion in
m.sup.2, and C.sub.unit is a unit conversion factor converting m/s
to mm/year.
[0036] As discussed above, in some embodiments, the controller 42
may determine the mass flow of the solids ({dot over (m)}.sub.p)
based on feedback from one or more erosion detectors 68. As noted
above, in certain embodiments, the controller 42 may determine the
amount (e.g., proportion, percentage, concentration, etc.) of
solids in the production fluid based on feedback from one or more
erosion detectors 68. In such embodiments, the controller 42 may
determine the mass flow of the solids ({dot over (m)}.sub.p) based
on the amount of solids in the production fluid and the flow rate
of the production fluid. In some embodiments, the controller 42 may
determine the mass flow of the solids ({dot over (m)}.sub.p) based
on the amount of solids in the production fluid, the flow rate of
the production fluid, and an average mass of the solids. In some
embodiments, the average mass may be an assumed (e.g., estimated)
value stored in the memory 62 and/or inputted by a user via the
user interface 66. In certain embodiments, the memory 62 may store
a plurality of assumed values, where each assumed value is specific
for a particular reservoir 26, and the controller 42 may select an
assumed value based on the reservoir 26 accessed by the mineral
extraction system 10. In certain embodiments, the average mass may
be a measured value (e.g., from a subsea sample), which may be
inputted by a user via the user interface 66.
[0037] Further, the controller 42 may determine the impact velocity
of the solids (U.sub.p.sup.n) (e.g., the flow rate of the
production fluid) based feedback from one or more flow meters 40
and may determine the density of the liquid phase of the production
fluid (.rho..sub.l) based on feedback from the fluid density meter
74. In some embodiments, the controller 42 may determine the
material constant (K), the ductility function (F(.alpha.)), and the
area exposed to erosion (A.sub.t) using the modeling programs,
look-up tables, databases, and/or user inputs from the user
interface 66. For example, in some embodiments, the controller 42
may use the location of the erosion detectors 68 and the flow
meters 40 that provided the feedback to determine erosion rate for
a particular component of the mineral extraction system 10 in a
model, a look-up table, and/or a database to determine the material
constant (K), the ductility function (F(.alpha.)), and the area
exposed to erosion (A.sub.t).
[0038] As noted above, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may
determine the accumulated erosion of the component (e.g., a
reduction in wall thickness of the component and/or a reduction in
the thickness of protective layers of the component), the wall
thickness of the component, and/or the thickness of the protective
layers of the component. In particular, the controller 42 may
determine these erosion parameters based on the determined erosion
rate and based on assumed (e.g., estimated) and/or known
characteristics of the component, such as an initial wall thickness
of the component and/or an initial thickness of protective layers
on the component. Specifically, the controller 42 may determine the
integral of the erosion rate and the period of time to determine a
depth or thickness of a wall (e.g., surface) of the component that
may be eroded over the period of time. Further, the controller 42
may subtract the accumulated erosion from the initial wall
thickness or the initial thickness of the protective layers to
determine the wall thickness and the thickness of the protective
layers, respectively, at the end of the period of time. In some
embodiments, the controller 42 may use the location of the erosion
detectors 68 and the flow meters 40 that provided the feedback to
determine erosion rate for the respective component in one or more
models, look-up tables, and/or databases to determine the assumed
and/or known characteristics. In certain embodiments, the
controller may determine the assumed and/or known characteristics
based on inputs from a user via the user interface 66.
[0039] In some embodiments, the controller 42 may use one or more
models, algorithms, look-up tables, and/or databases to determine
one or more predictive erosion parameters for one or more
components of the mineral extraction system 10 based on determined
erosion parameters for the respective component. As noted above, in
some embodiments, the predictive erosion parameters may include the
erosion rate, the accumulated erosion, the wall thickness, and/or
the thickness of protective layers at a predetermined time in the
future. In some embodiments, the predetermined time may be selected
by the controller 42 or inputted by a user via the user interface
66.
[0040] For example, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may
determine the erosion rate at a predetermined time in the future by
inputting a current (e.g., real-time or substantially real-time)
value of the erosion rate (or current values of the parameters used
to determine erosion rate) in a model that predicts or estimates
changes in the production fluid over time that may alter the
erosion rate. For example, over time, the flow rate of the
production fluid extracted from the well 24 may decrease. Further,
in some instances, the composition of the production fluid
extracted from the well 24 may change over time. For example, the
amount or oil and/or natural gas in the production fluid may
decrease and the amount of water and/or solids in the production
fluid may increase over time, which may decrease the density of the
production fluid. As noted above, the erosion rate may be based on
the flow rate of the production fluid, the density of the
production fluid, and the amount (e.g., mass flow) of the solids in
the production fluid. Accordingly, the controller 42 may use a
model that predicts or estimates changes in the flow rate of the
production fluid, changes in the density of the production fluid,
and/or changes in the amount of solids in the production fluid to
provide a more accurate predictive value of erosion rate.
[0041] Further, the controller 42 may determine the accumulated
erosion, the wall thickness, and/or the thickness of protective
layers at a predetermined time in the future (e.g., at the end of a
predetermined period of time) based on the predicted value of the
erosion rate over the predetermined period of time and one or more
assumed and/or known characteristics of the component.
Specifically, the controller 42 may determine the integral of the
predicted erosion rate and the period of time to determine the
predicted accumulated erosion. Further, the controller 42 may
subtract the predicted accumulated erosion from the initial wall
thickness or the initial thickness of the protective layers to
determine the predicted wall thickness and the predicted thickness
of the protective layers, respectively, at the end of the period of
time. In some embodiments, the controller 42 may determine the
accumulated erosion, the wall thickness, and/or the thickness of
protective layers at a predetermined time in the future based on a
current value of the erosion rate of over the predetermined period
of time and one or more assumed and/or known characteristics of the
component. For example, the controller 42 may assume that the
erosion rate remains constant over the period of time, and the
controller 42 may multiply the current erosion rate by the period
of time to determine the predicted accumulated erosion.
[0042] Further, in some embodiments, the predictive erosion
parameters may include a predicted remaining useful life of the
component. In some embodiments, the remaining useful life of the
component may be based on a minimum wall thickness threshold for
the component or a minimum protective layer thickness threshold for
the component. That is, the controller 42 may determine that the
component has reached the end of its useful life in response to a
determination that the wall thickness of the component is less than
or equal to the minimum wall thickness threshold and/or in response
to a determination that the protective layer thickness is less than
or equal to the minimum protective layer thickness threshold. In
some embodiments, the memory 62 may store a plurality of thresholds
for the minimum wall thicknesses and/or the protective layer
thicknesses, where each threshold is specific for a particular
component of the mineral extraction system 10 and/or a particular
location of a particular component of the mineral extraction system
10. Accordingly, the controller 42 may be configured to select
suitable thresholds from the memory 62 based on the location of the
erosion detectors 38 and the flow meters 40 that provided the
feedback. In some embodiments, the minimum wall thickness threshold
and/or the minimum protective layer thickness threshold may be
inputted by a user via the user interface 66.
[0043] The controller 42 may be configured to determine the
predicted remaining life based on one or more predicted values of
the erosion rate. In particular, the controller 42 may be
configured to use one or more predicted values of the erosion rate
in one or more models or algorithms to estimate when the wall
thickness of the component will likely be minimum protective layer
thickness threshold and/or when the protective layer thickness will
likely be less than or equal to the minimum protective layer
thickness threshold. In some embodiments, the controller 42 may use
a current value of the erosion rate as the predicted erosion rate.
In certain embodiments, the controller 42 may predict the erosion
rate over time using one or more models, as discussed above.
[0044] Further, as discussed in more detail below, the controller
42 may be configured to provide one or more recommendations to a
user and/or to automatically adjust one or more parameters of the
mineral extraction system 10 based on the erosion parameters and/or
the predicted erosion parameters. For example, in some embodiments,
the controller 42 may cause the user interface 66 to display a
recommendation to decrease the flow rate of the production fluid to
decrease the erosion rate and/or to increase the remaining useful
life of the component. In certain embodiments, the controller 42
may control the choke 76 to decrease the flow rate of the
production fluid decrease the flow rate of the production fluid to
decrease the erosion rate and/or to increase the remaining useful
life of the component.
[0045] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an embodiment of the erosion
management system 12 coupled to a wellhead system 18. As explained
above, the erosion management system 12 may enable precise
monitoring and/or targeted control of erosion throughout the
mineral extraction system 10, which may reduce damage to components
of the mineral extraction system 10, as well as the downtime and
expense associated with repairing and/or replacing damaged
components. Accordingly, FIG. 3 illustrates erosion monitoring of a
specific wellhead system 18.
[0046] As illustrated, the wellhead system 18 includes the wellhead
20 and the production tree 22 to extract a production fluid
including hydrocarbons (e.g., oil and/or natural gas) from the
reservoir 26 via the well 24. The wellhead 20 may include a
wellhead hub 100, which generally includes a large diameter hub
disposed at the termination of the well 24. The wellhead hub 100
may connect the wellhead 20 to the well 24. Additionally, the
wellhead 20 may include a casing spool 102, a tubing spool 104, and
a hanger 106.
[0047] The production tree 22 may include a variety of flow paths
(e.g., bores), valves, fittings, and controls for operating the
well 24. For example, the production tree 22 may include a tree
bore 108, which may provide fluid communication with the well 24.
Additionally, the production fluid extracted from the well 24 may
be regulated and routed via the production tree 22. For example, as
noted above, the production tree 22 may couple to the jumper 30
that is coupled to the manifold 28. The tree bore 108 may provide
for completion and workover procedures, such as the insertion of
tools (e.g., the hanger 106). Further, as illustrated, the tree
bore 108 may include multiple flow paths in some embodiments.
Additionally, the production tree 22 may include the choke 76 and
the choke actuator 78 to control the flow rate of the production
fluid. In some embodiments, the choke 76 and/or the choke actuator
78 may be disposed in the production tree 22 (e.g., in the tree
bore 108). Further, in some embodiments, the production tree 22 may
include one or more CIMVs 36 to inject one or more chemical
additives into the production fluid flow.
[0048] The tubing spool 104 may provide a base for the production
tree 22. The tubing spool 104 includes a tubing spool bore 110, and
the casing spool 102 includes a casing spool bore 112. The tubing
spool bore 110 and the casing spool bore 112 connect (e.g., enables
fluid communication between) the tree bore 108 and the well 24.
Further, the hanger 106 may include a hanger bore 114 that is in
fluid communication with the casing spool bore 112 and the well
24.
[0049] As noted above, the production fluid may include solids,
which may erode components of the mineral extraction system 10. For
example, the production fluid may erode inner walls 116 (e.g.,
inner surfaces) of the mineral extraction system 10, such as the
inner walls 116 defining the tree bore 108, the tubing spool bore
110, the casing spool bore 112, and/or the hanger bore 114, which
may reduce the thickness of the inner walls 116. In some
embodiments, one or more components of the mineral extraction
system 10 may include one or more protective layers 118 disposed on
the inner walls 116 to provide protection against erosion. For
example, the wellhead system, 18 may include protective layers 118
disposed on the inner walls 116 defining the tree bore 108, the
tubing spool bore 110, the casing spool bore 112, and/or the hanger
bore 114.
[0050] To monitor and/or reduce erosion, the wellhead system 18 may
include one or more sensors 38 (e.g., the erosion detectors 68, the
pressure sensors 70, the temperature sensors 72, the fluid density
meters 74, etc.) and one or more flow meters 40 to generate
feedback that may be used by the controller 42 to determine the
erosion parameters and/or the predictive erosion parameters. The
sensors 38 and the flow meters 40 may be disposed in any suitable
location of the wellhead system 18 (e.g., disposed in the
production fluid flow). For example, in some embodiments, the
sensors 38 and/or and flow meters 40 may be disposed in along pipes
in areas that are prone to erosion, such as near (e.g., upstream,
downstream, or centered about) a bend or corner, near a change
(e.g., reduction) in cross-sectional area, and so forth. As
illustrated, in some embodiments, a flow meter 40 may be disposed
in the tree bore 108 and upstream from the choke 76. In certain
embodiments, the flow meter 40 may be disposed in the tubing spool
bore 110, the casing spool bore 112, and/or the hanger bore 114.
Further, it should be noted that the wellhead system 18 may include
multiple flow meters 40, which may be disposed in different
locations about the wellhead system 18.
[0051] In some embodiments, the wellhead system 18 may include one
or more pressure sensors 70, one or more temperature sensors 72,
and/or one or more fluid density meters 74 disposed in the tree
bore 108, tubing spool bore 110, the casing spool bore 112, and/or
the hanger bore 114. As illustrated, in some embodiments, a
pressure sensor 70, a temperature sensor 72, and a fluid density
meter 74 may be disposed in the tree bore 108 proximate to the flow
meter 40 (e.g., upstream from the choke 76). In certain
embodiments, the wellhead system 18 may additionally or
alternatively include a pressure sensor 70; a temperature sensor
72, and a fluid density meter 40 in the tree bore 108 downstream
from the choke 76.
[0052] Further, the wellhead system 18 may include one or more
erosion detectors 68. In some embodiments, one or more erosion
detectors 68 may be located in the tree bore 108, tubing spool bore
110, the casing spool bore 112, and/or the hanger bore 114. For
example, in some embodiments, one or more electrical resistance
detectors 82 may be disposed in the tree bore 108 upstream and/or
downstream from the choke 76. In certain embodiments, one or more
acoustic detectors 80 may be disposed in the tree bore 108 upstream
and/or downstream from the choke 76. In certain embodiments,
acoustic detectors 80 may be disposed in (e.g., in the frame of)
the production tree 22, the tubing spool 104, the hanger 106, the
casing spool 102, and/or the wellhead hub 100. Further, in some
embodiments, acoustic detectors may be external and adjacent to the
production tree 22, the tubing spool 104, the hanger 106, the
casing spool 102, and/or the wellhead hub 100.
[0053] FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a method 130 for managing erosion
of the mineral extraction system 10 based on determined erosion
parameters. The method 130 may be a computer-implemented method.
For example, one or more steps of the method 130 may be executed
using a controller, such as the controller 42 (e.g., the processor
60). The method 130 may include receiving (block 132) feedback from
one or more sensors 38 and/or one or more flow meters 40 disposed
in the mineral extraction system 10. For example, the controller 42
may receive the feedback from the sensors 38 and the flow meters
40. The one or more sensors 38 may include one or more erosion
detectors 68 (e.g., acoustic detectors 80, electrical resistance
detectors 82, pressure sensors 84, and/or optical sensors 86),
pressure sensors 80, temperature sensors 72, fluid density meters
74, or any other suitable sensor. Additionally, as noted above, the
sensors 38 and the flow meters 40 may be disposed in any suitable
location of the mineral extraction system 10, such as the wellhead
system 18, the wellhead 20 (e.g., the wellhead hub 100, the casing
spool 102, the tubing spool 104, and/or the hanger 106), the
production tree 22, the manifold 28, the jumpers 30, and/or the
risers 32.
[0054] Additionally, the method 130 may include determining (block
134) one or more erosion parameters based on the feedback. For
example, the controller 42 may determine the erosion parameters
based on the feedback. In embodiments in which the mineral
extraction system 10 includes sensors 38 and flow meters 40
disposed in multiple locations of the mineral extraction system 10,
the controller 42 may determine the erosion rate for each monitored
location. As noted above, the controller 42 may be configured to
determine erosion parameters such as erosion rate, accumulated
erosion, a wall thickness, and/or a thickness of protective layers.
In some embodiments, the controller 42 may cause the user interface
66 to display one or more indications relating to the erosion
parameters (e.g., graphical indications, numerical values,
etc.).
[0055] Further, the method 130 may include determining (query 136)
whether the one or more erosion parameters are greater than
respective thresholds (e.g., maximum thresholds). For example, the
controller 42 may compare each erosion parameter to a respective
threshold, which may be stored in the memory 62 and/or inputted by
a user via the user interface 66. For example, a user may wish to
keep the erosion rate under a particular rate, and the user may
input the desired erosion threshold rate using the user interface
66. In some embodiments, the memory 62 may be configured to store
default thresholds for the erosion parameters, which may be
adjusted by a user. If the one or more erosion parameters are less
than the respective thresholds, the controller 42 may continue
receiving (block 132) feedback from the sensors 38 and the flow
meters 40 and determining (block 134) the erosion parameters based
on the feedback.
[0056] However, if one or more erosion parameters are greater than
their respective erosion parameter thresholds, the method 130 may
include providing warnings, providing recommendations, and/or
controlling various components of the mineral extraction system 10
to reduce the values of one or more erosion parameters. For
example, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may cause the user
interface 66 to provide a warning (e.g., an audible and/or
displayed warning) in response to a determination that one or more
erosion parameters are greater than their respective parameter
thresholds. In some embodiments, the method 130 may include
providing (block 138) a recommendation to a user to adjust (e.g.,
decrease) a flow rate of the production fluid. For example, the
controller 42 may cause the user interface 66 to display a
recommendation to decrease the flow rate of the production fluid to
reduce the values of the erosion parameters and to reduce, block,
or minimize erosion. As noted above, decreasing the flow rate of
the production fluid may decrease the erosion rate. In some
embodiments, the recommendation to adjust the flow rate may include
a recommendation to stop or shut off the production fluid flow.
[0057] Additionally or alternatively, the method 130 may include
providing (block 140) a recommendation to inject one or more
chemical additives into the production fluid that may reduce the
erosion parameters. For example, the controller 42 may cause the
user interface 66 to display a recommendation to inject one or more
chemical additives in the production fluid. In some embodiments,
the controller 42 may cause the user interface 66 to display
recommended chemical additives to inject, such as additives that
bind and/or stabilize solids in the production fluid, additives
that increase the viscosity or density of the production fluid
(e.g., cross-linkers, borate salts, surfactants, isopropanol,
etc.), friction reducers (e.g., petroleum distillate), gelling
agents (e.g., guar gum, hydroxyethyl cellulose, etc.), or any
combination thereof. In embodiments in which the mineral extraction
system 10 includes sensors 38 and flow meters 40 disposed in
multiple locations of the mineral extraction system 10, the
controller 42 may provide recommendations (e.g., to adjust the flow
rate of the production fluid and/or to inject chemical additives in
the production fluid) for each monitored location (e.g., for each
wellhead system 18).
[0058] Additionally or alternatively, the method 130 may include
controlling (block 142) the flow rate of the production fluid. For
example, the controller 42 may control the choke 76 to control
(e.g., decrease or halt) the flow rate of the production fluid. In
particular, the controller 42 may send control signals to the choke
actuator 78, which may control the choke 76 based on the control
signals. Additionally or alternatively, the method 130 may include
controlling (block 144) injection of chemical additives into the
production fluid. For example, the controller 42 may control one or
more CIMVs 36 to inject one or more chemical additive, such as
those listed above, into the production fluid. In embodiments in
which the mineral extraction system 10 includes sensors 38 and flow
meters 40 disposed in multiple locations of the mineral extraction
system 10, the controller 42 may control the flow rate of the
production fluid and/or control injection of chemical additive in
the production fluid for each monitored location (e.g., for each
wellhead system 18).
[0059] FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a method 160 for managing erosion
of the mineral extraction system 10 based on erosion rate. The
method 160 may be a computer-implemented method. For example, one
or more steps of the method 160 may be executed using a controller,
such as the controller 42 (e.g., the processor 60). The method 160
may include receiving (block 132) feedback from one or more sensors
38 and/or one or more flow meters 40 disposed in the mineral
extraction system 10. Additionally, the method 160 may include
determining (block 162) erosion rate based on the feedback. For
example, the controller 42 may determine the erosion rate based on
the feedback using the equation described above and/or one or more
models. In embodiments in which the mineral extraction system 10
includes sensors 38 and flow meters 40 disposed in multiple
locations of the mineral extraction system 10, the controller 42
may determine the erosion rate for each monitored location.
[0060] Further, the method 160 may include determining (query 164)
whether the erosion rate is greater than an erosion rate threshold
(e.g., a maximum threshold). As described above, the erosion rate
threshold may be stored in the memory 62 (e.g., a default
threshold) and/or inputted by a user using the user interface 66.
If the erosion rate is less than the erosion rate threshold, the
controller 42 may continue receiving (block 132) feedback from the
sensors 38 and the flow meters 40 and determining (block 162) the
erosion rate based on the feedback.
[0061] However, if the erosion rate is greater than the erosion
rate threshold, the method 160 may include determining (block 168)
a flow rate of the production fluid and/or an amount of chemical
additives to inject in the production fluid based on the comparison
of the erosion rate to the erosion rate threshold. In particular,
the controller 42 may determine a flow rate of the production fluid
and/or an amount of chemical additives to inject in the production
fluid that may reduce the erosion rate to a value below the erosion
rate threshold or that may minimize the difference between the
erosion rate and the erosion rate threshold. For example, the
controller 42 may input a desired erosion rate in one or more
models and/or the algorithm for determining erosion rate and may
determine (e.g., solve for) a flow rate of the production fluid
that may achieve the desired erosion rate. In some embodiments, the
controller 42 may also may cause the user interface 66 to provide a
warning (e.g., an audible and/or displayed warning) in response to
a determination that the erosion rate is greater than the erosion
rate threshold.
[0062] In some embodiments, the controller 42 may input various
amounts of injected chemical additives in one or more models to
determine possible changes in characteristics of the production
fluid flow, such as density, viscosity, a proportion of
bound/stable verses unbound/unstable solids in the production
fluid, and so forth. The controller 42 may then input these
potential values for characteristics or parameters of the
production fluid flow into models or equations for determining
erosion rate. The controller 42 may adjust the amounts of injected
chemical additives and thus, the potential values of the parameters
of the production fluid flow to determine an amount of injected
chemicals additives that may reduce the erosion rate to a value
below the erosion rate threshold or that may minimize the
difference between the erosion rate and the erosion rate
threshold.
[0063] Further, the method 160 may include providing various
recommendations and/or controlling various components of the
mineral extraction system 10 based on the determined flow rate of
the production fluid and/or the determined amount of chemical
additives to inject in the production fluid. For example, in some
embodiments, the method 160 may include providing (block 170) a
recommendation to a user to adjust (e.g., decrease) the flow rate
of the production fluid to the determined flow rate. For example,
the controller 42 may cause the user interface 66 to display the
recommendation and the recommended flow rate for the production
fluid. Additionally or alternatively, the method 160 may include
providing (block 172) a recommendation to inject the determined
amount of the one or more chemical additives into the production
fluid. For example, the controller 42 may cause the user interface
66 to display the recommendation and the recommended amount of each
chemical additive to inject. In embodiments in which the mineral
extraction system 10 includes sensors 38 and flow meters 40
disposed in multiple locations of the mineral extraction system 10,
the controller 42 may provide recommended flow rates and/or
recommended amounts of chemical additives to inject for each
monitored location (e.g., for each wellhead system 18).
[0064] Additionally or alternatively, the method 160 may include
controlling (block 174) the flow rate of the production fluid based
on the determined flow rate. For example, the controller 42 may
send control signals to the choke actuator 78 to adjust the flow
rate of the production fluid to the determined flow rate.
Additionally or alternatively, the method 160 may include
controlling (block 176) injection of chemical additives into the
production fluid based on the determined amount of the chemical
additives. For example, the controller 42 may control one or more
CIMVs 36 to inject the determined amount of each chemical additive,
such as those listed above, into the production fluid. In
embodiments in which the mineral extraction system 10 includes
sensors 38 and flow meters 40 disposed in multiple locations of the
mineral extraction system 10, the controller 42 may control the
flow rate of the production fluid based on the determined flow rate
and/or control injection of chemical additive in the production
fluid based on the determined amounts for each monitored location
(e.g., for each wellhead system 18).
[0065] FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a method 190 for managing erosion
of the mineral extraction system 10 based on predictive erosion
parameters. The method 190 may be a computer-implemented method.
For example, one or more steps of the method 190 may be executed
using a controller, such as the controller 42 (e.g., the processor
60). The method 190 may include receiving (block 132) feedback from
one or more sensors 38 and/or one or more flow meters 40 disposed
in the mineral extraction system 10. Additionally, the method 160
may include determining (block 134) one or more erosion parameters,
such as erosion rate, accumulated erosion, wall thickness,
thickness of protective layers, and so forth, based on the
feedback.
[0066] Further, the method 190 may include determining (block 192)
one or more predictive erosion parameters based on the erosion
parameters. For example, as noted above, the controller 42 may use
the one or more erosion parameters (e.g., erosion rate) and one or
more assumed and/or known characteristics of the component (e.g.,
initial or current wall thickness, initial or current protective
layer thickness, etc.) in one or more models, algorithms, look-up
tables, and/or databases, to determine the one or more predictive
erosion parameters. As noted above, in some embodiments, the
predictive erosion parameters may include a predicted remaining
useable life of the component. In certain embodiments, the
predictive erosion parameters may include predicted values of the
erosion rate, accumulated erosion, wall thickness, and/or
protective layer thickness at a predetermined time in the
future.
[0067] Additionally, the method 190 may include determining (query
194) whether the one or more predictive erosion parameters are less
than a respective predictive erosion parameter threshold (e.g., a
minimum threshold). In some embodiments, the predictive erosion
parameter thresholds may be stored in the memory 62 (e.g., a
default threshold). In certain embodiments, the predictive erosion
parameter thresholds may be inputted by a user using the user
interface 66. For example, a user may input a desired remaining
useable life of a component of the mineral extraction system 10. If
the one or more predictive erosion parameters are greater than the
respective predictive erosion rate thresholds, the controller 42
may continue receiving (block 132) feedback from the sensors 38 and
the flow meters 40, determining (block 134) the erosion parameters
based on the feedback, and determining (block 192) the predictive
erosion parameters based on the erosion parameters.
[0068] However, if one or more predictive erosion parameters are
less than a respective predictive erosion parameter threshold, the
method 190 may include determining (block 196) a flow rate of the
production fluid and/or an amount of chemical additives to inject
in the production fluid based on the comparison of the predictive
erosion parameters to their respective thresholds. In particular,
the controller 42 may determine a flow rate of the production fluid
and/or an amount of chemical additives to inject in the production
fluid that may increase the predictive erosion parameters (e.g.,
the remaining useable life) to a value above the respective
threshold or that may minimize the difference between the
predictive erosion parameter and the respective threshold. For
example, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may input a desired
remaining usable life in one or more models and/or algorithms for
determining remaining useable life and may determine (e.g., solve
for) a flow rate of the production fluid that may achieve the
desired remaining useable life.
[0069] In some embodiments, as described above, the controller 42
may input various amounts of injected chemical additives in one or
more models to determine possible changes in characteristics of the
production fluid flow, such as density, viscosity, a proportion of
bound/stable verses unbound/unstable solids in the production
fluid, and so forth. The controller 42 may then input these
potential values for characteristics or parameters of the
production fluid flow into models or equations for determining
remaining useable life. Further, the controller 42 may adjust the
amounts of injected chemical additives and thus, the potential
values of the parameters of the production fluid flow to determine
an amount of injected chemicals additives that may increase the
predicted remaining useable life to a value above the desired
remaining useable life or that may minimize the difference between
predicted remaining useable life and the desired remaining useable
life.
[0070] Further, the method 190 may include providing warnings,
providing various recommendations, and/or controlling various
components of the mineral extraction system 10 based on the
determined flow rate of the production fluid and/or the determined
amount of chemical additives to inject in the production fluid. For
example, in some embodiments, the controller 42 may also may cause
the user interface 66 to provide a warning (e.g., an audible and/or
displayed warning) in response to a determining that a predictive
erosion parameter is less than its respective threshold. Further,
in some embodiments, the method 190 may include providing (block
170) a recommendation to a user to adjust (e.g., decrease) the flow
rate of the production fluid to the determined flow rate.
Additionally or alternatively, the method 190 may include providing
(block 172) a recommendation to inject the determined amount of the
one or more chemical additives into the production fluid. In some
embodiments, the method 190 may include controlling (block 174) the
flow rate of the production fluid based on the determined flow
rate. Further, in certain embodiments, the method 190 may include
controlling (block 176) injection of chemical additives into the
production fluid based on the determined amount of the chemical
additives.
[0071] As discussed in detail above, the present embodiments relate
to an erosion management system 12 configured to monitor erosion of
one or more components of a mineral extraction system 10. In
particular, the erosion management system 12 may determine one or
more erosion parameters, such as a rate of erosion, an amount of
accumulated erosion, a wall thickness of the respective component,
and/or a thickness of protective layers on the respective coating
based at least in part on feedback from one or more flow meters 40
and one or more sensors 38 of the mineral extraction system.
Additionally, in some embodiments, the erosion management system 12
may determine one or more predictive erosion parameters based on
the one or more erosion parameters. For example, the erosion
management system 12 may determine a remaining usable life of the
respective component based on the one or more erosion parameters,
such as the erosion rate.
[0072] Further, in certain embodiments, the erosion management
system 12 may be configured to provide warnings and/or
recommendations to a user based on the one or more erosion
parameters and/or the one or more predictive erosion parameters.
For example, the erosion management system may provide warnings to
a user via the user interface 66 if one or more erosion parameters
and/or predictive erosion parameters violate a respective threshold
(e.g., minimum and/or maximum threshold). In some embodiments, the
erosion management system 12 may provide recommendations via the
user interface 66 to adjust a flow rate of the production fluid
based on the one or more erosion parameters and/or the one or more
predictive erosion parameters. By monitoring the erosion parameters
and providing the warnings and/or recommendations to a user related
to the erosion parameters, the erosion management system 12 may
enable a user to make adjustments to various parameters of the
mineral extraction system 10, which may reduce the erosion of
various components of the mineral extraction system 10 and may
reduce the downtime and expense associated with repairing or
replacing eroded components of the mineral extraction system 10. In
certain embodiments, the erosion management system 12 may
automatically adjust one or more parameters of the mineral
extraction system 10, such as a flow rate of the production fluid,
based on the one or more erosion parameters and/or the one or more
predictive erosion parameters. By automatically adjusting various
parameters of the mineral extraction system 10, the erosion
management system 12 may reduce the erosion of various components
of the mineral extraction system 10 and may reduce the downtime and
expense associated with repairing or replacing eroded components of
the mineral extraction system 10.
[0073] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment,"
"an embodiment," "embodiments," "some embodiments," "certain
embodiments," or similar language means that a particular feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the
present disclosure. Thus, these phrases or similar language
throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily all refer
to the same embodiment.
[0074] Although the present disclosure has been described with
respect to specific details, it is not intended that such details
should be regarded as limitations on the scope of the invention,
except to the extent that they are included in the accompanying
claims.
[0075] The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced
and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a
practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical
field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely
theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this
specification contain one or more elements designated as "means for
[perform]ing [a function] . . . " or "step for [perform]ing [a
function] . . . ", it is intended that such elements are to be
interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims
containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended
that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C.
112(f).
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