Plug-and-play, pre-packaged, and purpose built valve block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549330-B2
Application number	US-202016744971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2020
Priority date	Jan 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A valve block may be assembled, in a controlled environment, a valve block to be modular and purpose built for a specific application. The specific application may be an operation to be performed at a well site. The modular purpose built valve block may be function tested, in the controlled environment. Additionally, the modular purpose built valve block may be pre-packaged, in the controlled environment, to have a digital system to operate and automate the modular purpose built valve block. Further, the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block may be deployed to the well site, and the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block may be fluidly coupled to a wellhead. The modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block may be operated to perform the operation at the well site.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
assembling, in a controlled environment, a valve block to be modular and purpose built for a specific application, wherein the specific application is an operation to be performed at a well site, wherein assembling the modular purpose built valve block comprises:
coupling two or more blocks together to form a body of the modular purpose built valve block,
extending one or more threaded posts through through-holes in a housing of the two or more blocks to couple the two or more blocks on top of each other, and
coupling a control wrap system to the body of the modular purpose built valve block, wherein control blocks of the control wrap system are coupled to a corresponding block of the modular purpose built valve block;

function testing, in the controlled environment, the modular purpose built valve block;
pre-packaging, in the controlled environment, the modular purpose built valve block to have a digital system of the control wrap system to operate and automate the modular purpose built valve block;
deploying the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block to the well site, wherein the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block is fluidly coupled to a wellhead; and
operating the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block to perform the operation at the well site.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function testing comprises individually hydro-testing each valve within the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein coupling the control wrap system comprises positioning a first control block of the control blocks opposite a second control block of the control blocks, and connecting the first control block and the second control block together via a third control box of the control blocks.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first control block comprises switches for manually operating the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block, the second control block comprises lines connected to the two or more blocks to perform greasing or valve actuation, and the third control block comprises a control box with the digital system for automatically or manually operating the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising providing instructions on the digital system to automatically operate the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block from the wellhead to a second wellhead.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising performing the operation at the second wellhead.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising fluidly coupling a second modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block to the wellhead to perform a second specific application different from the specific application of the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically inspecting, via the digital system, the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block at the well site.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising configuring the components of the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block based on the specific application, wherein the specific application is for a hydraulic fracturing operation.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing instructions on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, executable by a processor of the digital system on the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block, the instructions comprising:
performing the function testing on the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block, wherein the performing comprises:
automatically actuating valves within the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block, and
pressurizing seals within the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising identifying, with the digital system, components of the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a type of the function test to perform based on the identified components.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising programming the specific application of the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block based on results of the function test.

15. The method of claim 14 , the instructions further comprising functionality to control and operate the modular pre-packaged purpose built valve block.

16. A system, comprising:
a valve block with a continuous flow path in at least two or more blocks, wherein the least two or more blocks is configured to connect to a wellhead, or pump fluids into a wellbore, or provide power to other equipment, or bleed off and discharge pressure, or isolate various flow paths;
one or more threaded posts extending through through-holes in a housing of the two or more blocks to couple the two or more blocks on top of each other; and
a control wrap system with least two or more control blocks, wherein each control block is coupled to a corresponding block, and the control wrap system comprises a digital system to operate and automate the valve block.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the valve block is coupled to a hydraulic fracturing system at a well site.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the valve block is programmed, via the digital system, for a specific application or operation to be performed at the well site.

19. A method, comprising:
receiving an order for two or more valve blocks to perform a specific application, wherein the specific application is an operation to be performed at a well site;
building the two or more valve blocks in a controlled environment, wherein the building comprises:
assembling the two or more valve blocks to be modular and purpose built for the specific application;
extending one or more threaded posts through through-holes in a housing of the two or more blocks to couple the two or more blocks on top of each other;
coupling two or more control blocks of a control wrap system to the two or more modular purpose built valve blocks to be autonomous;
function testing the two or more autonomous modular purpose built valve blocks to perform the specific application; and
programing a digital system of the control wrap system to operate and automate the two or more autonomous modular purpose built valve blocks; and

shipping the two or more autonomous modular purpose built valve blocks to the well site.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising providing, via the digital system, pre-determined times at which to automatically perform an inspection of the two or more autonomous modular purpose built valve blocks.

Assignees

• Fmc Tech Inc

Inventors

• Cook James
• Boyd Gareth
• Keihany Julian
• Machado Thiago

Classifications

• F16K27/003

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title

• E21B34/02 Primary

  in well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/0355

  Control systems, e.g. hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, acoustic, for submerged well heads · CPC title

• E21B33/035

  specially adapted for underwater installations (E21B33/043, E21B33/064, E21B33/076 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/0353

  Horizontal or spool trees, i.e. without production valves in the vertical main bore · CPC title