Safety valve control system and method of use

• US 9,890,609 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safoco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Safoco Incorporated
• Inventors: Lymberopoulos, David, Matthews, Benjamin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US15/262,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 137488, 137492, 1374925
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• 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 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0021 Safety devices, e.g. for preventing small objects from falling into the borehole
• 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 2211/31576 having a single pressure source and a single output member
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6303 using input signals
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/665 Methods of control using electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7052 Single-acting output members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/00 Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/0254 being operated by particular means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1262 one side of the diaphragm being spring loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0091 by measuring fluid parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2086 without direct action of electric energy on the controlling means combination of electric and non-electric auxiliary G05D16/2093
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2635 Pilot valve operated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7762 Fluid pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7769 Single acting fluid servo
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/777 : Spring biased

Abstract

A safety valve control system may include a remotely operable control assembly, a first transducer, a valve assembly, and a compressor assembly in communication with the control assembly. The control assembly is operable to actuate the pump and valve assemblies to supply fluid to actuate the safety valve into open and closed positions, in response to one or more signals received from the first transducer. A method of operation may include maintaining the safety valve in an open or closed position while sensing a physical property with the control system; communicating a signal corresponding to the sensed physical property to the control system; and automatically closing or opening the safety valve in response to a comparison of the sensed physical property to a pre-set condition.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling fluid flow through a flow line at a wellsite, the control system comprising:

a fluid supply;

a first fluid line in fluid communication with the fluid supply;

a pump in fluid communication with the first fluid line and configured to pump fluid from the fluid supply to one or more wellheads through the first fluid line;

a second fluid line in fluid communication with the first fluid line at a location downstream of the pump and configured to return fluid from the first fluid line back to the fluid supply or direct fluid from the first fluid line to a different reservoir;

a safety valve in-line with the second fluid line and movable into a closed positon to close fluid flow through the second fluid line;

a valve actuator configured to actuate the safety valve from the closed position to an open position to open fluid flow through the second fluid line;

an electronic controller assembly programmed with a predetermined condition and configured to receive a signal from a transducer connected to the first fluid line, wherein the signal corresponds to a measured physical property;

a valve assembly in communication with the controller assembly; and

a fluid drive assembly in communication with the controller assembly, wherein the controller assembly is operable to actuate the fluid drive assembly to supply fluid to the valve actuator to move the safety valve into the closed position, and wherein the controller assembly is operable to actuate the valve assembly in response to a comparison of the measured physical property to the predetermined condition to release the fluid from the valve actuator to move the safety valve into the open position and thereby open fluid flow through the second fluid line to return fluid in the first fluid line back to the fluid supply or direct fluid in the first fluid line to the different reservoir.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing for supporting the controller assembly, the valve assembly, and the fluid drive assembly.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is supplied from a reservoir disposed outside of the housing.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid drive assembly is a compressor and the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a pneumatic fluid.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid drive assembly is a pump and the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a hydraulic fluid.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source for supplying power to the controller assembly, the valve assembly, and the fluid drive assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing for supporting the fluid drive assembly, and a filter attached to the housing for filtering fluid entering the housing by the fluid drive assembly.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is ambient air.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller assembly is operable to communicate a signal corresponding to the measured physical property to a remote computer system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller assembly is a programmable logic controller.

11. A method for controlling fluid flow through a flow line at a wellsite, the method comprising:

providing a control system comprising;

a fluid supply;

a first fluid line in fluid communication with the fluid supply;

a pump in fluid communication with the first fluid line and configured to pump fluid from the fluid supply to one or more wellheads through the first fluid line;

a second fluid line in fluid communication with the first fluid line at a location downstream of the pump and configured to return fluid from the first fluid line back to the fluid supply or direct fluid from the first fluid line to a different reservoir;

a safety valve in-line with the second fluid line;

a valve actuator configured to actuate the safety valve;

a housing;

an electronic controller assembly;

a fluid drive assembly; and

a valve assembly;

supplying fluid to the valve actuator using the fluid drive assembly to actuate the valve actuator to move the safety valve into a closed position;

maintaining the safety valve in the closed position to close fluid flow through the second fluid line;

monitoring a physical property in the first fluid line using the controller assembly; and

actuating the valve assembly using the controller assembly to release the fluid from the valve actuator to move the safety valve into an open position and thereby open fluid flow through the second fluid line based upon a comparison of the monitored physical property to a predetermined condition to return fluid from the first fluid line back to the fluid supply or direct fluid from the first fluid line to the different reservoir.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a pneumatic fluid disposed external to the housing, and further comprising filtering the pneumatic fluid as it enters the housing by the fluid drive assembly.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a hydraulic fluid disposed in a reservoir within the housing that is in fluid communication with the fluid drive assembly.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising measuring the physical property using a transducer configured to communicate a signal corresponding to the measured physical property to the controller assembly.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a pneumatic fluid, and wherein the fluid drive assembly is a compressor.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid supplied to the valve actuator by the fluid drive assembly is a hydraulic fluid, and wherein the fluid drive assembly is a pump.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating a signal from the controller assembly to a remote computer system, wherein the signal corresponds to an operational characteristic of the safety valve.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising actuating the safety valve by communicating a signal from a remote computer system to the controller assembly.