Arrangement and Method for Controlling and/or Monitoring a Subsea Device

• US 20130307699A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy AS (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Brekke, Endre, Horten, Vegard
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/850
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25142 Lan between host and main controller, other network between main and sub controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25232 DCS, distributed control system, decentralised control unit
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer

Abstract

An arrangement for controlling and/or monitoring at least one subsea device may include: a first level node communicatively, in particular electrically and/or fiberoptically connectable to an equipment above a sea surface of a sea; at least one second level node communicatively, e.g., electrically and/or fiberoptically connected to the first level node and electrically connectable to the at least one subsea device, wherein the first level node and the at least one second level node are arrangeable at a sea bottom of the sea. A corresponding method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. Arrangement for controlling and/or monitoring at least one subsea device, the arrangement comprising:

a first level node electrically or fiberoptically connectable to an equipment above a sea surface of a sea for communications with the equipment; and

at least one second level node electrically or fiberoptically, connected to the first level node and electrically connectable to the at least one subsea device,

wherein the first level node and the at least one second level node are configured for arrangement at a sea bottom of the sea.

2. Arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a subsea data bus via which the second level node electrically or fiberoptically connected to the first level node.

3. Arrangement of claim 1, further comprising at least one data interface, wherein the at least one second level node is adapted to communicate with the at least one subsea device using the at least one data interface.

4. Arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one second level node is configured to communicate with at least one of a sensor generating a measurement signal and an actuator provided in the at least one subsea device.

5. Arrangement of claim 4,

wherein the at least one second level node comprises a first second level node and a second second level node, and

wherein the first level node is adapted:

to receive a measurement signal from a sensor included in a first device of the at least one subsea device, and

to transmit a control signal to an actuator included in a second device of the at least one subsea device,

wherein the control signal is based on the measurement signal.

6. Arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first level node comprises:

a topside communication section for communicating with the equipment above the sea surface of the sea,

a processing section for processing a measurement signal received from the at least one second level node and for generating a control signal for transmission to the at least one second level node, and

a second level communication section for communicating the measurement signal and the control signal with the at least one second level node.

7. Arrangement of claim 6, wherein the first level node further comprises a water sealed container enclosing at least one of the topside communication system, the processing section, and the second level communication section.

8. Arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first level node is connected to the at least one second level node in a star configuration or a ring configuration or a line configuration.

9. Arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first level node is configurable from the equipment above the sea surface of the sea.

10. Arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement is adapted for controlling and/or monitoring at least one subsea device, wherein the at least one subsea device comprises at least one electrical device of a subsea electric power grid selected from the group consisting of a transformer, a controllable switch, a converter, an inductor, and a capacitor.

11. Arrangement of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one third level node electrically or fiberoptically connected to the at least one second level node,

wherein the at least one second level node is electrically or fiberoptically connectable to the at least one subsea device via the at least one third level node, and

wherein the at least one third level node is configured for arrangement at the sea bottom of the sea.

12. Method for controlling and/or monitoring at least one subsea device, the method comprising:

communicating at least one of controlling data and monitoring data between at least one second level node and the at least one subsea device, wherein the at least one second level node is arranged at a sea bottom of a sea; and

communicating the at least one of controlling data and monitoring data between the at least one second level node and a first level node, wherein the first level node is connectable to an equipment above a sea surface of the sea and wherein the first level node and the at least one second level node are electrically fiberoptically connected.

13. Method of claim 12, wherein the method is performed at a depth below the sea surface of between 500 m and 50,00 m.

16. Method of claim 13, wherein the method is performed at a depth below the sea surface of between 2,000 m and 4,000 m.

17. Method of claim 12, further comprising:

measuring at least one of a pressure and a temperature or any other physical quantity by a sensor provided in a first subsea device of the at least one subsea device to obtain measurement data; and

transferring the measurement data to the first level node via the second level node.

18. Method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining control data by the first level node based on the measurement data;

transferring the control data from the first level node via the second level node to an actuator comprised in a second subsea device of the at least one subsea device;

controlling the actuator based on the control data.

19. Method of claim 18, wherein the actuator comprises a pump or a compressor.

14-15. -15. (canceled)