Systems for acquiring data from a facility and method

• US 6,963,817 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zedi Canada, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zed.I Solutions (Canada) Inc.
• Inventors: Do, Robert, Ito, Toku, Benterud, Kevin, Jarman, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L
• Application Number:
  US10/638,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 702/31, 702/33, 702/50, 702/51, 702/98, 702/113, 702/114, 702/122, 702/124, 702/126, 702/138, 702/140, 702/183, 702/188, 702/189, 340/855.1, 340/853.2, 340/456.3
• US Class Current: 702/138
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0091 by measuring fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers

Abstract

A field instrument and system for obtaining pressure, flow and temperature data from a facility. The field instrument includes an enclosure having an opening therein. An integrated analog sensor is sealingly contained within the opening. The field instrument further contains an external analog sensor. An analog to digital converter converts the analog signals to digital readings. An external digital sensor is also provided, with the digital output being communicated through a second opening within the enclosure. A control member that receives, stores and processes the digital readings is positioned within the enclosure. A communication module is included to transmit the digital readings to a remote computer. The communication module allows for two way communication between the field instrument and remote computer. The remote computer may be a server that allows for access by many users. The communication module also allows for locally accessing the digital readings via a serial port to a local terminal.

Claims

1. A method of measuring pressure on a hydrocarbon process line, the method comprising:

providing an enclosure having a first opening and a second opening, and wherein said enclosure contains an inner chamber, and wherein an internal analog pressure sensor is housed in said first opening;

sealing the first opening and the second opening so that the pressure is precluded from entering or exiting the inner chamber;

collecting a first analog reading with said internal analog pressure sensor;

converting the first analog reading to a first digital reading;

collecting the first digital reading from said internal analog pressure sensor in a control means, located within the enclosure, for receiving, processing, and storing the digital readings, wherein said control means is located within said inner chamber, and wherein the control means has an operating system capable of converting the digital readings to processed values;

collecting a second analog reading with an external analog pressure sensor, and wherein said external analog pressure sensor is communicated through said second opening of said enclosure;

converting the second analog reading to a second digital reading;

transmitting the second digital reading to said control means, and wherein said second digital readings are converted to digital processed values;

transferring the digital processed values in said control means to a modem communications means for wirelessly communicating said digital data at pre-programmed time intervals, wherein said modem communications means is located within said inner chamber;

converting the digital processed values to a digital packet data in the modem communications means;

wirelessly transmitting the digital packet data with the modem communications means;

providing a remote database engine having field communication software to communicate with said modem communications means;

receiving the digital packet data at said remote database engine;

providing a web server interface in the database engine;

linking the database engine to the Internet via the web server interface;

providing a user computer, said user computer having a web browser;

communicating to the Internet by the user computer;

accessing the database engine;

monitoring the measurements from the user computer;

sending a signal from the user computer to the database engine, and wherein the signal corresponds to a command to poll said pressure sensor;

transmitting the signal from the database engine to the modem communication means;

receiving the signal in the modem communication means;

collecting an analog temperature reading with an external analog temperature sensor, and wherein said external pressure temperature sensor is communicated through said second opening of said enclosure;

converting the analog temperature reading to a digital temperature reading;

transmitting the digital temperature reading to said control means;

correcting said digital processed values for temperature effect corruption by mapping the digital processed values to a temperature value in an iterative fashion; and

,

back calculating to an adjusted pressure and an adjusted temperature.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

locally accessing the storage means from a local terminal;

downloading the digital processed values into the local terminal.

3. A system for transmitting a pressure reading obtained from an oil and gas facility, said oil and gas facility having a pressure, the system comprising:

an enclosure having a first opening and a second opening, said enclosure forming an internal chamber;

an external digital sensor means, communicated through said first opening, for producing a representative first digital output reading;

an internal analog pressure sensor means, sealingly positioned within said second opening, for producing a representative analog pressure output reading;

means, positioned within said internal chamber and electrically connected to said analog pressure sensor means, for converting the analog pressure output reading into a second digital output reading;

control means, positioned within said enclosure, for receiving, processing, and storing said first and second digital output readings, and wherein said control means has an operating system capable of converting said first and second digital output readings to processed values;

means, electrically connected to said receiving and storing means, for locally accessing said first and second digital output processed values;

means, positioned within said internal chamber, for wirelessly transmitting said first and second digital output processed values at preprogrammed intervals, and wherein said transmitting means further comprises means for authenticating, encrypting and compressing said first and second digital output processed values before said first and second digital output processed values are transmitted;

database means, operatively associated with said transmitting means, for storing said first and second digital output processed values in a plurality of data tables, said database means including a data manager means for receiving, retrieving and communicating said digital pressure output readings, and field communications software to communicate with said transmitting means;

a central server, located remotely from said facility, and wherein said central server is capable of receiving said plurality of data tables;

user interface means, operatively associated with said database means, for allowing access to said plurality of data tables;

a user computer having means for accessing said user interface means;

an analog temperature sensor producing an analog temperature signal;

an adapter connected to said temperature sensor, said adapter being received within said second opening; and

means, electrically connected to said temperature sensor, for converting said analog temperature signal to a third digital signal;

means for correcting said digital processed values for temperature effect corruption by mapping the digital processed values to a temperature value in an iterative fashion;

means for back calculating to an adiusted pressure and an adjusted temperature.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said transmitting means comprising a communications module means for transmitting said digital output processed values in a TCP/IP protocol.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a user computer, and wherein said user computer has loaded thereon a web browser capable of reading said plurality of data tables and a communications link from said user computer to the Internet.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

alarm means, operatively connected to the receiving and storing means, for generating an alarm condition when an acquired first, second and third digital processed values exceeds a predetermined minimum or maximum digital reading limit and communicating the alarm condition to a local computer and/or external server independent of a polling request from the external server.

7. A process for collecting, transmitting and monitoring a pressure from a facility, the process comprising:

communicating the pressure to a tubular member, wherein the pressure from the facility is communicated to the tubular member;

communicating the pressure from the tubular member to an internal analog pressure sensor;

providing an enclosure having a first port and a second port, and wherein said enclosure contains an inner chamber, and wherein said internal analog pressure sensor is sealingly housed in said first port;

sealing the second port so that the pressure is withheld from the inner chamber so that the pressure is precluded from entering or exiting the inner chamber;

converting the analog pressure reading to a first digital reading;

collecting the first digital reading at a pre-programmed time interval;

collecting a second digital reading at the pre-programmed time interval with an external digital sensor, and wherein said external digital sensor is communicated through said second port of said enclosure;

transmitting the digital readings to a control means for receiving, processing, and storing the digital readings, wherein said control means is located within said inner chamber, and wherein said control means contains an operating system capable of converting the digital readings to processed values;

transferring the digital processed values in said control means to a modem communications means for communicating digital data, wherein said modem communications means is located within said inner chamber;

encrypting the digital processed values with said control means;

converting the encrypted digital processed values to a digital packet data in the modem communications means;

wirelessly transmitting the digital packet data with the modem communications means at the pre-programmed time interval;

receiving the digital packet data at a remote database engine, said database engine having field communication software to communicate with said modem communications means, and wherein said database engine contains a data manager and a central server interface;

storing the digital processed values in a table format;

providing a central server communicated with said database engine via the central server interface;

accessing the central server from a user computer;

requesting the digital processed values from the user computer;

transmitting the digital processed values to the central server;

transmitting the digital processed values to the user computer;

measuring said digital processed values;

setting a predetermined digital processed values minimum limit and maximum limit;

exceeding said predetermined digital processed values minimum or maximum limit;

recording the exceeding of said predetermined digital processed values limit;

producing an exception signal in response to said recording;

sending said exception signal to the database;

transmitting said exception signal to the central server;

transmitting said exception to the user computer;

sending said digital processed values to a web server;

sending said digital processed values to the Internet;

accessing the Internet with a web browser from a user computer;

correcting said digital processed values for temperature effect corruption by mapping the digital processed values to a temperature value in an iterative fashion; and

, back calculating to an adjusted pressure and an adjusted temperature.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the control means has electrically connected thereto serial communication means for transmitting the processed digital processed values, and the process further comprising:

providing a second user computer having a direct link to said serial communication means;

connecting to the control means from the second user computer with the direct link;

transmitting the digital processed values to the second user computer.

9. A system for remotely monitoring an oil and gas facility comprising:

a coupling member capable of receiving a pressure from a tubular member;

an internal analog pressure sensor means for monitoring the pressure contained within said coupling member and generating an analog pressure output reading;

means, electrically connected to said internal analog pressure sensor means, for converting the analog reading to a digital pressure reading;

control means, operatively connected to said pressure sensor means, for receiving, processing, storing and retrieving the digital pressure output reading, and wherein said control means contains an operating system capable of converting the digital readings to processed values;

a field communication module operatively connected to said control means, and wherein said field communication module transmits said digital pressure output processed values at pre-determined intervals and wherein said field communication module is operatively associated with means for encrypting said digital pressure output processed values;

a closed container having an inner chamber and a first port, and wherein said coupling member is sealingly contained within said first port, and wherein said field communication module and said control means is contained within said inner chamber;

a database engine, said database engine having a database receiving said digital pressure output processed values at pre-determined intervals from said field communications module and storing said digital pressure output processed values in a table format, said database engine having field communications software to communicate with said field communications module;

a web server operatively connected to said database engine with a communications link; and

wherein said web server contains a TCP/IP protocol for communication with the Internet;

a user computer having a web browser software package, said web browser software package capable of communication with said web server in order to asynchronous transfer data to and from said database engine and said user computer;

a predetermined reading level means, operatively associated with said control means, for detecting when said digital pressure output processed values exceeds a predetermined threshold;

communication means for communicating an exception to said database engine due to the excessive digital pressure output processed values;

an external analog temperature sensor means, electrically communicated to said control means through a second port in said closed container, for monitoring a temperature of the tubular member, said temperature sensor means generating an analog output signal that is converted to a digital temperature output signal.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

temperature correction means, operatively associated with said control means, for correcting the digital pressure output processed values for temperature fluctuations.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means, operatively associated with said control means, for locally accessing the digital pressure output processed values with a local terminal.

12. A device for communicating pressure information from a facility to a database engine, the device comprising:

a pressure line connected to said facility, said pressure line communicating a pressure from the facility;

an enclosure having an inner chamber, and wherein said enclosure contains a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening therein;

a first adapter means, positioned within said first opening, for sealingly receiving said pressure line within said first opening so that said pressure is sealed from said chamber;

an internal analog pressure sensor means, connected to said pressure line and located within said first adapter, for sensing the pressure and generating an analog reading that is converted to a first digital pressure output reading in response to the pressure;

an external digital pressure sensor means, communicated through said second opening, for producing a second digital pressure output reading;

control means, positioned within said chamber, for receiving, storing, processing, and retrieving said digital pressure output readings, and wherein said control means contains an operating system capable of converting the digital readings to processed values;

first serial communication means for communicating said digital pressure output processed values to said control means;

a liquid crystal display readout means, operatively communicated with said control means, for displaying said digital pressure output processed values;

means, operatively connected to said control means, for wirelessly transmitting at pre-determined intervals said digital pressure output processed values stored in said control means to a database engine located remotely from said well facility, and wherein said transmitting means includes an antenna member connected to a second adaptor means for sealingly receiving said antenna member within a third opening in said enclosure and said transmitting means further comprises means for authentication, encrypting and compressing said digital pressure output processed values;

power means, positioned within said chamber, for supplying a power source to said pressure sensor means, said digital serial communication means, said LCD readout, said control means, and said transmitting means;

second serial communication means, electrically connected to said control means for communicating said digital pressure output processed values to a local terminal;

a database means, operatively associated with said database engine, for storing said digital pressure output processed values in a table format, having field communications software to communicate with said field communications module;

a data manager means for retrieving said digital pressure output processed values;

a user computer for accessing said digital pressure output processed values from said data manager means;

an external analog temperature sensor having a third adapter means for sealingly receiving said temperature sensor in said third opening, said temperature sensor producing an analog signal;

converter means operatively connected to said temperature sensor, for converting said analog signal to a digital temperature signal reading;

and wherein said control means further receives and processes, said digital temperature signal reading into processed values.

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising:

error correction means, operatively associated with said control means, for correcting temperature errors in the digital pressure output processed values due to temperature dependency.

14. The device of claim 13 further comprising:

process exceptions means, operatively associated with said control means, for sending an alarm at a predetermined digital pressure reading and communicating an exception of the user computer.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said transmitting means comprises:

a modem connect able to a hardwired land line telephone network.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said transmitting means is selected from the group consisting of:

a telephone modem connect able to a circuit switched cellular means;

a terrestrial cellular digital packet data modem means;

or,

a digital satellite packet data modem means.