Systems and Methods for Collecting, Analyzing, Recording, and Transmitting Fluid Hydrocarbon Production Monitoring and Control Data

• US 20140156195A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FW Murphy Production Controls LLC (Waukesha Bearings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Enovation Controls, LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Guglielmo, Kennon, Murphy, Frank W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,285,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/1146 Scanning sequence as function of previous logic expression
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23161 Hand held terminal PDA displays machine control program when user is near that machine
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23406 Programmer device, portable, handheld detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24001 Maintenance, repair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25062 Detect physical location of field device

Abstract

Systems and methods for collecting, analyzing, transmitting, and acting on information collected from instruments monitoring and controlling equipment used for natural gas well production collection and pipeline insertion platforms (skids). Said instruments may include handheld computing devices like the Apple iPhone, iPad, or other PDAs; said devices using short or long range, wired or wireless communication. The systems and methods reduce costs, errors, inefficiencies, and increase safety by giving the user simple GUI interfaces for data collection and for action items. The said handheld devices can guide the data collector to the skid location using GPS or other location based services, collect data via wired of wireless methods, guide the data collector through manual data input methods or safety action items, compare current readings to past history and evaluate current safety or out-of-tolerance conditions or entries, among other items.

Claims

1. A system for collecting, and transmitting information from fluid hydrocarbon production monitoring and control equipment comprising:

a. a handheld computing device with a data processor in communication with a data input device, a text and graphics display device, a short-range wired communication system, a short-range wireless communication system, a long-range wireless communication system, and a geographical position fixing system;

b. said handheld computing device executing an operating system, graphical user interface, and software that enable a person to monitor instruments and control equipment associated with said fluid hydrocarbon production monitoring and control equipment;

c. said software detecting said handheld computing device'"'"'s geographical position using said geographical position fixing system;

d. said software providing said handheld computing device'"'"'s user with information relating to said instruments based on said handheld computing device'"'"'s proximity to said instruments;

e. said software prompting said user to enter readings relating to at least one of said instruments;

f. said short-range wireless communication system in wireless communication with at least one of said instruments; and

g. said handheld computing device in communication with a centralized data collection computer system via said handheld computing device'"'"'s said short-range wired communication system, said short-range wireless communication system, or said long-range wireless communication system.

2. A system for collecting and processing information relative to fluid hydrocarbon handling installations, comprising:

a. a fluid hydrocarbon handling installation comprising an instrument panel having an instrument panel, and a plurality of sensor modules distributed around the installation, said instrument panel comprising a data processor and a wireless data transmission system;

b. a portable computing device of a type that is suitable to be carried by a pedestrian user while walking in human accessible spaces around a fluid hydrocarbon handling installation, said portable computing device comprising a data processor and an assembly of subsystems in communication with said data processor, said subsystems including a data input device, a data display device, a wireless communication subsystem, and a geographical position fixing subsystem;

c. said wireless communication subsystem being operatively connected in a manner to communicate with the wireless transmitter of said instrument panel in a manner that allows said wireless communication subsystem to receive wireless signals that are representative of sensor data from said wireless transmitter;

d. said data display device being operatively integrated with said portable computing device to display user readable representations of said sensor data for viewing by said pedestrian user;

e. said data processor being adapted to execute software;

f. said data display device being operatively connected to said handheld computing device in a manner to operatively display user readable representations of said being adapted to execute software;

g. said software being adapted to acquire data from said geographical position fixing subsystem to detect said handheld computing device'"'"'s geographical position; and

h. said software being further adapted to cause said data display device to display information relating to one of said multiple data sets based on said handheld computing device'"'"'s proximity to the one of said multiple locations that corresponds to said one of said multiple data sets.

3. A method for collecting and transmitting information from fluid hydrocarbon production monitoring and control equipment comprising:

a. using a handheld computing device wherein said handheld computing device comprises;

(1) a handheld computing device with a data processor in wired communication with a manual data input device, a text and graphics display device, a short-range wired communication system, a short-range wireless communication system, a long-range wireless communication system, and a geographical position fixing system;

(2) said handheld computing device executing an operating system, graphical, user interface, and software that enable a person to monitor instruments and control equipment associated with said fluid hydrocarbon production monitoring and control equipment using said handheld computing device;

(3) said geographical position fixing system to detect said handheld computing device'"'"'s geographical position;

(4) said software providing said handheld computing device'"'"'s user with information relating to said instruments based on said handheld computing device'"'"'s proximity to said instruments;

(5) said software prompting said user to enter readings relating to at least one of said instruments;

(6) said short-range wireless communication system in wireless communication with at least one of said instruments; and

(7) said handheld computing device in communication with centralized data collection computer system via said handheld computing device'"'"'s short-range wired communication system, said short-range wireless communication system, or said long-range wireless communication system;

b. using said handheld computing device to manually, automatically, or manually and automatically collect data from instruments, such as gas production monitoring and controlling instruments; and

c. transmitting said data to a centralized data collection computer system.