AUTOMATED RELIEF VALVE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160161956A1
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPM Oil & Gas Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SPM Flow Control Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Baca, Matthew S., Witkowski, Brian C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,807 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/068 having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells cementing-heads E21B33/05
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 20/00 Safety arrangements for fluid actuator systems; Applications of safety devices in fluid actuator systems; Emergency measures for fluid actuator systems
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/50536 using unloading valves controlling the supply pressure by diverting fluid to the return line
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/50554 the pressure control means controlling a pressure downstream of the pressure control means, e.g. pressure reducing valve

Abstract

A pressure relief valve system for use in a downhole operation may include a pressure relief valve configured to relieve pressure from high pressure tubing extending between a pump and a wellhead, and may include a sensor operably disposed to detect pressure in the high pressure tubing. The pressure relief valve system also may include a controller having a pressure threshold stored therein. The controller may be configured to receive data from the sensor and compare the detected pressure to the stored pressure threshold. A valve actuation system may be in communication with the pressure relief valve and in communication with the controller. The valve actuation system may be configured to change the state of the pressure relief valve from a closed state to an open state in response to a command signal from the controller.

Claims

1. A pressure relief valve system, comprising:

a pressure relief valve having a closed state and an open state, wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to relieve pressure from high pressure tubing extending between a pump and a wellhead, and wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to be maintained in the closed state with a pressurized gas from a gas source;

a sensor configured to detect pressure in the high pressure tubing;

a controller programmable to have a stored pressure threshold, the controller being configured to receive data from the sensor and compare the pressure in the high pressure tubing to the stored pressure threshold;

one or more flow pipes, the one or more flow pipes comprising an input portion configured to be connected to the gas source, and an output portion configured to be connected to the pressure relief valve; and

at least one of the following;

a reducing valve configured to be disposed between the input portion and the output portion, and to adjust the pressure in the output portion based on data from the controller; and

a dump valve configured to open so that the state of the pressure relief valve changes from the closed state to the open state.

2. The pressure relief valve system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to emit a command signal, to change the state of the pressure relief valve from the closed state to the open state, when the controller determines that the pressure in the high pressure tubing exceeds the stored pressure threshold.

3. The pressure relief valve system of claim 1, wherein the pressure relief valve system comprises both the dump valve and the reducing valve.

4. The pressure relief valve system of claim 3, further comprising a second controller configured to determine a suitable pressure for the output portion, and to adjust the reducing valve to achieve the suitable pressure in the output portion.

5. The pressure relief valve system of claim 4, wherein the suitable pressure is about 105-150% of a gas pressure threshold that opens the relief valve.

6. The pressure relief valve system of claim 3, further comprising a first pressure transmitter configured to detect pressure of the output portion and a second pressure transmitter configured to detect pressure of the input portion.

7. The pressure relief valve system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to emit a command signal, to change the state of the pressure relief valve from the closed state to the open state, when the controller determines that a nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over a predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold.

8. The pressure relief valve system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold by averaging the pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time and comparing the average pressure to the stored pressure threshold.

9. The pressure relief valve system of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold by detecting that the pressure in the high pressure tubing exceeds the stored pressure threshold, starting an internal timer that runs for the predetermined increment of time, and detecting that the pressure in the high pressure tubing continues to exceed the stored pressure threshold at the conclusion of the predetermined increment of time.

10. A pressure relief valve system, comprising:

a pressure relief valve configured to relieve pressure from high pressure tubing extending between a pump and a wellhead;

a sensor configured to detect pressure in the high pressure tubing; and

a controller programmable to have a stored pressure threshold, the controller being configured to receive data from the sensor and compare the detected pressure to the stored pressure threshold;

wherein the pressure relief valve is configured to change from a closed state to an open state in response to an emission of a command signal from the controller; and

wherein the controller is configured to emit the command signal when the controller determines at least one of the following;

that the detected pressure exceeds the stored pressure threshold; and

that a nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over a predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold.

11. The pressure relief valve system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to emit the command signal when the controller determines that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold;

and

wherein the controller is configured to determine that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold by averaging the pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time and comparing the average pressure to the stored pressure threshold.

12. The pressure relief valve system of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to emit the command signal when the controller determines that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold;

and

wherein the controller is configured to determine that the nominal pressure in the high pressure tubing over the predetermined increment of time exceeds the stored pressure threshold by detecting that the pressure in the high pressure tubing exceeds the stored pressure threshold, starting an internal timer that runs for the predetermined increment of time, and detecting that the pressure in the high pressure tubing continues to exceed the stored pressure threshold at the conclusion of the predetermined increment of time.

13. The pressure relief valve system of claim 10, further comprising a dump valve configured to receive the command signal from the controller.

14. The pressure relief valve system of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more flow pipes, the one or more flow pipes comprising an input portion configured to be connected to a gas source, and an output portion configured to be connected to the pressure relief valve; and

a reducing valve configured to be disposed between the input portion and the output portion, and to adjust the pressure in the output portion based on data from the controller.

15. The pressure relief valve system of claim 14, further comprising another controller configured to determine a suitable pressure for the output portion, the another controller configured to adjust the reducing valve to achieve the suitable pressure in the output portion.

16. The pressure relief valve system of claim 15, wherein the suitable pressure is about 105-150% of a gas pressure threshold that opens the relief valve.

17. The pressure relief valve system of claim 14, further comprising a first pressure transmitter configured to detect pressure of the output portion, and a second pressure transmitter configured to detect pressure of the input portion.

18. A system, comprising:

means for maintaining a pressure relief valve in a closed state;

means for detecting a fluid pressure in a high pressure tube extending between a pump and a wellhead;

means for comparing the detected fluid pressure in the high pressure tube to a storable fluid pressure threshold to determine if the fluid pressure in the high pressure tube exceeds the storable fluid pressure threshold; and

means for, if the fluid pressure in the high pressure tube exceeds the storable fluid pressure threshold, opening a dump valve until the pressure relief valve changes from the closed state to an open state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein means for comparing the fluid pressure in the high pressure tube to the storable fluid pressure threshold comprises means for comparing a nominal pressure in the high pressure tube over a predetermined time increment to the storable fluid pressure threshold.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein means for comparing the nominal pressure in the high pressure tube over the predetermined time increment to the storable fluid pressure threshold comprises:

means for detecting that the fluid pressure in the high pressure tube exceeds the storable fluid pressure threshold;

means for starting an internal timer that runs for the predetermined time increment of time; and

means for comparing the pressure in the high pressure tubing to the storable pressure threshold at the conclusion of the predetermined time increment.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein means for comparing the nominal pressure in the high pressure tube over the predetermined time increment to the storable fluid pressure threshold comprises:

means for averaging the fluid pressure in the high pressure tube over the predetermined time increment to obtain an average pressure; and

means for comparing the average pressure to the fluid pressure threshold.