Blowout preventer monitor with trigger sensor and method of using same

• US 9,428,994 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2014
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Landrith, James Ray II, Brown, Roger Dale, Buelow, Jonathan Lewis, Liotta, Joseph James, Ensley, Eric Trevor, Johnson, Christopher Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Tietjen, Marina
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARRY, DAPHNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/318,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20140311735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 137/553, 137/554, 137/556
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/064 specially adapted for underwater well heads
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/16 Control means therefor being outside the borehole control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a monitor for a blowout preventer of a wellbore. The blowout preventer includes a housing, rams, and an actuator comprising a cylinder with a piston. The piston is operatively connectable with the ram and movable therewith. The monitor includes a monitor base operatively connectable to the cylinder (the monitor base having an interior side inside the cylinder and an exterior side outside the cylinder), an interior plate positionable inside the cylinder about the interior side of the base (the interior plate operatively connectable to the piston and movable therewith), an exterior plate positionable outside the cylinder about the exterior surface of the monitor base (the exterior plate coupled by magnets to the interior plate and rotatable therewith), and a trigger sensor operatively connectable about the monitor base and the exterior plate to detect rotation thereof whereby a position of the ram may be determined.

Claims

1. A monitor for a blowout preventer of a wellbore, the blowout preventer comprising a housing, at least one ram slidably positionable in the housing to form a seal about the wellbore, and an actuator comprising a cylinder with a piston slidably movable therein, the piston operatively connectable with the at least one ram and movable therewith, the monitor comprising:

a monitor base operatively connectable to the cylinder, the monitor base having an interior side inside the cylinder and an exterior side outside the cylinder;

an interior plate positionable inside the cylinder about the interior side of the base, the interior plate operatively connectable to the piston and movable therewith;

an exterior plate positionable outside the cylinder about the exterior surface of the monitor base, the exterior plate coupled by magnets to the interior plate and rotatable therewith; and

a trigger sensor operatively connectable about the monitor base and the exterior plate to detect rotation thereof whereby a position of the ram may be determined.

2. The monitor of claim 1, further comprising a cable operatively connecting the interior plate to the piston.

3. The monitor of claim 2, wherein the interior plate comprises a pulley wheel, the cable disposable about the pulley wheel.

4. The monitor of claim 3, wherein the interior plate further comprises a cover with a hole to pass the cable therethrough.

5. The monitor of claim 3, wherein the interior plate further comprises a rotary spring.

6. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the monitor base has an interior pocket to receive the interior plate.

7. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the monitor base has a shaft operatively connectable to the interior plate.

8. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a sensor base and a trigger, the sensor base operatively connectable to the monitor base and having a rod extending into the exterior plate, the trigger positionable about the exterior plate to deflect the rod to an offset position detectable by the sensor base as the exterior plate rotates whereby the position of the ram may be determined.

9. The monitor of claim 8, wherein the exterior plate has a trigger pocket therein to receive the trigger.

10. The monitor of claim 8, wherein the trigger comprises a spring and a plunger, the plunger urged by the spring against the rod.

11. The monitor of claim 8, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a bearing positionable in the exterior plate and having a hole therethrough to receive the rod, the trigger engagable with the bearing to deflect the rod.

12. The monitor of claim 8, wherein the sensor base is fixedly positioned in a sensor receptacle of the monitor base and the rod deflectingly extends from the sensor base.

13. The monitor of claim 12, wherein a rod tip of the rod extends from the sensor base into the trigger pocket, the rod tip movable in the trigger pocket as the interior plate rotates.

14. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a sensor base operatively connectable to the monitor base and having a rod extending to the exterior plate to detect keys along a periphery thereof.

15. The monitor of claim 14, wherein the keys comprise at least one of teeth, black and white portions, and combinations thereof.

16. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the exterior plate comprises a base plate, and the at least one ring, and a dial operatively connectable to the base plate and movable therewith.

17. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the exterior plate is rotatable via the magnets with the interior plate, the exterior plate having a dial thereon rotatable with the interior plate.

18. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a strain gauge.

19. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the magnets comprise interior magnets operatively connectable between the interior plate and the monitor base.

20. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the magnets comprise exterior magnets operatively connectable between the exterior plate and the monitor base.

21. The monitor of claim 1, wherein the monitor base comprises an end cap of the cylinder.

22. The monitor of claim 1, further comprising at least one seal.

23. The monitor of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer.

24. A monitoring system for a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the system comprising:

a blowout preventer positionable about the wellbore, the blowout preventer comprising;

a housing, at least one ram slidably positionable in the housing to form a seal about the wellbore, and an actuator comprising a cylinder with a piston slidably movable therein, the piston operatively connectable with the at least one ram and movable therewith, a monitor operatively connectable with the blowout preventer, comprising;

a monitor base operatively connectable to the cylinder, the monitor base having an interior side inside the cylinder and an exterior side outside the cylinder;

an interior plate positioned inside the cylinder about the interior side of the base, the interior plate operatively connectable to the piston and movable therewith;

an exterior plate positionable outside the cylinder about the exterior surface of the monitor base, the exterior plate coupled by magnets to the interior plate and rotatable therewith; and

a trigger sensor operatively connectable about the monitor base and the exterior plate to detect rotation thereof whereby a position of the at least one ram may be determined.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising an inspector.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the inspector is one of a remote operated vehicle, an operator, and combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising a controller operatively connectable to the trigger sensor.

28. A method of monitoring a blowout preventer of a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the blowout preventer comprising a housing, at least one ram slidably positionable in the housing to form a seal about the wellbore, and an actuator comprising cylinders with pistons slidably movable therein, the piston operatively connectable with the at least one ram and movable therewith, the method comprising:

operatively connecting a monitor comprising a monitor base, an interior plate, an exterior plate, and a trigger sensor to the blowout preventer by operatively connecting the monitor base to the cylinder, an interior plate about an interior surface of the monitor base, and an exterior plate about an exterior surface of the monitor base;

rotating the interior plate with the at least one ram via a cable;

rotating the exterior plate with the interior plate via magnets, and determining a position of the at least one ram by sensing rotation of the exterior plate with the trigger sensor.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising collecting data from the trigger sensor.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising passing data from the trigger sensor to a surface unit.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising adjusting the blowout preventer based on the determining.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a sensor base positionable in the monitor base and a rod extending from the sensor base into the exterior plate and wherein the determining comprises detecting a position of the exterior plate by deflecting the rod and measuring a position of the rod with the sensor base during the rotating.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the trigger sensor comprises a sensor base positionable in the monitor base and a rod extending from the sensor base into the exterior plate and wherein the determining comprises detecting a position of the exterior plate by detecting keys along a periphery of the exterior plate with the trigger sensor.