Automated operation of wellsite equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041579-B2
Application number	US-201615557140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

Systems and method for controlling wellsite equipment, including pumps and a manifold having a low-pressure (LP) manifold, having LP ports with LP valves, and a high-pressure (HP) manifold, having HP ports with HP valves and bleed ports with bleed valves. The pumps are fluidly coupled with the LP manifold via LP conduits and with the HP manifold via HP conduits. Communication is established between a controller and the LP valves, the HP valves, the bleed valves, the pumps, and sensors for monitoring pressure within the HP conduits. The controller is operable to, with respect to each pump, cause the LP valve to transition to a closed position, cause the HP and/or bleed valve to transition to an open position, and determine that the HP conduit is not pressurized based on the information generated by the sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a manifold unit comprising a plurality of ports and a plurality of valves and a plurality of valve feedback sensors attached to each of the valves, wherein each of the valves is operable to control flow through a corresponding one of the ports; and
a controller operable to, with respect to each of the valves:
remotely control the valve by transmitting a command signal to the valve to transition the valve from an existing setting to an intended setting;
after transmitting the command signal, receive a feedback signal from the valve feedback sensors indicative of an actual setting of the valve;
assess an operational health of the valve based on a comparison of the intended and actual settings; and
aborting an operation of the manifold unit based on an assessment, by the controller, that the operational health of the valve is unhealthy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the command signal is a first command signal, the feedback signal is a first feedback signal, the intended setting is a first intended setting, the actual setting is a first actual setting, and the controller is further operable to, with respect to each of the valves:
further remotely control the valve by transmitting a second command signal to the valve to transition the valve to a second intended setting;
after transmitting the second command signal, receive a second feedback signal from the valve indicative of a second actual setting of the valve; and
reassess the operational health of the valve based on the second intended setting and the second actual setting;
wherein the first intended setting is a closed flow setting and the second intended setting is an open flow setting.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the controller is further operable to, with respect to each of the valves:
further remotely control the valve by transmitting a third command signal to the valve to transition the valve to a third intended setting;
after transmitting the third command signal, receive a third feedback signal from the valve indicative of a third actual setting of the valve; and
reassess the operational health of the valve based on the third intended setting and the third actual setting;
wherein the third intended setting is a closed flow setting.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of valves comprises a first valve, a second valve, and a third valve, and wherein the controller is operable to:
remotely control the first valve by transmitting a first command signal to the first valve to transition the first valve to a first intended setting, then receive a first feedback signal from the first valve indicative of a first actual setting of the first valve, and then assess a first operational health of the first valve based on the first intended setting and the first actual setting;
after assessing the first operational health, remotely control the second valve by transmitting a second command signal to the second valve to transition the second valve to a second intended setting, then receive a second feedback signal from the second valve indicative of a second actual setting of the second valve, and then assess a second operational health of the second valve based on the second intended setting and the second actual setting; and
after assessing the second operational health, remotely control the third valve by transmitting a third command signal to the third valve to transition the third valve to a third intended setting, then receive a third feedback signal from the third valve indicative of a third actual setting of the third valve, and then assess a third operational health of the third valve based on the third intended setting and the third actual setting.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein aborting the operation comprises aborting a depressurizing and flushing operation.

6. A method comprising:
establishing communication between a controller and each of a plurality of valves of a manifold unit, wherein each of the valves is operable to control flow through a corresponding one of a plurality of ports of the manifold unit and wherein each of the valves has a valve feedback sensor attached thereto; and
operating the controller to, with respect to each of the valves:
remotely control the valve by transmitting a command signal to the valve to transition the valve from an existing setting to an intended setting;
after transmitting the command signal, receive a feedback signal from the valve feedback sensor indicative of an actual setting of the valve;
assess an operational health of the valve based on a comparison of the intended and actual settings; and
aborting an operation of the manifold unit based on an assessment, by the controller, that the operational health of the valve is unhealthy.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the command signal is a first command signal, the feedback signal is a first feedback signal, the intended setting is a first intended setting, the actual setting is a first actual setting, and wherein the method further comprises operating the controller to, with respect to each of the valves:
further remotely control the valve by transmitting a second command signal to the valve to transition the valve to a second intended setting;
after transmitting the second command signal, receive a second feedback signal from the valve indicative of a second actual setting of the valve; and
reassess the operational health of the valve based on the second intended setting and the second actual setting;
wherein the first intended setting is a closed flow setting and the second intended setting is an open flow setting.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising operating the controller to, with respect to each of the valves:
further remotely control the valve by transmitting a third command signal to the valve to transition the valve to a third intended setting;
after transmitting the third command signal, receive a third feedback signal from the valve indicative of a third actual setting of the valve; and
reassess the operational health of the valve based on the third intended setting and the third actual setting;
wherein the third intended setting is a closed flow setting.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of valves comprises a first valve, a second valve, and a third valve, and wherein operating the controller includes:
remotely controlling the first valve by transmitting a first command signal to the first valve to transition the first valve to a first intended setting, then receiving a first feedback signal from the first valve indicative of a first actual setting of the first valve, and then assessing a first operational health of the first valve based on the first intended setting and the first actual setting;
after assessing the first operational health, remotely controlling the second valve by transmitting a second command signal to the second valve to transition the second valve to a second intended setting, then receiving a second feedback signal from the second valve indicative of a second actual setting of the second valve, and then assessing a second operational health of the second valve based on the second intended setting and the second actual setting; and
after assessing the second operational health, remotely controlling the third valve by transmitting a third command signal to the third valve to transition the third valve to a third intended setting, then receiving a third feedback signal from the third valve indicative of a third actual setting of the third valve, and then assessing a third operational health of the third valve based on the third intended setting and the third actual setting.

10. The method of

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Lopez Miguel Angel
• Kajita Marcos Suguru
• Mu Nan
• Nguyen Chuong
• Ray Corey
• Bobadilla Larios Manuel Alfonso

Classifications

• F17D1/04 Primary

  for distribution of gas · CPC title

• F17C2265/068

  Distribution pipeline networks · CPC title

• F16K37/0091 Primary

  by measuring fluid parameters · CPC title

• F17C2250/03

  Control means · CPC title

• F17C2205/0326

  electrically actuated · CPC title