Acoustic Valve Sensing for BOP Leak Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for testing blowout preventer (BOP) systems on drilling rigs are time-consuming and prone to false alarms due to incomplete valve sealing, requiring extensive downtime and manual verification, which is inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

Integration of an acoustic valve sensing system with a pressure or volumetric testing system to verify valve closure and quantify flow across incompletely sealed valves, using multiple acoustic sensors to accurately locate and correct valve issues before pressure testing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual valve verification and repeated pressure testing are performed to ensure complete valve sealing, then reliability of leak detection is improved, but drilling rig downtime and testing time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleak detection reliabilityVSAvoiddrilling rig downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic sensors are installed and configured before the pressure testing begins. The system performs preliminary acoustic monitoring to detect valve sealing status before pressurization, allowing operators to address potential issues in advance and avoid repeated testing cycles during the actual pressure test.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and repeated pressure testing with an acoustic sensing system that uses acoustic emissions to detect valve sealing status and leaks. This substitution of mechanical/manual verification with acoustic detection significantly reduces testing time while maintaining or improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If multiple pressure tests are conducted to verify valve sealing and eliminate false alarms, then measurement precision of leak detection is improved, but the number of tests required and total testing duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleak detection precisionVSAvoidtesting efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic sensors serve as an intermediary measurement tool that provides real-time feedback on valve sealing status and potential leaks during the pressure test. This intermediary acoustic monitoring allows for more precise leak detection without requiring multiple repeated pressure tests, as the acoustic signals provide continuous verification of system integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through acoustic monitoring that continuously reports valve sealing status and leak conditions during the pressure test. This real-time feedback allows operators to make immediate adjustments if needed, eliminating the need for multiple test cycles and improving overall testing efficiency while maintaining high measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If extensive manual verification of valve closure is performed to reduce false alarms, then reliability of test results is improved, but device complexity and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetest result reliabilityVSAvoidtesting procedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The acoustic sensing system performs self-verification of valve sealing status by automatically detecting acoustic emissions that indicate proper sealing or leaks. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex manual verification procedures, reducing operational complexity while maintaining high reliability of test results through objective acoustic measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Significantly reduces drilling rig downtime by ensuring complete valve closure before testing, minimizing false alarms and the number of pressure tests required, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of BOP system integrity testing.

Implementation Method 1

an acoustic sensor system to verify that the valves isolating the system for the integrity testing are completely sealed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic sensing: Acoustic Emission

Implementation Method 2

a pressure, or alternatively a volumetric system, to test the piping and flanges for integrity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure testing: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentUS11499415B2Method and apparatus for testing the blowout preventer (BOP) on a drilling rig

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 VISTA PRECISION SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A method and apparatuses for testing the blowout preventer (BOP) piping system on a drilling rig for leaks. The method and apparatuses can be used in conjunction with a pressure or volumetric method to more accurately test the BOP for integrity and to shorten the total time of testing.