Patent Application
20140102713
Conventional blow-out preventers (BOP) are generally limited in operational capability and operate based on hydraulics. When certain pressure conditions are detected, hydraulics within the blow-out preventers are activated to seal the well the BOP is attached to. These conventional BOPs have no processing capability, measurement capabilities, or communications capabilities.
A blow-out preventer (BOP) may be improved by having a subsea processing unit located underwater with the blow-out preventer. The processing unit may enable the blow-out preventer to function as a blow-out arrestor (BOA), because the processing unit may determine problem conditions exist that warrant taking action within the blow-out preventer to prevent and/or arrest a possible blow-out condition.
According to one embodiment, an apparatus may include an underwater drilling component, in which the underwater drilling component may include a physical receptor configured to receive a first processor unit, an inductive power device configured to transfer power to the first processor unit through the physical receptor, and a wireless communications system configured to communicate with the first processor unit through the physical receptor.
According to another embodiment, an apparatus may include a processor; an inductive power device coupled to the processor and configured to receive power for the processor; and a wireless communications system coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with an underwater drilling component.
According to yet another embodiment, a method of controlling an underwater drilling component may include receiving power, at a subsea processor, through an inductive coupling with the underwater drilling component, and communicating wirelessly, from the subsea processor, with the underwater drilling component to control the underwater drilling component.
According to a further embodiment, an apparatus may include at least one subsea component of an underwater drilling tool; and at least one subsea processor configured to wirelessly communicate with the subsea component, in which the at least one subsea component and the at least one subsea processor are configured to communicate according to a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme.
According to another embodiment, a system may include at least one subsea component of an underwater drilling tool; at least two subsea processors configured to communicate with the at least one subsea component; and a shared communications bus between the at least one subsea component and the at least two subsea processors comprising a subsea network, in which the at least two subsea processors are configured to communicate on the shared communications bus according to a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme.
According to yet another embodiment, a method may include receiving data, at a subsea processor, from a subsea component of an underwater drilling tool; processing the received data, at the subsea processor, to determine a command to control the subsea component; and transmitting the command, from the subsea processor, to the subsea component through a shared communications bus according to a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme in a subsea network.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features that are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.
The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present disclosure. The disclosure may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments.
A blow-out preventer (BOP) may be improved by having a subsea processing unit located underwater with the blow-out preventer. The processing unit may enable the blow-out preventer to function as a blow-out arrestor (BOA), because the processing unit may determine problem conditions exist that warrant taking action within the blow-out preventer to prevent and/or arrest a possible blow-out condition.
A receptor on the BOP may be designed to provide easy access to the processing unit for quick installation and replacement of the processing unit while the BOP is underwater. The receptor is illustrated as a receptor 102 in
According to particular embodiments of the receptor 102, the receptor 102 may operate the BOP without electrical contact with the BOP. For example, an inductive power system may be incorporated in the BOP and an inductive receiver embedded in the processing unit 104. Power may then be delivered from a power source on the BOP, such as an undersea battery, to operate the circuit 106 within the processing unit 104. In another example, the BOP may communicate wirelessly with the circuit 106 in the processing unit 104. The communications may be, for example, by radio frequency (RF) communications.
Communications with the processing unit 104, and particularly the circuit 106 within the processing unit 104, may include conveyance of data from sensors within the BOP to the circuit 106 and conveyance of commands from the circuit 106 to devices within the BOP. The sensors may include devices capable of measuring composition and volume of mud and devices for kick detection. The sensors may be read by the processing unit 104 and used to determine action within the BOP. Although the BOP is referred to herein, the processing unit 104 may be attached to other undersea apparatuses. Additionally, although sensors and devices within the BOP are described herein, the circuit 106 may send and transmit data to other undersea devices not attached to the same apparatus as the processing unit 104.
The receptor 102 decreases the challenges associated with installing and maintaining the BOP. For example, because there are no physical connections between the processing unit 104 and the receptor 102, a new processing unit may easily be inserted into the receptor 102. This replacement action is easy for an underwater vehicle, such as a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), to complete.
Further, because there are no physical connections between the processing unit 104 and the receptor 102, the processing unit 104 may be manufactured as a single piece unit. For example, the processing unit 104 may be manufactured by a three-dimensional printer, which can incorporate the circuit 106 into the processing unit 104. Because the processing unit 104 may be manufactured as a single piece, without construction seams, the processing unit 104 may be robust and capable of withstanding the harsh conditions in deep underwater drilling operations, such as the high water pressure present in deep waters.
When the circuit 106 of the processing unit 104 includes memory, the processing unit 104 may function as a black box for recording operations underwater. In the event a catastrophic event occurs, the processing unit 104 may be recovered and data from the processing unit 104 captured to better understand the events leading up to the catastrophic event and how efforts to prevent and/or handle the catastrophic event assisted in the recovery efforts.
A block diagram for implementing the processing unit 104 in an undersea system is illustrated in
The processing units 202a-202c may be configured to follow a majority vote. That is, all of the processing units 202a-202c may receive data from sensors within the BOP 208. Then, each of the processing units 202a-202c may determine a course of action for the BOP 208 using independent logic circuitry. Each of the processing units 202a-202c may then communicate their decisions and the course of action agreed upon by a majority (e.g., two out of three) of the processing units 202a-202c may be executed.
Having multiple processing units on the LMRP 204, or other location in the BOP stack, also reduces the likelihood of failure of the LMRP 204 due to malfunctioning of the processing units. That is, fault tolerance is increased by the presence of multiple processing units. If any one, or even two, of the processing units 202a-202c fail, there remains a processing unit to continue to operate the BOP 208.
The processing units 202a-202c may also communicate wirelessly with a computer 210 located on the surface. For example, the computer 210 may have a user interface to allow an operator to monitor conditions within the BOP 208 as measured by the processing units 202a-202c. The computer 210 may also wirelessly issue commands to the processing units 202a-202c. Further, the computer 210 may reprogram the processing units 202a-202c through wireless communications. For example, the processing units 202a-202c may include a flash memory, and new logic functions may be programmed into the flash memory from the computer 210. According to one embodiment, the processing units 202a-202c may be initially programmed to operate the rams 206 by completely opening or completely closing the rams 206 to shear a drilling pipe. The processing units 202a-202c may later be reprogrammed to allow variable operation of the rams 206, such as to partially close the rams 206. Although the computer 210 may interface with the processing units 202a-202c, the processing units 202a-202c may function independently in the event communications with the computer 210 is lost.
The processing units 202a-202c may issue commands to various undersea devices, such as the BOP 208, through electronic signals. That is, a conducting wire may couple the receptor for the processing units 202a-202c to the device. A wireless signal containing a command may be conveyed from the processing units 202a-202c to the receptor and then through the conducting wire to the device. The processing units 202a-202c may issue a sequence of commands to devices in the BOP 208 by translating a command received from the computer 210 into a series of smaller commands.
The processing units 202a-202c may also issue commands to various undersea devices through a hybrid hydraulic-electronic connection. That is, a wireless signal containing a command may be conveyed from the processing units 202a-202c to the receptor and then converted to hydraulic signals that are transferred to the BOP 208 or other undersea devices.
An independent processor on a BOP, such as the processing units 202a-202c on the BOP 208, may provide additional advantages to the BOP, such as reduced maintenance of the BOP. BOPs may be recalled to the surface at certain intervals to verify the BOP is functional, before an emergency situation occurs requiring the BOP to arrest a blow-out. Recalling the BOP to the surface places the well out of service while the BOP is being serviced. Further, significant effort is required to recall the BOP to the surface. Many times these maintenance events are unnecessary, but without communications to the BOP the status of the BOP is unknown, and thus the BOP is recalled periodically for inspection.
When the processing units 202a-202c are located with the BOP 208 and in communication with sensors within the BOP 208, the processing units 202a-202c may determine when the BOP 208 should be serviced. That is, the BOP 208 may be programmed with procedures to verify operation of components of the BOP 208, such as the rams 206. The verification procedures may include cutting a sample pipe, measuring pressure signatures, detecting wear, and/or receiving feedback from components (e.g., that the rams are actually closed when instructed to close). The verification procedures may be executed at certain times, and the BOP 208 may not be recalled unless a problem is discovered by the verification procedures. Thus, the amount of time spent servicing the BOP 208 may be reduced.
The processing units may be implemented in a hybrid wireless system having some wired connections to the surface, such as shown in the block diagram of
In one embodiment, a wired communications system may interconnect the processing units 202a-c of
At block 506, the data signal 402 and the power signal 404 may be combined to create a combined power and data signal. For example, referring to
According to one embodiment, the power and data coupling component 410 may inductively couple the data signal 402 and the power signal 404. For example, the power and data coupling component 410 may inductively modulate the power signal 404 with the data signal 402. In one embodiment, the power and data coupling component 410 may utilize a broadband over power lines (BPL) standard to couple the data signal 402 and the power signal 404. In another embodiment, the power and data coupling component 410 may utilize a digital subscriber line (DSL) standard to couple the data signal 402 and the power signal 404 together.
Returning to
In one embodiment, the combined power and data signals 412a-412c may be transmitted without stepping up and/or down the voltage of signals 412a-c, in which case transformer blocks 414 and 416 may be bypassed or not present. In another embodiment, the redundant combined power and data signals 412a-412c may have their voltage stepped up via transformer block 414 prior to transmitting the combined power and data signals 412a-412c to the BOP and/or other components near the sea bed. The redundant combined power and data signals 412a-412c may have their voltage stepped down via transformer block 416 upon receipt at the BOP or other components located at the sea bed. Each transformer block may include a separate transformer pair for each combined power and data line 412a-412c. For example, transformer block 414 may include transformer pairs 414a-414c to match the number of redundant combined power and data signals 412a-412c being transmitted to the BOP control operating system network/components at the sea bed. As another example, transformer block 416 may include transformer pairs 416a-416c to also match the number of redundant combined power and data signals 412a-412c transmitted to the BOP or other components at the sea bed.
According to one embodiment, the transformer block 414 may be located at the offshore platform/drilling rig to step up the voltage of combined power and data signals 412a-412c transmitted to the sea bed. The transformer block 416 may be located near the sea bed and may be coupled to the BOP to receive the combined power and data signals 412a-412c transmitted from the offshore platform.
After being received by the BOP, the combined power and data signal 412 may be separated to separate the data signal from the power signal with a power and data decoupling component 420. Separating the data signal from the power signal after the combined power and data signal 412 is received at the BOP may include inductively decoupling the data signal from the power signal to create power signals 422a-422c and the data signals may be data signals 424a-424c. According to one embodiment, the power and data decoupling component 420 may separate the data and power signals by inductively demodulating the received combined power and data signals 412a-412c. After separating the power and data signals to obtain power signals 422a-422c and data signals 424a-424c, the signals may be distributed to the subsea CPUs 426a-426f or other components of a BOP or LMRP as shown in section 408.
As described above, the voltage may be stepped up for transmission of power to a BOP. Likewise, the frequency may be increased for distribution to components in section 408 of a BOP, including subsea processors 426a-426f. The use of high frequency power distribution may reduce the size and weight of the transformers used for transmitting signals.
Returning to
The high frequency AC power signal may be rectified after being transmitted to create a DC power signal, and the DC power signal may be distributed to different components within section 408 of
The subsea CPUs 426a-426f may execute control applications that control various functions of a BOP, including electrical and hydraulic systems. For example, the subsea CPU 426a may control a ram shear of a BOP, while the subsea CPU 426e may executes a sensor application that monitors and senses a pressure in the well. In some embodiments, a single subsea CPU may perform multiple tasks. In other embodiments, subsea CPUs may be assigned individual tasks. The various tasks executed by subsea CPUs are described in more detail with reference to
Redundancy may be incorporated into the system 700. For example, each of the power and communications decoupling units 712a-712c may be coupled on a different branch of the power and communications line 720. In addition, component groups may be organized to provide redundancy. For example, a first group of components may include a power and communications decoupling unit 712a, a subsea CPU 714a, and a hydraulic device 716a. A second group of components may include a power and communications decoupling unit 712b, a subsea CPU 714b, and a hydraulic device 716b. The second group may be arranged in parallel with the first group. When one of the components in the first group of components fails or exhibits a fault, the BOP function may still be available with the second group of components providing control of the BOP function.
The subsea CPUs may manage primary processes including well control, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) intervention, commanded and emergency connect or disconnect, pipe hold, well monitoring, status monitoring, and/or pressure testing. The subsea CPUs may also perform prognostics and diagnostics of each of these processes.
The subsea CPUs may log data for actions, events, status, and conditions within a BOP. This logging capability may allow for advanced prognostic algorithms, provide information for continuously improving quality processes, and/or provide detailed and automated input for failure mode analysis. The data logging application may also provide an advanced and distributed data logging system that is capable of reproducing, in a simulation environment, the exact behavior of a BOP system when the data logs are run offline. In addition, a built-in memory storage system may act as a black box for the BOP such that information stored in it can be used for system forensics at any time. The black box functionality may allow for self-testing or self-healing by a BOP employed within the BOP control operating system with a control application, as disclosed herein. Each state-based activity (actions, triggers, events, sensor states, and so on) may be registered in the advanced data logging system so that any functional period of the BOP may be replayed online or offline.
Various communications schemes may be employed for communication between subsea CPUs and/or between subsea CPUs and other components of the subsea network, the onshore network, and the offshore network. For example, data may be multiplexed onto a common data bus. In one embodiment, time division multiple access (TDMA) may be employed between components and applications executing on those components. Such a communication/data transfer scheme allows information, such as sensing data, control status, and results, to be made available on a common bus. In one embodiment, each component, including the subsea CPUs, may transmit data at predetermined times and the data accessed by all applications and components. By having a time slot for communication exchange, the possibility of data loss due to queuing may be reduced or eliminated. Moreover, if any of the sensor/components fail to produce the data at their specified timeslot, the system may detect the anomaly within a fixed time interval, and any urgent/emergency process can be activated.
In one embodiment, a communication channel between components may be a passive local area network (LAN), such as a broadcast bus that transports one message at a time. Access to the communication channel may be determined by a time division multiple access (TDMA) scheme in which timing is controlled by a clock synchronization algorithm using common or separate real-time clocks.
Applications executing on subsea CPUs may also share time slots of a shared communications bus in a similar manner.
Applications 902a-902n may be configured to perform a variety of functions associated with control, monitoring, and/or analysis of a BOP. For example, an application 902 may be configured as a sensor application to sense hydrostatic pressure associated with a BOP. In another example, the application 902 may be configured to perform a diagnostic and/or prognostic analysis of the BOP. In a further example, an application 902 may couple to a BOP and process parameters associated with a BOP to identify an error in the current operation of the BOP. The process parameters monitored may include pressure, hydraulic fluid flow, temperature, and the like. Coupling of an application to a structure, such as a BOP or offshore drilling rig, may include installation and execution of software associated with the application by a processor located on the BOP or the offshore drilling rig, and/or actuation of BOP functions by the application while the application executes on a processor at a different location.
A BOP control operating system may include an operating system application 902j to manage the control, monitoring, and/or analysis of a BOP with the applications 902a-902n. According to one embodiment, the operating system application 902j may broker communications between the applications 902a-902n.
The system 900 may include a subsea central processing unit (CPU) 906a at the sea bed and may be assigned to application 902a. The system 900 may also include a command and control unit (CCU) 908a, which may be a processor coupled to an offshore drilling rig in communication with the BOP, and may be assigned to application 902c. The system 900 may also include a personal computer (PC) 910a coupled to an onshore control station in communication with the offshore drilling rig and/or the BOP, which may be assigned to application 902e. By assigning a processing resource to an application, the processing resource may execute the software associated with the application and/or provide hardware logical circuitry configured to implement the application.
Each of the subsea CPUs 906a-906c may communicate with one another via the subsea bus 912. Each of the CCUs 908a-908c may communicate with one another via the surface bus 914. Each of the PCs 910a-910c may communicate with one another via the onshore bus 916. Each of the buses 912-916 may be a wired or wireless communication network. For example, the subsea bus 912 may be a fiber optical bus employing an Ethernet communication protocol, the surface bus 914 may be a wireless link employing a Wi-Fi communication protocol, and the onshore bus 916 may be a wireless link employing a TCP/IP communication protocol. Each of the subsea CPUs 906a-906c may be in communication with the subsea bus 912.
Communication between applications is not limited to communication in the local subsea communication network 912, the surface communication network 914, or the onshore communication network 916. For example, an application 902a implemented by the subsea CPU 906a may communicate with an application 902f implemented by the PC 910c via the subsea bus 912, a riser bridge 918, the surface bus 914, a SAT bridge 920, and the onshore bus 916. In one embodiment, the riser bridge 918 may be a communication network bridge that allows communication between the subsea network 912 and local water surface network 914. The SAT bridge 920 may be a communication network bridge that allows communication between the surface network 914 and the onshore network 916, and the SAT bridge 920 may include a wired communication medium or a wireless communication medium. Therefore, in some embodiments, applications 902a-902n associated with the subsea network 912 may communicate with applications 902a-902n implemented anywhere in the world because of the global reach of onshore communication networks that may make up the SAT bridge 920. For example, the SAT bridge 920 may include a satellite network, such as a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) network, and/or the Internet. Accordingly, the processing resources that may be allocated to an application 902 may include any processor located anywhere in the world as long as the processor has access to a global communication network, such as VSAT, and/or the Internet.
An example of scheduling the transfer of information from the plurality of applications onto a shared bus is shown in
At block 1004, a time slot for information transfer may be allocated to each of the applications. The applications may transfer information onto he bus during the time slot. In some embodiments, an application may be able to transfer information onto the bus during time slots allocated to other applications, such as during emergency situations. The time slot during which an application may transfer data may be periodic and may repeat after a time period equal to the sum of all the time slots allocated to applications for information transfer.
Referring to
According to an embodiment, time span 922 may represent all the time needed for every application in the system to be allocated a time slot. Each of the time slots may or may not be equal durations. For example, a first time slot may be 10 ms, while a second time slot may be 15 ms. In other embodiments, each of the time slots may be of the same duration. The allocation of a time slot and the duration of a time slot may be dependent on the information associated with the application. For example, an application configured to monitor hydraulic functions of the BOP may be assigned more time than an application that simply reads information from a memory. Each of the applications may have a clock that synchronizes each of the applications.
Returning to
The applications 902a-g may control a BOP autonomously according to pre-programmed models.
A display representative of the identified model may be outputted at a user interface. The user interface may include a user interface for the BOP at the sea bed, a user interface for communicating from an offshore drilling rig to the BOP, and/or a user interface for communicating from an onshore control station to the offshore drilling rig and/or the first BOP. The user interface may be one of the applications 902a-902n of
According to an embodiment, user input may be received at the user interface, and the controlling of the first function of the BOP may be based on the received input. According to another embodiment, parameters associated with the BOP may be received and processed with at least one of a processor coupled to the BOP at the sea bed, a processor coupled to an offshore drilling rig in communication with the BOP, and a processor coupled to an onshore control station in communication with the offshore drilling rig and/or the BOP. The controlling of the first function of the BOP may then be performed based on the processing of the received parameters. In some embodiments, the BOP may include a live running BOP, such as a BOP in operation at the sea bed, and the model may include a real-time model for the live-running BOP. If the BOP is a live-running BOP, then the controlling of the functions of the BOP may happen in real-time based on user input provided at a user interface and/or processing of parameters associated with the first BOP.
Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the present invention, disclosure, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/715,113 to Jose Gutierrez filed on Oct. 17, 2012 and entitled “Subsea CPU for Underwater Drilling Operations,” and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/718,061 to Jose Gutierrez filed on Oct. 24, 2012 and entitled “Improved Subsea CPU for Underwater Drilling Operations,” and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/883,623 to Luis Pereira filed on Sep. 27, 2013 and entitled “Next Generation Blowout Preventer (BOP) Control Operating System and Communications,” each of which is incorporated by reference in their entirety.
This invention was made with Government support under Work for Others Agreement No. NFE-12-04104 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61715113 | Oct 2012 | US | |
| 61718061 | Oct 2012 | US | |
| 61883623 | Sep 2013 | US |
