U.S. patent application number 15/476197 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-04 for systems and methods for monitoring subsea wellhead systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to Vetco Gray Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Vetco Gray Inc.. Invention is credited to Derrell Wade Bird, Chad Eric Yates.
Application Number | 20180283162 15/476197 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63672238 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180283162 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bird; Derrell Wade ; et
al. |
October 4, 2018 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING SUBSEA WELLHEAD SYSTEMS
Abstract
A system includes a wellhead monitoring system. The wellhead
monitoring system includes a processor configured to receive from a
sensor a detection of one or more operating parameters associated
with a wellhead disposed within a subsea environment. The sensor is
coupled to the wellhead, and is configured to detect the one or
more operating parameters within the subsea environment. The
processor is configured to store the detection of the one or more
operating parameters, and to generate an output based at least in
part on the detection of the one or more operating parameters. The
output includes an indication of an operational fatigue or an
operational health of the wellhead.
Inventors: |
Bird; Derrell Wade;
(Houston, TX) ; Yates; Chad Eric; (Houston,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vetco Gray Inc. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Vetco Gray Inc.
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
63672238 |
Appl. No.: |
15/476197 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 47/001 20200501;
E21B 33/0355 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 47/00 20060101
E21B047/00; E21B 47/06 20060101 E21B047/06; E21B 47/12 20060101
E21B047/12 |
Claims
1. A system, comprising: a wellhead monitoring system, comprising:
a processor configured to: receive from a sensor a detection of one
or more operating parameters associated with a wellhead disposed
within a subsea environment, wherein the sensor is coupled to a
casing of the wellhead and is configured to detect the one or more
operating parameters within the subsea environment; store the
detection of the one or more operating parameters; and generate an
output based at least in part on the detection of the one or more
operating parameters, wherein the output comprises an indication of
an operational fatigue or an operational health of the
wellhead.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
receive the detection of the one or more operating parameters
within the subsea environment.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
receive a detection of a cement level parameter, a cement quality
parameter, a fluid level parameter, a pressure parameter,
temperature parameter, a vibration parameter, a clearance
parameter, a flow parameter, a load parameter, or any combination
thereof, as the detection of the one or more operating
parameters.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
receive a detection of an annulus pressure of the wellhead and an
annular temperature of the wellhead as the detection of the one or
more operating parameters.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a giant
magneto-resistive (GMR) sensor.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a tunnel
magneto-resistive (TMR) sensor.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
generate the output during a drilling operation of the
wellhead.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
generate the output during a production operation of the
wellhead.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
store the detection of the one or more operating parameters at the
wellhead within the subsea environment.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to
transmit the stored detection of the one or more operating
parameters to a central control system at an above-sea
location.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer
executable code stored thereon, the code comprising instructions
to: cause a processor of a wellhead monitoring system to receive
from a sensor a detection of one or more operating parameters
associated with a wellhead disposed within a subsea environment,
wherein the sensor is coupled to a casing of the wellhead and is
configured to detect the one or more operating parameters within
the subsea environment; cause the processor to store the detection
of the one or more operating parameters; and cause the processor to
generate an output based at least in part on the detection of the
one or more operating parameters, wherein the output comprises an
indication of an operational fatigue or an operational health of
the wellhead.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,
wherein the code comprises instructions to cause the processor to
generate the output during a drilling operation of the
wellhead.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,
wherein the code comprises instructions to cause the processor to
generate the output during a production operation of the
wellhead.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,
wherein the code comprises instructions to cause the processor to
store the detection of the one or more operating parameters at the
wellhead within the subsea environment.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11,
wherein the code comprises instructions to cause the processor to
transmit the stored detection of the one or more operating
parameters to a central control system at an above-sea
location.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the code comprises instructions to cause the central
control system to generate an output comprising an indication of
the operational fatigue or the operational health of the
wellhead.
17. A wellhead sensor and monitoring system, comprising: a
plurality of subsea sensors each coupled to a casing of a subsea
wellhead and configured to detect one or more operating parameters
associated with the subsea wellhead while disposed within a subsea
environment; and a subsea wellhead monitoring system coupled to
each of the plurality of subsea sensors, wherein the subsea
wellhead monitoring system is configured to: receive the detection
of the one or more operating parameters; store the detection of the
one or more operating parameters; and generate an output based at
least in part on the detection of the one or more operating
parameters, wherein the output comprises an indication of an
operational fatigue or an operational health of the subsea
wellhead.
18. The wellhead sensor and monitoring system of claim 17, wherein
the plurality of subsea sensors comprises a plurality of giant
magneto-resistive (GMR) sensors.
19. The wellhead sensor and monitoring system of claim 17, wherein
the plurality of subsea sensors comprises a plurality of tunnel
magneto-resistive (TMR) sensors.
20. The wellhead sensor and monitoring system of claim 17, wherein
the plurality subsea sensors are configured to be disposed along a
high pressure housing, a low pressure housing, a connector, or a
combination thereof, of the subsea wellhead.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] Embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein generally
relate to oil and gas wells, and, more specifically, to a wellhead
monitoring system used to monitor wellheads utilized in oil and gas
wells.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Certain oil and gas drilling sites may include control
systems that may be provided to monitor the operational and
environmental conditions of the oil and gas site. Generally, the
control systems and/or other monitoring systems may be located at
an above-sea or above-ground drilling rig, while the oil and gas
well itself may be located deeply below the sea or deeply
underground. Thus, the operators or other personnel at the drilling
rig may not have access to real-time data regarding the operational
and environmental conditions of the oil and gas wells below sea or
below ground. Instead, the operators may have to rely upon an
indirect interpolation of data derived from accelerometers placed
on, for example, wellhead equipment at the oil and gas well. Such
data may not indicate accurate real-time operational and
environmental conditions of the wellhead equipment or other
equipment utilized at the oil and gas well. It may be useful to
provide systems to improve the monitoring of wellhead equipment at
oil and gas wells.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In accordance with a first embodiment, a system includes a
wellhead monitoring system. The wellhead monitoring system includes
a processor configured to receive from a sensor a detection of one
or more operating parameters associated with a wellhead disposed
within a subsea environment. The sensor is coupled to the wellhead,
and is configured to detect the one or more operating parameters
within the subsea environment. The processor is configured to store
the detection of the one or more operating parameters, and to
generate an output based at least in part on the detection of the
one or more operating parameters. The output includes an indication
of an operational fatigue or an operational health of the
wellhead.
[0004] In accordance with a second embodiment, a non-transitory
computer-readable medium having computer executable code stored
thereon includes instructions to cause a processor of a wellhead
monitoring system to receive from a sensor a detection of one or
more operating parameters associated with a wellhead disposed
within a subsea environment. The sensor is coupled to the wellhead
and is configured to detect the one or more operating parameters
within the subsea environment. The code includes instructions to
cause the processor to store the detection of the one or more
operating parameters, and to cause the processor to generate an
output based at least in part on the detection of the one or more
operating parameters. The output includes an indication of an
operational fatigue or an operational health of the wellhead.
[0005] In accordance with a third embodiment, a wellhead sensor and
monitoring system includes a plurality of subsea sensors each
coupled to a subsea wellhead and configured to detect one or more
operating parameters associated with the subsea wellhead while
disposed within a subsea environment and a subsea wellhead
monitoring system coupled to each of the plurality of subsea
sensors. The subsea wellhead monitoring system is configured to
receive the detection of the one or more operating parameters,
store the detection of the one or more operating parameters, and to
generate an output based at least in part on the detection of the
one or more operating parameters. The output includes an indication
of an operational fatigue or an operational health of the subsea
wellhead.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more
embodiments and, together with the description, explain these
embodiments. In the drawings:
[0007] FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a subsea oil and well system
including a wellhead, a sensor, and a wellhead monitoring system,
in accordance with the present embodiments;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a detailed embodiment of the wellhead, the sensor,
and the wellhead monitoring system of FIG. 1, in accordance with
the present embodiments; and
[0009] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a
process useful in providing improved monitoring of wellhead
equipment at oil and gas wells, in accordance with the present
embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] The foregoing aspects, features, and advantages of the
present embodiments will be further appreciated when considered
with reference to the following description of preferred
embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein the reference
numerals represent like elements. In describing the preferred
embodiments of the technology illustrated in the appended drawings,
specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However,
the technology is not intended to be limited to the specific terms
used, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes
equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a
similar purpose.
[0011] One or more specific embodiments of the invention will be
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.
[0012] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the
invention, 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.
[0013] With the foregoing in mind, it may be useful to describe an
embodiment of a subsea oil and well system, such as an example
subsea oil and well system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. In certain
embodiments, the gas subsea oil and well system 10 may include a
number of oil and gas drilling rigs 14, 16, and 18 that may be
constructed within a large body of water 12 (e.g., ocean, sea,
gulf). For example, in certain embodiments, the oil and gas
drilling rigs 14, 16, and 18 may include one or more platforms
situated within the large body of water 12 (e.g., ocean, sea, gulf)
to support drilling of oil, gas, and/or other natural resources
that may be within a subsea environment 22 or underneath the floor
of the body of water 12. In certain embodiments, each of the
drilling rigs 14, 16, and 18 may include a central control system
20 (e.g., human machine interface [HMI] or similar system) that may
allow oil and gas drilling personnel (e.g., operators, engineers,
technicians, and so forth) to monitor the operational and
environmental conditions beneath the surface of the body of water
12.
[0014] In certain embodiments, as further depicted in FIG. 1, pipes
24 and 26 may extend from the drilling rigs 16 and 18 to wellheads
28 and 30, respectively. In certain embodiments, the wellheads 28
and 30 may each include valve or other mechanical device that may
be used, for example, to seal, control and monitor one or more oil
and gas wells within the subsea environment 22. For example, in
certain embodiments, the wellheads 28 and 30 may be provided to
prevent a blowout (e.g., uncontrolled release of crude oil and/or
natural gas from the wells).
[0015] In certain embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 1 and as will be
further appreciated with respect to FIG. 2, each of the wellheads
28 and 30 may include sensors 32 that may be coupled to each of the
wellheads 28 and 30. For example, in certain embodiments, the
sensors 32 may each include giant magneto-resistive (GMR) sensors,
tunnel magneto-resistive (TMR) sensors, pressure sensors (e.g., to
measure annulus pressure), temperature sensors (e.g., to measure
annulus temperature), vibration sensors, level sensors (e.g.,
cement level and quality sensors detecting cement and fluid level
and quality based on electromagnetic [EM] pulses, gamma ray
detections, radio frequency identification [RFID], acoustics, fiber
optics, and so forth), flow sensors, and/or any of various types of
sensors that may be useful detecting or determining, for example,
inclination (e.g., by accelerometers that may be coupled to the
wellheads 30 and 32), cement level and quality, oil and/or gas
levels, pressure, temperature, annulus pressure, annulus
temperature, vibration, clearance (e.g., distance between
stationary and rotating components), flow data, load data, and
other operational and environmental data associated with the
wellheads 30 and 32 and the oil and gas wells. Specifically, in
some embodiments, the aforementioned data captured or detected by
the sensors 32 provided to a wellhead monitoring system 34 for
processing and storage (e.g., temporary and/or long-term
storage).
[0016] For example, as illustrated, the wellhead monitoring system
34 may include a processor 36 and a memory 38, and, in one
embodiment, may include battery-powered system useful in processing
and storing data over any period of time (e.g., minutes, hours,
days, weeks, months, years) while remaining positioned at the
wellheads 30 and 32 within the subsea environment 22. The processor
36 may include a general processor, an application-specific
integrated chip (ASIC), a microcontroller unit (MCU),
system-on-chip (SoC), or other processor that may be used to
process operational and environmental data (e.g., inclination
(e.g., by accelerometers that may be coupled to the wellheads 30
and 32), cement level, pressure, temperature, annulus pressure,
annulus temperature, vibration, clearance, flow data, load data,
and so forth) associated with the wellheads 30 and 32 and/or the
oil and gas wells.
[0017] In certain embodiments, the processor 36 may be used to
generate an indication of the remaining fatigue life, peak loads,
and other operational and/or environmental conditions of the
wellheads 28 and 30 based on the sensed operational data measured
directly by the sensors 32. For example, as will be described in
further detail with respect to FIG. 2, the processor 36 of the
wellhead monitoring system 34 may receive data from the sensors 32
directly attached at a number predetermined wellhead 28, 30
locations, well locations, high stress locations on the conductors
24, 26 and casing below the wellheads 28, 30.
[0018] In certain embodiments, the processor 36 of the wellhead
monitoring system 34 may then store the data collected by the
sensors 32 to the memory 38 of the wellhead monitoring system 34
for retrieval after some period of time (e.g., using the memory 38
of the wellhead monitoring system 34 to store hours, days, weeks,
months, or years of sensor 32 data, all while the sensors 32 and
wellhead monitoring system 34 remain within the subsea environment
22). In another embodiment, in addition to storing the sensor 32
data to the memory 38 for later retrieval, the processor 36 of the
wellhead monitoring system 34 may transmit the received sensor 32
data to, for example, the central control system 20 located at one
or more of the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18. In this way, the
present techniques may provide personnel (e.g., operators,
engineers, technicians) at the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18 with
useful information pertaining to wellheads 28 and 30 such as
remaining fatigue life and peak loads measured directly by the
sensors 32 during, for example, drilling and production
operations.
[0019] Turning now to FIG. 2, which illustrates a detailed
embodiment of the wellhead monitoring system 34 and, for example,
the wellhead 28. It should be appreciated that the wellhead 28 is
illustrated in FIG. 2 merely for the purpose of illustration. In
actual implementation, the wellhead 28 may be one of any number of
wellheads that may be operational within the subsea environment 22.
Furthermore, the wellhead 28 may include any number of sensors 32.
For example, as depicted in FIG. 2, in one or more embodiments, the
wellhead 28 may include one or more packs of sensors 32 that may be
disposed, for example, around the casing 44 of the wellhead 28 to
measure cement level and quality, oil and/or gas levels, pressure,
temperature, annulus pressure, annulus temperature, vibration,
clearance (e.g., distance between stationary and rotating
components), flow data, load data, and other operational and
environmental data associated with the wellheads 30 and 32 and the
oil and gas wells.
[0020] Indeed, as further depicted in FIG. 2, the one or more packs
of sensors 32 may be disposed along high stress locations of the
wellhead(s) 28, 30 such as the high pressure housing 38, the low
pressure housing 40, the casing 44, the conductor pipe(s) 24, 26,
and the connector 46. It should be appreciated that certain
portions (e.g., the high pressure housing 38, the low pressure
housing 40, the casing 44) of the wellhead(s) 28, 30 may, in some
embodiments, be pre-magnetized in a place in which the sensor 32 is
to be placed are to be located to avoid any possibility of direct
bonding to the metal to the portions of the wellhead(s) 28, 30.
Furthermore, in one embodiment, the sensors 32 may be placed in a
protective enclosure and disposed onto the wellhead(s) 28, 30
before the wellhead(s) 28, 30 are submerged into the subsea
environment 22 to protect the sensors 32 from adverse environmental
conditions in and/or about the oil and gas wells.
[0021] As previously noted, the processor 36 of the wellhead
monitoring system 34 may then store the data collected by the
sensors 32 to the memory 38 of the wellhead monitoring system 34
for retrieval after some period of time. In certain embodiments,
based on the data detected by the sensors 32 and stored via the
wellhead monitoring system 34, the processor 36 of the wellhead
monitoring system 34, or, in another embodiment, the central
control system 20 may be used to generate and predict an
operational fatigue life or an operational health (e.g., remaining
operational life or operational health before either maintenance or
replacement of one or more components of the wellheads 28, 30) of
the high pressure housing 38, the low pressure housing 40, the
casing 44, the conductor pipe(s) 24, 26, and the connector 46, and,
by extension, the wellhead(s) 28, 30.
[0022] In certain embodiments, as further illustrated by FIG. 2,
the processor 36 of the wellhead monitoring system 34 may transmit
the received sensor 32 data to, for example, the central control
system 20 located at one or more of the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or
18 via a wired communication connection (e.g., ultrasonic
communication channel or other acoustic communication channel). In
another embodiment, as further illustrated by FIG. 2, the processor
36 of the wellhead monitoring system 34 may transmit the received
sensor 32 data to, for example, the central control system 14
located at one or more of the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18 via a
wired communication connection to a remotely operated underwater
vehicle (ROV) system 48. For example, by communicating the sensor
32 data to the central control system 14 located at one or more of
the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18 may allow for immediate
verification of the loading and fatigue or health conditioning of
the wellhead(s) 28, 30.
[0023] In one embodiment, the ROV system 48 may be coupled between
the central control system 20 and the wellhead monitoring system 34
via an ROV umbilical cable useful in transferring information
within the subsea environment 22 without being compromised due to
the subsea environmental conditions. In another embodiment, the ROV
system 48 may be coupled to the central control system 20 via the
ROV umbilical cable and coupled to the wellhead monitoring system
34 via a wireless communication connection (e.g., via optical
communication transmission or via an inductively coupled hot stab).
In this way, the present techniques may provide personnel (e.g.,
operators, engineers, technicians) at the oil and gas rigs 14, 16,
or 18 with useful information pertaining to wellheads 28 and 30
such as remaining fatigue life or operational health and peak loads
measured directly by the sensors 32 during, for example, drilling
and production operations.
[0024] Turning now to FIG. 3, a flow diagram is presented,
illustrating an embodiment of a process 50 useful in providing
improved monitoring of wellhead equipment at oil and gas wells, by
using, for example, the wellhead monitoring system 34 depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 2. The process 50 may include code or instructions
stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., the
memory 46) and executed, for example, by the processor 36 included
in the wellhead monitoring system 34. The process 50 may begin with
the wellhead monitoring system 34 receiving (block 52) system
operating parameters associated with the subsea wellhead(s) 28, 30.
For example, as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, the
wellhead monitoring system 34 may receive one or more indications
of the operating parameters (e.g., cement level and quality, oil
and/or gas levels, pressure, temperature, annulus pressure, annulus
temperature, vibration, clearance, flow data, load data, and so
forth) of the wellhead(s) 28, 30 detected via the sensors 32.
[0025] The process 50 may then continue with the wellhead
monitoring system 34 collecting and storing (block 54) the system
operating parameters at the wellhead(s) 28, 30. For example, as
noted above with respect to FIG. 2, the wellhead monitoring system
34 may store the data collected by the sensors 32 to the memory 38
of the wellhead monitoring system 34 for retrieval after some
period of time (e.g., using the memory 38 of the wellhead
monitoring system 34 to store hours, days, weeks, months, or years
of sensor 32 data, all while the sensors 32 and wellhead monitoring
system 34 remain within the subsea environment 22). The process 50
may then continue with the wellhead monitoring system 34
transmitting (block 56) the system operating parameters to the
above-sea central control system 20 located, for example, at one or
more of the oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18.
[0026] The process 50 may then conclude with the wellhead
monitoring system 34, or, in another embodiment, the central
control system 20 determining (block 58) an operational fatigue or
an operational health of the wellhead(s) 28, 30. For example, as
noted above with respect to FIG. 2, the wellhead monitoring system
34 and/or the central control system 20 may be used to generate an
indication of the remaining operational fatigue life, peak loads,
and other operational and/or environmental conditions of the
wellheads 28, 30 based on the sensed operational data measured
directly by the sensors 32. In this way, the present techniques may
provide personnel (e.g., operators, engineers, technicians) at the
oil and gas rigs 14, 16, or 18 with useful information pertaining
to wellheads 28 and 30 such as remaining fatigue life or
operational health and peak loads measured directly by the sensors
32 during, for example, drilling and production operations.
[0027] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and
using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated
methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the
claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled
in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope
of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ
from the literal language of the claims, or if they include
equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from
the literal language of the claims.
[0028] Although the features and elements of the present exemplary
embodiments are described in the embodiments in particular
combinations, each feature or element may be used alone without the
other features and elements of the embodiments or in various
combinations with or without other features and elements disclosed
herein.
* * * * *