Load and vibration monitoring on a flowline jumper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11346205-B2
Application number	US-201615368302-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2016
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A flowline jumper for providing fluid communication between first and second spaced apart subsea structures includes a length of conduit having a predetermined size and shape and first and second connectors deployed on opposing ends of the conduit. The first and second connectors are configured to couple with corresponding connectors on the subsea structures. At least one electronic sensor is deployed on the conduit. The sensor is configured to measure at least one of a vibration and a load in the conduit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flowline jumper for providing fluid communication between first and second spaced apart subsea structures, the flowline jumper comprising:
a length of conduit located at a seabed and surrounded by a body of fluid, the conduit having a predetermined size and shape to accommodate a flow of another fluid therethrough;
first and second connectors deployed on opposing ends of the conduit, the first and second connectors configured to couple with corresponding connectors on the subsea structures at a sea floor;
at least one vibration suppression device with a plurality of conduit axis aligned plates extending therefrom, the at least one vibration suppression device-clamping about an external surface of the flowline jumper and directly surrounding the plates by the body of fluid, the at least one vibration suppression device configured to facilitate dampening of a flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and dampening of a flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit;
at least one electronic sensor deployed on the conduit, the sensor configured to:
measure at least one of a vibration and a load in the conduit;
detect and identify each of the flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and the flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit; and
monitor absolute loads in the conduit and the first and second connectors; and

a communication link to a surface location to provide real-time monitoring of the flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and the flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit to estimate a mechanical fatigue of the flowline jumper;
wherein the at least one electronic sensor comprises a cross-axial accelerometer that monitors accelerations of the conduit to measure the vibration.

2. The flowline jumper of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the electronic sensors in electronic communication with one another.

3. The flowline jumper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic sensor is configured to communicate electronically with a remotely operated vehicle or an autonomous underwater vehicle.

4. The flowline jumper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic sensor is in electronic communication with a surface control system via a subsea umbilical.

5. The flowline jumper of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic sensor further comprises a strain gauge.

6. The flowline jumper of claim 5 , wherein the strain gauge comprises at least first and second strain gauges, the first strain gauge being deployed such that its axis is parallel with an axis of the conduit and the second strain gauge being deployed such that its axis is perpendicular with the axis of the conduit.

7. The flowline jumper of claim 1 , wherein the cross-axial accelerometer comprises a triaxial accelerometer having at least one axis oriented perpendicular to an axis of the conduit.

8. A subsea measurement system comprising:
a flowline jumper deployed between first and second subsea structures at a sea floor and surrounded by a body of fluid, the flowline jumper providing a fluid passageway between the first and second subsea structures to accommodate a flow of another fluid therethrough, the flowline jumper including (i) a length of rigid conduit and (ii) first and second connectors deployed on opposing ends of the conduit, the first and second connectors connected to corresponding connectors on the first and second subsea structures;
at least one vibration suppression device with a plurality of conduit axis aligned plates extending therefrom, the at least one vibration suppression device clamping about an external surface of the flowline jumper and directly surrounding the plates by the body of fluid, the at least one vibration suppression device configured to facilitate dampening of a flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and dampening of a flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit; and
at least one electronic sensor deployed on the conduit, the sensor configured to:
measure at least one of a vibration and a load in the conduit;
detect and identify each of the flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and the flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit; and
monitor absolute loads in the conduit and the first and second connectors; and

a communication link between the at least one electronic sensor to a surface control system configured to provide real-time monitoring of the flow induced vibration from the another fluid flowing in the conduit and the flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the conduit to estimate a mechanical fatigue of the flowline jumper;
wherein the at least one electronic sensor is in electronic communication with at least one of the subsea structures; and wherein the at least one electronic sensor comprises a cross-axial accelerometer that monitors accelerations of the conduit to measure the vibration.

9. The measurement system of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of the electronic sensors deployed on the conduit, the plurality of electronic sensors in electronic communication with one another and with the surface control system.

10. The measurement system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one electronic sensor further comprises a strain gauge.

11. The measurement system of claim 8 , wherein the cross-axial accelerometer comprises a triaxial accelerometer having at least one axis oriented perpendicular to an axis of the conduit.

12. The measurement system of claim 10 , wherein the strain gauge comprises at least first and second strain gauges, the first strain gauge being deployed such that its axis is parallel with an axis of the conduit and the second strain gauge being deployed such that its axis is perpendicular with the axis of the conduit.

13. A hydrocarbon production method, comprising:
(a) positioning a subsea flowline jumper at a sea floor and surrounded by a body of fluid, the jumper to accommodate produced wellbore fluids therethrough at a controlled flow rate, the flowline jumper providing a rigid fluid passageway for the wellbore fluids between first and second subsea structures deployed on the sea floor;
(b) causing a sensor comprising a cross-axial accelerometer deployed on the flowline jumper to monitor accelerations of the conduit and measure at least one of a vibration and a load in the flowline jumper, the sensor configured to: (i) detect and identify each of a flow induced vibration from the wellbore fluids flowing in the conduit and a flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the flow line jumper, and (ii) monitor absolute loads in the conduit;
(c) transmitting the sensor measurement made in (b) to a control system at a surface location;
(d) evaluating the sensor measurement at the surface location to provide real-time monitoring of the flow induced vibration from the wellbore fluids flowing in the conduit and the flow induced vibration from the body of fluid surrounding the flow line jumper to estimate a mechanical fatigue of the flowline jumper;
(e) maintaining the flow rate in (a) when the sensor measurement is less than a predetermined threshold; and
(f) reducing the flow rate in (a) when the sensor measurement is greater than a predetermined threshold and clamping a vibration suppression device with a plurality of conduit axis aligned plates extending therefrom about an external surface of the flowline jumper to facilitate dampening of flow induced vibration from t

Assignees

• Onesubsea Ip Uk Ltd

Inventors

• Kalia Akshay
• Lara Marcus
• Shirani Alireza

Classifications

• E21B43/013 Primary

  Connecting a production flow line to an underwater well head · CPC title

• E21B47/007 Primary

  Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing (for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09) · CPC title

• E21B17/006

  Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners (wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00) · CPC title

• E21B33/038

  Connectors used on well heads, e.g. for connecting blow-out preventer and riser · CPC title

• E21B43/017

  Production satellite stations, i.e. underwater installations comprising a plurality of satellite well heads connected to a central station · CPC title