Apparatus and methods for evaluating systems associated with wellheads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10018031-B2
Application number	US-201615211198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

According to one aspect, data identifying a component is received, wherein the component is part of a system associated with a wellhead. A location at which the component is positioned relative to one or more other components is identified. The useful remaining operational life of the component is predicted based on at least an operational parameter specific to the location, and the operational history of the component or one or more components equivalent thereto. According to another aspect, a model representing at least a portion of a proposed system associated with a wellhead is generated, the model comprising a plurality of objects, each of which has a proposed location and represents an existing component. The useful remaining operational life for each object is predicted based on an operational parameter at the corresponding proposed location, and data associated with the respective operational history of the existing component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, using a computer, data associated with a first group of components, the first group of components being part of a system associated with a wellhead and being positioned at a first location relative to the wellhead,
wherein receiving the data associated with the first group of components comprises:
receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the first group of components,
receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and
receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the first location;

receiving, using a computer, data associated with a second group of components, the second group of components being part of the system associated with the wellhead and being positioned at a second location relative to the wellhead, the second location being different from the first location,
wherein receiving the data associated with the second group of components comprises:
receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the second group of components,
receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and
receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the second location;

wherein the respective data received from the first and second groups of components are received in a predetermined order, the predetermined order requiring that the data from the first group of components be received before the data from the second group of components;
predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components based on at least:
the first operational parameter specific to the first location, and
the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto; and

predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the second group of components based on at least:
the first operational parameter specific to the second location, and
the operational history of the first component in the second group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the components in the first group of components are in fluid communication with another portion of the system associated with the wellhead.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system associated with the wellhead is a system for pumping fluid to the wellhead.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
graphically displaying, using a computer, a model of at least a portion of the system associated with the wellhead;
wherein the model represents the first group of components located at the first location and the second group of components located at the second location.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the data identifying the first
component in the first group of components comprises receiving data associated with a first reading of a first identifier that is coupled to the first component in the first group of components; and
wherein receiving data associated with the first reading of the first identifier comprises:
coupling the first identifier to the first component in the first group of components;
positioning at least one reader in the vicinity of the first component in the first group of components; and
reading the first identifier using the at least one reader to thereby obtain the first reading.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first identifier comprises an RFID tag; and wherein the at least one reader is an RFID reader.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one reader comprises a display.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operational parameter specific to the first location is selected from a group consisting of a fluid flow rate through the first component in the first group of components, a fluid pressure within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of media within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of proppant within the first component in the first group of components, a volume of sand within the first component in the first group of components, and a time period during which fluid is to be pumped through the first component in the first group of components.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operational parameter specific to the first location specifies a value or range of values; and
wherein receiving data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components comprises:
receiving data associated with measurements of one or more wear life attributes of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto taken against time and under one or more operational parameters, the one or more operational parameters having the same, or different, values or ranges of values than that specified by the first operational parameter specific to the first location; and
storing the data associated with the wear life attribute measurements and the one or more operational parameters made thereunder; and
querying the stored data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein predicting the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components comprises:
determining a wear trend for the first component in the first group of components based on at least the first operational parameter specific to the first location and the data associated with the operational history of the first component in the first group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto; and
predicting the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the first group of components using the wear trend.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, using the computer, data associated with a third group of components, the third group of components being part of the system associated with the wellhead and being positioned at a third location relative to the wellhead, the third location being different from the first and second locations;
wherein receiving the data associated with the third group of components comprises:
receiving, using the computer, data identifying a first component in the third group of components,
receiving, using the computer, data associated with an operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto, and
receiving, using the computer, data associated with a first operational parameter specific to the third location;

wherein the respective data received from the first, second, and third groups of components are received in the predetermined order, the predetermined order further requiring that the data associated with the second group of components be received before the data associated with the third group of components;

and
predicting, using the computer, the useful remaining operational life of the first component in the third group of components based on at least:
the first operational parameter specific to the third location, and
the operational history of the first component in the third group of components or one or more components equivalent thereto.

12. An apparatus, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium;

Assignees

• Spm Flow Control Inc

Inventors

• Hunter Scott

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• G05B23/0283

  Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06) · CPC title

• E21B33/03

  Well heads; Setting-up thereof · CPC title

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• E21B47/00 Primary

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title