Smart metal-loss monitoring for coil tubing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12313600-B2
Application number	US-202318472977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2023
Priority date	Sep 22, 2023
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A system for monitoring tubing during feeding into a conduit includes a collar, a plurality of sensors, and a computer system. The collar is positioned around the tubing. The sensors include ultrasonic transducers and fingers oriented radially inward from the collar. The computer system is configured to measure the outer dimensions and thickness of the tubing using the fingers and ultrasonic transducers respectively as well as trigger alerts based off of the measurements of thickness and outer dimensions of the tubing. The system for monitoring tubing further includes a tubing feed system. The tubing feed system includes tubing, an injector head, and conduit. The injector head feeds the tubing into the conduit under control of the computer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring tubing during feeding into a conduit comprising:
a tubing measuring device comprising:
a collar configured to be positioned around the tubing, and
a plurality of sensors comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, and
a plurality of fingers,
wherein the plurality of fingers is oriented radially inward from the collar, and

a computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to:
communicably couple to the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, measure a thickness based on ultrasonic signals sent and received by the plurality of ultrasonic transducers,
communicably couple to the plurality of fingers, measure outer dimensions of the tubing by measuring deflection of the plurality of fingers, and trigger alerts based off measurements of tubing thickness and outer dimensions; and
a tubing feed system comprising:
an injector head that directs the tubing into the conduit, and the conduit, wherein the tubing measuring device is disposed around the tubing between the injector head and the conduit, wherein data is continually sent from the plurality of sensors to the computer system, and wherein the computer system triggers the alerts based on the data received from the sensors.

2. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the computer system is communicably connected to the injector head,
wherein the computer system is configured to monitor and control the feeding of the tubing.

3. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein one or more fingers of the plurality of fingers comprises one or more rollers on a contact end of the one or more fingers.

4. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are connected to the plurality of fingers on the inward end of the plurality of fingers.

5. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are mounted directly to the collar.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the tubing feed system further comprises a reel that holds the tubing as a coil for unrolling and feeding into the conduit.

7. A method for monitoring tubing conditions during feeding into a conduit comprising:
feeding tubing into the conduit via a tubing feed system comprising:
an injector head that directs the tubing into the conduit,
disposing a tubing measuring device between the injector head and the conduit; and
monitoring the condition of the tubing with the tubing measuring device comprising:
a collar configured to be fitted around the tubing; and
a plurality of sensors comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transducers,
wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers continuously measure a thickness of the tubing,
wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers continuously monitor for defects, and
a plurality of fingers oriented radially inward from the collar, wherein the plurality of fingers continuously measure the outer dimensions of the tubing, and

a computer system configured to:
receive data continually from the plurality of sensors, and trigger an alert based on the data received from the sensors.

8. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the computer system further comprises preconfigured thresholds for characterizing measurements as at least one of, nominal, minor defects, and major defects.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
triggering an alert if a minor defect is detected by the tubing measuring device.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
stopping feeding of the tubing by the tubing feed system if a major defect is detected by the tubing measuring device.

11. The method of claim 7 ,
wherein the tubing feed system further comprises a reel that holds the tubing as coiled tubing for feeding into the conduit.

12. A non-transient computer-readable medium containing program instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:
feeding tubing into a conduit via a tubing feed system comprising:
an injector head that directs the tubing into the conduit; and
monitoring the condition of the tubing with a tubing measuring device comprising:
a collar configured to be fitted around the tubing; and
a plurality of sensors comprising:
a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers continuously measure a thickness of the tubing, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers continuously monitor for defects, and
a plurality of fingers oriented radially inward from the collar, wherein the plurality of fingers continuously measure outer dimensions of the tubing, wherein the computer is configured to:
receive data continually from the plurality of sensors, and
trigger an alert based on the data received from the sensors, wherein the tubing measuring device is disposed between the injector head and the conduit.

13. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 12 ,
further comprising threshold data for measurements to be characterized as at least one of nominal, minor defects, and major defects.

14. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 13 ,
further comprising instructions for causing the computer to trigger an alert if a minor defect is detected in the tubing.

15. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 13 ,
further comprising instructions for causing the computer to stop feeding of the tubing if a major defect is detected in the tubing.

16. The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 12 ,
further comprising instructions for causing the computer to uncoil the tubing from a reel for feeding into the conduit.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Kumar Sanjiv
• Alghannam Abdullah K
• Baruah Keshabananda

Classifications

• G01N29/4445 Primary

  Classification of defects · CPC title

• G01N2291/2634

  cylindrical from outside · CPC title

• G01N2291/106

  one or more transducer arrays · CPC title

• E21B19/22

  Handling reeled pipe or rod units, e.g. flexible drilling pipes {(lifting or hauling appliances using two or more cooperating endless chains B66D3/003)} · CPC title

• G01N2291/02854

  Length, thickness · CPC title