System and technique for monitoring and managing the deployment of subsea equipment

• US 6,725,924 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Kerr, John A., Johnston, Alan J., MacKenzie, Roderick, Davidson, Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOMAR, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US10/170,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20020189806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 166/335, 166/338, 166/339, 166/350, 166/352, 166/363, 166/66, 166/250.01, 166/255.2, 166/336, 166/367
• US Class Current: 166/250.01
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/0355 Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0014 Underwater well locating or reentry systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes

Abstract

A system that is usable in a subsea well includes a tubular string that extends from a surface platform toward the sea floor. The string has an upper end and a lower remote end that is located closer to the sea floor than to the platform. At least one sensor of the system is located near the remote end of the string to monitor deployment of subsea equipment.

Claims

1. A system usable with a subsea well and subsea equipment capable of landing out in the well, the system comprising:

a tubular string extending from a surface platform toward a sea floor and adapted to extend into the well below the sea floor, the string having an upper end and a lower remote end; and

at least one sensor being part of the string and located near the remote end of the string to monitor deployment of subsea equipment into the subsea well at least before the subsea equipment lands out in the subsea well.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the subsea equipment comprises a tubing hanger.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the subsea equipment comprises a production tubing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a video camera sensor, a resistivity sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a mechanical switch and a magnetic switch.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one switch comprises a sensor to indicate an orientation of the tubular string near the remote end.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the orientation sensor indicates an azimuth of the tubular string near the remote end.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor to indicate an orientation indicates a rotational position of the tubular string near the remote end.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor to indicate an orientation comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a video camera sensor, a laser sensor and a gyroscope.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

an elevation sensor to indicate an elevation of the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the elevation sensor comprises a video camera sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a force on the tubular string.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the force comprises at least one of a compressive loading force and a tensile loading force.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the tubular string comprises at least one of the following:

a production tubing and a landing string.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides a status of a locking force on a component of the tubular string.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the component comprises a dog of a tubing hanger.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor to provide the status of the locking force comprises at least one of the following:

a mechanical switch, a magnetic switch and a pressure sensor.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates vibration on the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor that indicates vibration comprises:

an accelerometer.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides an indication of the existence of debris on a tubing hanger or a well cap of the subsea well.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor to provide the indication of the existence of debris comprises a video camera sensor.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides an indication of a condition of control fluid in the tubular string.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the sensor to provide an indication of the condition of the control fluid comprises at least one of the following:

an acoustic sensor and an optical sensor.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one of sensor indicates a condition of fluid in the tubular string.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the condition comprises at least one of the following:

a volume and a pressure.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one of sensor indicates proximity of the remote end of the tubular string to landing out on submersible equipment of the subsea well.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

a tubing hanger,

wherein the sensor that indicates proximity of the end of the tubular string to landing out indicates proximity to the tubing hanger landing out on a well head of the subsea well.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one of sensor indicates a status of a seal of the tubular string.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the sensor that indicates the status of the seal comprises a pressure sensor.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a position of a moving part of a component of the tubular string.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor that indicates the position of the moving part comprises a video camera sensor.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the component comprises at least one of the following:

a valve, a sleeve and a locking system.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates onset of hydrate or wax buildup in the subsea well.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the sensor to indicate the onset of hydrate or wax buildup comprises at least one of the following:

a pressure sensor and a flow sensor.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a chemical flow into the subsea well.

35. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a telemetry circuit to communicate an indication from said at least one sensor to the platform.

36. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor to process at least one indication from said at least one sensor and communicate the processed said at least one indication to the platform.

37. A method usable with a subsea well and a tubular string capable of landing out in the well, the method comprising:

extending the tubular string from a surface platform toward a sea floor, the string having an upper end and a lower remote end;

extending the tubular string into the subsea well beneath the sea floor; and

positioning at least one sensor in the string near the remote end of the string to monitor deployment of subsea equipment at least before the tubular string lands out in the subsea well.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the subsea equipment comprises a tubing hanger.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the subsea equipment comprises a production tubing.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a video camera sensor, a resistivity sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a mechanical switch and a magnetic switch.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein said least one switch comprises a sensor to indicate an orientation of the tubular string near the remote end.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the sensor to indicate an orientation indicates an azimuth of the tubular string near the remote end.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the orientation sensor to indicate an orientation indicate a rotational position of the tubular string near the remote end.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the sensor to indicate an orientation comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a video camera sensor, a laser sensor and a gyroscope.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

an elevation sensor to indicate an elevation of the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the elevation sensor comprises a video camera sensor.

47. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a force on the tubular string.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the force comprises at least one of a compressive loading force and a tensile loading force.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the tubular string comprises at least one of:

a production tubing and a landing string.

50. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides a status of a locking force on a component of the tubular string.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the component comprises a dog of tubing hanger.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein the sensor to provide the status of the locking force comprises at least one of the following:

a mechanical switch, a magnetic switch and a pressure sensor.

53. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates vibration on the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

55. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides an indication of an existence of debris on a tubing hanger or a well cap of the subsea well.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the sensor to provide the indication of the existence of debris comprises a video camera sensor.

57. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one of the sensor provides an indication of a condition of control fluid in the tubular string.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the sensor to provide an indication of the condition of the control fluid comprises at least one of the following:

an acoustic sensor and an optical sensor.

59. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a condition of fluid in the tubular string.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein the condition comprises at least one of the following:

volume and pressure.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates proximity of the remote end of the tubular string to landing out on submersible equipment of the subsea well.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the sensor that indicates proximity of the end of the tubular string to landing out indicates proximity to a tubing hanger landing out on a well head of the subsea well.

63. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one of sensor indicates a status of a seal of the tubular string.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the sensor that indicates the status of the seal comprises a pressure sensor.

65. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates a position of a moving part of a component of the tubular string.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the sensor that indicates the position of the moving part comprises a video camera sensor.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the component comprises at least one of the following:

a valve, a sleeve and a locking system.

68. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor indicates onset of hydrate or wax buildup in the subsea well.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the sensor to indicate the onset of hydrate or wax buildup comprises at least one of the following:

a pressure sensor and a flow sensor.

70. The method of claim 37, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor comprises a sensor to indicate a chemical flow into the subsea well.

71. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

communicating an indication from said at least one sensor to the platform.

72. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

processing at least one indication from said at least one sensor and communicating the at least one processed indication to the platform.

73. A system usable with a subsea well comprising:

a tubular string extending from a surface platform toward a sea floor, the string having an upper end and a lower remote end;

at least one sensor located near the remote end of the string to monitor deployment of subsea equipment into the subsea well;

a tubing hanger running tool; and

a tubing hanger set by the tubing hanger running tool,

wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor is located in the tubing hanger running tool.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a video camera sensor, a resistivity sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a mechanical switch and a magnetic switch.

75. The system of claim 73, wherein said at least one switch comprises a sensor to indicate an orientation of the tubular string near the remote end.

76. The system of claim 73, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

an elevation sensor to indicate an elevation of the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

77. The system of claim 73, wherein a sensor of said at least one sensor provides an indication of the existence of debris on a tubing hanger or a well cap of the subsea well.

78. The system of claim 73, further comprising:

a telemetry circuit to communicate an indication from said at least one sensor to the platform.

79. A method usable with a subsea well comprising:

extending a tubular string from a surface platform toward a sea floor, the string having an upper end and a lower remote end; and

positioning at least one sensor near the remote end of the string to monitor deployment of subsea equipment, wherein the positioning comprises positioning at least one sensor of said at least one sensor in a tubing hanger running tool.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein said at least one sensor comprises a sensor selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, a video camera sensor, a resistivity sensor, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a mechanical switch and a magnetic switch.

81. The method of claim 79, wherein said least one switch comprises a sensor to indicate an orientation of the tubular string near the remote end.

82. The method of claim 79, wherein said at least one sensor comprises:

an elevation sensor to indicate an elevation of the tubular string near the remote end of the tubular string.

83. The method of claim 79, further comprising:

using circuitry to communicate an indication from said at least one sensor to the surface platform.