Autonomous blowout preventer
First Claim
1. A monitoring system for a subsea BOP, said subsea BOP defining a bore through said subsea BOP, said subsea BOP comprising a ram, said subsea BOP being operable to receive a string of pipe moveable within said bore, said string of pipe comprising a plurality of pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said pipe connectors, said monitoring system comprising:
- at least one computer;
at least one program operable on said at least one computer to control an activation timing of said subsea BOP;
a plurality of sensors circumferentially spaced around said subsea BOP, wherein said at least one program is operable to utilize signals from said plurality of sensors to indicate when a pipe body is centered or off center within said bore of said subsea BOP; and
wherein said at least one program is operable to utilize signals from said plurality of sensors to indicate when a pipe body from said plurality of pipe bodies is positioned proximate said ram.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous BOP system is provided for stopping an uncontrolled flow of formation hydrocarbons comprising two or more sensors distributed along a length of a subsea blowout preventer to monitor a drill pipe inside a blowout preventer and measure critical parameters. A subsea computer using predictive-software monitors a blowout preventer along with material critical parameters and calculates a blowout preventer configuration and sequence to arrest a well blowout. Blowout preventer components are fine-tuned and operational modes are added to aid an arrest of a well blowout under realistic conditions.
75 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A monitoring system for a subsea BOP, said subsea BOP defining a bore through said subsea BOP, said subsea BOP comprising a ram, said subsea BOP being operable to receive a string of pipe moveable within said bore, said string of pipe comprising a plurality of pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said pipe connectors, said monitoring system comprising:
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at least one computer; at least one program operable on said at least one computer to control an activation timing of said subsea BOP; a plurality of sensors circumferentially spaced around said subsea BOP, wherein said at least one program is operable to utilize signals from said plurality of sensors to indicate when a pipe body is centered or off center within said bore of said subsea BOP; and wherein said at least one program is operable to utilize signals from said plurality of sensors to indicate when a pipe body from said plurality of pipe bodies is positioned proximate said ram. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A monitoring system for a subsea BOP, said subsea BOP defining a bore through said subsea BOP, said subsea BOP comprising a ram, said subsea BOP being operable to receive a string of pipe moveable through said bore, said string of pipe comprising a plurality of drill pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said drill pipe connectors, comprising:
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a computer operatively connected to control opening and closing of said ram; and a plurality of groups of sensors, each group of sensors being mounted circumferentially around said subsea BOP, sensors from said plurality of groups of sensors being positioned at different locations spaced along an axis through said bore,said computer being programmed to utilize said plurality of groups of sensors to determine centered or off centered positions of at least one of said plurality of pipe bodies at said different locations. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A monitoring system for a subsea BOP, said subsea BOP defining a bore through said subsea BOP, said subsea BOP comprising a ram, said subsea BOP being operable to receive a string of pipe moveable within said bore, said string of pipe comprising a plurality of drill pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said plurality of drill pipe connectors, said monitoring system comprising:
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at least one computer with at least one sensor mounted in said subsea BOP to monitor a plurality of parameters of said string of pipe inside said subsea BOP; and at least one program being executed on said at least one computer to initiate an activation of said ram to cut said string of pipe, said activation partially controlled by said plurality of parameters of said string of pipe monitored by said at least one sensor mounted in said subsea BOP; and said at least one computer being programmed to utilize said at least one sensor to determine when said string of pipe is centered or off center within said bore through said subsea BOP. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A monitoring system for a BOP defining a bore through said BOP operable to receive a string of drill pipe, said string of drill pipe string comprising a plurality of drill pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said drill pipe connectors, said monitoring system comprising:
sensors from a plurality of groups of sensors being positioned at a plurality of different locations spaced along an axis of a bore through said BOP, a computer that is programmed to utilize said plurality of groups of sensors to determine when at least one of said plurality of pipe bodies is centered or off center within said bore through said BOP at said plurality of different locations.
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25. A monitoring system for a BOP defining a bore through said BOP operable to receive a string of drill pipe, said BOP comprising a ram, said string of drill pipe comprising a plurality of drill pipe connectors and a plurality of pipe bodies between said drill pipe connectors, comprising:
a plurality of groups of sensors comprising sensors positioned at a plurality of different locations along an axis of a bore though said BOP, said plurality of groups of sensors being operable to detect a metallic object moving through said bore, a computer programmed to utilize said plurality of groups of sensors to determine when a metallic object is centered or off center within said bore through said BOP at said plurality of different locations. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
Specification