Automated pressure control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629708-B2
Application number	US-201716652329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Nov 29, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

To compensate for an event, equipment may require a power down sequence of a motor connected to a pump to prevent the pumping of servicing fluid at a high pressure, high pressure fluid may be required to be diverted to a reservoir or otherwise diverted from a wellhead, multiple pumping systems may require that pumping pressure be altered or adjusted or that flow rate be altered or adjust to manage or control the conditions to protect equipment or personnel at a site. Activating, adjusting or altering an operational characteristic of equipment by using a control system may automatically initiate the most efficient and effective mitigation steps for equipment at a site when condition is detected or predicted. Collecting and analyzing information from devices, components, sensors, control systems, other equipment or any combination thereof at a site by a master control system provides automated control of pressure sensitive conditions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A well pumping system, comprising:
a plurality of pumping systems, wherein the plurality of pumping systems pump a fluid to a wellhead; and
a control system coupled to the plurality of pumping systems, wherein the control system comprises:
a processor; and
a non-transitory memory, wherein the non-transitory memory stores one or more instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive one or more operational parameters associated with the plurality of pumping systems at the well environment;
determine that a triggering event has occurred based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters; and
initiate a mitigation step in response to the triggering event, wherein initiating the mitigation step comprises:
(a) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems to decrease an energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
engaging a transmission disconnect between a motor and a pump of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems and opening a valve value; or

(b) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems without decreasing the energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
initiating a power down sequence to the motor of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems and opening a pressure relief valve.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more instructions that when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to resume operation of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control system controls operation of the plurality of pumping systems.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein (a) altering the operational state of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems to decrease an energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems further comprises altering a pressure of the fluid or altering a flow path of the fluid.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of pump pressure, discharge rate and valve operation associated with the plurality of pumping systems.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more operational parameters is associated with at least one of a transmission, the pressure relief valve and the wellhead.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event comprises an overpressure event.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy of the pumping system comprises the energy stored in the inertia of a rotor of the motor of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

9. A method for mitigating a triggering event for a well environment, comprising:
receiving one or more operational parameters associated with a plurality of pumping systems at the well environment, wherein the plurality of pumping systems pump a fluid to a wellhead;
determining that the triggering event has occurred based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters; and
initiating a mitigation step in response to the triggering event, wherein initiating the mitigation step comprises:
(a) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems to decrease an energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
engaging a transmission disconnect between a motor and a pump of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems and opening a pressure relief valve; or

(b) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems without decreasing the energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
initiating a power down sequence to the motor of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems and opening a pressure relief valve.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the one or more instructions that when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to resume operation of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the control system controls operation of the plurality of pumping systems.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise at least one of pump pressure, discharge rate and valve operation associated with the plurality of pumping systems.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more operational parameters is associated with at least one of a transmission, the pressure relief valve and the wellhead.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein (a) altering the operational state of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems to decrease an energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems further comprises altering a pressure of the fluid or altering a flow path of the fluid.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the triggering event comprises an overpressure event.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the energy of the pumping system comprises the energy stored in the inertia of a rotor of the motor of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive one or more operational parameters associated with a plurality of pumping systems at a well environment, wherein the plurality of pumping systems pump a fluid to a wellhead;
determine that a triggering event has occurred based, at least in part, on the one or more operational parameters; and
initiate the mitigation step in response to the triggering event, wherein initiating the mitigation step comprises:
opening a pressure relief valve or diverting flow of the fluid; and
(a) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems by decreasing the energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
engaging a transmission disconnect between a motor and a pump of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems; or
(b) altering an operational state of a selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems without decreasing the energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems, comprising:
initiating a power down sequence to the motor of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions that when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to resume operation of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more instructions cause the processor to receive the one or more operational parameters at a control system coupled to the plurality of pumping systems, wherein the control system controls operation of the plurality of pumping systems.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein selectively altering the operational state of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems to decrease an energy of the selected one or more of the plurality of pumping systems further comprises altering a pressure of the fluid, alte

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Chretien Alexander Simon
• Hunter Timothy Holiman

Classifications

• F04B49/065

  and making use of computers · CPC title

• F04B23/04 Primary

  Combinations of two or more pumps · CPC title

• F04B51/00

  Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations · CPC title

• E21B43/2607

  Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations · CPC title

• G05D16/2073

  with a plurality of pressure sources · CPC title