Fast pressure protection system and method

• US 9,127,526 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Stephenson, Stanley V., Beisel, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUTCHINS, CATHLEEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/692,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20140151065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/103 Down-hole by-pass valve arrangements, i.e. between the inside of the drill string and the annulus valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/106 Valve arrangements outside the borehole, e.g. kelly valves valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/063 Valve or closure with destructible element, e.g. frangible disc E21B34/103 takes precedence

Abstract

A wellbore servicing system, the system comprising at least one wellbore servicing equipment component, wherein a flow path extends from the wellbore servicing system component into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, and a pressure control system in fluid communication with the flow path, wherein the pressure control system comprises a relief path configured to communicate fluid through the pressure control system, a pressure control device configured to permit fluid communication between the flow path and the relief path upon experiencing a pressure and/or a differential pressure of at least a predetermined pressure threshold, and a first valve disposed within the relief path, wherein the first valve is configured to actuate from an open configuration to a closed configuration.

Claims

1. A wellbore servicing system, the system comprising:

at least one wellbore servicing equipment component, wherein a flow path extends from the wellbore servicing system component into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; and

a pressure control system in fluid communication with the flow path, wherein the pressure control system comprises;

a relief path configured to communicate fluid through the pressure control system,

a pressure control device configured to permit fluid communication between the flow path and the relief path upon experiencing a pressure and/or a differential pressure of at least a predetermined pressure threshold;

a first valve disposed along the relief path and downstream of the pressure control device, wherein the first valve is configured to actuate from a first valve open configuration to a first valve closed configuration and to prevent fluid communication through the relief path when the first valve is in the first valve closed configuration; and

a second valve disposed within the relief path downstream from the first valve, wherein the second valve is configured to actuate from a second valve open configuration to a second valve closed configuration.

2. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the wellbore servicing equipment component comprises a mixer, a pump, a wellbore services manifold, a storage vessel, or combinations thereof.

3. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the pressure control device comprises a rupture disc.

4. The wellbore servicing system of claim 3, wherein, upon experiencing the pressure and/or the differential pressure of at least the predetermined pressure threshold, the rupture disc is configured to break, puncture, perforate, shear, fragment, disintegrate, explode, implode, tear, or combinations thereof.

5. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the pressure threshold is in a range from about 1,000 psi to about 30,000 psi.

6. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the pressure control device configured to permit fluid communication in less than or equal to about 0.10 seconds of experiencing the pressure and/or the differential pressure of at least the predetermined pressure threshold.

7. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the first valve comprises a gate valve, a ball valve, a globe valve, a choke valve, a butterfly valve, a pinch valve, a disc valve, or combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first valve comprises a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is slidably disposed about or within a pipe string.

9. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the pressure control system further comprises a flow restrictor, wherein the flow restrictor is configured to decrease the pressure of a fluid communication along the relief path from the pressure control device to the first valve.

10. The wellbore servicing system of claim 9, wherein the flow restrictor comprises a choke, a fluidic diode, or combinations thereof.

11. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein the pressure control system further comprises a relief space, wherein the relief path is in fluid communication with the relief space.

12. The wellbore servicing system of claim 11, wherein the relief space comprises a tank, a vessel, a wellbore, an annular space within a wellbore, a second wellbore, a portion of the subterranean formation, or combinations thereof.

13. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the pressure control system is disposed at the surface of the subterranean formation.

14. The wellbore servicing system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the pressure control system is disposed within the wellbore.

15. The wellbore servicing system of claim 14, wherein the pressure control system is integrated within a pipe string disposed within the wellbore.

16. A method of servicing a wellbore, the method comprising:

providing a flow path between a wellbore servicing system and a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, wherein a pressure control system comprising a pressure control device and a relief path is in fluid communication with the flow path, wherein the pressure control system is configured to control fluid communication between the flow path and the relief path;

communicating a fluid via the flow path;

upon experiencing a pressure and/or a differential pressure of at least a predetermined pressure threshold within the flow path, allowing fluid to be communicated from the flow path through the relief path, wherein the pressure control device permits fluid communication from the flow path to the relief path within about 0.10 seconds of experiencing the pressure and/or the differential pressure of at least the predetermined pressure threshold; and

closing a first valve positioned along the relief path and downstream of the pressure control device, wherein the first valve prevents fluid communication through the relief path when the first valve is closed; and

closing a second valve, wherein the second valve is positioned along the relief path downstream from the first valve.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fluid is communicated from the relief path to a relief space.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein closing the first valve, closing the second valve, or both occurs manually.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein closing the first valve, closing the second valve, or both occurs automatically as a result of fluid communication via the relief path.