Condition-Based Monitoring For Materials in Wellbore Applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016223447-A1
Application number	US-201615011153-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for analyzing material wear in a hydrocarbon production environment is disclosed. The method includes the steps of preparing a sample of material to be disposed proximate the hydrocarbon production environment; selecting a placement location for the sample of material, wherein the placement location is in fluid communication with a fluid flow for which the impact of the fluid flow on the sample of material is to be tested; disposing the sample of material in the placement location for a pre-determined amount of time; allowing the sample of material to be exposed to the fluid flow; retrieving the sample of material from the placement location after the pre-determined amount of time has passed; and analyzing the sample of material for wear caused by the hydrocarbon production environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for analyzing material wear in a hydrocarbon production environment, the method comprising the steps of:
preparing a sample of material to be disposed proximate the hydrocarbon production environment; selecting a placement location for the sample of material, wherein the placement location is in fluid communication with a fluid flow for which impact of the fluid flow on the sample of material is to be tested; disposing the sample of material in the placement location for a pre-determined amount of time; allowing the sample of material to be exposed to the fluid flow; retrieving the sample of material from the placement location after the pre-determined amount of time has passed; and analyzing the sample of material for wear caused by the hydrocarbon production environment.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of monitoring temperature and pressure proximate the sample of material when the sample of material is exposed to the fluid flow.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sample of material is selected from the group consisting of: a metallic material and an elastomeric material.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement location for the sample of material is proximate a blowout preventer (BOP) stack.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the placement location for the sample of material is an unused side outlet on a BOP stack.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined amount of time is about 1 year.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flow is selected from the group consisting of: production fluid flow and seawater flow.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps of disposing the sample of material and retrieving the sample of material are performed using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of analyzing the sample of material for wear caused by the hydrocarbon production environment comprises destructive testing of the sample of material.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a cathodic connection to the placement location when the sample of material comprises a metal.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a preload of tension to a sample of material and verifying at what preload of tension the sample of material failed, to correlate strength reductions due to environmentally assisted stress corrosion cracking.

12 . A monitoring vessel for analyzing material wear in a hydrocarbon production environment, the monitoring vessel comprising:
a retainer operable to hold a sample of material to be disposed proximate the hydrocarbon production environment; a fluid flow channel operable to allow a fluid flow through the retainer, for which impact of the fluid flow on the sample of material is to be tested; and an end cap, wherein the end cap is operable to allow insertion of the sample of material into the retainer, and removal of the sample of material from the retainer.

13 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , further comprising a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor to sense temperature and pressure when the sample of material is exposed to the fluid flow.

14 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the sample of material is selected from the group consisting of: a metallic material and an elastomeric material.

15 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the monitoring vessel is operable to be placed proximate a BOP stack.

16 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , further comprising an alternative end cap, wherein both end caps are operable to be opened and closed remotely.

17 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the monitoring vessel is operable to remain subsea for about 1 year.

18 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the fluid flow is selected from the group consisting of: production fluid flow and seawater flow.

19 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the sample of material can be disposed into and retrieved from the retainer by an ROV.

20 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , wherein the retainer is operable to hold more than one sample of material.

21 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , further comprising a cathodic connection proximate to the sample of material.

22 . The monitoring vessel according to claim 12 , further comprising a tension bar to preload the sample of material with tension.

Assignees

• Hydril Usa Distrib Llc

Inventors

• Gustafson Ryan Cheaney

Classifications

• E21B47/06

  Measuring temperature or pressure · CPC title

• G01N2203/0244

  Tests performed "in situ" or after "in situ" use · CPC title

• E21B33/06

  Blow-out preventers {, i.e. apparatus closing around a drill pipe, e.g. annular blow-out preventers (rotating blow-out preventers E21B33/085)} · CPC title

• G01N17/04 Primary

  Corrosion probes · CPC title

• G01N3/56 Primary

  Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion · CPC title