Subsea energy storage for well control equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018073318-A1
Application number	US-201715818446-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2017
Priority date	Nov 7, 2012
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A subsea energy storage for well control equipment, wherein stored energy near a well on the sea floor monitors and activates well control equipment independently of, or in conjunction with, hydraulic energy. Energy to the subsea energy storage can be supplied by surface umbilical, remotely-operated vehicle, or by subsea electrical generation from stored hydraulic energy. Stored electrical energy may also recharge stored hydraulic energy. A subsea control system is configured to record data, compare the data to predetermined event signatures, and operate the well control equipment with stored electrical energy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
storing electrical energy near a well on a sea floor in an energy storage device, wherein the energy storage device is configured to provide stored electrical energy to operate well control equipment, and wherein the step of storing electrical energy comprises:
receiving a trickle charge of a current level below a first threshold from an umbilical connection to a surface power source during a first time period;
receiving additional power of a current level above a second threshold from the umbilical connection to the surface power source during a second time period; and activating the well control equipment with a combination of the stored electrical energy and the received additional power.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time period is a time period comprising low-power sensing operations.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional power comprises direct current (DC) power.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing hydraulic energy near the well on the sea floor in a hydraulic energy storage tank, wherein the hydraulic energy storage tank is configured to provide stored hydraulic energy to operate well control equipment; operating a pump from the stored electrical energy to generate the stored hydraulic energy; and activating the well control equipment with a combination of the stored electrical energy and the stored hydraulic energy.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of activating the well control equipment with a combination of the stored electrical energy and the stored hydraulic energy comprises activating the well control equipment for a first duration of time with the stored electrical energy and activating the well control equipment for a second duration of time with the stored hydraulic energy.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of activating the well control equipment comprises activating a shear ram, and wherein activating the shear ram comprises:
activating the shear ram with the stored electrical energy to move the shear ram a first distance; and activating the shear ram with the stored hydraulic energy to move the shear ram a second distance,

7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, during the first time period:
receiving data from a sensor near the well; and activating the well control equipment based on data received from the sensor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is operated from the stored electrical energy.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
recording data from the sensor for a period of time; comparing the recorded data to at least one of a predetermined event signature and a historical event signature; and determining an event has occurred involving the well control equipment based, at least in part, on the step of comparing.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising power conditioning the trickle charge received from the umbilical at the sea floor for storage in the energy storage device.

11 . An apparatus, comprising:
well control equipment; a subsea electrical power supply coupled to the well control equipment and configured to provide stored electrical energy to operate the well control equipment; a connector to receive an umbilical cable coupled to a surface power supply; and a control system configured to:
receive a trickle charge of a current level below a first threshold from the umbilical cable during a first time period;
receive additional power of a current level above a second threshold from the umbilical cable during a second time period; and
activating the well control equipment with a combination of the stored electrical energy and the received additional power.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first time period is a time period comprising low-power sensing operations.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the additional power comprises direct current (DC) power.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a hydraulic reservoir configured to provide stored hydraulic energy; a hydraulic line coupled to the hydraulic reservoir and coupled to the well control equipment, the hydraulic line configured to supply the well control equipment with the stored hydraulic energy; and a control system configured to operate the well control equipment with a combination of the stored electrical energy and the stored hydraulic energy.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to:
operate the well control equipment for a first time period with the stored electrical energy; and operate the well control equipment for a second time period with the stored hydraulic energy.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the control system is configured to operate a shear ram, and wherein the control system is configured to operate the shear ram by performing steps comprising:
operating the subsea electrical power supply to move the shear ram a first distance using the stored electrical energy; and operating a hydraulic actuator to move the shear ram a second distance using the stored hydraulic energy.

17 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the control system, in which the control system is configured to receive data from the sensor during the first time period and configured to activate the well control equipment based, at least in part, on the data received from the sensor.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is configured to operate from the stored electrical energy.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , in which the control system is further configured to:
record data from the sensor for a period of time to obtain recorded data; compare the recorded data to at least one of a predetermined event signature and a historical event signature; and determine an event involving the well control equipment has occurred based, at least in part, on the step of comparing.

20 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising power conditioning circuitry configured to condition the received trickle charge for storage in the subsea electrical power supply.

Assignees

• Transocean Sedco Forex Ventures Ltd
• Aspin Kemp & Ass Holding Corp

Inventors

• Bourgeau Edward P K
• Aspin Jason

Classifications

• E21B33/063

  for shearing drill pipes (cutting of wireline E21B29/04) · CPC title

• E21B33/064 Primary

  specially adapted for underwater well heads · CPC title

• E21B41/0007

  for underwater installations (E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/0355 Primary

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