US20170074067A1 - Systems and methods for monitoring blowout preventer equipment - Google Patents
Systems and methods for monitoring blowout preventer equipment Download PDFInfo
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- US20170074067A1 US20170074067A1 US14/851,541 US201514851541A US2017074067A1 US 20170074067 A1 US20170074067 A1 US 20170074067A1 US 201514851541 A US201514851541 A US 201514851541A US 2017074067 A1 US2017074067 A1 US 2017074067A1
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- bop
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K37/00—Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given
- F16K37/0075—For recording or indicating the functioning of a valve in combination with test equipment
- F16K37/0083—For recording or indicating the functioning of a valve in combination with test equipment by measuring valve parameters
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
- E21B34/02—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in well heads
- E21B34/04—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells in well heads in underwater well heads
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
- E21B33/061—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams
- E21B33/062—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams with sliding rams
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
- E21B33/061—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams
- E21B33/062—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams with sliding rams
- E21B33/063—Ram-type blow-out preventers, e.g. with pivoting rams with sliding rams for shearing drill pipes
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
- E21B33/03—Well heads; Setting-up thereof
- E21B33/06—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers
- E21B33/064—Blow-out preventers, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers specially adapted for underwater well heads
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B34/00—Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
- E21B34/16—Control means therefor being outside the borehole
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
Definitions
- a blowout preventer (BOP) stack is installed on a wellhead to seal and control an oil and gas well during drilling operations.
- a drill string may be suspended inside a drilling riser from a rig through the BOP stack into the well bore.
- a drilling fluid is delivered through the drill string and returned up through an annulus between the drill string and a casing that lines the well bore.
- the BOP stack may be actuated to seal the annulus and to control fluid pressure in the wellbore, thereby protecting well equipment disposed above the BOP stack.
- current BOP systems may not effectively monitor components of the BOP stack.
- FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an offshore system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a BOP stack assembly that may be used in the offshore system of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 , wherein a ram is in an open position;
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of the portion of the BOP of FIG. 3 , wherein the ram is in a closed position;
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 having phased array ultrasonic transducers;
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 having phased array ultrasonic transducers extending axially along the BOP;
- FIG. 7 is a top view of a portion of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 having slots configured to support ultrasonic transducers;
- FIG. 8 is a side view of the portion of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 8 having the slots configured to support the ultrasonic transducers;
- FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system configured to monitor a position of a movable component of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a position of a movable component of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a condition of a seal of a ram of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a tubular string extending through a bore of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an accumulator of the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2 having ultrasonic transducers.
- the present embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for monitoring BOP equipment. More particularly, the present embodiments are directed to systems and methods that utilize ultrasonic transducers to monitor a state (e.g., a position, a condition, or the like) of a component of a BOP stack assembly.
- ultrasonic transducers may be disposed on a body of a BOP (e.g., a ram BOP) of the BOP stack assembly.
- the ultrasonic transducers may be utilized to monitor a position of a moving component of the BOP, such as a ram or a piston.
- the ultrasonic transducers may be disposed on a body of an accumulator of the BOP stack assembly and may be utilized to monitor a position of a piston of the accumulator.
- the ultrasonic transducers may include phased array ultrasonic transducers.
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers may enable imaging of a component of the BOP, such as the ram, the piston, and/or a seal (e.g., a packer, an elastomer seal, a metal seal, a metal end cap seal, or the like) disposed on a contacting surface of the ram.
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers may be part of an imaging system.
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers may enable imaging of a tubular string (e.g., drill string) disposed within a bore of the BOP.
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers may further enable visualization and/or detection of a condition (e.g., wear or deterioration) of the one or more seals.
- the systems and methods may provide an output (e.g., a visual and/or an audible output) indicative of the state of the component of the BOP and/or of the tubular string.
- FIG. 1 is an embodiment of an offshore system 10 .
- the offshore system 10 includes an offshore vessel or platform 12 at a sea surface 14 .
- a BOP stack assembly 16 is mounted to a wellhead 18 at a sea floor 20 .
- a tubular drilling riser 22 extends from the platform 12 to the BOP stack assembly 16 .
- the riser 22 may return drilling fluid or mud to the platform 12 during drilling operations.
- Downhole operations are carried out by a tubular string 24 (e.g., drill string, production tubing string, or the like) that extends from the platform 12 , through the riser 22 , through a bore 25 of the BOP stack assembly 16 , and into a wellbore 26 .
- a tubular string 24 e.g., drill string, production tubing string, or the like
- the BOP stack assembly 16 and its components may be described with reference to an axial axis or direction 30 , a longitudinal axis or direction 32 , and a lateral axis or direction 34 .
- the BOP stack assembly 16 includes a BOP stack 38 having multiple BOPs 40 (e.g., ram BOPs) axially stacked (e.g., along the axial axis 30 ) relative to one another.
- each BOP 40 includes a pair of longitudinally opposed rams and corresponding actuators 42 that actuate and drive the rams toward and away from one another along the longitudinal axis 32 .
- the BOP stack 38 may include any suitable number of BOPs (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more). Additionally, the BOP stack 38 may include any of a variety of different types of rams. For example, in certain embodiments, the BOP stack 38 may include one BOP 40 having opposed shear rams or blades configured to sever the tubular string 24 and seal off the wellbore 26 from the riser 22 and one or more BOPs 40 having opposed pipe rams configured to engage the tubular string 24 and to seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus around the tubular string 24 disposed within the bore 25 ).
- the BOP stack 38 may include one BOP 40 having opposed shear rams or blades configured to sever the tubular string 24 and seal off the wellbore 26 from the riser 22 and one or more BOPs 40 having opposed pipe rams configured to engage the tubular string 24 and to seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus around the tubular string 24 disposed within the bore 25
- ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to each of the BOPs 40 to facilitate monitoring a state (e.g., a position, a condition, or the like) of components (e.g., a ram, a piston, a seal) of the BOP 40 and/or a state of the tubular string 24 .
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be retrofitted to existing BOPs 40 .
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the BOP stack assembly 16 .
- the BOP stack 38 includes multiple BOPs 40 axially stacked (e.g., along the axial axis 30 ) relative to one another.
- the BOP stack 38 also includes one or more hydraulic accumulators 46 .
- the hydraulic accumulators 46 may supply hydraulic pressure to the actuators 42 that are configured to drive the rams of the BOPs 40 .
- ultrasonic transducers 28 may be provided to facilitate monitoring a state of a component (e.g., a ram, a piston, a seal) of the BOP 40 and/or of the tubular string 24 .
- the state may include a position of a movable component, a condition, such as wear, or a combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to each of the hydraulic accumulators 46 to facilitate monitoring a state of movable components (e.g., a piston) of the hydraulic accumulator 46 .
- the bonnet assembly 58 may support the actuators 42 , which each include a piston 60 and a connecting rod 62 .
- the actuators 42 may drive the opposed rams 50 toward and away from one another along the longitudinal axis 32 and through the bore 25 to shear the tubular string 24 or to seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus about the tubular string 24 ).
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to an exterior surface 72 of the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged to form one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 .
- each pair of ultrasonic transducers 70 includes a first transducer 28 a on a first lateral side 76 of the body 54 and a corresponding second transducer 28 b on a second lateral side 80 of the body 54 , opposite the first lateral side 76 .
- the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b of each pair of ultrasonic transducers 70 are longitudinally aligned with one another (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ).
- the first transducers 28 a of multiple pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 are coupled to one another and the second transducers 28 b of multiple pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 are coupled to another, thereby forming opposing rows (e.g., laterally opposing rows) of transducers 28 that extend longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) along the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- multiple opposing rows of transducers 28 may extend longitudinally along the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b may be discrete transducers each having one or more piezoelectric elements. In some embodiments, the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b may be configured to operate in a pitch catch mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is detected by another corresponding transducer. For example, in some embodiments, the first transducer 28 a may be configured to operate as an emitter and the second transducer 28 b may be configured to operate as a detector.
- the first transducer 28 a may emit an acoustic wave in a direction approximately perpendicular to a direction of travel of the ram 50 (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 32 ) along a path 82 toward the corresponding second transducer 28 b .
- the corresponding second transducer 28 b may detect the acoustic wave if the ram 50 does not block the path 82 .
- detection of the acoustic wave at the second transducer 28 b and/or absence of detection of the acoustic wave at the second transducer 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) of the rams 50 .
- the second transducers 28 b may detect acoustic waves emitted by corresponding first transducers 28 a .
- the ram 50 may block detection of acoustic waves by a progressively greater number of the second transducers 28 b .
- Each of the second transducers 28 b may be configured to generate a signal in response to detection of acoustic waves, and the signal may be provided to a controller that is configured to process the signal to determine a position of the rams 50 .
- the second transducers 28 b may be configured to emit acoustic waves, and each first transducer 28 a may be configured to detect acoustic waves emitted by the corresponding second transducer 28 b.
- the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b of each of the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 may be configured to emit acoustic waves and to receive reflected acoustic waves reflected from a surface 78 of the ram 50 or from a surface 79 of the connecting rod 62 .
- the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b may be excited by respective drive signals to emit respective acoustic waves, and then the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b may receive respective reflected acoustic waves if the ram 50 is positioned between the first transducer 28 a and the corresponding second transducer 28 b .
- the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b may generate signals in response to detection of the reflected acoustic waves.
- a controller may be configured to process the signals generated by the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b to determine the position of the rams 50 .
- eight pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 extend longitudinally on the exterior surface 72 of the body 54 . Although eight pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 are shown, any suitable number of pairs of ultrasonic transducers 28 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or more) may be provided. The number of pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 and/or the spacing between each transducer 28 affects the accuracy of the determination of the position of the rams 50 .
- the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 are spaced (e.g., extend) longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) across a portion of the bore 25 between respective contacting surfaces 77 (e.g., a front edge) of the opposing rams 50 while the rams 50 are in the open position 52 to enable detection of movement of the rams 50 toward the tubular string 24 .
- the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 may extend longitudinally across any suitable portion of the bore 25 .
- the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 may extend across the entire bore 25 (i.e., between longitudinal ends 79 of the bore 25 ).
- ultrasonic transducers 28 may be provided on an exterior surface 90 the bonnet 58 of the BOP 40 to facilitate monitoring a position of the piston 60 of the actuator 42 .
- the position of the piston 60 may be indicative of the position of the ram 50 (e.g., indicative of whether the ram 50 is in the open position 52 , in a closed position, or a position therebetween).
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged in one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 and may include any of the features discussed herein with respect to the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 utilized to monitor the position of the rams 50 .
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of one BOP 40 having the opposed rams 50 in a closed position 92 .
- each ram 50 is advanced into the bore 25 , contacts the tubular string 24 , and/or contacts a respective opposing ram 50 .
- the rams 50 may seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus about the tubular string 24 ) and/or may block a flow of fluid from the wellbore 26 through the bore 25 .
- detection of acoustic waves at the first transducers 28 a and/or at the second transducers 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) of the ram 50 .
- the ram 50 may block transmission of acoustic waves between the first transducer 28 a and the corresponding second transducer 28 b of each of the one or more ultrasonic transducer pairs 70 .
- none of the second transducers 28 b detect acoustic waves emitted by corresponding first transducers 28 a .
- the first transducers 28 a and/or the second transducers 28 b may detect reflected acoustic waves.
- a controller may be configured to process the signals generated by the first transducer 28 a and/or the second transducer 28 b to determine the position of the rams 50 .
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be phased array ultrasonic transducers. Accordingly, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of the BOP 40 having phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be coupled to the exterior surface 72 of the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged to form one or more pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 .
- each pair of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 includes a first transducer 100 a on the first lateral side 76 of the body 54 and the corresponding second transducer 100 b on the second lateral side 80 of the body 54 , opposite the first lateral side 76 .
- the first transducer 100 a and the second transducer 100 b of each pair of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 are longitudinally aligned with one another (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ).
- the first transducers 100 a of multiple pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 are coupled to one another and the second transducers 100 b of multiple pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 are coupled to another, thereby forming opposing rows (e.g., laterally opposing rows) of transducers 100 that extend longitudinally along the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- Each phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 a , 100 b includes multiple piezoelectric elements. Furthermore, each phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 a , 100 b is configured to electronically steer (e.g., guide or direct) a beam of acoustic waves through an angle 108 .
- the angle 108 may be any suitable angle for monitoring a portion of the BOP 40 . For example, the angle 108 may be greater than approximately 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, or 160 degrees.
- the first transducer 100 a and/or the second transducer 100 b may be configured to operate in a pulse echo mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is reflected and detected by the same transducer.
- the first transducer 100 a and/or the second transducer 100 b may be configured to emit an acoustic wave and to detect the respective reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected by the surface 78 of the ram 50 or by the surface 79 of the connecting rod 62 ).
- the reflected acoustic waves received by the first transducer 100 a and/or by the second transducer 100 b may be converted into electrical signals and provided to a controller coupled to the BOP 40 .
- the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of the rams 50 .
- the controller may be configured to generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of the rams 50 based on the signals and to determine the position of the rams 50 within the bore 25 based at least in part on the image (e.g., by aligning the image of the rams 50 within the monitored portion of the bore 25 ).
- the controller may be configured to generate and/or output the image of the rams 50 .
- the controller may output the image of the rams 50 on a display to enable an operator to visualize the position of the rams 50 .
- the displayed image may be updated as the rams 50 move to enable the operator to view the movement of the rams 50 within the bore 25 .
- each ram 50 is in the open position 52 . While the rams 50 are in the open position 52 , at least one or more of the first and/or second transducers 100 a , 100 b may not detect reflected acoustic waves because the rams 50 are not advanced through the bore 25 . As the rams 50 move from the open position 52 into the bore 25 as shown by arrow 110 , the rams 50 may reflect the acoustic waves toward a progressively greater number of the first and second transducers 100 a , 100 b . For example, when the rams 50 are in the closed position 92 discussed above, the rams 50 may reflect or block the acoustic waves emitted by all of the first and second transducers 100 a , 100 b.
- водем ⁇ pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 are spaced (e.g., extend) longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) on the exterior surface 72 of the body 54 .
- eight pairs of ultrasonic transducers 100 are shown, any suitable number of pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or more) may be provided.
- the number of pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 and/or the spacing between the transducers 100 affects the accuracy of the determination of the position of the rams 50 and/or affects completeness of an image generated based on signals received from the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 102 extend longitudinally across a length of the bore 25 (i.e., from one side of the bore 25 to the other side of the bore 25 ). However, in some embodiments, the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 102 may extend longitudinally along any suitable portion of the length of the bore 25 . For example, the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 102 may only be provided at longitudinal positions along the body 54 of the BOP 40 that lie between respective contacting surfaces 77 (e.g., a front edge) of the opposing rams 50 while the rams 50 are in the open position 52 to enable detection of movement of the rams 50 toward the tubular string 24 .
- respective contacting surfaces 77 e.g., a front edge
- FIG. 5 shows one or more pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 102 having the first transducer 100 a and the second transducer 100 b , it should be understood that in some embodiments, one or more phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be provided on only one lateral side of the body 54 of the BOP 40 .
- phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 While pairs 102 of laterally opposed phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may provide redundancy in measurement and/or a more complete image of the rams 50 or other components of the BOP 40 , one or more phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 on one lateral side (e.g., the first lateral side 76 or the second lateral side 80 ) may provide sufficient information to enable the controller to generate an image, determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition) of a component of the BOP 40 , and/or to determine the position of the ram 50 , for example.
- a condition e.g., a wear condition
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the BOP 40 having multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be coupled to one another and arranged in one or more columns 114 each extending axially (e.g., along the axial axis 30 ) of the BOP 40 .
- the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may extend along the axial axis 34 of the body 54 that is perpendicular to the direction of movement 110 of the ram 50 .
- the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged in multiple columns 114 to form a grid 113 of phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 extending axially and longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) to enable monitoring of a larger surface area of the ram 50 , a seal 104 on the contacting surface 77 of the ram 50 , and/or of the tubular string 24 , for example.
- the grid 113 may include 2 to 50 phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 extending axially and 2 to 50 phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 extending longitudinally.
- the grid 113 of multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may extend an axial height 116 greater than an axial height 118 of the rams 50 and/or may extend a longitudinal length 120 greater than a longitudinal length 122 of the tubular string 24 .
- one or more rows 124 of the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may extend longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32 ) between the rams 50 and may facilitate monitoring the position of the rams 50 in the manner discussed above with respect to FIG. 5 .
- the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged in multiple pairs positioned on opposite lateral sides of the body 54 of the BOP 40 to enable monitoring the components (e.g., the ram 50 , the seal 104 , and/or the tubular string 24 ) from both lateral sides of the body 54 . Additionally, the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode and may include any of the features discussed above with respect to FIG. 5 .
- the reflected acoustic waves received by the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be converted into electrical signals and provided to a controller (e.g., an electronic controller with a processor and a memory) coupled to the BOP 40 .
- the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of the ram 50 .
- the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a condition of a component of the BOP 40 and/or a condition of the tubular string 24 .
- the controller may be configured to determine whether the seal 104 is worn or deteriorated (e.g., a wear condition) based on the signals and/or whether the tubular string 24 is severed.
- the controller may be configured to generate a visual representation (e.g., an image) of a component of the BOP 40 and/or of the tubular string 24 .
- the controller may be configured to generate and/or output an image (e.g., a two dimensional image) of the ram 50 , the seal 104 , and/or the tubular string 24 .
- the embodiments may enable visualization of the ram 50 , the seal 104 , the bore 25 , movement of the ram 50 within the bore 25 , the tubular string 24 , and/or a process of severing of the tubular string 24 .
- one or more columns 114 of phased array transducers 100 may be provided to facilitate monitoring and/or imaging the ram 50 , the seal 104 , and/or the tubular string 24 and discrete ultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged in one or more pairs 70 to facilitate monitoring a position of the rams 50 as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 .
- FIG. 7 is a top view of a portion of the BOP 40 having slots 130 (e.g., openings or cavities) configured to support the ultrasonic transducers 28 .
- One slot 130 may be positioned on a first lateral side 132 of the bore 25 and another slot 130 may be positioned on a second lateral side 134 of the bore 25 , opposite the first side 132 .
- Each of the one or more slots 130 extends along the longitudinal axis 32 .
- each of the slots 130 may be configured to receive one or more ultrasonic transducers 28 via an opening 136 formed in a longitudinally-facing surface 138 (e.g., relative to the longitudinal axis 32 ) of the body 54 .
- an array e.g., a linear array, a row, or a cartridge
- an array of multiple first transducers 28 a that are coupled to one another may be inserted through the opening 136 and into one of the slots 130 .
- the slots 130 may facilitate proper positioning of the ultrasonic transducers 28 relative to one another and/or relative to the rams 50 . Additionally, the slots 130 may enable efficient removal of the ultrasonic transducers 28 for inspection, repair, and/or replacement.
- one or more slots 140 may extend along the axial axis 30 to receive and to support the one or more columns 114 and/or the grids 113 of the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 discussed above with respect to FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 8 is a side view of the portion of the BOP 40 having the slots 130 configured to support the ultrasonic transducers 28 .
- the slots 130 are axially aligned with the rams 50 to facilitate monitoring a position of the rams 50 , although the slots 130 may be positioned in any suitable axial location to facilitate monitoring the various components of the BOP 40 .
- one or more slots 140 may extend along the axial axis 30 to receive and to support the one or more columns 114 and/or the grids 113 of the multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 discussed above with respect to FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a BOP system 148 configured to monitor a position of a movable component (e.g., the rams 50 , the piston 60 ) of the BOP 40 . Additionally or alternatively, the system 148 may be configured to monitor a position of a piston of the hydraulic accumulator 46 . Additionally or alternatively, the system 148 may be configured to monitor a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, or the like) of a component of the BOP 40 , such as a condition of the seal 104 . Additionally or alternatively, the system 148 may be configured to monitor a condition of the tubular string 24 .
- a condition e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, or the like
- each BOP 40 includes the actuators 42 configured to actuate (e.g., drive translation of) a respective ram 50 .
- the system 148 also includes a controller 150 that may be coupled to various components of the BOP 40 .
- the controller 150 is an electronic controller having electrical circuitry configured to process signals from and/or to provide control signals to certain components of the system 148 .
- the controller 150 includes a processor, such as the illustrated microprocessor 152 , and the memory device 154 .
- the controller 150 may also include one or more storage devices and/or other suitable components.
- the processor 152 may be used to execute software, such as software for controlling the system 148 .
- the processor 152 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more “general-purpose” microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or some combination thereof.
- ASICS application specific integrated circuits
- the processor 152 may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) or complex instruction set (CISC) processors.
- RISC reduced instruction set
- CISC complex instruction set
- the memory device 154 may include a volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and/or a nonvolatile memory, such as ROM.
- the memory device 154 may store a variety of information and may be used for various purposes.
- the memory device 154 may store processor-executable instructions (e.g., firmware or software) for the processor 152 to execute, such as instructions for controlling the system 148 .
- the storage device(s) e.g., nonvolatile storage
- the storage device(s) may include read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof.
- the storage device(s) may store data (e.g., position data, condition data, image data, thresholds, or the like), instructions (e.g., software or firmware for controlling the system 148 , or the like), and any other suitable data.
- the controller 150 is configured to control each actuator 42 to adjust a position of the respective ram 50 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to control each actuator 42 automatically based on well conditions (e.g., well pressure) and/or based on an operator input received via a user input 156 (e.g., a switch, button, or the like), for example.
- the user input 156 may be part of a user interface that includes a display 158 .
- the user input 156 may be a virtual user input (e.g., displayed on a touch screen of the display 158 ) configured to receive the operator input.
- the controller 150 is configured to provide a signal to drive one or more transducers 28 to emit an acoustic wave.
- the controller 150 may provide the drive signal in response to an operator input received via the user input 156 and/or in response to initiation of movement of the rams 50 .
- the controller 150 may provide the drive signal continuously or periodically during movement of the rams 50 to facilitate monitoring of the movement of the rams 50 .
- the controller 150 may provide the drive signal continuously or periodically while the rams 50 are in the closed position 92 to facilitate monitoring the contact between the rams 50 and the tubular string 24 .
- the controller 150 may provide a drive signal to drive at least one transducer 28 (e.g., the first transducer 28 a of one pair of transducers 70 ) to emit an acoustic wave.
- the acoustic wave may be received by a corresponding transducer 28 (e.g., the second transducer 28 b ) disposed on an opposite side of the bore 25 or by the same transducer (e.g., the first transducer 28 a ) after reflection from the surface 78 of the ram 50 .
- the transducers 28 may generate a signal in response to the detected acoustic wave that is indicative of a position of the ram 50 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to receive and to process signals generated by the transducers 28 of the one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 . In some embodiments, the controller 150 may be configured to determine a position of the rams 50 based on the signals, as discussed above.
- controller 150 may be configured to process the signals received from the transducers 28 to determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like) of components of the BOP 40 .
- a condition e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like
- the controller 150 may be configured to monitor a velocity and/or an acceleration of the ram 50 based on signal integration of the signals received from the transducers 28 (e.g., based on a change in position over time), to compare the velocity and/or the acceleration to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154 ) related to an expected velocity and/or acceleration of the ram 50 , and to determine a condition of components of the BOP system 148 (e.g., to determine whether components of the BOP system 148 are operating as expected, are damaged, or the like) based on the comparison.
- thresholds e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154
- the controller 150 may determine that mechanical components of the BOP 40 may not be operating correctly and the controller 150 may provide an indication (e.g., a displayed indication of the display 158 or an audible indication) that the velocity of the ram 50 is below the predetermined threshold and/or that the BOP 40 is not operating correctly.
- the controller 150 may provide instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace certain components of the BOP 40 , for example.
- the transducers 28 may include phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the system 148 may be adapted to generate an image of various components of the BOP 40 (e.g., the ram 50 , the piston 60 , and/or the seal 104 ).
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode. Multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may extend longitudinally and/or axially along the body 54 of the BOP 40 and each phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 may be configured to steer its acoustic beam through the angle 108 .
- Each phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 may detect a reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from the surface 78 of the ram 50 ) and generate a signal based on the detected reflected acoustic wave.
- the controller 150 may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of the rams 50 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of the rams 50 based on the signals received from the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 and to determine the position of the rams 50 within the bore 25 based at least in part on the image (e.g., by aligning the image of the rams 50 within the monitored portion of the bore 25 ).
- the controller 150 may be configured to generate the image of the rams 50 or of any components disclosed herein via any suitable image processing technique.
- the controller 150 may apply techniques such as averaging, stacking, contrast enhancement, and/or histogram manipulation to facilitate analysis of the image.
- the controller 150 may then analyze the image via edge detection, pattern matching, or other techniques to identify elements of interest in the image, such as the ram 50 or the piston 60 , and the position of the element of interest within the bore 25 , for example.
- the controller 150 may be configured to generate and/or output the position of the rams 50 and/or the image of the rams 50 .
- the controller may output the image of the rams 50 on the display 158 to enable an operator to visualize the position of the rams 50 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to generate multiple images of the ram 50 as the ram 50 moves between the open position 52 and the closed position 92 .
- the controller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second).
- the controller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of the ram 50 in substantially real-time.
- the image may enable the operator to visualize the position of the ram 50 within the bore 25 and/or movement of the ram 50 within the bore 50 .
- the user interface may enable the operator to interact with the image (e.g., via the user input 156 or via a touch screen of the display 158 ), thereby enabling the operator to select, replay, focus, or otherwise manipulate the image.
- the controller 150 may be part of a real time monitoring system configured to generate images and/or enable visualization of real-time movement and objects (e.g., the rams 50 , the seals 104 , the tubular string 24 , or the like) within the BOP system 148 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like) of components of the BOP 40 (e.g. the seal 104 or mechanical components) based on the signals.
- a condition e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like
- the controller 150 may be configured to monitor a velocity and/or an acceleration of the ram 50 based on the signals received from the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 , to compare the velocity and/or the acceleration to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154 ) related to an expected velocity and/or acceleration of the ram 50 , and to determine a condition of components of the BOP system 148 (e.g., to determine whether components of the BOP system 148 are operating as expected, are damaged, or the like) based on the comparison.
- thresholds e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154
- the controller 150 may be configured to monitor the velocity and/or the acceleration of the ram 50 based on signal integration of signals received from individual ultrasonic transducers 28 (e.g., phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 ) or based on images generated via image processing techniques using the signals received from the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- acoustic waves may be reflected by one or more seals 104 on the contacting surface 77 of the ram 50 .
- the signal generated by the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 in response to detection of these reflected acoustic waves may enable the controller 150 to determine a condition of the seal 104 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to determine a thickness of the seal based on the signal, to compare the thickness to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154 ) related to an acceptable thickness of the seal 104 , and to determine a condition of the seal 104 based on the comparison.
- thresholds e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154
- the controller 150 may be configured to detect anomalies or defects of the seal 104 (e.g., in a surface of the seal 104 ) via any suitable image processing and/or analysis techniques. For example, the controller 150 may analyze the image via pattern matching (e.g., comparing the image to one or more reference images of damaged and/or intact seals 104 stored in the memory device 154 ) to detect defects and/or to classify the defects (e.g., classify the type of defect, such as a tear, and/or the severity of the defect) based on defect characteristics (e.g., size, depth, geometry, or the like). In some embodiments, the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the condition of the seal 104 .
- pattern matching e.g., comparing the image to one or more reference images of damaged and/or intact seals 104 stored in the memory device 154
- defect characteristics e.g., size, depth, geometry, or the like.
- the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the condition of the seal 104 .
- the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the measured thickness of the seal 104 compared to an initial thickness and/or compared to the acceptable thickness (e.g., a percentage).
- the controller 150 may output instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace the seal 104 , for example.
- the controller 150 may generate and output an image of the seal 104 , thereby enabling the operator to visualize the condition of the seal 104 . For example, wear and/or imperfections in the seal 104 may be visible and/or highlighted in the image.
- phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 and these techniques for detecting defects may be applied to any component within or associated with the BOP system 148 , such as the rams 50 , the tubular string 24 , or the like.
- the system 148 may be adapted to generate an image of the tubular string 24 extending through the bore 25 of the BOP 40 using the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode, and the controller 150 may be configured to electronically steer (e.g., guide or sweep) each acoustic beam through the angle 108 .
- Each phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 may detect a reflected acoustic wave (i.e., reflected from the tubular string 24 ) and generate a signal based on the detected reflected acoustic wave.
- the controller 150 may receive the signal and may generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of the tubular string 24 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to generate multiple images of the tubular string 24 and/or the ram 50 as the ram 50 severs the tubular string 24 .
- the controller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second).
- the controller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of the ram 50 and/or severing of the tubular string 24 in substantially real-time.
- the image may enable the operator to visualize a state (e.g., a condition) of the tubular string 24 , including whether the tubular string 24 was severed by the ram 50 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to overlay the image (e.g., the current image) over a baseline image (e.g., intact tubular string 24 or the tubular string 24 prior to operation of the offshore system 10 ) on the display 158 , or otherwise display both the current image and the baseline image (e.g., side-by-side) to enable the operator to visualize changes.
- the system 148 of FIG. 9 may be adapted to perform any of the monitoring methods or techniques disclosed herein.
- the system 148 may be adapted to monitor a position of a piston of the hydraulic accumulator 46 discussed below with respect to FIG. 13 .
- FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are flow charts illustrating various methods for monitoring components (e.g., the ram 50 , the seal 104 , and/or the piston 60 ) of the BOP stack assembly 38 and/or the tubular string 24 , in accordance with the present disclosure.
- the methods include various steps represented by blocks. It should be noted any of the methods provided herein, may be performed as an automated procedure by a system, such as system 148 . Although the flow charts illustrate the steps in a certain sequence, it should be understood that the steps may be performed in any suitable order and certain steps may be carried out simultaneously, where appropriate. Further, certain steps or portions of the methods may be performed by separate devices.
- a first portion of the method may be performed by the processor 152 , while a second portion of the method may be performed by a separate processing device.
- the methods for monitoring components of the BOP stack assembly 38 and/or the tubular string 24 may be initiated automatically (e.g., in response to initiation of movement of the rams 50 ) or in response to operator input (e.g., via user input 156 ).
- FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 200 for monitoring a position of a movable component (e.g., the ram 50 or the piston 60 ) of the BOP 40 .
- the method 200 may be adapted to monitor a position of the piston of the hydraulic accumulator 46 discussed below with respect to FIG. 13 .
- the method 200 may begin with the controller 150 providing a drive signal to cause one transducer (e.g., the first transducer 28 a ) to emit an acoustic wave in step 202 .
- the transducers 28 may be discrete transducers arranged in one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 and may be operated in a pitch-catch mode.
- the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b of each pair of ultrasonic transducers 70 are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the bore 25 of the BOP 40 .
- the controller 150 may determine whether the acoustic wave is received at the corresponding second transducer 28 b.
- the controller 150 may determine that the movable component is not positioned between the first and second transducers 28 a , 28 b in step 206 . However, if the acoustic wave is not received at the corresponding second transducer 28 b , the controller 150 may determine that the movable component is positioned between the first and second transducers 28 a , 28 b in step 208 .
- the number of transducers 28 and/or the spacing between the transducers 28 affects the accuracy of the position determination (e.g., more transducers 28 and/or closer spacing provides greater accuracy).
- the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the position of the movable component in step 210 .
- the controller 150 may provide a displayed output on the display 158 indicating that the movable component is in the open position 52 , the closed position 92 , or a position therebetween.
- the transducers 28 may be phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 that are configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode.
- the controller 150 may be configured to determine the position of the movable component based on whether a reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected by the surface 78 of the ram 50 ) is received at the phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 .
- the method 200 may be adapted to monitor the position of the movable component based on detection of the reflected acoustic wave using phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the displayed output may include an image of the movable component.
- the displayed output may include a video depicting movement of the movable component over time.
- FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 220 for monitoring a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, or the like) of the seal 104 of the BOP 40 .
- the method 220 may be carried out by the system 148 having multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode.
- the controller 150 may provide a drive signal to cause one phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 to emit an acoustic wave.
- the controller 150 may receive a signal generated by the phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 in response to the reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from a surface of the seal 104 ).
- the controller 150 may process the signal to determine a condition of the seal 104 .
- the controller 150 may be configured to determine a thickness of the seal based on the signal, to compare the thickness to predetermined thresholds (e.g., stored in the memory device 154 ) related to an acceptable thickness of the seal 104 , and to determine a condition of the seal 104 based on the comparison.
- the controller 150 may generate an image of the seal 104 and compare the image to a stored image of the seal 104 (e.g., stored in the memory device 154 ), which may enable identification of imperfections in the seal 104 .
- the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the condition of the seal 104 .
- the controller 150 may provide an output indicative of the measured thickness of the seal 104 compared to an initial thickness and/or compared to the acceptable thickness (e.g., a percentage).
- the controller 150 may output instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace the seal 104 , for example.
- the controller 150 may generate and output an image of the seal 104 , thereby enabling the operator to visualize the condition of the seal 104 . For example, wear and/or imperfections in the seal 104 may be visible in the image.
- the method 220 may be adapted to determine the condition of various other components of the BOP stack assembly 38 , such as the condition of the ram 50 , the piston 60 , or the like.
- FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method 240 for monitoring the tubular string 24 extending through the bore 25 of the BOP 40 .
- the method 240 may be carried out by the system 148 having multiple phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 .
- the phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode.
- the controller 150 may provide a drive signal to cause one phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 to emit an acoustic wave.
- the controller 150 may receive a signal generated by the phased array ultrasonic transducer 100 in response to the reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from a surface of the tubular string 24 ).
- the controller 150 may process the signal to generate an image of the tubular string 24 .
- the controller 150 may provide the image of the tubular string 24 on the display 158 , thereby enabling the operator to visualize the tubular string 24 .
- the steps of method 240 may be repeated over time such that the controller 150 generates multiple images of the tubular string 24 and/or the ram 50 as the ram 50 severs the tubular string 24 .
- the controller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second).
- the controller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of the ram 50 and/or severing of the tubular string 24 in substantially real-time.
- the image may enable the operator to visualize a state (e.g., a condition, a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, or the like) of the tubular string 24 , including whether the tubular string 24 was severed by the ram 50 .
- the steps of the method 240 may be adapted to enable imaging of the tubular string 24 and/or the relative position of the rams 50 (e.g., pipe rams or variable bore rams) to one another and to the tubular string 24 during sealing of the annulus about the tubular string 24 .
- Such techniques may enable monitoring and/or visualization of a distance between the rams 50 in order to determine if the rams 50 adequately contact one another about the tubular string 24 when the rams 50 are in the closed position 92 .
- FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the hydraulic accumulator 46 of the BOP stack assembly 38 .
- the hydraulic accumulator 46 may be described with reference to an axial axis or direction 250 , a longitudinal axis or direction 252 , and a lateral axis or direction 254 .
- ultrasonic transducers 28 are coupled to opposite lateral sides of an exterior surface 260 of a body 262 of the hydraulic accumulator 46 to facilitate monitoring a position of a piston 264 .
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may include any features discussed above.
- the ultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged to form one or more pairs of ultrasonic transducers 70 .
- the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b may be discrete transducers each having one or more piezoelectric elements.
- the first transducer 28 a and the second transducer 28 b may be configured to operate in a pitch catch mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is detected by another corresponding transducer.
- the first transducer 28 a may emit an acoustic wave in a direction approximately perpendicular to a direction of travel of the piston 264 (e.g., perpendicular to the axial axis 250 ) along a path 266 toward the corresponding second transducer 28 b .
- the corresponding second transducer 28 b may detect the acoustic wave if the piston 264 does not block the path 266 .
- detection of the acoustic wave at the second transducer 28 b and/or absence of detection of the acoustic wave at the second transducer 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the axial axis 250 ) of the piston 264 .
- the transducers 28 may be phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode and to determine the position of the piston 264 based at least in part on an image of the piston 264 , in the manner discussed above with respect to FIG. 5 .
Abstract
Description
- This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, 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 invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
- A blowout preventer (BOP) stack is installed on a wellhead to seal and control an oil and gas well during drilling operations. A drill string may be suspended inside a drilling riser from a rig through the BOP stack into the well bore. During drilling operations, a drilling fluid is delivered through the drill string and returned up through an annulus between the drill string and a casing that lines the well bore. In the event of a rapid invasion of formation fluid in the annulus, commonly known as a “kick,” the BOP stack may be actuated to seal the annulus and to control fluid pressure in the wellbore, thereby protecting well equipment disposed above the BOP stack. However, current BOP systems may not effectively monitor components of the BOP stack.
- Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention 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:
-
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an offshore system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a BOP stack assembly that may be used in the offshore system ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 , wherein a ram is in an open position; -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of the portion of the BOP ofFIG. 3 , wherein the ram is in a closed position; -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 having phased array ultrasonic transducers; -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a BOP of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 having phased array ultrasonic transducers extending axially along the BOP; -
FIG. 7 is a top view of a portion of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 having slots configured to support ultrasonic transducers; -
FIG. 8 is a side view of the portion of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 8 having the slots configured to support the ultrasonic transducers; -
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system configured to monitor a position of a movable component of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a position of a movable component of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a condition of a seal of a ram of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for monitoring a tubular string extending through a bore of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 ; and -
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an accumulator of the BOP stack assembly ofFIG. 2 having ultrasonic transducers. - One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. These described embodiments are only exemplary of the present invention. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these exemplary 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.
- The present embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods for monitoring BOP equipment. More particularly, the present embodiments are directed to systems and methods that utilize ultrasonic transducers to monitor a state (e.g., a position, a condition, or the like) of a component of a BOP stack assembly. For example, in some embodiments, ultrasonic transducers may be disposed on a body of a BOP (e.g., a ram BOP) of the BOP stack assembly. In some such embodiments, the ultrasonic transducers may be utilized to monitor a position of a moving component of the BOP, such as a ram or a piston. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic transducers may be disposed on a body of an accumulator of the BOP stack assembly and may be utilized to monitor a position of a piston of the accumulator. In certain embodiments, the ultrasonic transducers may include phased array ultrasonic transducers. In some embodiments, the phased array ultrasonic transducers may enable imaging of a component of the BOP, such as the ram, the piston, and/or a seal (e.g., a packer, an elastomer seal, a metal seal, a metal end cap seal, or the like) disposed on a contacting surface of the ram. The phased array ultrasonic transducers may be part of an imaging system. In certain embodiments, the phased array ultrasonic transducers may enable imaging of a tubular string (e.g., drill string) disposed within a bore of the BOP. The phased array ultrasonic transducers may further enable visualization and/or detection of a condition (e.g., wear or deterioration) of the one or more seals. In certain embodiments, the systems and methods may provide an output (e.g., a visual and/or an audible output) indicative of the state of the component of the BOP and/or of the tubular string.
- With the foregoing in mind,
FIG. 1 is an embodiment of anoffshore system 10. Theoffshore system 10 includes an offshore vessel orplatform 12 at asea surface 14. ABOP stack assembly 16 is mounted to awellhead 18 at asea floor 20. Atubular drilling riser 22 extends from theplatform 12 to theBOP stack assembly 16. Theriser 22 may return drilling fluid or mud to theplatform 12 during drilling operations. Downhole operations are carried out by a tubular string 24 (e.g., drill string, production tubing string, or the like) that extends from theplatform 12, through theriser 22, through abore 25 of theBOP stack assembly 16, and into awellbore 26. - To facilitate discussion, the
BOP stack assembly 16 and its components may be described with reference to an axial axis ordirection 30, a longitudinal axis ordirection 32, and a lateral axis ordirection 34. As shown, theBOP stack assembly 16 includes aBOP stack 38 having multiple BOPs 40 (e.g., ram BOPs) axially stacked (e.g., along the axial axis 30) relative to one another. As discussed in more detail below, eachBOP 40 includes a pair of longitudinally opposed rams andcorresponding actuators 42 that actuate and drive the rams toward and away from one another along thelongitudinal axis 32. Although fourBOPs 40 are shown, theBOP stack 38 may include any suitable number of BOPs (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more). Additionally, theBOP stack 38 may include any of a variety of different types of rams. For example, in certain embodiments, theBOP stack 38 may include oneBOP 40 having opposed shear rams or blades configured to sever thetubular string 24 and seal off thewellbore 26 from theriser 22 and one ormore BOPs 40 having opposed pipe rams configured to engage thetubular string 24 and to seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus around thetubular string 24 disposed within the bore 25). As discussed in more detail below,ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to each of theBOPs 40 to facilitate monitoring a state (e.g., a position, a condition, or the like) of components (e.g., a ram, a piston, a seal) of theBOP 40 and/or a state of thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, theultrasonic transducers 28 may be retrofitted to existingBOPs 40. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of theBOP stack assembly 16. As discussed above, theBOP stack 38 includesmultiple BOPs 40 axially stacked (e.g., along the axial axis 30) relative to one another. As shown, theBOP stack 38 also includes one or morehydraulic accumulators 46. Thehydraulic accumulators 46 may supply hydraulic pressure to theactuators 42 that are configured to drive the rams of theBOPs 40. As noted above,ultrasonic transducers 28 may be provided to facilitate monitoring a state of a component (e.g., a ram, a piston, a seal) of theBOP 40 and/or of thetubular string 24. The state may include a position of a movable component, a condition, such as wear, or a combination thereof. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments,ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to each of thehydraulic accumulators 46 to facilitate monitoring a state of movable components (e.g., a piston) of thehydraulic accumulator 46. -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of oneBOP 40 withopposed rams 50 in anopen position 52. In theopen position 52, eachram 50 is withdrawn from thebore 25, does not contact thetubular string 24, and/or does not contact the correspondingopposed ram 50. As shown, theBOP 40 includes a body 54 (e.g., housing) surrounding thebore 25. Thebody 54 is generally rectangular in the illustrated embodiment, although thebody 54 may have any cross-sectional shape, including any polygonal shape or an annular shape. Abonnet assembly 58 is mounted to the body 54 (e.g., via threaded fasteners). Thebonnet assembly 58 may support theactuators 42, which each include apiston 60 and a connectingrod 62. Theactuators 42 may drive the opposed rams 50 toward and away from one another along thelongitudinal axis 32 and through thebore 25 to shear thetubular string 24 or to seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus about the tubular string 24). - The
ultrasonic transducers 28 may be coupled to anexterior surface 72 of thebody 54 of theBOP 40. In some embodiments, theultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged to form one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70. In the illustrated embodiment, each pair ofultrasonic transducers 70 includes afirst transducer 28 a on a firstlateral side 76 of thebody 54 and a correspondingsecond transducer 28 b on a secondlateral side 80 of thebody 54, opposite the firstlateral side 76. Thefirst transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b of each pair ofultrasonic transducers 70 are longitudinally aligned with one another (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32). In the illustrated embodiment, thefirst transducers 28 a of multiple pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 are coupled to one another and thesecond transducers 28 b of multiple pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 are coupled to another, thereby forming opposing rows (e.g., laterally opposing rows) oftransducers 28 that extend longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) along thebody 54 of theBOP 40. In some embodiments, multiple opposing rows oftransducers 28 may extend longitudinally along thebody 54 of theBOP 40. - In some embodiments, the
first transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b may be discrete transducers each having one or more piezoelectric elements. In some embodiments, thefirst transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b may be configured to operate in a pitch catch mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is detected by another corresponding transducer. For example, in some embodiments, thefirst transducer 28 a may be configured to operate as an emitter and thesecond transducer 28 b may be configured to operate as a detector. In particular, thefirst transducer 28 a may emit an acoustic wave in a direction approximately perpendicular to a direction of travel of the ram 50 (e.g., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 32) along apath 82 toward the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b. The correspondingsecond transducer 28 b may detect the acoustic wave if theram 50 does not block thepath 82. Thus, detection of the acoustic wave at thesecond transducer 28 b and/or absence of detection of the acoustic wave at thesecond transducer 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) of therams 50. - For example, while the
ram 50 is in theopen position 52, at least one or more of thesecond transducers 28 b may detect acoustic waves emitted by correspondingfirst transducers 28 a. As theram 50 moves from theopen position 52 into thebore 25 as shown byarrow 84, theram 50 may block detection of acoustic waves by a progressively greater number of thesecond transducers 28 b. Each of thesecond transducers 28 b may be configured to generate a signal in response to detection of acoustic waves, and the signal may be provided to a controller that is configured to process the signal to determine a position of therams 50. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, thesecond transducers 28 b may be configured to emit acoustic waves, and eachfirst transducer 28 a may be configured to detect acoustic waves emitted by the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b. - Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the
first transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b of each of the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 may be configured to emit acoustic waves and to receive reflected acoustic waves reflected from asurface 78 of theram 50 or from asurface 79 of the connectingrod 62. For example, thefirst transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b may be excited by respective drive signals to emit respective acoustic waves, and then thefirst transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b may receive respective reflected acoustic waves if theram 50 is positioned between thefirst transducer 28 a and the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b. Thefirst transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b may generate signals in response to detection of the reflected acoustic waves. As discussed below, a controller may be configured to process the signals generated by thefirst transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b to determine the position of therams 50. - In the illustrated embodiment, eight pairs of
ultrasonic transducers 70 extend longitudinally on theexterior surface 72 of thebody 54. Although eight pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 are shown, any suitable number of pairs of ultrasonic transducers 28 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 or more) may be provided. The number of pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 and/or the spacing between eachtransducer 28 affects the accuracy of the determination of the position of therams 50. As shown, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 are spaced (e.g., extend) longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) across a portion of thebore 25 between respective contacting surfaces 77 (e.g., a front edge) of the opposingrams 50 while therams 50 are in theopen position 52 to enable detection of movement of therams 50 toward thetubular string 24. However, in some embodiments, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 may extend longitudinally across any suitable portion of thebore 25. In some embodiments, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 may extend across the entire bore 25 (i.e., between longitudinal ends 79 of the bore 25). - Additionally or alternatively, as shown,
ultrasonic transducers 28 may be provided on anexterior surface 90 thebonnet 58 of theBOP 40 to facilitate monitoring a position of thepiston 60 of theactuator 42. The position of thepiston 60 may be indicative of the position of the ram 50 (e.g., indicative of whether theram 50 is in theopen position 52, in a closed position, or a position therebetween). Theultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged in one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 and may include any of the features discussed herein with respect to the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 utilized to monitor the position of therams 50. -
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of oneBOP 40 having the opposed rams 50 in aclosed position 92. In theclosed position 92, eachram 50 is advanced into thebore 25, contacts thetubular string 24, and/or contacts a respective opposingram 50. In theclosed position 92, therams 50 may seal the bore 25 (i.e., the annulus about the tubular string 24) and/or may block a flow of fluid from thewellbore 26 through thebore 25. As discussed above, detection of acoustic waves at thefirst transducers 28 a and/or at thesecond transducers 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) of theram 50. For example, while therams 50 are in theclosed position 92, theram 50 may block transmission of acoustic waves between thefirst transducer 28 a and the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b of each of the one or more ultrasonic transducer pairs 70. Thus, in some embodiments, while therams 50 are in theclosed position 92, none of thesecond transducers 28 b detect acoustic waves emitted by correspondingfirst transducers 28 a. Furthermore, in some embodiments, while therams 50 are in theclosed position 92, thefirst transducers 28 a and/or thesecond transducers 28 b may detect reflected acoustic waves. As discussed below, a controller may be configured to process the signals generated by thefirst transducer 28 a and/or thesecond transducer 28 b to determine the position of therams 50. - In certain embodiments, the
ultrasonic transducers 28 may be phased array ultrasonic transducers. Accordingly,FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional top view of a portion of theBOP 40 having phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. In some embodiments, the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be coupled to theexterior surface 72 of thebody 54 of theBOP 40. In some embodiments, the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged to form one or more pairs of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102. In the illustrated embodiment, each pair of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102 includes afirst transducer 100 a on the firstlateral side 76 of thebody 54 and the correspondingsecond transducer 100 b on the secondlateral side 80 of thebody 54, opposite the firstlateral side 76. Thefirst transducer 100 a and thesecond transducer 100 b of each pair of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102 are longitudinally aligned with one another (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32). In the illustrated embodiment, thefirst transducers 100 a of multiple pairs of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102 are coupled to one another and thesecond transducers 100 b of multiple pairs of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102 are coupled to another, thereby forming opposing rows (e.g., laterally opposing rows) oftransducers 100 that extend longitudinally along thebody 54 of theBOP 40. - Each phased array
ultrasonic transducer ultrasonic transducer angle 108. Theangle 108 may be any suitable angle for monitoring a portion of theBOP 40. For example, theangle 108 may be greater than approximately 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, or 160 degrees. - In some embodiments, the
first transducer 100 a and/or thesecond transducer 100 b may be configured to operate in a pulse echo mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is reflected and detected by the same transducer. In such cases, thefirst transducer 100 a and/or thesecond transducer 100 b may be configured to emit an acoustic wave and to detect the respective reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected by thesurface 78 of theram 50 or by thesurface 79 of the connecting rod 62). Detection of the reflected acoustic wave at the first and/orsecond transducers second transducers ram 50. For example, detection of the respective reflected acoustic wave at the first and/or thesecond transducer ram 50 is positioned between the first and thesecond transducer - As discussed in more detail below, the reflected acoustic waves received by the
first transducer 100 a and/or by thesecond transducer 100 b may be converted into electrical signals and provided to a controller coupled to theBOP 40. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of therams 50. For example, the controller may be configured to generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of therams 50 based on the signals and to determine the position of therams 50 within thebore 25 based at least in part on the image (e.g., by aligning the image of therams 50 within the monitored portion of the bore 25). As discussed in more detail below, in some embodiments, the controller may be configured to generate and/or output the image of therams 50. For example, the controller may output the image of therams 50 on a display to enable an operator to visualize the position of therams 50. In certain embodiments, the displayed image may be updated as therams 50 move to enable the operator to view the movement of therams 50 within thebore 25. - In
FIG. 5 , eachram 50 is in theopen position 52. While therams 50 are in theopen position 52, at least one or more of the first and/orsecond transducers rams 50 are not advanced through thebore 25. As therams 50 move from theopen position 52 into thebore 25 as shown byarrow 110, therams 50 may reflect the acoustic waves toward a progressively greater number of the first andsecond transducers rams 50 are in theclosed position 92 discussed above, therams 50 may reflect or block the acoustic waves emitted by all of the first andsecond transducers - In the illustrated embodiment, eight pairs of phased array
ultrasonic transducers 100 are spaced (e.g., extend) longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) on theexterior surface 72 of thebody 54. Although eight pairs ofultrasonic transducers 100 are shown, any suitable number of pairs of phased array ultrasonic transducers 100 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or more) may be provided. The number of pairs of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 and/or the spacing between thetransducers 100 affects the accuracy of the determination of the position of therams 50 and/or affects completeness of an image generated based on signals received from the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. As shown, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 102 extend longitudinally across a length of the bore 25 (i.e., from one side of thebore 25 to the other side of the bore 25). However, in some embodiments, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 102 may extend longitudinally along any suitable portion of the length of thebore 25. For example, the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 102 may only be provided at longitudinal positions along thebody 54 of theBOP 40 that lie between respective contacting surfaces 77 (e.g., a front edge) of the opposingrams 50 while therams 50 are in theopen position 52 to enable detection of movement of therams 50 toward thetubular string 24. - Additionally, although
FIG. 5 shows one or more pairs of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 102 having thefirst transducer 100 a and thesecond transducer 100 b, it should be understood that in some embodiments, one or more phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be provided on only one lateral side of thebody 54 of theBOP 40. Whilepairs 102 of laterally opposed phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may provide redundancy in measurement and/or a more complete image of therams 50 or other components of theBOP 40, one or more phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 on one lateral side (e.g., the firstlateral side 76 or the second lateral side 80) may provide sufficient information to enable the controller to generate an image, determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition) of a component of theBOP 40, and/or to determine the position of theram 50, for example. -
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of theBOP 40 having multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. As shown, the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be coupled to one another and arranged in one ormore columns 114 each extending axially (e.g., along the axial axis 30) of theBOP 40. Thus, the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may extend along theaxial axis 34 of thebody 54 that is perpendicular to the direction ofmovement 110 of theram 50. In some embodiments, the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged inmultiple columns 114 to form agrid 113 of phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 extending axially and longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) to enable monitoring of a larger surface area of theram 50, aseal 104 on the contactingsurface 77 of theram 50, and/or of thetubular string 24, for example. Thegrid 113 may include 2 to 50 phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 extending axially and 2 to 50 phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 extending longitudinally. In some embodiments, thegrid 113 of multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may extend anaxial height 116 greater than anaxial height 118 of therams 50 and/or may extend a longitudinal length 120 greater than a longitudinal length 122 of thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, as shown, one ormore rows 124 of the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may extend longitudinally (e.g., along the longitudinal axis 32) between therams 50 and may facilitate monitoring the position of therams 50 in the manner discussed above with respect toFIG. 5 . - In some embodiments, similar to the embodiment discussed above with respect to
FIG. 5 , the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be arranged in multiple pairs positioned on opposite lateral sides of thebody 54 of theBOP 40 to enable monitoring the components (e.g., theram 50, theseal 104, and/or the tubular string 24) from both lateral sides of thebody 54. Additionally, the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode and may include any of the features discussed above with respect toFIG. 5 . - As discussed in more detail below, the reflected acoustic waves received by the phased array
ultrasonic transducers 100 may be converted into electrical signals and provided to a controller (e.g., an electronic controller with a processor and a memory) coupled to theBOP 40. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of theram 50. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to process the signals to determine a condition of a component of theBOP 40 and/or a condition of thetubular string 24. For example, the controller may be configured to determine whether theseal 104 is worn or deteriorated (e.g., a wear condition) based on the signals and/or whether thetubular string 24 is severed. In some embodiments, the controller may be configured to generate a visual representation (e.g., an image) of a component of theBOP 40 and/or of thetubular string 24. For example, the controller may be configured to generate and/or output an image (e.g., a two dimensional image) of theram 50, theseal 104, and/or thetubular string 24. Thus, the embodiments may enable visualization of theram 50, theseal 104, thebore 25, movement of theram 50 within thebore 25, thetubular string 24, and/or a process of severing of thetubular string 24. In certain embodiments, one ormore columns 114 of phasedarray transducers 100 may be provided to facilitate monitoring and/or imaging theram 50, theseal 104, and/or thetubular string 24 and discreteultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged in one ormore pairs 70 to facilitate monitoring a position of therams 50 as discussed above with respect toFIGS. 2 and 3 . -
FIG. 7 is a top view of a portion of theBOP 40 having slots 130 (e.g., openings or cavities) configured to support theultrasonic transducers 28. Oneslot 130 may be positioned on a firstlateral side 132 of thebore 25 and anotherslot 130 may be positioned on a secondlateral side 134 of thebore 25, opposite thefirst side 132. Each of the one ormore slots 130 extends along thelongitudinal axis 32. Additionally, each of theslots 130 may be configured to receive one or moreultrasonic transducers 28 via anopening 136 formed in a longitudinally-facing surface 138 (e.g., relative to the longitudinal axis 32) of thebody 54. For example, an array (e.g., a linear array, a row, or a cartridge) of multiplefirst transducers 28 a that are coupled to one another may be inserted through theopening 136 and into one of theslots 130. Theslots 130 may facilitate proper positioning of theultrasonic transducers 28 relative to one another and/or relative to therams 50. Additionally, theslots 130 may enable efficient removal of theultrasonic transducers 28 for inspection, repair, and/or replacement. In some embodiments, one ormore slots 140 may extend along theaxial axis 30 to receive and to support the one ormore columns 114 and/or thegrids 113 of the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 discussed above with respect toFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 8 is a side view of the portion of theBOP 40 having theslots 130 configured to support theultrasonic transducers 28. As shown, theslots 130 are axially aligned with therams 50 to facilitate monitoring a position of therams 50, although theslots 130 may be positioned in any suitable axial location to facilitate monitoring the various components of theBOP 40. In some embodiments, one ormore slots 140 may extend along theaxial axis 30 to receive and to support the one ormore columns 114 and/or thegrids 113 of the multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 discussed above with respect toFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of aBOP system 148 configured to monitor a position of a movable component (e.g., therams 50, the piston 60) of theBOP 40. Additionally or alternatively, thesystem 148 may be configured to monitor a position of a piston of thehydraulic accumulator 46. Additionally or alternatively, thesystem 148 may be configured to monitor a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, or the like) of a component of theBOP 40, such as a condition of theseal 104. Additionally or alternatively, thesystem 148 may be configured to monitor a condition of thetubular string 24. As shown, eachBOP 40 includes theactuators 42 configured to actuate (e.g., drive translation of) arespective ram 50. Thesystem 148 also includes acontroller 150 that may be coupled to various components of theBOP 40. In certain embodiments, thecontroller 150 is an electronic controller having electrical circuitry configured to process signals from and/or to provide control signals to certain components of thesystem 148. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
controller 150 includes a processor, such as the illustratedmicroprocessor 152, and thememory device 154. Thecontroller 150 may also include one or more storage devices and/or other suitable components. Theprocessor 152 may be used to execute software, such as software for controlling thesystem 148. Moreover, theprocessor 152 may include multiple microprocessors, one or more “general-purpose” microprocessors, one or more special-purpose microprocessors, and/or one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICS), or some combination thereof. For example, theprocessor 152 may include one or more reduced instruction set (RISC) or complex instruction set (CISC) processors. - The
memory device 154 may include a volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and/or a nonvolatile memory, such as ROM. Thememory device 154 may store a variety of information and may be used for various purposes. For example, thememory device 154 may store processor-executable instructions (e.g., firmware or software) for theprocessor 152 to execute, such as instructions for controlling thesystem 148. The storage device(s) (e.g., nonvolatile storage) may include read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, a hard drive, or any other suitable optical, magnetic, or solid-state storage medium, or a combination thereof. The storage device(s) may store data (e.g., position data, condition data, image data, thresholds, or the like), instructions (e.g., software or firmware for controlling thesystem 148, or the like), and any other suitable data. - In certain embodiments, the
controller 150 is configured to control each actuator 42 to adjust a position of therespective ram 50. Thecontroller 150 may be configured to control each actuator 42 automatically based on well conditions (e.g., well pressure) and/or based on an operator input received via a user input 156 (e.g., a switch, button, or the like), for example. Theuser input 156 may be part of a user interface that includes adisplay 158. In some embodiments, theuser input 156 may be a virtual user input (e.g., displayed on a touch screen of the display 158) configured to receive the operator input. - In certain embodiments, the
controller 150 is configured to provide a signal to drive one ormore transducers 28 to emit an acoustic wave. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide the drive signal in response to an operator input received via theuser input 156 and/or in response to initiation of movement of therams 50. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide the drive signal continuously or periodically during movement of therams 50 to facilitate monitoring of the movement of therams 50. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide the drive signal continuously or periodically while therams 50 are in theclosed position 92 to facilitate monitoring the contact between therams 50 and thetubular string 24. - In certain embodiments, the
controller 150 may provide a drive signal to drive at least one transducer 28 (e.g., thefirst transducer 28 a of one pair of transducers 70) to emit an acoustic wave. As noted above, the acoustic wave may be received by a corresponding transducer 28 (e.g., thesecond transducer 28 b) disposed on an opposite side of thebore 25 or by the same transducer (e.g., thefirst transducer 28 a) after reflection from thesurface 78 of theram 50. Thetransducers 28 may generate a signal in response to the detected acoustic wave that is indicative of a position of theram 50. Thecontroller 150 may be configured to receive and to process signals generated by thetransducers 28 of the one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to determine a position of therams 50 based on the signals, as discussed above. - Additionally or alternatively, the
controller 150 may be configured to process the signals received from thetransducers 28 to determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like) of components of theBOP 40. For example, in some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to monitor a velocity and/or an acceleration of theram 50 based on signal integration of the signals received from the transducers 28 (e.g., based on a change in position over time), to compare the velocity and/or the acceleration to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154) related to an expected velocity and/or acceleration of theram 50, and to determine a condition of components of the BOP system 148 (e.g., to determine whether components of theBOP system 148 are operating as expected, are damaged, or the like) based on the comparison. For example, if the velocity is below the predetermined threshold, thecontroller 150 may determine that mechanical components of theBOP 40 may not be operating correctly and thecontroller 150 may provide an indication (e.g., a displayed indication of thedisplay 158 or an audible indication) that the velocity of theram 50 is below the predetermined threshold and/or that theBOP 40 is not operating correctly. In some such embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace certain components of theBOP 40, for example. - As discussed above, the
transducers 28 may include phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. In some such embodiments, thesystem 148 may be adapted to generate an image of various components of the BOP 40 (e.g., theram 50, thepiston 60, and/or the seal 104). The phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode. Multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may extend longitudinally and/or axially along thebody 54 of theBOP 40 and each phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 may be configured to steer its acoustic beam through theangle 108. Each phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 may detect a reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from thesurface 78 of the ram 50) and generate a signal based on the detected reflected acoustic wave. - In some embodiments, the
controller 150 may be configured to process the signals to determine a position of therams 50. For example, thecontroller 150 may be configured to generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of therams 50 based on the signals received from the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 and to determine the position of therams 50 within thebore 25 based at least in part on the image (e.g., by aligning the image of therams 50 within the monitored portion of the bore 25). In particular, thecontroller 150 may be configured to generate the image of therams 50 or of any components disclosed herein via any suitable image processing technique. Once the image is formed, thecontroller 150 may apply techniques such as averaging, stacking, contrast enhancement, and/or histogram manipulation to facilitate analysis of the image. Thecontroller 150 may then analyze the image via edge detection, pattern matching, or other techniques to identify elements of interest in the image, such as theram 50 or thepiston 60, and the position of the element of interest within thebore 25, for example. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to generate and/or output the position of therams 50 and/or the image of therams 50. For example, the controller may output the image of therams 50 on thedisplay 158 to enable an operator to visualize the position of therams 50. - In some embodiments, the
controller 150 may be configured to generate multiple images of theram 50 as theram 50 moves between theopen position 52 and theclosed position 92. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second). Thecontroller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of theram 50 in substantially real-time. The image may enable the operator to visualize the position of theram 50 within thebore 25 and/or movement of theram 50 within thebore 50. The user interface may enable the operator to interact with the image (e.g., via theuser input 156 or via a touch screen of the display 158), thereby enabling the operator to select, replay, focus, or otherwise manipulate the image. Thus, thecontroller 150 may be part of a real time monitoring system configured to generate images and/or enable visualization of real-time movement and objects (e.g., therams 50, theseals 104, thetubular string 24, or the like) within theBOP system 148. - In some embodiments, the
controller 150 may be configured to determine a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, velocity, acceleration, or the like) of components of the BOP 40 (e.g. theseal 104 or mechanical components) based on the signals. For example, as discussed above, thecontroller 150 may be configured to monitor a velocity and/or an acceleration of theram 50 based on the signals received from the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100, to compare the velocity and/or the acceleration to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154) related to an expected velocity and/or acceleration of theram 50, and to determine a condition of components of the BOP system 148 (e.g., to determine whether components of theBOP system 148 are operating as expected, are damaged, or the like) based on the comparison. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to monitor the velocity and/or the acceleration of theram 50 based on signal integration of signals received from individual ultrasonic transducers 28 (e.g., phased array ultrasonic transducers 100) or based on images generated via image processing techniques using the signals received from the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. - Additionally or alternatively, acoustic waves may be reflected by one or
more seals 104 on the contactingsurface 77 of theram 50. The signal generated by the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 in response to detection of these reflected acoustic waves may enable thecontroller 150 to determine a condition of theseal 104. For example, thecontroller 150 may be configured to determine a thickness of the seal based on the signal, to compare the thickness to thresholds (e.g., predetermined thresholds stored in a memory device 154) related to an acceptable thickness of theseal 104, and to determine a condition of theseal 104 based on the comparison. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to detect anomalies or defects of the seal 104 (e.g., in a surface of the seal 104) via any suitable image processing and/or analysis techniques. For example, thecontroller 150 may analyze the image via pattern matching (e.g., comparing the image to one or more reference images of damaged and/orintact seals 104 stored in the memory device 154) to detect defects and/or to classify the defects (e.g., classify the type of defect, such as a tear, and/or the severity of the defect) based on defect characteristics (e.g., size, depth, geometry, or the like). In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide an output indicative of the condition of theseal 104. For example, thecontroller 150 may provide an output indicative of the measured thickness of theseal 104 compared to an initial thickness and/or compared to the acceptable thickness (e.g., a percentage). In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may output instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace theseal 104, for example. In certain embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate and output an image of theseal 104, thereby enabling the operator to visualize the condition of theseal 104. For example, wear and/or imperfections in theseal 104 may be visible and/or highlighted in the image. Although the detection of defects is discussed in the context of theseal 104 to facilitate discussion, it should be understood that the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 and these techniques for detecting defects may be applied to any component within or associated with theBOP system 148, such as therams 50, thetubular string 24, or the like. - Additionally or alternatively, the
system 148 may be adapted to generate an image of thetubular string 24 extending through thebore 25 of theBOP 40 using the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. As noted above, the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode, and thecontroller 150 may be configured to electronically steer (e.g., guide or sweep) each acoustic beam through theangle 108. Each phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 may detect a reflected acoustic wave (i.e., reflected from the tubular string 24) and generate a signal based on the detected reflected acoustic wave. Thecontroller 150 may receive the signal and may generate an image (e.g., an outline image) of thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to generate multiple images of thetubular string 24 and/or theram 50 as theram 50 severs thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second). Thecontroller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of theram 50 and/or severing of thetubular string 24 in substantially real-time. The image may enable the operator to visualize a state (e.g., a condition) of thetubular string 24, including whether thetubular string 24 was severed by theram 50. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to overlay the image (e.g., the current image) over a baseline image (e.g., intacttubular string 24 or thetubular string 24 prior to operation of the offshore system 10) on thedisplay 158, or otherwise display both the current image and the baseline image (e.g., side-by-side) to enable the operator to visualize changes. In addition to the examples provided above, thesystem 148 ofFIG. 9 may be adapted to perform any of the monitoring methods or techniques disclosed herein. For example, thesystem 148 may be adapted to monitor a position of a piston of thehydraulic accumulator 46 discussed below with respect toFIG. 13 . -
FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are flow charts illustrating various methods for monitoring components (e.g., theram 50, theseal 104, and/or the piston 60) of theBOP stack assembly 38 and/or thetubular string 24, in accordance with the present disclosure. The methods include various steps represented by blocks. It should be noted any of the methods provided herein, may be performed as an automated procedure by a system, such assystem 148. Although the flow charts illustrate the steps in a certain sequence, it should be understood that the steps may be performed in any suitable order and certain steps may be carried out simultaneously, where appropriate. Further, certain steps or portions of the methods may be performed by separate devices. For example, a first portion of the method may be performed by theprocessor 152, while a second portion of the method may be performed by a separate processing device. As noted above, the methods for monitoring components of theBOP stack assembly 38 and/or thetubular string 24 may be initiated automatically (e.g., in response to initiation of movement of the rams 50) or in response to operator input (e.g., via user input 156). -
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of amethod 200 for monitoring a position of a movable component (e.g., theram 50 or the piston 60) of theBOP 40. Themethod 200 may be adapted to monitor a position of the piston of thehydraulic accumulator 46 discussed below with respect toFIG. 13 . As shown, themethod 200 may begin with thecontroller 150 providing a drive signal to cause one transducer (e.g., thefirst transducer 28 a) to emit an acoustic wave instep 202. As discussed above with respect toFIGS. 3 and 4 , thetransducers 28 may be discrete transducers arranged in one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70 and may be operated in a pitch-catch mode. In such cases, thefirst transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b of each pair ofultrasonic transducers 70 are disposed on opposite lateral sides of thebore 25 of theBOP 40. Instep 204, thecontroller 150 may determine whether the acoustic wave is received at the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b. - If the acoustic wave is received at the corresponding
second transducer 28 b, thecontroller 150 may determine that the movable component is not positioned between the first andsecond transducers step 206. However, if the acoustic wave is not received at the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b, thecontroller 150 may determine that the movable component is positioned between the first andsecond transducers step 208. The number oftransducers 28 and/or the spacing between thetransducers 28 affects the accuracy of the position determination (e.g.,more transducers 28 and/or closer spacing provides greater accuracy). In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may provide an output indicative of the position of the movable component instep 210. For example, thecontroller 150 may provide a displayed output on thedisplay 158 indicating that the movable component is in theopen position 52, theclosed position 92, or a position therebetween. - As noted above, in some embodiments, the
transducers 28 may be phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 that are configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode. In such embodiments, thecontroller 150 may be configured to determine the position of the movable component based on whether a reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected by thesurface 78 of the ram 50) is received at the phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100. Thus, themethod 200 may be adapted to monitor the position of the movable component based on detection of the reflected acoustic wave using phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. In some such embodiments, the displayed output may include an image of the movable component. In some embodiments, the displayed output may include a video depicting movement of the movable component over time. -
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of amethod 220 for monitoring a condition (e.g., a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, or the like) of theseal 104 of theBOP 40. Themethod 220 may be carried out by thesystem 148 having multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. As discussed above with respect toFIGS. 5 and 6 , the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode. Instep 222, thecontroller 150 may provide a drive signal to cause one phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 to emit an acoustic wave. Instep 224, thecontroller 150 may receive a signal generated by the phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 in response to the reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from a surface of the seal 104). - In
step 226, thecontroller 150 may process the signal to determine a condition of theseal 104. For example, thecontroller 150 may be configured to determine a thickness of the seal based on the signal, to compare the thickness to predetermined thresholds (e.g., stored in the memory device 154) related to an acceptable thickness of theseal 104, and to determine a condition of theseal 104 based on the comparison. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate an image of theseal 104 and compare the image to a stored image of the seal 104 (e.g., stored in the memory device 154), which may enable identification of imperfections in theseal 104. - In
step 228, thecontroller 150 may provide an output indicative of the condition of theseal 104. For example, thecontroller 150 may provide an output indicative of the measured thickness of theseal 104 compared to an initial thickness and/or compared to the acceptable thickness (e.g., a percentage). In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may output instructions (e.g., displayed or audible instructions) to inspect, repair, and/or replace theseal 104, for example. In certain embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate and output an image of theseal 104, thereby enabling the operator to visualize the condition of theseal 104. For example, wear and/or imperfections in theseal 104 may be visible in the image. It should be understood that themethod 220 may be adapted to determine the condition of various other components of theBOP stack assembly 38, such as the condition of theram 50, thepiston 60, or the like. -
FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of amethod 240 for monitoring thetubular string 24 extending through thebore 25 of theBOP 40. Themethod 240 may be carried out by thesystem 148 having multiple phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100. As discussed above with respect toFIGS. 5 and 6 , the phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 may be configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode. Instep 242, thecontroller 150 may provide a drive signal to cause one phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 to emit an acoustic wave. Instep 244, thecontroller 150 may receive a signal generated by the phased arrayultrasonic transducer 100 in response to the reflected acoustic wave (e.g., reflected from a surface of the tubular string 24). - In
step 246, thecontroller 150 may process the signal to generate an image of thetubular string 24. Instep 248, thecontroller 150 may provide the image of thetubular string 24 on thedisplay 158, thereby enabling the operator to visualize thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, the steps ofmethod 240 may be repeated over time such that thecontroller 150 generates multiple images of thetubular string 24 and/or theram 50 as theram 50 severs thetubular string 24. In some embodiments, thecontroller 150 may generate an image at a rate of approximately one frame per second, or any other suitable rate (e.g., less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 frames per second). In some such cases, thecontroller 150 may output the image and update the image over time, thereby enabling output of a video of the movement of theram 50 and/or severing of thetubular string 24 in substantially real-time. The image may enable the operator to visualize a state (e.g., a condition, a wear condition, cracks, breakage, erosion, corrosion, or the like) of thetubular string 24, including whether thetubular string 24 was severed by theram 50. - It should be understood that the steps of the
method 240 may be adapted to enable imaging of thetubular string 24 and/or the relative position of the rams 50 (e.g., pipe rams or variable bore rams) to one another and to thetubular string 24 during sealing of the annulus about thetubular string 24. Such techniques may enable monitoring and/or visualization of a distance between therams 50 in order to determine if therams 50 adequately contact one another about thetubular string 24 when therams 50 are in theclosed position 92. -
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of thehydraulic accumulator 46 of theBOP stack assembly 38. Thehydraulic accumulator 46 may be described with reference to an axial axis ordirection 250, a longitudinal axis ordirection 252, and a lateral axis ordirection 254. As shown,ultrasonic transducers 28 are coupled to opposite lateral sides of anexterior surface 260 of abody 262 of thehydraulic accumulator 46 to facilitate monitoring a position of apiston 264. Theultrasonic transducers 28 may include any features discussed above. For example, theultrasonic transducers 28 may be arranged to form one or more pairs ofultrasonic transducers 70. Furthermore, in some embodiments, thefirst transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b may be discrete transducers each having one or more piezoelectric elements. - In some embodiments, the
first transducer 28 a and thesecond transducer 28 b may be configured to operate in a pitch catch mode in which an acoustic wave emitted by one transducer is detected by another corresponding transducer. For example, thefirst transducer 28 a may emit an acoustic wave in a direction approximately perpendicular to a direction of travel of the piston 264 (e.g., perpendicular to the axial axis 250) along apath 266 toward the correspondingsecond transducer 28 b. The correspondingsecond transducer 28 b may detect the acoustic wave if thepiston 264 does not block thepath 266. Thus, detection of the acoustic wave at thesecond transducer 28 b and/or absence of detection of the acoustic wave at thesecond transducer 28 b may be indicative of a position (e.g., along the axial axis 250) of thepiston 264. In some embodiments, thetransducers 28 may be phased arrayultrasonic transducers 100 configured to operate in a pulse-echo mode and to determine the position of thepiston 264 based at least in part on an image of thepiston 264, in the manner discussed above with respect toFIG. 5 . - While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (3)
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US14/851,541 US9587461B1 (en) | 2015-09-11 | 2015-09-11 | Systems and methods for monitoring blowout preventer equipment |
PCT/US2016/051106 WO2017044848A1 (en) | 2015-09-11 | 2016-09-09 | Systems and methods for monitoring blowout preventer equipment |
US15/431,262 US9869404B2 (en) | 2015-09-11 | 2017-02-13 | Systems and methods for monitoring blowout preventer equipment |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
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US11401771B2 (en) * | 2020-04-21 | 2022-08-02 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Rotating control device systems and methods |
US20230184095A1 (en) * | 2021-12-15 | 2023-06-15 | Helmerich & Payne Technologies, Llc | Transducer assembly for oil and gas wells |
US11970933B2 (en) * | 2021-12-15 | 2024-04-30 | Helmerich & Payne Technologies, Llc | Transducer assembly for oil and gas wells |
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US11401771B2 (en) * | 2020-04-21 | 2022-08-02 | Schlumberger Technology Corporation | Rotating control device systems and methods |
US20230184095A1 (en) * | 2021-12-15 | 2023-06-15 | Helmerich & Payne Technologies, Llc | Transducer assembly for oil and gas wells |
US11970933B2 (en) * | 2021-12-15 | 2024-04-30 | Helmerich & Payne Technologies, Llc | Transducer assembly for oil and gas wells |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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US9587461B1 (en) | 2017-03-07 |
WO2017044848A1 (en) | 2017-03-16 |
US20170152967A1 (en) | 2017-06-01 |
US9869404B2 (en) | 2018-01-16 |
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