Monitoring of Undesirable Fluid Ingress into Subsea Control Modules

• US 20110018733A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Oil & Gas (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Vetco Gray Controls Limited (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Davis, Julian R., Derrick, Adrian John, Gill, Simon David
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/853.2
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0355 Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/001 for underwater installation
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/113 using electrical indications; using light radiations
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/18 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2036 Underwater
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7306 Electrical characteristic sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A subsea control module has a casing (1) inside which there is at least one pair of electrodes, there being electronic means (26-33) connected with the electrodes of the or each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed, the or each pair of electrodes comprising an array (19) in which each electrode of the pair has finger portions interleaved with finger portions of the other electrode.

Claims

1. A subsea control module having a casing inside which there is at least one pair of electrodes, there being electronic means connected with the electrodes of the or each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed, wherein the or each pair of electrodes comprises an array in which each electrode of the pair has finger portions interleaved with finger portions of the other electrode.

2. A control module according to claim 1, wherein there is at least one such array on a base of the casing.

3. A control module according to claim 2, wherein there is a plurality of such arrays on the base of the casing.

4. A control module according to claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of such arrays is at or near a respective corner of the casing.

5. A control module according to claim 1, wherein there is such an array disposed on a side wall of the casing and covering a zone of the side wall.

6. A control module according to claim 5, wherein said array disposed on a side wall covers a lower zone of the side wall.

7. A control module according to claim 6, wherein said array disposed on a side wall also covers a portion of the base of the casing.

8. A control module according to claim 7, wherein said portion of the base of the casing is at or near a corner of the casing.

9. A control module according to claim 5, wherein there is at least one further such array after said array disposed on a side wall of the casing, the or each further such array covering a respective zone up the side wall of the casing.

10. A control module according to claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical characteristic comprises at least one of resistance and capacitance.

11. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the or each array is disposed on a mat of electrically insulating material.

12. A control module according to claim 1, wherein said electronic means is provided by a subsea electronics module of the control module.

13. A subsea control module having a casing inside which there are a plurality of electrode pairs, there being electronic means connected with the electrodes of each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes of the pair as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed, wherein said electrode pairs are disposed on a base of the casing.

14. A control module according to claim 13, wherein there are a plurality of further electrode pairs, each of which covers a respective zone up a side wall of the casing, said electronic control means being connected with the electrodes of each of the further electrode pairs.

15. A control module according to claim 13, wherein said electronic means applies a signal between the electrodes of the or each pair of electrodes for selected periods of time at selected intervals.

16. A control module according to claim 13, including pressure sensing means for sensing the pressure of fluid in the casing for use in providing an indication of an increase in pressure due to fluid leakage within the casing.

17. A control module according to claim 13, including release means for releasing fluid from the casing in response to an increase in fluid pressure within the casing above a threshold.

18. A control module according to claim 17, further including a flowmeter coupled with said release means for providing an indication of the release of fluid.

23. A control module according to claim 13, wherein said at least one electrical characteristic comprises at least one of resistance and capacitance.

24. A control module according to claim 13, wherein the or each array is disposed on a mat of electrically insulating material.

25. A control module according to claim 13, wherein said electronic means is provided by a subsea electronics module of the control module.

26. A control module according to claim 13, wherein said electronic means applies a signal between the electrodes of the or each pair of electrodes for selected periods of time at selected intervals.

27. A control module according to claim 13, including pressure sensing means for sensing the pressure of fluid in the casing for use in providing an indication of an increase in pressure due to fluid leakage within the casing.

28. A control module according to claim 13, including release means for releasing fluid from the casing in response to an increase in fluid pressure within the casing above a threshold.

29. A control module according to claim 24, including a flowmeter coupled with said release means for providing an indication of the release of fluid.

19-22. -22. (canceled)