Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOTE WELL SERVICING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This
application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 62/291,616, which was filed on February 5, 2016. This
application is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 14/725,341, which was
filed on May 29,
2015. The full disclosure of these related applications are hereby
incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The
present disclosure relates to servicing well equipment. More particularly, the
present disclosure relates to systems and methods of remotely providing a
service fluid to one or
more well components via a remote servicing manifold.
2. Description of Related Art
[0003]
Certain hydrocarbon production related operations, such as hydraulic
fracturing,
utilize well equipment that is made up of many parts. One example is a
hydraulic fracturing tree,
which has many valves. These valves may need to be greased or lubricated from
time to time to
ensure proper function and maximum operational life. Typically, this process
is carried out
manually by an operator at the well site. As such, the operator has to travel
to the well site and
manually make and break the valve fittings in order to grease the valve. This
process is time
consuming and costly.
SUMMARY
[0004]
Applicants recognized the problems noted above herein and conceived and
developed
embodiments of systems and methods, according to the present disclosure, for
remotely
providing a service fluid to one or more well components via a remote
servicing manifold.
[0005] In an
embodiment, a remote well servicing system includes a remote servicing
manifold, which includes a fluid input line couplable to a service fluid
source, a fluid output line
couplable to a well component, a valve coupled to the fluid input line and the
fluid output line,
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wherein the valve, when actuated, places the fluid input line in fluid
communication with the
fluid output line and permits delivery of a service fluid from the service
fluid source to the well
component, and a control line coupled to and controlling actuation of the
valve.
[0006] In another embodiment, a remote well servicing system includes a
control unit and a
remote servicing manifold. The control unit further includes a service fluid
source and a control
system. The remote servicing manifold further includes a fluid input line
coupled to the service
fluid source, a fluid output line couplable to a well component, and a valve
coupled to the fluid
input line and the fluid output line, wherein the valve, when actuated, places
the fluid input line
in fluid communication with the fluid output line and permits delivery of a
service fluid from the
service fluid source to the well component. The remote servicing manifold also
includes a
control line coupling the valve and the control system, wherein the control
system controls
actuation of the valve via the control line.
[0007] In another embodiment, a method of remotely servicing a well
component includes
supplying a service fluid to a remote servicing manifold, actuating a valve on
the remote
servicing manifold, thereby permitting flow of the service fluid, and
delivering the service fluid
from the remote servicing manifold to a well component.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing aspects, features, and advantages of the present
disclosure will be
further appreciated when considered with reference to the following
description of embodiments
and accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments of the disclosure
illustrated in the
appended drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity.
However, the
disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used, and it is
to be understood that
each specific term includes equivalents that operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a similar
purpose.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a remote well servicing system, in
accordance with
example embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a diagram representation of a remote well servicing
system, in accordance
with example embodiments of the present disclosure.
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[0011] FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system with
remote servicing
manifolds having electro-pneumatic valve control, in accordance with example
embodiments of
the present disclosure.
[0012] FIG. 3B is a block diagram of a valve actuation system of the
manifold of FIG. 3A, in
accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system with
remote servicing
manifolds having fully pneumatic valve control, in accordance with example
embodiments of the
present disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 4B is a block diagram of a valve actuation system of the
manifold of FIG. 4A, in
accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the remote well servicing system of
FIG. 3A with the
addition of a pressure boosting station at the manifolds, in accordance with
example
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the remote well servicing system of
FIG. 4A with the
addition of a pressure boosting station at the manifolds, in accordance with
example
embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system with
pressure relief, in
accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The foregoing aspects, features, and advantages of the present
disclosure will be
further appreciated when considered with reference to the following
description of embodiments
and accompanying drawings. In describing the embodiments of the disclosure
illustrated in the
appended drawings, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity.
However, the
disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms used, and it is
to be understood that
each specific term includes equivalents that operate in a similar manner to
accomplish a similar
purpose.
[0019] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present
disclosure, the
articles "a", "an", "the", and "said" are intended to mean that there are one
or more of the
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elements. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be
inclusive and
mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Any
examples of
operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are not exclusive of
other
parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments. Additionally, it should be
understood that
references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "certain embodiments", or
"other
embodiments" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as
excluding the
existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited
features. Furthermore,
reference to terms such as "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "side",
"front", "back", or other
terms regarding orientation or direction are made with reference to the
illustrated embodiments
and are not intended to be limiting or exclude other orientations or
directions.
[0020] Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods
for remotely
monitoring and/or servicing a well, such as providing a service fluid without
operator
intervention at the well site. An example application of the present
disclosure includes greasing
well assemblies during hydrocarbon drilling and development operations, such
as during
hydraulic fracturing or when the wells are producing and under pressure. Doing
so can reduce
failures of the well assembly and the operation. The systems and techniques of
the present
disclosure may be used for a wide variety of wells and well operations, and is
particularly
advantageous for wells that are not easily accessible by operators, such as
remote land wells, dry
offshore wells, and unmanned platforms, where regular servicing can increase
operational life.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a remote well servicing system 100, in
accordance with
an example embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 100 includes a
control unit 102
and a remote servicing manifold 104. Generally, in many applications of the
present disclosure,
the manifold 104 selectively delivers a service fluid from the control unit
102 to one or more
well components 105 of a well 106. The control unit 102 may include a control
system 108 and
a service fluid source 110. The control system 108 controls at least some
aspects of the remote
well servicing system 100. The service fluid source 110 may be any suitable
type of vessel or
reservoir for holding a service fluid. The service fluid may be any type of
fluid that may be used
to service a well component from time to time. For example, the service fluid
source 110 may
be a grease or lubricant storage container.
[0022] The control system 108 may include one or more processors and/or
controllers for
carrying out its control functions, including controlling the manifold 104.
The control system
108 may also include a control panel 112 or interface through which an
operator can interact
with the control system 108, such as to input control commands or receive
output information.
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The control panel 112 may be located on the control unit 102, as illustrated
in FIG. 1.
Alternatively, the control panel 112 can be a part of a remote controller such
as a pendant
controller or a digital controller. As an example, the control panel 112 can
be configured for
touch screen operations and allow for straightforward and intuitive operation
of the remove
servicing operation. The control panel 112 can communicate via wires or
wirelessly. Non-
exhaustive wireless examples include wireless internet or telemetry, radio,
microwave,
ultrasonic, or infrared. In some embodiments, the control panel 112 may
include a tablet
computer, smart phone, personal computer, and the like, that allow for
interaction with the
control system 112 at one or more offsite locations.
[0023] The control unit 102 may be in the form of a wheeled mobile
operation center or
grease skid. Additional equipment may be located on the control unit that
facilitation other
operations, such as hydraulic fracturing. The control unit 102 may also
include various other
system components and control capabilities used to operate and monitor well
equipment. Such
components may include accumulators, hydraulic, electric, and pneumatic
actuators, torque
wrenches, pressure pumps, and various meters and visual indicators. Such
components may be
used to perform certain services at the well 106, such as diagnostic
operations, as well as
measuring temperature, pressure, oil and gas ratio, water content, and
chemical tracers at the
well 106.
[0024] The remote servicing manifold 104 is located away from the control
unit 102. For
example, in some applications, the manifold 104 is located twenty-five to one
hundred feet from
the control unit 102. However, in other example applications, the manifold 104
may be closer to
or farther from the control unit 102. The manifold 104 includes a fluid input
for receiving a
service fluid and a control input for receiving a control signal. In some
example embodiments,
the fluid input is coupled to the service fluid source 110 at the control unit
102 via a supply line
114 and service fluid is delivered to the manifold 104 from the service fluid
source 110 through
the supply line 114. There may be a check valve coupled to the supply line 114
to prevent back
flow. In some embodiments, the control input is coupled to the control system
108 at the control
unit 102 via one or more control lines 116. The control lines 116 may include
electrical lines,
optical lines, pneumatic lines, and the like, and any combination thereof.
[0025] The manifold 104 includes one or more fluid outputs from which the
service fluid can
be delivered to one or more well components 105 through respective delivery
lines 116. There
may be one or more check valves coupled to the delivery line 116 to prevent
back flow. In
certain example applications, the manifold 104 may be located five to fifty
feet away from the
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well 106. However, in some other example applications, the manifold 104 may be
located closer
to or farther from the well 106. The control system 108 controls delivery of
service fluid from
the manifold to each of the well components 105 by selectively actuating
respective valves
within the manifold via the control lines 116. Delivery of service fluid to
each of the well
components 105 may be independently controlled. Alternatively, service fluid
may be delivered
to all or a subset of the well components simultaneously.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram representation of a remote well servicing system
200, according
to example embodiments of the present application. In one or more such
embodiments, the
system 200 includes a control unit 202 and a plurality of remote servicing
manifolds 204. The
control unit 202 supplies service fluid to the manifolds 204 via supply lines
214 and controls the
manifolds 204 via control lines 216. There may be control lines 216 and supply
lines 214
connecting the control unit 202 directly to each manifold 204. Alternatively
or additionally,
there may be control lines 216 and/or supply lines 214 between manifolds 204.
In such
embodiments, service fluid and/or control signals may be communicated to one
of the manifolds
204 via another manifold 204 rather than directly from the control unit 202.
For example, such a
configuration may be advantageous in an application where one manifold 204 is
physically
located between the control unit 202 and another manifold 204. Delivering
control signals
and/or service fluid to the farther manifold 204 via the closer manifold 204
rather than directly
from the control unit 204 may reduce the number or length of lines required.
[0027] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, a manifold 204 can provide
service fluid to a
plurality of well components 205 on the same well 206 as well as to well
components on a
plurality of wells 206, as represented by each individual supply line 218.
Additionally, one well
206 may receive service fluid from multiple manifolds 204. In some
embodiments, the same
service fluid may be provided to each of the manifolds 204. In some other
embodiments, the
control unit 202 may provide different types of services fluids to different
manifolds 204. The
control unit 202 may also provide different types of service fluids to the
same manifold 204.
This embodiment may be particularly useful for applications in which different
well components
require different service fluids.
[0028] FIG. 3A is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system 300,
illustrating a
control unit 302 coupled to three remote servicing manifolds 304 with electro-
pneumatic valve
control, which are coupled to three wells 306, respectively, in accordance
with example
embodiments of the present disclosure. The control unit 302 includes at least
one service fluid
source 310 and may include a pump 320 for pumping the service fluid from the
fluid source 310
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to the manifolds 304. The service fluid is communicated from the control unit
302 to the
manifold 304 via a supply line 314. The control unit 302 further includes an
electrical controller
322 and a pneumatic source 324 that together control actuation of individual
valves within the
manifolds 304 that permit delivery of the service fluid to respective well
components at the wells
306. The electrical controller 322 delivers electrical control signals to the
manifold 304 via an
electrical control line 316a and the pneumatic source delivers an air supply
to the manifold 304
via a pneumatic control line 316b. Based on actuation of the valves in the
manifolds, service
fluid is selectively delivered to respective well components via fluid
delivery lines 318. Thus, an
operator or program can select to which well component(s) to provide service
fluid. In some
example embodiments, for each well component to which the manifold 304
provides service
fluid, the manifold 304 includes a valve actuation system 350, as illustrated
in FIG. 3B.
[0029] With reference to FIG. 3B, the valve actuation system 350 includes
an electrical
actuator such as a solenoid 326 which is controlled by an electrical signal
from the electrical
control line 316a. Upon actuation of the solenoid 326, a pneumatic actuator
328 receives air
pressure from the pneumatic control line 316b and opens a valve, such as a
needle valve 330.
The needle valve is also coupled to the service fluid supply line 314 and the
delivery line such
that when open, the needle valve permits delivery of the service fluid to the
well component 305.
Alternatively, the needle valve 330 is coupled to a reservoir of service fluid
within the manifold
304 and controls flow of service fluid from the reservoir to the well
component 305 via the
delivery line 318. In some embodiments, there is a valve actuation system 350
for every well
component to which the manifold 304 is configured to deliver service fluid. In
some other
embodiments, one valve actuation system 350 may be configured to deliver
service fluid to
multiple well components 305 simultaneously.
[0030] FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system 400,
illustrating a
control unit 402, three remote servicing manifolds 404 with fully pneumatic
valve control, and
three wells 406, in accordance with example embodiments of the present
disclosure. The
control unit 402 includes at least one service fluid source 410 and may
include a pump 420 for
pumping the service fluid from the fluid source 410 to the manifolds 404. The
service fluid is
communicated from the control unit 402 to the manifold 404 via a supply line
414. The control
unit 402 further includes a pneumatic controller 424 that controls actuation
of valves within the
manifolds 404 by sending pneumatic signals through pneumatic control lines
416. Based on
actuation of the valves in the manifolds, service fluid is selectively
delivered to well components
via respective fluid delivery lines 418. Thus, an operator or program can
select which well
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component(s) to provide service fluid to. In some embodiments, the manifold
includes a valve
actuation system 450 for each well component 405 to which the manifold 404
provides service
fluid, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, in accordance in one or more embodiments. In
one or more
embodiments, the valve actuation system 450 includes a pneumatically valve 430
that is coupled
to the delivery line 418 and permits flow of service fluid to the well
component through the
delivery line 418 upon actuation. The valve 430 can be selectively actuated
via the pneumatic
control line 416 to permit fluid communication between the supply line 414 and
the delivery line
418 to deliver the service fluid to the well component 405. In some
embodiments, there is a
valve actuation system 450 for every well component 405 to which the manifold
504 is
configured to deliver service fluid. In some other embodiments, one valve
actuation system 450
may be configured to deliver service fluid to multiple well components 405
simultaneously.
[0031] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a another embodiment of a remote well
servicing system
500 similar to the remote well servicing system 300 of FIG. 3, with the
addition of a pressure
boosting station 560 at the manifold 504. The pressure boosting station 560
increases the
pressure of the service fluid in the delivery line 518 to facilitate delivery
of the service fluid to
the well 506. The pressure boosting station may include a well service fluid
reservoir 562 with a
pump 564 such that the service fluid can be pumped through the delivery line
518 at a sufficient
pressure to ensure delivery of the service fluid to the well. This may be
particularly
advantageous in application in which there is wellbore pressure acting against
delivery of the
service fluid or if the well 506 is at a great distance from or a higher
altitude than the manifold
504. Similarly, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a another embodiment of a remote
well servicing
system 600 similar to the remote well servicing system 400 of FIG. 4, with the
addition of a
pressure boosting station 660 at the manifold 604.
[0032] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a remote well servicing system 700 with
pressure relief,
in accordance with example embodiments of the present disclosure. The well
servicing system
700 includes a control unit 702 which provides service fluid to a remote
servicing manifold 704
via a supply line 714 and also controls a pneumatic valve in the manifold via
a pneumatic control
line 716. The manifold 704 then delivers the service fluid to a well 706 via a
delivery line upon
actuation of the pneumatic valve. During operation, it may be the case there
is a high pressure
trapped within the pneumatic control line 716, the supply line 714, or the
delivery line 718, such
as after closing the valve after a servicing process. As such, bleed lines 770
may be coupled to
the pneumatic control line 716, the supply line 714, and/or the delivery line
718. These may be
multiple individual bleed lines 770 or one joined bleed line 770. In certain
embodiments, the
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bleed lines 770 are each coupled to a relief valve 772 that can be used to
control release of
pressure in the respective lines 714, 716, 718. The bleed lines 770 may empty
into a collection
tank for disposal. In some embodiments, the relief valves 772 may be
controlled automatically
based on a predetermined protocol such when pressure within a respective line
exceeds a certain
threshold. Specifically, this may be carried out electronically using a
pressure sensor and
controller that reads the pressure sensor and controls the relief valve 772
accordingly. This may
also be carried out purely mechanically by using a relief valve 772 that is
configured to trigger
open upon being subject to a certain set-point pressure. Alternatively, the
relief valves 772 can
be controlled remotely or manually by an operator when needed.
[0033] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a remote well
servicing system that
allows for servicing of well components, such as applying a servicing fluid,
to be carried out
without interrupting other well operations or the need to assemble or
disassembly any
equipment, and without on-site operator intervention.
[0034] The foregoing disclosure and description of the disclosed
embodiments is illustrative
and explanatory of the embodiments of the invention. Various changes in the
details of the
illustrated embodiments can be made within the scope of the appended claims
without departing
from the true spirit of the disclosure. The embodiments of the present
disclosure should only be
limited by the following claims and their legal equivalents.
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