Optical sensing system for wellhead equipment

• US 7,845,404 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Original Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Inventors: McAvoy, Sean, McStay, Daniel, Rokke, Espen, Nolan, Aidan, Shiach, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach; Thomas A
• Application Number:
  US12/204,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 166/336, 166/337, 166/368, 166/250.01, 166/254.2, 340/853.1, 340/853.3
• 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 47/135 using light waves, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet waves

Abstract

A system includes a Christmas tree assembly mounted to a hydrocarbon well, an optical feedthrough module, and a plurality of optical sensors. The optical feedthrough module is operable to communicate through a pressure boundary of the Christmas tree assembly. The plurality of optical sensors is disposed within the Christmas tree assembly for measuring parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly and is operable to communicate through the optical feedthrough module.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a Christmas tree assembly installed on a subsea hydrocarbon well, comprising:

providing an optical feedthrough module operable to communicate through a pressure boundary of the Christmas tree assembly at least one optical signal with a plurality of optical sensors disposed within the Christmas tree assembly for measuring parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly;

determining a health metric for the Christmas tree assembly based on the parameters measured by the plurality of optical sensors; and

identifying a problem condition with the Christmas tree assembly based on the determined health metric.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the problem condition responsive to the determined health metric deviating from a predetermined range of acceptable values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the health metric comprises employing a condition monitoring model of the Christmas tree assembly to evaluate the plurality of parameters.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising employing the condition monitoring model based on the plurality of parameters and historical data associated with at least one of the parameters.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising employing the condition monitoring model based on the plurality of parameters and production data associated with the Christmas tree assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the health metric comprises employing at least one component model associated with at least one component of the Christmas tree assembly in generating the health metric.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the health metric comprises employing at least one process model associated with the operation of the Christmas tree assembly in generating the health metric.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the Christmas tree includes first and second sensors operable to measure a selected one of the parameters, and identifying the problem condition further comprises identifying a deviation condition associated with the first and second sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the Christmas tree includes a first sensor operable to measure a first characteristic of the Christmas tree assembly and a second sensor operable to measure a second characteristic of the Christmas tree assembly, and identifying the problem condition further comprises identifying that the first characteristics is inconsistent with the second characteristic.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the problem condition to an operator of the Christmas tree assembly.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the Christmas tree assembly comprises a valve, and at least one of the parameters is associated with a position of the valve.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the Christmas tree assembly is operable to control flow of a hydrocarbon fluid, and at least one of the parameters is associated with a parameter of the hydrocarbon fluid.

13. A system, comprising:

a Christmas tree assembly mounted to a hydrocarbon well;

an optical feedthrough module operable to communicate through a pressure boundary of the Christmas tree assembly;

a plurality of optical sensors disposed within the Christmas tree assembly for measuring parameters associated with the Christmas tree assembly and operable to communicate through the optical feedthrough module; and

a condition monitoring unit operable to determine a health metric for the Christmas tree assembly based on the parameters measured by the plurality of optical sensors and identify a problem condition with the Christmas tree assembly based on the determined health metric.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a first optical sensor is redundant to at least a second optical sensor.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a first optical cable coupled to the optical feedthrough module;

an optical splitter coupled to the first optical cable; and

a plurality of optical fibers coupled between the optical splitter and the plurality of optical sensors.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one subset of the plurality of optical sensors are coupled to a first one of the optical fibers.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising at least one optical fiber coupled between the optical feedthrough module and a subset of the plurality of optical sensors.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the optical sensors in the subset are multiplexed on the optical fiber using at least one of wavelength multiplexing and time domain multiplexing.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the condition monitoring unit is operable to employ a condition monitoring model of the Christmas tree assembly to evaluate the plurality of parameters.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the condition monitoring unit is operable to employ the condition monitoring model based on the plurality of parameters and historical data associated with at least one of the parameters.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the condition monitoring unit is operable to employ the condition monitoring model based on the plurality of parameters and production data associated with the Christmas tree assembly.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the condition monitoring unit is operable to employ at least one component model associated with at least one component of the Christmas tree assembly in generating the health metric.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the condition monitoring unit is operable to employ at least one process model associated with the operation of the Christmas tree assembly in generating the health metric.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the Christmas tree assembly includes first and second optical sensors operable to measure a selected one of the parameters, and the condition monitoring unit is operable to identify a deviation condition associated with the first and second optical sensors.

25. The system of claim 13, wherein the Christmas tree assembly includes a first optical sensor operable to measure a first characteristic of the Christmas tree assembly and a second optical sensor operable to measure a second characteristic of the Christmas tree assembly, and the condition monitoring unit is operable to identify that the first characteristics is inconsistent with the second characteristic.

26. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the optical sensors comprises a vibration sensor, a corrosion sensor, an erosion sensor, or a leak detection sensor.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein the Christmas tree assembly comprises a valve, and at least one of the optical sensors is associated with a position of the valve.

28. The system of claim 13, wherein the Christmas tree assembly is operable to control flow of a hydrocarbon fluid, and at least one of the sensors is operable to measure a parameter of the hydrocarbon fluid.