Hydraulic system and method of monitoring

• US 9,206,667 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Khvoshchev, Evgeny, Adnan, Sarmad
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Application Number:
  US14/031,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20140166271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 731/68, 702/114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/13 Methods or devices for cementing, for plugging holes, crevices or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/16 Control means therefor being outside the borehole control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/25 Methods for stimulating production by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 51/00 Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations

Abstract

A technique involves monitoring a hydraulic system having a hydraulic pump coupled to a hydraulic motor which can be used to drive well related equipment. The system and methodology utilize sensors positioned to monitor parameters related to operation of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A processor system is coupled to the sensors to obtain data output by the sensors. The processor system analyzes the sensor data for failure signatures that can be used to determine a failure or potential failure in the hydraulic system.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a hydraulic system deployed on a surface of a well site, comprising:

coupling a hydraulic pump adapted for use in at least one of a well cementing operation, a well stimulation operation, and a coiled tubing service with a hydraulic motor via a hydraulic line;

deploying a pressure sensor to measure pressure in the hydraulic line;

processing consecutively recorded data points of a hydraulic pressure signal received from the pressure sensor to decompose the consecutively recorded data points into a series of data subsets representing scaled base functions localized in frequency and time;

using a processor to search the series of data subsets for failure signatures in frequency and time domains; and

outputting an indication as to whether a failure condition of the hydraulic system is found.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein coupling comprises coupling the hydraulic pump with the hydraulic motor in a closed loop configuration.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein deploying comprises deploying a plurality of pressure sensors along the hydraulic line.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing comprises processing the consecutively recorded data points on a computer-based system.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing comprises processing data on pump speed and motor speed.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein processing comprises processing data on motor load.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing comprises processing data on one of pump vibration and motor vibration.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein using the processor comprises searching for the failure signatures in frequency bands and at time points that depend on speeds of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein outputting comprises displaying information related to the failure signatures on a computer display.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein outputting comprises displaying information indicating operation of the hydraulic system within acceptable parameters.

11. A method, comprising:

deploying pressure sensors in a hydraulic system located on a surface of a well site and adapted for use in at least one of a well cementing operation, a well stimulation operation, and a coiled tubing service, the hydraulic system having a hydraulic motor powered by a hydraulic pump;

operatively coupling the pressure sensors to a processing system;

using the pressure sensors to obtain a certain number of consecutively recorded data points based on hydraulic pressure signals; and

processing the consecutively recorded data points on the processor system so that the consecutively recorded data points are decomposed into a series of data subsets representing scaled base functions that can be used to determine a failure signature in frequency and time domains of the hydraulic system.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising operatively coupling additional sensors to the processing system.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein operatively coupling additional sensors comprises coupling a hydraulic pump speed sensor, a hydraulic motor speed sensor, at least one vibration sensor, and a motor load sensor to the processing system.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein processing comprises processing in real-time the consecutively recorded data points so the consecutively recorded data points are decomposed into the series of data subsets representing scaled base functions localized in frequency and time.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising searching the series of data subsets for the failure signature in frequency bands and at time points that depend on hydraulic pump speed and hydraulic motor speed.

16. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising outputting an indication as to an operational state of the hydraulic system.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein outputting comprises outputting a warning indicating a failure condition based on the failure signature.

18. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising performing an oilfield services operation with the hydraulic system.

19. A system deployed on a surface of a well site, comprising:

a hydraulic pump;

a hydraulic motor coupled to the hydraulic pump via a hydraulic line;

a plurality of sensors positioned to monitor parameters related to operation of the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor; and

a processor system coupled to the plurality of sensors to obtain data from the sensors, the processor system having a processor unit to analyze the data for failure signatures in frequency and time domains and indicate a failure condition of one of the hydraulic pump, the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic line.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the hydraulic pump comprises a piston based pump.

21. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a pressure sensor to monitor pressure in the hydraulic line.

22. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a hydraulic pump speed sensor and a hydraulic motor speed sensor.

23. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a hydraulic motor load sensor.

24. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one pump vibration sensor and at least one motor vibration sensor.

25. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the processor system comprises an output device through which a warning, based on a failure signature, is automatically provided to an operator.

26. A method, comprising:

measuring hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic line connecting a hydraulic motor with a hydraulic pump adapted for use in at least one of a well cementing operation, a well stimulation operation, and a coiled tubing service;

monitoring hydraulic pump speed with a hydraulic pump speed sensor;

monitoring hydraulic motor speed with a hydraulic motor speed sensor;

outputting data on the hydraulic pressure, hydraulic pump speed, and hydraulic motor speed to a processor system; and

using the processor system to automatically monitor the data for a failure condition related to operation of the hydraulic motor and the hydraulic pump by searching for failure signatures in frequency and time domains of the data.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein using comprises using in real-time consecutively recorded data points, on hydraulic pressure, decomposed into a series of data subsets representing scaled base functions localized in frequency and time.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein using comprises using in real-time consecutively recorded data points, on pump or motor vibration, decomposed into a series of data subsets representing scaled base functions localized in frequency and time.

29. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein searching comprises one of wavelet analysis, pattern analysis, and Fourier analysis.