WO2012027476A4 - Leak detection and early warning system for capped or abandoned subsea wellheads - Google Patents

Leak detection and early warning system for capped or abandoned subsea wellheads Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012027476A4
WO2012027476A4 PCT/US2011/048974 US2011048974W WO2012027476A4 WO 2012027476 A4 WO2012027476 A4 WO 2012027476A4 US 2011048974 W US2011048974 W US 2011048974W WO 2012027476 A4 WO2012027476 A4 WO 2012027476A4
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
location
leaks
wellhead
electronic signal
vessels
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2011/048974
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2012027476A1 (en
Inventor
Stanley Hale
Original Assignee
Stanley Hale
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Stanley Hale filed Critical Stanley Hale
Priority to EP11820599.6A priority Critical patent/EP2635771A1/en
Publication of WO2012027476A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012027476A1/en
Publication of WO2012027476A4 publication Critical patent/WO2012027476A4/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/02—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
    • G01M3/04—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
    • G01M3/24—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations
    • G01M3/243—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations for 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
    • E21B47/00—Survey of boreholes or wells
    • E21B47/001—Survey of boreholes or wells for underwater installation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/14—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object using acoustic emission techniques
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/22—Details, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
    • G01N29/225—Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/22—Details, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
    • G01N29/24—Probes
    • G01N29/2481—Wireless probes, e.g. with transponders or radio links
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
    • G01N29/22—Details, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
    • G01N29/26—Arrangements for orientation or scanning by relative movement of the head and the sensor
    • G01N29/265—Arrangements for orientation or scanning by relative movement of the head and the sensor by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q9/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04Q—SELECTING
    • H04Q2209/00—Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems
    • H04Q2209/80—Arrangements in the sub-station, i.e. sensing device
    • H04Q2209/88—Providing power supply at the sub-station
    • H04Q2209/886—Providing power supply at the sub-station using energy harvesting, e.g. solar, wind or mechanical

Abstract

A method and apparatus for acoustic detection of potential and actual leaks in pipelines, particularly in subsea valves and wellheads in the oil and gas industry via broadband acoustic emissions sensors, and a means for communicating the existence, location and severity of said leaks via an electronic signal processor to above-sea monitoring facilities via cellular or other means in a quick and efficient manner.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS
Received by the International Bureau on 15.02.2012 (15.02.2012)
1 A method for detecting hydrocarbon leaks from subsea wellhead equipment consisting of :
broadband acoustic emission sensors
said broadband acoustic emission sensors being capable of detecting high frequency acoustic waves that are created by leaks in the wellhead equipment and that travel in the steel surface of the wellhead equipment away from the leak source location to the sensor and communicating the existence of leaks via average signal level,
an electronic signal processor
said electronic signal processer being capable of capturing the average signal level of the broadband acoustic emission sensor output and generating and transmitting data regarding leaks,
software
said software being capable of capturing data transmitted by the electronic signal processor, calculating the size of the leak based on the ASL level and generating a leakage alarm,
firmware
said firmware being capable of communicating the leakage alarm generated by the software to a surface monitoring facility such that responsible oil company personnel can tend to the leak in a timely manner. 2 The method for detecting hydrocarbon leaks from subsea wellhead equipment of claim 1 wherein the electronic signal processor can be wired to a surface structure or vessel such that the electronics can be continuously powered and connected to the monitoring station.
3 The method for detecting hydrocarbon leaks from subsea wellhead equipment of claim 1 wherein the wellhead location is remote from surface structures or vessels and the broadband acoustic sensors and electronic signal processor must be powered by a local power source such as a battery that may or may not be rechargeable.
4 The method of claim 3 wherein the wellhead location is remote from surface structures or vessels and the electronic signal processor must communicate to the monitoring station by wireless means such as by floating buoy and antenna that utilizes the existing cellular telephone infrastructure of the above sea location transmit leakage data to the monitoring facility.
5 The method of claim 3 wherein the wellhead location is remote from surface structures or vessels and outside of the range of cellular networks and the information must be communicated to a satellite and then to the monitoring facility.
6 The method of claim 3 wherein the wellhead location is remote from surface structures or vessels and the signal processing is performed at the subsea wellhead location and firmware and software in the system automatically calculate leakage level and release a floating ball or balloon that rapidly ascends to the surface where the leakage alarm is transmitted to the nearby cellular network and then to the monitoring station.
7 The method of claim 3 wherein the wellhead location is remote from surface structures or vessels and the signal processing is performed at the subsea wellhead location and firmware and software in the system automatically calculate leakage level and release a floating ball or balloon that rapidly ascends to the surface where the leakage alarm is transmitted to a satellite and relayed to the monitoring station.
PCT/US2011/048974 2010-08-24 2011-08-24 Leak detection and early warning system for capped or abandoned subsea wellheads WO2012027476A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP11820599.6A EP2635771A1 (en) 2010-08-24 2011-08-24 Leak detection and early warning system for capped or abandoned subsea wellheads

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US37632610P 2010-08-24 2010-08-24
US61/376,326 2010-08-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2012027476A1 WO2012027476A1 (en) 2012-03-01
WO2012027476A4 true WO2012027476A4 (en) 2012-04-26

Family

ID=45723792

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2011/048974 WO2012027476A1 (en) 2010-08-24 2011-08-24 Leak detection and early warning system for capped or abandoned subsea wellheads

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2635771A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2012027476A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US9798030B2 (en) * 2013-12-23 2017-10-24 General Electric Company Subsea equipment acoustic monitoring system
CA2962754A1 (en) * 2014-09-28 2016-03-31 Rheidiant, Inc. Pipeline wireless sensor network
CN105863604A (en) * 2016-05-26 2016-08-17 石家庄鼎存电子科技有限公司 Protective device for shut-down sealed motor-pumped well
BR112019000587A2 (en) 2016-07-14 2019-04-24 Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. method, computer-readable non-transient storage medium by computer and system
CN108729900B (en) * 2018-04-26 2021-11-16 中国科学院电工研究所 Self-powered underwater abandoned oil well monitoring system and monitoring method
GB201807489D0 (en) * 2018-05-08 2018-06-20 Sentinel Subsea Ltd Apparatus and method
CN108831139B (en) * 2018-06-04 2021-02-09 杭州电子科技大学 Offshore environment monitoring data transmission system based on multi-cable communication
CN109580354A (en) * 2018-12-29 2019-04-05 上海工程技术大学 A kind of acoustic emission signal acquisition analysis system of textile material
WO2022010777A2 (en) * 2020-07-06 2022-01-13 Ion Geophysical Corporation Well monitoring system for monitoring an subsea, sub-surface well
US11933163B1 (en) 2022-09-06 2024-03-19 Saudi Arabian Oil Company Landing base with extended pressure monitoring coverage

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL6609733A (en) * 1966-07-12 1968-01-15
US5533383A (en) * 1994-08-18 1996-07-09 General Electric Company Integrated acoustic leak detection processing system
GB2414756B (en) * 2001-07-12 2006-05-10 Sensor Highway Ltd Method and apparatus to monitor, control and log subsea wells
US7643945B2 (en) * 2006-12-28 2010-01-05 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Technique for acoustic data analysis

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2012027476A1 (en) 2012-03-01
EP2635771A1 (en) 2013-09-11

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