Method and apparatus for evaluating data associated with an offshore energy platform

• US 7,881,869 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Timothy T., Clayton, Matthew, Mullins, Oliver C.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, ADITYA S
• Application Number:
  US11/648,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/13, 702/188
• US Class Current: 702/18
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/15 for monitoring environmental variables, e.g. wave height or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0262 Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred

Abstract

A method for transferring data from an unmanned offshore energy platform to a manned offshore energy platform. The method includes obtaining the data on the unmanned offshore energy platform from a monitoring device, wherein the monitoring device is configured to monitor at least one environmental condition surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform. The method further includes formatting the data for transmission. In addition, the method includes wirelessly transmitting the data from the unmanned offshore energy platform to the manned offshore energy platform.

Claims

1. A method for transferring data from an unmanned offshore energy platform to a manned offshore energy platform, comprising:

monitoring, using a first monitoring device, for a presence of hydrocarbons in water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform, wherein the first monitoring device is configured to detect the presence of hydrocarbons in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

detecting, using the first monitoring device, the presence of hydrocarbons in a location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

obtaining first data associated with the presence of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform from the first monitoring device;

formatting the first data for transmission;

wirelessly transmitting the first data from the unmanned offshore energy platform to a control system on the manned offshore energy platform;

determining, by the control system, that the first data indicates the presence of hydrocarbons in the water surrounding the offshore energy platform;

adjusting, in response to determining that the first data indicates the presence of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the offshore energy platform, using the control system, a position of a second monitoring device on the unmanned offshore energy platform, wherein the second monitoring device is configured to measure an amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

obtaining, using the second monitoring device, second data corresponding to the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

formatting the second data for transmission;

wirelessly transmitting the second data from the unmanned offshore energy platform to the control system on the manned offshore energy platform; and

determining, based on the second data collected from the second monitoring device, that the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first monitoring device includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a camera, a sensor, a computer system, a gas chromatograph, a laser emitter, and a Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a notification on the manned offshore energy platform when the second data exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending an alert to an onshore office when the second data exceeds the predetermined threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first and second data at the manned offshore energy platform via a first antenna, wherein the step of wirelessly transmitting operates via a second antenna.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second antenna is an omnidirectional antenna.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first antenna is a directional antenna.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when the manned offshore energy platform is unavailable, wirelessly transmitting the first and second data from the unmanned offshore energy platform to one selected from a group consisting of another manned offshore energy platform, another unmanned offshore energy platform, and an onshore office.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises at least one of a group consisting of monitoring data for programmable logic controls, video data from the video camera, Voice Over Internet Protocol communication data, and sensor data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein hydrocarbons in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of leakage of a hydrocarbon and leakage of a gas associated with hydrocarbons.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data comprises a plurality of samples collected at a sample rate, wherein the plurality of samples are statistically averaged, based on the sample rate, to improve a signal-to-noise ratio of the second data and increase an accuracy of the amount of hydrocarbons measured by the second monitoring device.

12. A method of evaluating, by a control system, data associated with an unmanned offshore energy platform, comprising:

receiving, by the control system formatted first data from the unmanned offshore energy platform, wherein the formatted first data is collected by a first monitoring device on the unmanned offshore energy platform and comprises at least one of group consisting of a video signal and a sensor measurement, and wherein the formatted first data is associated with a presence of hydrocarbons in a location in water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

determining, by the control system, based on the formatted first data, the presence of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform based on an evaluation of the formatted first data; and

sending, by the control system, to a second monitoring device in response to the evaluation of the formatted first data, a control signal to adjust a position of a second monitoring device to measure an amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving formatted second data, collected by the second monitoring device, from the unmanned offshore energy platform in response to the control signal, wherein the formatted second data measures the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform; and

determining, using the formatted second data, that the amount of hydrocarbons in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second monitoring device measures the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform by inducing fluorescence of oil on the water.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the second monitoring device measures the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform by using gas chromatography to detect a gas in the water.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

obtaining the formatted first data by stacking a plurality of measurements over time.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein obtaining the formatted first data comprises concentrating an analyte of interest.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the formatted first data comprises a plurality of samples collected at a sample rate, wherein the plurality of samples are statistically averaged, based on the sample rate, to improve a signal-to-noise ratio of the formatted first data and increase an accuracy of detecting the presence of hydrocarbons measured by the first monitoring device.

19. A system for evaluating data, comprising:

an unmanned offshore energy platform, comprising;

a first monitoring device configured to;

detect a presence of hydrocarbons in a location in water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform; and

generate first data associated with the presence of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

a second monitoring device configured to;

receive a control signal, sent by a control system on a manned offshore energy platform, used to adjust a position of the second monitoring device to measure an amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

measure the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform; and

generate the second data associated with the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

a first local wireless access point wirelessly connected to the first and second monitoring devices, and configured to receive the first and second data from the first and second monitoring device;

a first switch connected to the first local wireless access point, and configured to format the first and second data from the first local wireless access point to form formatted first and second data; and

a first wireless transceiver operatively coupled to the first switch, wherein the first wireless transceiver comprises a first antenna configured to;

send the formatted first and second data for evaluation by the control system in determining whether the amount of hydrocarbons present in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

receive, during the evaluation, the control signal from the control system, wherein the control signal is sent to the first local wireless access point to adjust the second monitoring device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising an onshore office configured to receive at least one of a group consisting of a notification and an alert.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a manned offshore energy platform, comprising;

a second wireless transceiver configured to receive the formatted first and second data from the first wireless transceiver;

a second switch connected to the second wireless transceiver and configured to reformat the formatted first and second data from the second wireless transceiver to create reformatted first and second data;

wherein the control system is executing on a processor and configured to;

receive the reformatted first and second data from the second switch;

perform the evaluation; and

send the control signal to adjust the second monitoring device;

a storage system controlled by the control system and configured to store the reformatted first and second data; and

a wireless system configured to send a notification to an onshore office dependent on a notification signal from the control system.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein performing the evaluation by the control system comprises:

receiving the reformatted first data from the second switch;

determining that the formatted first data indicates the presence of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the offshore energy platform;

generating a control signal to adjust the second monitoring device to measure an amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform;

sending the control signal to the second wireless transceiver, wherein the second wireless transceiver is further configured to send the control signal to the first wireless transceiver;

receiving the reformatted second data from the second switch;

determining that the formatted second data indicates that the amount of hydrocarbons in the location in the water surrounding the offshore energy platform exceeds the predetermined threshold; and

generate the notification signal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the manned offshore energy platform further comprises:

an error detection system configured to verify the first and second data generated by the first and second monitoring devices.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein a satellite system sends the alert dependent on a control signal received from the error detection system, wherein the alert indicates confirmation of the notification.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the first monitoring device uses mid-infrared spectroscopy to detect a gas.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the unmanned offshore energy platform further comprises:

a local power unit configured to supply power to at least one from a group consisting of the first monitoring device, the second monitoring device, the first local wireless access point, the first switch, and the first wireless transceiver.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the unmanned offshore energy platform further comprises:

a voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) system wirelessly connected to the first local wireless access point for an operator to confirm the notification.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the first wireless transceiver is further configured as a backbone for a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the first monitoring device includes at least one selected from a group consisting of a digital camera, a sensor, a computer system, a gas chromatograph, a laser emitter, and a Voice Over Internet Protocol telephone.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the digital camera is placed in a protective housing.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein hydrocarbons in the water surrounding the unmanned offshore energy platform comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of leakage of a hydrocarbon and leakage of a gas associated with hydrocarbons.