Subsea Plug Assembly for Well Pressure Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea testing methods for oil and gas wells are inefficient, requiring extensive downtime for installation and removal of plug and pressure testing apparatuses, and often complicate the maintenance and restoration of well functionality.
Innovation Solution
A plug assembly with a deformable outer surface and a central void for a sealing component, combined with a tubular adapter for drill pipe attachment, allows for selective fluid flow and easy insertion and removal, enabling pressure testing and subsequent grinding of debris for efficient well maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plug and pressure testing apparatuses are used for subsea testing, then pressure testing can be performed, but extensive downtime is required for installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The testing apparatus is divided into separate modular components: a plug assembly with sealing elements, a pressure testing device, and connection components. This segmentation allows each component to be independently deployed and installed, reducing overall installation time and complexity while maintaining full pressure testing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly is designed to be inserted into and nested within the drill pipe or wellbore structure. The sealing component fits within a receptacle, and the entire assembly nests within the existing well infrastructure, enabling compact storage and rapid deployment without requiring extensive installation space or time.
2Reliability
If conventional testing apparatuses are installed, then pressure testing is possible, but the apparatuses are not easily removed and require extensive downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the plug assembly and drill pipe utilizes dynamic, reversible coupling mechanisms rather than permanent fixation. The adapter assembly includes engagement features that allow for quick release and removal, transforming the static installation into a dynamic, easily reversible configuration that maintains security during testing but enables rapid removal afterward.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly is pre-configured with sealing components and connection elements before deployment. The sealing component is pre-positioned within the receptacle, and connection features are pre-formed, allowing the entire assembly to be installed as a complete unit and removed as a single module, eliminating time-consuming on-site assembly or disassembly operations.
3Reliability
If drill pipe is disconnected for shear ram testing, then shear rams can be tested, but the drill pipe must be pulled up and relatched, causing operational complexity and downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The plug assembly serves multiple functions: it seals the wellbore for pressure testing, provides a platform for shear ram testing, and maintains drill pipe connectivity throughout the process. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate disconnection and relatching operations, as the same assembled configuration supports both pressure testing and shear ram testing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The plug assembly acts as an intermediary device between the drill pipe and the testing operations. Instead of directly manipulating the drill pipe for testing, the plug assembly mediates the testing process by providing sealed access points and mounting surfaces, allowing shear rams to be tested through the plug without requiring drill pipe disconnection.
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
Facilitates quick and effective pressure testing of blowout preventers and drill pipes, reducing downtime and improving the ease of maintenance by allowing for easy installation and removal of the testing apparatus, while maintaining well integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a generally cylindrical member having a deformable outer surface
Implementation Method 2
pressurizing the shaft through the void to test the pressure in the shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A plug assembly and method for pressure testing a shaft having a generally cylindrical member with a deformable outer surface comprised of alternating soft and rigid ribs and a central void for reception of a sealing component having a sealable central bore, a tubular adapter capable of releasable attachment to a drill pipe and releasably engaged to the cylindrical member, a plurality of ports about the circumference of the member for upward flow of fluid through the member and a receptacle in the member for placement of the sealing component for fixed attachment inside the member for creating a seal for testing pressure. The sealing component may use a ball valve to regulate flow and the cylindrical member may have rigid sections implanted between soft sections during manufacture to facilitate sealing upon pressurization.