Automated operation of wellsite equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10745993-B2
Application number	US-201615563682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling wellsite equipment, including a cementing unit comprising a plurality of sensors operable to generate information related to operational status of the cementing unit and a controller comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code. Communication is established between the cementing unit and the controller. The controller is operable to operate the cementing unit to automatically perform: a pressure calibration of the cementing unit, a pressure test of the cementing unit, an over pressure shut-down test of the cementing unit, a low rate pumping test of the cementing unit, a hydraulic horsepower test of the cementing unit, and/or a mixing test of the cementing unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
establishing communication between a cementing unit and a controller operable to control operation of the cementing unit, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory including computer program code;
inputting a pressure set-point; and
operating the controller to automatically perform a pressure calibration of the cementing unit, wherein the pressure calibration comprises automatically:
varying a pumping speed of a pump unit of the cementing unit to increase a fluid pressure generated by the pump unit to the pressure set-point while recording the varying pumping speeds and corresponding fluid pressures; and
determining a pressure ramp relating the recorded pumping speeds and corresponding fluid pressures.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the pressure set-point is a first pressure set-point;
the recorded pumping speeds are recorded first pumping speeds;
the recorded fluid pressures are recorded first fluid pressures;
the method further comprises inputting a second pressure set-point; and
the pressure calibration further comprises, after determining the pressure ramp, progressively opening a choke valve of the cementing unit downstream of the pump unit while recording positions of the choke valve and corresponding second fluid pressures until one of the recorded second fluid pressures substantially equals the second pressure set-point.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pressure ramp is a first pressure ramp, and wherein the pressure calibration further comprises determining a second pressure ramp relating the recorded second fluid pressures and corresponding choke valve positions.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising inputting an incremental position set-point, wherein progressively opening the choke valve is via the incremental position set-point.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein varying the pumping speed comprises:
progressively increasing the pumping speed to a first speed; and
progressively decreasing the pumping speed from the first speed to a second speed that is substantially zero.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising inputting first and second incremental speed set-points, wherein progressively increasing the pumping speed is via the first incremental speed set-point, and wherein progressively decreasing the pumping speed is via the second incremental speed set-point.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein:
the pressure ramp is a first pressure ramp;
the recorded pumping speeds are recorded first pumping speeds;
the recorded fluid pressures are recorded first fluid pressures;
the method further comprises inputting a second pressure set-point, a first incremental percentage set-point that is a percentage of the second pressure set-point, and a second incremental percentage set-point that is a percentage of the second pressure set-point; and
the pressure calibration further comprises:
varying the pumping speed to increase the fluid pressure to the second pressure set-point while recording second pumping speeds and corresponding second fluid pressures, wherein varying the pumping speed to increase the fluid pressure to the second pressure set-point comprises:
progressively increasing the pumping speed by a first amount that corresponds to the first incremental percentage set-point and that is based on the first pressure ramp; and
progressively decreasing the pumping speed by a second amount that corresponds to the second incremental percentage set-point and that is based on the first pressure ramp until the pumping speed is zero; and

determining a second pressure ramp relating the recorded second pumping speeds and second fluid pressures.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure calibration further comprises, before varying the pumping speed:
confirming that the pump unit is not pumping fluid;
confirming that the pump unit is depressurized; and
confirming that a choke valve of the cementing unit downstream of the pump unit is closed.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the cementing unit comprises a plurality of sensors operable to generate information indicative of operational parameters of the cementing unit, including the recorded pumping speeds and fluid pressures; and
the method further comprises, before operating the controller to automatically perform the pressure calibration, operating the controller to automatically perform a parameter condition check of the cementing unit, wherein the parameter condition check comprises automatically:
monitoring ones of the operational parameters indicative of the cementing unit operational status based on the information generated by the sensors; and
confirming the monitored ones of the operational parameters are within corresponding predetermined ranges.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the monitored ones of the operational parameters are indicative of at least one of:
a temperature of the pump unit;
presence of moisture in association with the pump unit;
a pressure of a cooling system of the pump unit; and
a pressure of a lubrication system of the pump unit.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure calibration further comprises, before varying the pumping speed:
pumping fluid with the pump unit while monitoring the pumping speed, the fluid pressure, and a fluid flow rate generated by the pump unit;
confirming that the monitored pumping speed, fluid pressure, and fluid flow rate are within corresponding predetermined ranges; and
progressively decreasing the pumping speed until the pump unit stops pumping fluid.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein:
the cementing unit comprises a plurality of sensors operable to generate information indicative of operational parameters of the cementing unit, including the recorded pumping speeds and fluid pressures; and
the method further comprises operating the controller to automatically perform a safety parameter check of the cementing unit, wherein performing the safety parameter check comprises automatically:
monitoring safety parameters based on the information generated by the sensors; and
confirming the safety parameters are within corresponding predetermined ranges.

13. A method comprising:
establishing communication between a cementing unit and a controller operable to control operation of the cementing unit, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory including computer program code;
inputting a pressure set-point and a test duration set-point; and
operating the controller to automatically perform a pressure test of the cementing unit, wherein the pressure test comprises automatically:
varying a pumping speed of a pump unit of the cementing unit to increase a fluid pressure generated by the pump unit to the pressure set-point while recording the varying pumping speeds and corresponding first fluid pressures, wherein the recorded first fluid pressures are detected within a fluid conduit of the cementing unit downstream of the pump unit; and
recording second fluid pressures within the fluid conduit until the test duration set-point is met while confirming that the recorded second fluid pressures are within a predetermined range of the pressure set-point.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the pressure set-point is a first pressure set-point;
the method further comprises inputting a second pressure set-point; and
the pressure test further comprises, after the duration set-point is met, progressively opening a choke valve of the cementing unit downstream of the pump unit while recording third fluid pressures within the fluid conduit until one of the recorded third fluid pr

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Urdaneta Carlos

Classifications

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• B01F35/2111

  Flow rate · CPC title

• G05B19/02

  electric · CPC title

• E21B33/14 Primary

  for cementing casings into boreholes · CPC title

• G05B19/409

  characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters (G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence) · CPC title