Well equipment inspection and monitoring process

• US 20040078306A1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPI Technology Services LP (Cardno Limited)
• Original Assignee: PPI Technology Services LP (Cardno Limited)
• Inventors: Wakefield, James P., Whiteley, Thomas G., Sullivan, Ben R., Davis, Bruce Edward, Thomas, Ronald Duane
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,296 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Items of equipment and assemblies for use in drilling or completion of a well or in other well operations are monitored from the time they are assembled for shipment to a particular well site for a job through the time of delivery and installation at the well site. Radio frequency identifier devices (RFID'"'"'s) are mounted with the items to electronically tag them as they are assembled for shipment. The items are assembled into containers which can be readily inventoried during transit to detect loss or pilferage. Detailed information about the individual items can be encoded into the RFID at the time of electronic tagging. If desired, the shipping containers can be provided with separate RFID'"'"'s detailing the particular items within the container and the progress of the shipment monitored remotely by satellite or the like.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring the shipments of well equipment components during transport and storage for a well job for use, comprising the steps of:

encoding information about the components of the shipment into radio frequency identifiers;

attaching radio frequency identifiers with information about the components to the respective components;

assembling the components and attached radio frequency identifiers for the well job into one or more modules; and

monitoring the radio frequency identifiers of the assembled components during storage and shipment to the well job.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

forming a record of the results of monitoring the radio frequency identifiers of the assembled components.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

encoding information about the one or modules into radio frequency identifiers; and

attaching radio frequency identifiers with information about the modules to the respective modules.

4. The method of claim 3, further including the step of:

monitoring the radio frequency identifiers with information about the modules during storage and shipment to the well job.

5. The method of claim 4 further including the step of:

forming a record of the results of monitoring the radio frequency identifiers with information about the modules.

6. The method of claim 4, further including the step of:

transmitting the results of monitoring the radio frequency identifiers with information about the modules to a control location.

7. The method of claim 3, further including the step of:

monitoring the radio frequency identifiers with information about the equipment during storage and shipment to the well job.

8. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

transmitting the results of monitoring the radio frequency identifiers with information about the equipment to a control location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

dimensional specifications for the component.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

material composition of the component.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

quality control information for the component.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

an identifier number for the component.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

a supply source.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

shipment information for the component.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoded information for a component includes:

planned location in the well of the component.

16. An identifier mechanism for an item of well equipment having at least one threaded connector, the identifier mechanism containing information about the equipment during its transport to a well job, the identifier comprising:

a radio frequency identifier indicating information when activated;

a storage memory in the radio frequency identifier device containing information about the item of well equipment.

a thread protector assembly adapted to be mounted on the threaded connector of the item of well equipment; and

the radio frequency identifier device being contained in the thread protector assembly.

17. The identifier mechanism of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency identifier is molded into the thread protector assembly.

18. The identifier mechanism of claim 16, wherein the radio frequency device is embedded into the thread protector assembly,