Monitoring the health of a blowout preventer

• US 8,781,743 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: McKay, James Edwin, Starling, Gavin Triscott
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, John H
• Application Number:
  US13/285,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20120197527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/34, 702/47, 702/51, 702/55, 702/64, 702/114, 702/116, 702/123, 702/130, 702/9, 702/12, 166/336, 166/341, 175/5, 175/25, 175/57, 175/24, 348/143, 700/282
• US Class Current: 702/6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0007 for underwater installations E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence

Abstract

A computerized monitoring system and corresponding method of monitoring the status and health of a blowout preventer. The system includes a graphics display at which a graphical user interface (GUI) displays the health of various sealing elements and control systems by way of “traffic light” indicators. The health indicators are evaluated, by the monitoring system, based on a risk profile for each of the indicated elements and control systems. The risk profiles are evaluated based on inputs such as measurement inputs, feedback signals, mechanical positions, diagnostic results, drilling conditions, and other status information of the blowout preventer at a given time and based on levels of redundancy and levels of deviation from normal conditions. The GUI includes recent history of changes in operating condition, and alarm indications such as poor health, along with the times of those events.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a blowout preventer in a well system, comprising:

acquiring values that correspond to operating conditions of subsystems of the well system, wherein the subsystems control and operate the blowout preventer;

evaluating, by a processor, a risk profile for a component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the values that are associated with the component;

selecting a health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer based on a result of evaluating the risk profile, wherein the health indicator indicates a level of risk that the component of the blowout preventer will not provide a desired protection under current conditions; and

displaying, at a graphics display, the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

evaluating, by the processor, a second risk profile for a second component of the blowout preventer based on a second portion of the values that are associated with the second component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer that represents a result of evaluating the second risk profile; and

simultaneously displaying, at the graphics display, the second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer and the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

storing, in a computer readable storage medium, the health indicator in association with a time stamp;

acquiring new values corresponding to new operating conditions of the subsystems of the well system;

evaluating, by the processor, the risk profile for the component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the new values that are associated with the component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that represents a new result of evaluating the risk profile based on the new values; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer as an update to the health indicator.

4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising:

storing, in the computer readable storage medium, the new health indicator in association with a new time stamp; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a history of the health indicator and the new health indicator in combination with times of the time stamp and the new time stamp.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the values comprise one or more of:

hydraulic measurements at sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

status information, flow measurements, and pressure measurements associated with a hydraulic system of the well system;

electrical feedback signals;

diagnostic results from control systems of the blowout preventer;

mechanical positions of sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

drilling conditions at a wellbore of the well system;

surface valve positions and flow paths associated with the blowout preventer; and

operating information, valve position, and pressure measurements associated with a diverter system of the well system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a visual representation of the blowout preventer in which an operating condition of sealing components and control valves of the blowout preventer is indicated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a date of a functional test of the blowout preventer.

8. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

determining, from the values, a change in an operating condition for a sealing component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, the change in the operating condition of the sealing component in combination with a time of the change.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the component of the blowout preventer comprises one or more of:

a control system for a sealing component of the blowout preventer, an emergency system for the blowout preventer, and a component of a hydraulic system for the blowout preventer.

10. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a user, a change in the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that reflects the change received from the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the health indicator indicates the level of risk that the component of the blowout preventer will not operate properly.

12. A system for monitoring a blowout preventer in a well system, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the instructions to perform the method comprising;

acquiring values that correspond to operating conditions of subsystems of the well system, wherein the subsystems control and operate the blowout preventer;

evaluating a risk profile for a component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the values that are associated with the component;

selecting a health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer based on a result of evaluating the risk profile, wherein the health indicator indicates a level of risk that the component of the blowout preventer will not provide a desired protection under current conditions; and

displaying, at a graphics display, the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the method further comprising:

evaluating a second risk profile for a second component of the blowout preventer based on a second portion of the values that are associated with the second component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer that represents a result of evaluating the second risk profile; and

simultaneously displaying, at the graphics display, the second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer and the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the method further comprising:

storing, in the computer readable storage medium, the health indicator in association with a time stamp;

acquiring new values corresponding to new operating conditions of the subsystems of the well system;

evaluating the risk profile for the component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the new values that are associated with the component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that represents a new result of evaluating the risk profile based on the new values; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer as an update to the health indicator.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the method further comprising:

storing, in the computer readable storage medium, the new health indicator in association with a new time stamp; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a history of the health indicator and the new health indicator in combination with times of the time stamp and the new time stamp.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the values comprise one or more of:

hydraulic measurements at sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

status information, flow measurements, and pressure measurements associated with a hydraulic system of the well system;

electrical feedback signals;

diagnostic results from control systems of the blowout preventer;

mechanical positions of sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

drilling conditions at a wellbore of the well system;

surface valve positions and flow paths associated with the blowout preventer; and

operating information, valve position, and pressure measurements associated with a diverter system of the well system.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a visual representation of the blowout preventer in which an operating condition of sealing components and control valves of the blowout preventer is indicated.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a date of a functional test of the blowout preventer.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the method further comprising:

determining, from the values, a change in an operating condition for a sealing component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, the change in the operating condition of the sealing component in combination with a time of the change.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the component of the blowout preventer comprises one or more of:

a control system for a sealing component of the blowout preventer, an emergency system for the blowout preventer, and a component of a hydraulic system for the blowout preventer.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to perform the method further comprising:

receiving, from a user, a change in the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that reflects the change received from the user.

22. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions for causing a processor to perform a method comprising:

acquiring values that correspond to operating conditions of subsystems of the well system, wherein the subsystems control and operate the blowout preventer;

evaluating a risk profile for a component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the values that are associated with the component;

selecting a health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer based on a result of evaluating the risk profile, wherein the health indicator indicates a level of risk that the component of the blowout preventer will not provide a desired protection under current conditions; and

displaying, at a graphics display, the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, the method further comprising:

evaluating a second risk profile for a second component of the blowout preventer based on a second portion of the values that are associated with the second component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer that represents a result of evaluating the second risk profile; and

simultaneously displaying, at the graphics display, the second health indicator for the second component of the blowout preventer and the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, the method further comprising:

storing the health indicator in association with a time stamp;

acquiring new values corresponding to new operating conditions of the subsystems of the well system;

evaluating the risk profile for the component of the blowout preventer based on a portion of the new values that are associated with the component of the blowout preventer;

selecting a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that represents a new result of evaluating the risk profile based on the new values; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer as an update to the health indicator.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, the method further comprising:

storing the new health indicator in association with a new time stamp; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a history of the health indicator and the new health indicator in combination with times of the time stamp and the new time stamp.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the values comprise one or more of:

hydraulic measurements at sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

status information, flow measurements, and pressure measurements associated with a hydraulic system of the well system;

electrical feedback signals;

diagnostic results from control systems of the blowout preventer;

mechanical positions of sealing components and subsea valves of the blowout preventer;

drilling conditions at a wellbore of the well system;

surface valve positions and flow paths associated with the blowout preventer; and

operating information, valve position, and pressure measurements associated with a diverter system of the well system.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a visual representation of the blowout preventer in which an operating condition of sealing components and control valves of the blowout preventer is indicated.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the displaying the health indicator comprises displaying a date of a functional test of the blowout preventer.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, the method further comprising:

determining, from the values, a change in an operating condition for a sealing component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, the change in the operating condition of the sealing component in combination with a time of the change.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the component of the blowout preventer comprises one or more of:

a control system for a sealing component of the blowout preventer, an emergency system for the blowout preventer, and a component of a hydraulic system for the blowout preventer.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a user, a change in the health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer; and

displaying, at the graphics display, a new health indicator for the component of the blowout preventer that reflects the change received from the user.