Subsea hydraulic and pneumatic power

• US 7,963,335 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC (KBR Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kellogg Brown & Root LLC (KBR Incorporated)
• Inventors: D'Souza, Richard, Krehbiel, Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Beach; Thomas A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sayre; James G
• Application Number:
  US11/958,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20090151954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 166/369, 166/45, 166/62, 166105-1054, 166/372
• US Class Current: 166/335
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/122 Gas lift
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/129 Adaptations of down-hole pump systems powered by fluid supplied from outside the borehole gas-lift E21B43/122; jet pumps E21B43/124
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/18 Repressuring or vacuum methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing energy to sub-sea support equipment. Energy can be provided by diverting at least a portion of a fluid from a well producing system to sub-sea support equipment units that can be disposed in the vicinity of the sea-floor, sea-bed, or mud-line. The well producing system can include, but is not limited to, a water injection system, a gas lift system, or combinations thereof. A water injection system designed to provide pressure support to one or more wells can be modified to provide an operational power source to one or more sub-sea support equipment units.

Claims

1. A method for providing power to sub-sea support equipment units, comprising:

diverting at least a portion of a pressurized fluid used by a well producing system, wherein the diverted fluid defines a diverted fluid energy source; and

providing the diverted fluid energy source to a sub-sea support equipment unit for use as an operational power source, wherein the sub-sea support equipment unit is disposed in the vicinity of a mud-line,

wherein the support equipment unit performs at least one processing step on a hydrocarbon, and

wherein the at least one processing step on the hydrocarbon comprises dehydration, sulfur removal, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational power source comprises one or more direct mechanical links.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more direct mechanical links connect to a plurality of sub-sea support equipment units.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational power source is electricity generated by converting the diverted fluid energy source into electrical energy.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising providing at least a portion of the electricity to a plurality of sub-sea support equipment units for use as an operational power source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the support equipment unit supports the lifting of a hydrocarbon to above a water line.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the support equipment unit performs the processing step prior to supporting the lifting of the hydrocarbon to above a water-line.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising converting the pressurized fluid energy source into electricity.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing the electricity to a plurality of sub-sea support equipment units, wherein the plurality of sub-sea support equipment units are disposed in the vicinity of the mud-line.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the diverted fluid energy to a plurality of sub-sea support equipment units, wherein the plurality of sub-sea support equipment units are disposed in the vicinity of the mud-line.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid used by the well producing system is introduced into a well.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized fluid used by the well producing system is introduced into a well to support lifting a production product to above a mud-line.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing a second portion of the pressurized fluid to the well producing system while the at least a portion of the pressurized fluid is diverted.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising recovering the diverted fluid energy source from the sub-sea support equipment and introducing at least a portion of the recovered diverted fluid energy source to a well.

15. A method for providing power to sub-sea support equipment units, comprising:

diverting at least a portion of a pressurized fluid used by a well producing system, wherein the diverted fluid defines a diverted fluid energy source; and

providing the diverted fluid energy to a plurality of sub-sea support equipment units for use as an operational power source, wherein the plurality of sub-sea support equipment units are disposed in the vicinity of a mud-line, wherein the operational power source is direct mechanical power, and wherein at least one support equipment unit supports the lifting of a hydrocarbon to above a water line,

wherein the support equipment unit performs at least one processing step on a hydrocarbon, and

wherein the at least one processing step on the hydrocarbon comprises dehydration, sulfur removal, or a combination thereof.

16. A system for providing power to sub-sea support equipment units, comprising:

means for converting at least a portion of a fluid source used by a well finishing system into an energy source suitable for providing power to a sub-sea support equipment unit disposed in the vicinity of a mud-line, and

means for providing the energy source to the sub-sea support equipment unit,

wherein the support equipment unit performs at least one processing step on a hydrocarbon, and

wherein the at least one processing step on the hydrocarbon comprises dehydration, sulfur removal, or a combination thereof.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the energy source suitable for providing power to a sub-sea support equipment unit comprises one or more direct mechanical links.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the energy source suitable for providing power to a sub-sea support equipment unit is electrical energy.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the support equipment unit supports the lifting of a hydrocarbon to above a water line.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the support equipment unit performs at least one processing step on a hydrocarbon.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the support equipment unit performs the processing step prior to supporting the lifting of the hydrocarbon to above a water-line.

22. The system, of claim 16, further comprising means for providing the energy source to a plurality of support equipment units.