Wellhead Valve Position Regulation with Sensor-Verified Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Well pads with multiple wells often experience miscommunication and accidents due to differing operational requirements, leading to unsafe actuation of wellhead control mechanisms, such as valves, which can result in costly downtime and safety risks.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and system for regulating wellhead control mechanisms through indirect and direct control, using a valve-position regulator that locks or unlocks actuators based on sensor information to ensure safe actuation, and a process that includes assessing conditions before changing valve positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple wells are developed on a single well pad to increase efficiency, then productivity increases, but the risk of miscommunication and accidents increases due to complicated operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through sensors that continuously monitor well pad conditions and communicate operational status. This feedback loop allows operators to receive real-time information about well states, preventing miscommunication and enabling timely responses to changing conditions, thereby maintaining safety while supporting multiple simultaneous operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that acts as a mediator between multiple wells and operators. This intermediary system standardizes communication protocols and provides a unified interface for controlling multiple wells, reducing the complexity and miscommunication risks inherent in managing multiple wells on a single pad.
2Ease of operation
If direct control of wellhead control mechanism is allowed, then ease of operation improves, but the risk of unsafe actuation increases
Solution Approach 1:
A control system intermediary is introduced between the operator and the wellhead control mechanism. This intermediary validates operational requests against current well conditions, ensuring that valve actuation only occurs when safe. This maintains ease of operation through a simple interface while preventing unsafe actuation through automated condition checking.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively checking safety conditions before allowing valve actuation. Sensors monitor parameters such as pressure and flow status, and the control system prevents actuation commands from being executed if unsafe conditions are detected, thereby countering the potential harmful effect before it can occur.
3Reliability
If valve actuation is restricted through safety checks, then operational safety improves, but downtime increases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring well conditions and pre-validating safety parameters before actuation is requested. This ongoing preliminary verification means that when an operator initiates a valve actuation, the safety checks are already complete or can be quickly verified, minimizing additional time while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Safety monitoring and validation operate continuously rather than as discrete interruptions. Sensors continuously track well conditions, and the control system maintains an ongoing assessment of safety parameters, allowing valve actuation to proceed with minimal delay when conditions are favorable, thus maintaining continuous operational flow.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus, a system and a process for regulating a wellhead control mechanism. The apparatus is configured to control actuation of a wellhead control mechanism by moving a moveable body of the apparatus between a first position and a second position. When the apparatus is in the first position a valve actuator is actuatable and when the apparatus is in the second position the valve actuator is physically interfered from actuating. When the apparatus is in the second position, the wellhead control mechanism cannot be actuated and is held in either an open, a partially open or a closed position. Other embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system that directly controls actuation of a wellhead actuation mechanism.