Apparatus and methods for evaluating systems associated with wellheads

• US 10,018,031 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPM Oil & Gas Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SPM Flow Control Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hunter, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US15/211,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20160326860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

According to one aspect, data identifying a component is received, wherein the component is part of a system associated with a wellhead. A location at which the component is positioned relative to one or more other components is identified. The useful remaining operational life of the component is predicted based on at least an operational parameter specific to the location, and the operational history of the component or one or more components equivalent thereto. According to another aspect, a model representing at least a portion of a proposed system associated with a wellhead is generated, the model comprising a plurality of objects, each of which has a proposed location and represents an existing component. The useful remaining operational life for each object is predicted based on an operational parameter at the corresponding proposed location, and data associated with the respective operational history of the existing component.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, using a computer, data associated with a first group of components, the first group of components being part of a system associated with a wellhead and being positioned at a first location relative to the wellhead,

wherein receiving the data associated with the first group of components comprises;

receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the first group of components,

receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the first location;

receiving, using a computer, data associated with a second group of components, the second group of components being part of the system associated with the wellhead and being positioned at a second location relative to the wellhead, the second location being different from the first location,

wherein receiving the data associated with the second group of components comprises;

receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the second group of components,

receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the second location;

wherein the respective data received from the first and second groups of components are received in a predetermined order, the predetermined order requiring that the data from the first group of components be received before the data from the second group of components;

predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the first location, and

the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto; and

predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the second group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the second location, and

the operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the components in the first group of components are in fluid communication with another portion of the system associated with the wellhead.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system associated with the wellhead is a system for pumping fluid to the wellhead.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

graphically displaying, using a computer, a model of at least a portion of the system associated with the wellhead;

wherein the model represents the first group of components located at the first location and the second group of components located at the second location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data identifying the first

component in the first group of components comprises receiving data associated with a first reading of a first identifier that is coupled to the first component in the first group of components;

and

wherein receiving data associated with the first reading of the first identifier comprises;

coupling the first identifier to the first component in the first group of components;

positioning at least one reader in the vicinity of the first component in the first group of components; and

reading the first identifier using the at least one reader to thereby obtain the first reading.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first identifier comprises an RFID tag;

and wherein the at least one reader is an RFID reader.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one reader comprises a display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational parameter specific to the first location is selected from a group consisting of a fluid flow rate through the first component in the first group of components, a fluid pressure within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of media within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of proppant within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of sand within the first component in the first group of components, and a time period during which fluid is to be pumped through the first component in the first group of components.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first operational parameter specific to the first location specifies a value or range of values;

and

wherein receiving data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components comprises;

receiving data associated with measurements of one or more wear life attributes of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto taken against time and under one or more operational parameters, the one or more operational parameters having the same, or different, values or ranges of values than that specified by the first operational parameter specific to the first location; and

storing the data associated with the wear life attribute measurements and the one or more operational parameters made thereunder; and

querying the stored data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components comprises:

determining a wear trend for the first component in the first group of components based on at least the first operational parameter specific to the first location and the data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto; and

predicting the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components using the wear trend.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, using the computer, data associated with a third group of components, the third group of components being part of the system associated with the wellhead and being positioned at a third location relative to the wellhead, the third location being different from the first and second locations;

wherein receiving the data associated with the third group of components comprises;

receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the third group of components,

receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the third location;

wherein the respective data received from the first, second, and third groups of components are received in the predetermined order, the predetermined order further requiring that the data associated with the second group of components be received before the data associated with the third group of components;

and

predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the third group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the third location, and

the operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a first group of components,

wherein the first group of components is part of a system associated with a wellhead and is positioned at a first location relative to the wellhead,

wherein the instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with the first group of components comprise;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data identifying a first component in the first group of components,

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with an operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the first location;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a second group of components,

wherein the second group of components is part of the system associated with the wellhead and is positioned at a second location relative to the wellhead, the second location being different from the first location;

wherein the instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with the second group of components comprise;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data identifying a first component in the second group of components,

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with an operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the second location;

wherein the respective data received from the first and second groups of components are received in a predetermined order, the predetermined order requiring that the data from the first group of components be received before the data from the second group of components;

instructions that cause the processor to predict the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the first location, and

the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto;

and

instructions that cause the processor to predict the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the second group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the second location, and

the operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the system associated with the wellhead is a system for pumping fluid to the wellhead.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a first identifier adapted to be coupled to the first component in the first group of components; and

at least one reader adapted to read the first identifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first identifier is an RFID tag;

and

wherein the at least one reader is an RFID reader.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one reader comprises a display.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to receive the data identifying the first component in the first group of components comprise instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a first reading of a first identifier that is coupled to the first component in the first group of components.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first operational parameter associated with the first location is selected from the group consisting of a fluid flow rate through the first component in the first group of components, a fluid pressure within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of media within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of proppant within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of sand within the first component in the first group of components, and a time period during which fluid is to be pumped through the first component in the first group of components.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first operational parameter specific to the first location specifies a value or range of values;

and

wherein the operational history of the first component in the first group of components indicates a wear life of the first component in the first group of components; and

wherein instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components comprise;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with measurements of one or more wear life attributes of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto taken against time and under one or more operational parameters, the one or more operational parameters having the same, or different, values or ranges of values than that specified by the first operational parameter specific to the first location; and

instructions that cause the processor to store the data associated with the wear life attribute measurements and the one or more operational parameters made thereunder; and

instructions that cause the processor to query the stored data.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to predict the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components comprise:

instructions that cause the processor to determine a wear trend for the first component in the first group of components based on at least the first operational parameter specific to the first location and the data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto; and

instructions that cause the processor to predict the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components using the wear trend.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises instructions that cause the processor to graphically display a model of at least a portion of the system associated with the wellhead;

wherein the model represents the first group of components located at the first location and the second group of components located at the second location.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of instructions further comprises:

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a third group of components, the third group of components being part of the system associated with the wellhead and being positioned at a third location relative to the wellhead, the third location being different from the first and second locations;

wherein the instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with the third group of components comprise;

instructions that cause the processor to receive data identifying a first component in the third group of components,

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with an operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and

instructions that cause the processor to receive data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the third location;

wherein the respective data received from the first, second, and third groups of components are received in the predetermined order, the predetermined order further requiring that the data associated with the second group of components be received before the data associated with the third group of components;

and

instructions that cause the processor to predict the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the third group of components based on at least;

the first operational parameter specific to the third location, and

the operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.