Apparatus and Method for Measuring Weight and Torque at Downhole Locations while Landing, Setting, and Testing Subsea Wellhead Consumables

• US 20120223839A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vetco Gray Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Vetco Gray Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Kobata, Francisco Kazuo, Perrucci, Lucas Antonio, Aymone, Rafael Romeiro, Alfano, Pedro Paulo
• Granted Patent: US 9,091,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/856.3
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/03 Well heads; Setting-up thereof
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/04 Casing heads; Suspending casings or tubings in well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/108 involving resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0076 Force sensors associated with manufacturing machines G01L5/0066, G01L5/0071 and B23Q17/09 take precedence; for the specific machine or operation involved see relevant class, e.g. B21 - B42
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/1627 of strain gauges using piezoresistors G01L5/162

Abstract

A dynamometer measures applied weight and torque at a running tool location and transmits the measured information to a drilling rig operator. The system includes a dynamometer stem having a bidirectional torque and weight sensor coupled inline to the drill string, and further coupled to the running tool, so that the dynamometer stem will measure an applied torque and weight at the running tool and produce a signal in response. The dynamometer stem communicatively couples to a receptor stem, so that the receptor stem may receive the signal from the dynamometer stem. The receptor stem couples inline to the drill string at a rotary table of the drilling rig, and further communicatively couples to a display located proximate to an operator of the drilling rig, so that the receptor stem may transmit the signal to the display. The display presents the signal in real time to the operator.

Claims

1. A system for running a subsea wellhead component, comprising:

a running tool having an upper end for coupling to a running string, the running tool adapted to carry and set the component;

a dynamometer stein having a bidirectional torque and weight sensor and adapted to be coupled inline to the running string, and further coupled to the running tool, so that the dynamometer stem will measure an applied torque and weight at the running tool and produce a signal in response;

a receptor stem adapted to be coupled inline to the running string above sea level;

the dynamometer stem being communicatively coupled to the receptor stem, so that the receptor stem may receive the signal from the dynamometer stem;

a display for presenting the signal in real time to the operator; and

the receptor stem being further communicatively coupled to the display located proximate to an operator of the drilling rig, so that the receptor stem may transmit the signal to the display.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dynamometer stem comprises:

a signal transmitter coupled to the torque and weight sensor, so that the signal transmitter supplies electric potential to the torque and weight sensor and receives a corresponding electric potential in response; and

the signal transmitter further coupled to the dynamometer stem, so that the signal transmitter may transmit the electric potential as a signal to the receptor stem.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receptor stem comprises:

a signal receptor coupled to the receptor stem to receive the signal produced by the dynamometer stem; and

the signal receptor further communicatively coupled to a receptor transmitter so that the signal received by the signal receptor may transmit to the display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal transmitter comprises an amplification circuit for receiving the signal from the torque and weight sensor and amplifying it for transmission.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicative coupling between the dynamometer stem and the receptor stem comprises an acoustic signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communicative coupling between the receptor stem and the display comprises a radio signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the bidirectional torque and weight sensor comprises:

a bidirectional load cell having at least eight strain gauges arranged into two wheatstone bridges;

two strain gauges bonded to the dynamometer stem parallel to a dynamometer axis on diametric sides of the dynamometer stem;

two strain gauges bonded to the dynamometer stem perpendicular to the dynamometer axis on diametric sides of they dynamometer stem, so that the parallel strain gauges and the perpendicular strain gauges may be communicatively coupled into a first wheatstone bridge to produce a voltage corresponding to a weight load applied to the dynamometer stern;

two strain gauges bonded to the dynamometer stem at a forty-five degree angle to an axis perpendicular to the dynamometer axis on diametric sides of the dynamometer stem; and

two strain gauges bonded to the dynamometer stem at a negative forty-five degree angle to the axis perpendicular to the dynamometer axis on diametric sides of they dynamometer stem, so that the strain gauges may be communicatively coupled into a second wheatstone bridge to produce a voltage corresponding to a torque load applied to the dynamometer stem.

8. A system for running a subsea wellhead component, comprising:

a running tool having an upper end for coupling to a running string, the running tool adapted to carry and set the component;

the running tool having a rotary device for exerting a setting force in response to rotation;

a dynamometer stem having a bidirectional load cell adapted to coupled inline to the running string and further coupled to the running tool;

a signal transmitter coupled to the dynamometer stem and the bidirectional load cell;

the signal transmitter configured to receive a plurality of signals from the bidirectional load cell;

a signal receptor coupled to the running string above sea level;

the signal transmitter being further communicatively coupled to the signal receptor such that a signal may transmit from the bidirectional load cell to the signal transmitter, and then to the signal receptor;

a display configured to present the signal in a manner understood by an operator and mounted such that an operator may visually monitor the display in real time; and

the signal receptor communicatively coupled to the display.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the torque and weight sensor comprises a bidirectional load cell having at least eight strain gauges arranged into two wheatstone bridges.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the communicative coupling between the transmitter and the receptor comprises an acoustic signal.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the communicative coupling between the receptor and the display comprises a radio signal.

12. A method for running a subsea wellhead device, comprising:

(a) providing a weight and torque sensing system coupled inline to a running string and a running tool connected to a subsea wellhead device;

(b) running the sensing system down a subsea riser and positioning the subsea wellhead device in engagement with a subsea wellhead assembly;

(c) operating the running tool to set the subsea device in the wellhead assembly;

(d) generating a signal in a bidirectional load cell of the weight and torque sensing system in response to the operating of the running tool;

(e) transmitting the signal from a bidirectional load cell of the sensing system to a display at the drilling rig;

then

(f) communicating the signal to a drilling rig operator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises rotating the running string to rotate a portion of the running to relative to the wellhead device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein step (d) comprises:

deforming a dynamometer stem of the sensing system, the deformation changing the resistance of the bidirectional load cell; and

generating the signal in response to the changed resistance.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein generating a signal comprises producing a voltage corresponding to a voltage applied to the bidirectional load cell and an applied load at the running tool.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

coupling a surface weight and torque sensing system to the drill string a level above sea level and while performing step (c);

generating a surface signal in a bidirectional load cell of the surface weight and torque sensing system in response to the operating of the running tool in step (c);

transmitting the surface signal from the bidirectional load cell of the surface weight and torque sensing system to a display at the drilling rig;

then

communicating the surface signal to the drilling rig operator.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises applying at least part of a weight of the running string to the subsea wellhead device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein step (c) comprises pulling upward on the running string after the subsea wellhead device has been set to test whether the subsea wellhead device is properly set.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

connecting a receiving unit into the running string at a position above sea level;

wherein

step (e) comprises acoustically transmitting the signal to the receiving unit.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein acoustically transmitting the signal comprises transmitting the signal through material of the running string.