Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110071966 | CONDITION MONITORING OF AN UNDERWATER FACILITY - A method for monitoring the condition of apparatus located at an underwater facility that includes sensing at least one parameter associated with the apparatus, providing a model of expected behaviour of said at least one parameter, comparing said sensed parameter with said model, and assessing the condition of the apparatus based upon said comparison. | 03-24-2011 |
20110079391 | COOLING APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR USE WITH DOWNHOLE TOOLS - Cooling apparatus and methods for use with downhole tools are described. An example apparatus includes a cooling apparatus for use with a downhole tool. The cooling apparatus includes a flow passage having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is configured for fluid communication with a wellbore and the inlet is spaced from the outlet. The cooling apparatus also includes a pump configured to convey at least one of a drilling fluid or a formation fluid between the inlet and the outlet. Additionally, the cooling apparatus includes a heat exchanger coupled to a surface adjacent the flow passage and a component of the downhole tool to convey heat from the component to the cooling fluid. | 04-07-2011 |
20110143175 | UNDERWATER POWER GENERATION - A method for providing auxiliary electrical power to an underwater well installation, the installation being linked to a surface location via an umbilical cable, to supplement any electrical power received at the installation from the umbilical cable, comprises the steps of: providing power generation means at the installation; and providing an electrical power output line for transferring electrical power generated by the power generation means to the installation. | 06-16-2011 |
20130014797 | SUPPLYING ELECTRICAL POWER IN A HYDROCARBON WELL INSTALLATIONAANM ELLSON; NicholasAACI BristolAACO GBAAGP ELLSON; Nicholas Bristol GB - A method of providing electrical power in an underwater hydrocarbon well installation comprising a pipeline for conveying a hydrocarbon fluid is provided. The method comprises attaching at least one clamp to the pipeline at the outside of the pipeline, the clamp housing at least one thermoelectric generating device so that the device is in a temperature gradient resulting from a difference in temperature between the hydrocarbon fluid and the water surrounding the pipeline. | 01-17-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090025983 | Methods and Apparatus to Apply Axial Force to a Packer in a Downhole Tool - Methods and apparatus to apply axial force to a packer in a downhole tool are described. In one described example, an apparatus to apply an axial force to an inflatable packer associated with a downhole tool includes a sleeve slidingly coupled to a body of the downhole tool and an end of the packer. An inner portion of the sleeve is sealed against the body of the downhole tool to form a chamber, and the chamber is fluidly coupled to a pump associated with the downhole tool to receive a pressurized fluid to cause the sleeve to apply an axial force to the packer. | 01-29-2009 |
20100050762 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM PRESSURE TESTING OF GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS - Example methods and apparatus to perform pressure testing of geological formations are disclosed. A disclosed example method comprises positioning a testing tool in a wellbore formed in the geological formation, sealing a sample interval around the testing tool, sealing a first guard interval around the testing tool and adjacent to the sample interval, reducing a first pressure in the sample interval, reducing a second pressure in the first guard interval, maintaining a volume of a first chamber fluidly coupled to the sample interval during a time interval, and measuring a plurality of pressure data for a fluid captured in the first chamber during the time interval. | 03-04-2010 |
20100071910 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING WELLBORE INSTRUMENTS WITH A WIRED PIPE STRING - A wellbore instrument system includes a pipe string extending from earth's surface to a selected depth in a wellbore. The pipe string includes at least one of an electrical conductor and an optical fiber signal channel. A power generator sub is coupled at one end to a lower end of the pipe string. At least one electrically powered wellbore instrument is coupled to the other end of the adapter sub. | 03-25-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110297398 | INSTALLING A CABLE IN AN UNDERWATER WELL INSTALLATION - A method of installing a cable between a topside location of an underwater well installation and an underwater location of the installation is provided. The method comprises inserting an end of the cable into a passageway between the locations and using a fluid passed along the passageway to displace the cable along the passageway so that it extends between the locations. | 12-08-2011 |
20120096922 | SAND DETECTOR CALIBRATION - A method of operating an acoustic sand detector deployed at a flowline within a flow system, the detector comprising an acoustic sensor and functioning to produce electrical output signals in dependence on acoustic signals detected by the acoustic sensor, the acoustic signals being at least partially produced by the impact of sand particles within the flow on an object is provided. The method comprises estimating the location of particle impacts on the flowline; and weighting the output signals according to the distance between the estimated location and the detector location. | 04-26-2012 |
20130008649 | METHOD AND MODULE FOR DETERMINATION OF EROSION IN SYSTEMS - A method of providing information regarding erosion in an oil and/or a gas production system, which system includes at least one equipment/piping, the method including the steps of obtaining CFD results regarding hot spots in the equipment/piping from a CFD analysis of the equipment/piping for a range of pressures, flow rates and sand rates; and to, during production, obtaining data regarding erosion rates in a particular location in the system; and combining the data regarding erosion rates and CFD results to estimate and monitor sand erosion rates in the hot spots of the system. Further disclosed is a module performing the method steps as well as a computer program. | 01-10-2013 |
20130116962 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTIMATING COOL DOWN IN A SYSTEM - Method for estimating cool down in a subsea oil and gas production system, which system includes at least one piping or equipment. The method includes the steps of, at shut down of the production in the system; obtaining data from CFD cool down analysis results for a range of temperatures of production media in the system; obtaining data from a temperature sensor in the system; and estimating the actual coldest temperature in the system from the CFD analysis results obtained based on data from the temperature sensor. | 05-09-2013 |
20130126180 | MONITORING HYDROCARBON FLUID FLOW - A method of monitoring a plurality of properties relating to a hydrocarbon fluid flow through a pipeline at a tree for a subsea hydrocarbon extraction facility, the method comprising locating a plurality of sensors at or near a position which is optimum for monitoring the at least one of the plurality of properties in regard to the configuration of the pipeline, the sensors being configured to monitor at least one of the plurality of properties. | 05-23-2013 |
20130154847 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING DOWN-HOLE FLUIDS - In one aspect the present invention provides a down-hole monitoring system, comprising one or more pieces of down-hole equipment, for example a down-hole logging tool, and at least one resonant sensor for obtaining physical and chemical parameters of a down-hole fluid in proximity to the sensor. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting material properties of a down-hole fluid, the method comprising placing a resonant LCR sensor within a piece of down-hole equipment, taking sensor readings down-hole, transmitting the sensor readings to a reader device, and analyzing the sensor readings. | 06-20-2013 |
20140116715 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A SUBSEA WELL - A system for monitoring a subsea well is presented. The system includes the subsea well, where the subsea well includes a production tube, an annulus A co-axial to the production tube and positioned exterior to the production tube, an annulus B co-axial to the annulus A and positioned exterior to the annulus A, and a casing wall disposed between the annulus A and annulus B. Furthermore, the system includes a first sensor disposed on or about the production tube, the annulus A, the casing wall, or combinations thereof and configured to measure a first parameter. The system also includes a controller coupled to the subsea well and configured to analyze the first parameter measured by the first sensor and detect an anomaly in one or more components of the subsea well. Methods and non-transitory computer readable medium configured to perform the method for monitoring a subsea well are also presented. | 05-01-2014 |
20140174752 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING TUBULAR COMPONENTS OF A SUBSEA STRUCTURE - A system for monitoring a subsea structure is presented. The system includes a sensor disposed on or about one or more tubular components of the subsea structure, where the one or more tubular components of the subsea structure include a riser, a flow-line, and a subsea umbilical. Moreover, the system includes a controller operatively coupled to the one or more tubular components of the subsea structure and configured to detect an anomaly in the one or more tubular components of the subsea structure. A method for monitoring the subsea structure is also presented. | 06-26-2014 |
20140305637 | DOWNHOLE TEMPERATURE CALCULATION - A method for calculating a value representative of a downhole temperature in a hydrocarbon well, wherein the well includes production tubing inside an outer tubing, an annulus is provided between the production tubing and the outer tubing, and the annulus receives a hydraulic control line supplying hydraulic fluid for the control of a downhole device, the method including sensing the pressure of hydraulic fluid in the control line at the wellhead, and using a measurement of the pressure to calculate the value representative of the downhole temperature. | 10-16-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080274538 | Acoustic Radiation for Ejecting and Monitoring Pathogenic Fluids - The invention relates to methods and devices that use focused radiation to handle and/or monitor pathogenic fluids. In particular, a method is provided for dispensing one or more droplets of a fluid containing a pathogen. The method involves providing the pathogen-containing fluid in a reservoir and applying focused radiation to the pathogen-containing fluid in the reservoir in a manner effective to eject a droplet of the fluid therefrom. Often, a pathogen-impermeable enclosure is used. | 11-06-2008 |
20090007676 | ACOUSTIC DETERMINATION OF PROPERTIES OF RESERVOIRS AND OF FLUIDS CONTAINED THEREIN - The invention provides devices and methods for acoustically determining the properties of the contents of one or more reservoirs in a plurality of reservoirs. Each reservoir is adapted to contain a fluid. An acoustic radiation generator can be positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to each of the reservoirs. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through each reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of analyzing a characteristic of the transmitted acoustic radiation and optionally correlating the characteristic to a property of the reservoirs' contents. Properties that may be determined include volume, temperature, and composition. The invention is particularly suited to determining the properties of the contents of a plurality of reservoirs to allow for accuracy and control over the dispensing of fluids therefrom. | 01-08-2009 |
20090019956 | Closures Which Contain Reservoirs and Allow Acoustic Ejection - In an aspect of this invention, a closure for a well plate is provided which has a reservoir. The closure has openings through which acoustic ejection of fluid droplets can take place without removing the closure. The reservoirs in the closure may help to maintain acceptable levels of solvent in the wells of the well plate despite the evaporation which may occur during the course of ejection. | 01-22-2009 |
20110108555 | FLUID CONTAINERS WITH RESERVOIRS IN THEIR CLOSURES AND METHODS OF USE - Fluid containers are disclosed which have fluid reservoirs in their closures. These reservoirs are advantageous to hold sacrificial fluid which lessens the loss of the fluid of interest to the outside through evaporation. The reservoirs may have openings to the inside or outside of the container, or to both. Reservoirs with openings to the outside serve to reduce evaporative loss by raising the partial pressure of fluid in the vicinity of the contact between the closure and the remainder of the container. The reservoirs may be refillable without opening the container. In one embodiment a fluid reservoir allows the zone of contact between the closure and the remainder of the container to be immersed in fluid, so that gases seeking to escape the interior of the container must pass through fluid. | 05-12-2011 |
20110166797 | ACOUSTIC DETERMINATION OF PROPERTIES OF RESERVOIRS AND OF FLUIDS CONTAINED THEREIN - The invention provides devices and methods for acoustically determining the properties of the contents of one or more reservoirs in a plurality of reservoirs. Each reservoir is adapted to contain a fluid. An acoustic radiation generator can be positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to each of the reservoirs. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through each reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of analyzing a characteristic of the transmitted acoustic radiation and optionally correlating the characteristic to a property of the reservoirs' contents. Properties that may be determined include volume, temperature, and composition. The invention is particularly suited to determining the properties of the contents of a plurality of reservoirs to allow for accuracy and control over the dispensing of fluids therefrom. | 07-07-2011 |
20110181663 | Focus-Activated Acoustic Ejection - To ejecting a droplet from a reservoir, the reservoir holding a fluid is moved with respect to an acoustic ejector. As the reservoir and ejector move closer together, the acoustic ejector sends one or more interrogation pulses towards the reservoir. Based on the interrogation pulses, the system determines when the movement of the reservoir has placed a free surface of the fluid in a position where a droplet can be ejected. | 07-28-2011 |
20110277425 | METHOD FOR STORING FLUID WITH CLOSURE INCLUDING MEMBERS WITH CHANGEABLE RELATIVE POSITIONS AND DEVICE THEREOF - In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a closure for a container comprises at least two closure members. The relative position of the closure members with respect to each other is altered upon mating of the closure and container. The alteration of the relative position of the closure members may result in one or more of the members approaching the container more closely. The alteration may result in one or more of the members pressing against the container. The pressing may take place in such a way that exit paths for vapor from fluid in the container would require passage through the pressed surfaces. | 11-17-2011 |
20120006106 | ACOUSTIC ASSESSMENT OF CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUID RELEVANT TO ACOUSTIC EJECTION - Methods are provided for analyzing characteristics of fluids in the context of an acoustic ejection system. Such a system has a controller, an acoustic radiation generator, and a coupling medium coupling the radiation to a reservoir holding fluid. The methods can use acoustic radiation to both perturb a surface of the fluid in the reservoir and analyze the effect of the perturbation. The methods may use information about prior fluids. The methods of the invention can determine physical characteristics such as speed of sound and viscosity. The methods also include ways to determine a level of acoustic energy suitable to eject a droplet. Preferably the methods are executed automatically under control of programming of a controller of an acoustic ejection system. | 01-12-2012 |
20130109042 | SAMPLE CONTAINERS ADAPTED FOR ACOUSTIC EJECTIONS AND SAMPLE PRESERVATION AND METHODS THEREOF | 05-02-2013 |
20140092156 | FOCUS-ACTIVATED ACOUSTIC EJECTION - To ejecting a droplet from a reservoir, the reservoir holding a fluid is moved with respect to an acoustic ejector. As the reservoir and ejector move closer together, the acoustic ejector sends one or more interrogation pulses towards the reservoir. Based on the interrogation pulses, the system determines when the movement of the reservoir has placed a free surface of the fluid in a position where a droplet can be ejected. | 04-03-2014 |