WIRELESS PRESSURE TESTING

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/496,984, filed Apr. 19, 2023, to which priority is claimed, and which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

One of the issues in fracking operations is most if not all of the valves and systems operate at relatively high pressures, in some instances as high as 15,000 psi to 20,000 psi. Each of the valves and systems must be monitored to confirm the system's time at pressure as well as the maximum pressure within the system and the amount of time the system spent at the maximum pressure. Accordingly, pressure monitors are required at multiple points within a system and in many instances multiple systems may be operating within close proximity to one another such as on a frack pad with multiple wells being completed at the same time.

Traditionally, a chart recorder utilizing a paper chart is used. However, such charts can be difficult to use in certain weather conditions such as rain, wind, snow, etc. Further the vast majority of pressure sensors are located within the “red zone”. The red zone is an area around the well pad and its associated high-pressure equipment where the presence of equipment being operated at high-pressures as well as the possible presence of flammable hydrocarbons make the area extremely dangerous when fracking operations are taking place. Therefore, no personnel arc allowed within the red zone when fracking operations are taking place. In many instances the pressure monitors and associated chart recorders have issues, including torn paper, empty ink cartridges, misalignment within the recorder, or simply powering such a system within the red zone, that prevent recording the pressure on each system at the pressure monitor. Such issues may have been addressed by having personnel checking the pressure monitors and chart recorders to make sure that the chart recorders are functioning properly and have sufficient ink and paper. Unfortunately, due to improperly functioning equipment, in many instances data is simply lacking leading to fracking systems being prematurely discarded as having exceeded time at pressure or maximum pressure. A further issue is that short pressure spikes and dips are generally not seen or recorded by a traditional pressure sensor and chart recorder, leading to a smoothing of the response curves that may not indicate the actual conditions within the system. The lack of response is due to system inertia where the springs, bellows, dials, recording pens, etc are simply not able to move as quickly as the pressure within the well.

Attempts to connect chart recorders to pressure monitors utilizing wires has met with limited success. Unfortunately, in a fracking environment there are numerous hydraulic lines to actuate the various valves, pneumatic lines, grease lines, high-pressure fluid lines connecting equipment in a generally small area where the additional lines connecting a pressure sensor to a recorder tend to become inadvertently disconnected by equipment moving through the area or people moving through the area that are simply not aware of the lines. Additionally, it is generally frowned upon to have any powered conductors crossing the boundary from outside of the red zone to inside of the red zone as powered conductors are considered a potential ignition source for flammable hydrocarbons within the red zone.

SUMMARY

The present invention utilizes a low-power radio signal to connect a pressure sensor to a data logger. Generally, the pressure sensor utilizes a low power radio transmitter to send the pressure transducer output to a receiver some short distance outside of the red zone. The receiver sends its output, the pressure transducer signal, to a chart recorder where the output is converted back to a record of the system's pressure over time. In many instances the chart recorder may be software where the receiver output, and digital data form, is recorded into a digital storage device. The receiver output may be accessed in real time or from the digital storage device to display the system's pressure over time. The stored digital data may be used to document the systems remaining life expectancy.

In a preferred embodiment a low power radio transmitter enabled pressure transducer is utilized to wirelessly capture the pressure data of a pressure test or ongoing pressure within the system to create a digital pressure test chart displayed utilizing an internally developed app displayed on a digital display such as a computer screen, a smart pad screen, or even a smart phone screen. In some instances, the internally developed app includes a real-time monitoring system that sends an alert or other notification to the user in the event of pressure exceeding a preset limit, pressure under a preset limit, or pressure parameters exceeding time at pressure. The digital pressure transducer and wireless data transmission is able to respond to pressure spikes and dips as quickly as the well and fracking system can create such pressure spikes and dips. In the preferred embodiment the digital pressure transducer and wireless data transmission takes a pressure sample every 100 ms, however faster response time are within the capabilities of the digital pressure transducer and wireless data transmitter. Additionally, the digital pressure transducer and low power radio transmitter are able to safely transmit the data out of the red zone.

In certain instances, the pressure transducer and low power radio transmitter are in a self-contained and/or sealed system. A sealed pressure transducer and low power radio transmitter allow pressure data to be captured in all weather and operating conditions. The low power radio transmitter generally includes radio transmission power levels of a mobile phone or less, typically around 3 watts of output power. The low power radio transmitter allows the data to be captured or received at a receiver outside of the red zone. Once a receiver has captured the data the data may be utilized locally or retransmitted to another location. The captured data maybe also be utilized by smartphones or other mobile devices.

Additionally, the pressure transducer and low power radio transmitter may send related information concerning the status of the system such as the battery level, a time stamp for the data, and/or the temperature at the pressure transducer, as temperature directly effects the pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of a wellpad having prior art pressure sensors and chart recorders.

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of inset A from FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a well pad similar to the well pad described in FIG. 1 having wireless pressure transducers.

FIG. 2A is a detailed view of inset B from FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart outlining the various steps that are taken to begin monitoring the system and the steps taken to reach a provide meaningful data to the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows includes exemplary apparatus, methods, techniques, or instruction sequences that embody techniques of the inventive subject matter. However, it is understood that the described embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. When referring to the top of the device or component top is towards the surface of the well. Side is radially offset from a component but minimally longitudinally offset.

FIG. 1 is a representation of a wellpad 10 having prior art pressure sensors and chart recorders. The wellpad depicts two wellheads 40 and 42, a greasing system 20, and a fracking assembly 30. The greasing system 20 includes a high pressure, about 15000 psi grease line connected to multiple ports on a wellhead. In this instance two lines are depicted to each wellhead, with greasing line 21 and 23 supplying wellhead 40 and greasing line 25 and 27 supplying wellhead 42. The fracking system depicted shows only a single manifold 22 supplying high pressure frack fluid at anywhere up to 15000 psi. Wellhead 40 is supplied frack fluid via frack line 34 and 32, while wellhead 42 is supplied frack fluid via frack lines 36 and 38. At various points throughout the wellheads 40 and 42 and the fracking assembly 30 are a number of pressure transducers and chart recorders such as pressure transducer and chart recorders 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60. Unfortunately, wellheads 40 and 42 along with the associated fracking assembly 30 as well as pressure transducer and chart recorders 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 are within the red zone 50. The red zone 50 is a designated area around the high-pressure equipment, in particular the frack valves, usually 100 feet or more from the nearest wellhead, that is exceptionally dangerous due to the presence of flammable hydrocarbons from the wells and the high-pressure fluids and gases within the wellheads. Due to the need to keep people and explosion hazards out of the red zone, generally the greasing system and as much of other equipment as is possible are placed outside of the red zone. With the pressure transducers and chart recorders 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60 inside of the red zone none of the pressure transducers and chart recorders are accessible during fracking operations.

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of inset A from FIG. 1. Inset A is a view of a pressure transducer 62 the communications cable 64 that connects the pressure transducer 62 to the chart recorder 66. The pressure transducer 62 detects the pressure within frack line 34. Each of the pressure transducers and chart recorders 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and 60 are similar to the pressure transducer and chart recorder 50.

FIG. 2 is a representation of a well pad 110 similar to the well pad described in FIG. 1 having wireless pressure transducers. The wellpad depicts two wellheads 140 and 142, a greasing system 120, and a fracking assembly 130. The greasing system 120 includes a high pressure, about 15000 psi, grease line connected to multiple ports on a wellhead. In this instance two lines are depicted to each wellhead, with greasing line 121 and 123 supplying wellhead 140 and greasing line 125 and 127 supplying wellhead 142. The fracking system depicted shows only a single manifold 122 supplying high pressure frack fluid at anywhere up to 15000 psi. Wellhead 140 is supplied frack fluid via frack line 134 and 132, while wellhead 142 is supplied frack fluid via frack lines 136 and 138. At various points throughout the wellheads 140 and 142 and the fracking assembly 130 are a number of wireless pressure transducers 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, and 160. Wellheads 140 and 142 along with the associated fracking assembly 130 as well as wireless pressure transducers 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, and 160 are within the red zone 150. Each of the wireless pressure transducers 150, 152, 154, 156, 158 and 160 includes a low-power radio transmitter to send each pressure data point to a radio receiver. In this case a smart pad 172 incorporates a low-power radio receiver 172 receive each pressure data point transmitted by the low-power radio transmitter from the wireless pressure transducers 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, and 160. In this case a smart pad 172 is utilized to communicate with each of the wireless pressure transducers via the program outlined in FIG. 3. Again, in this case the smart pad 172 also includes a Wi-Fi transmitter 174 to communicate with the Internet so that the data may be shared in real time well reviewed at the user's leisure. While a smart pad is depicted any type of data display such as a computer, smart pad or smart phone may be utilized. Additionally, any type of low-power radio transmitter and receiver may be utilized to connect the wireless pressure transducers to the smart pad or other type of data display. In this case the data display is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi in other instances a mobile phone connection or a wired connection may be utilized.

FIG. 2A is a detailed view of inset B from FIG. 2. Inset B is a view of a sealed wireless pressure transducer 150 having a pressure transducer 162, a low-power radio transmitter 166, and a power supply 163. The pressure transducer 162 at predetermined intervals detects the pressure within frack line 134 and then transmits the data point via the low-power radio transmitter 166. The sealed wireless pressure transducer 160 incorporates the pressure transducer 162, the power supply 163, and the low-power radio transmitter 166 into a sealed container such that hydrocarbons are not able to access the interior of the sealed wireless pressure transducer such that the sealed wireless pressure transducer 150 cannot provide an ignition point. Each of the sealed wireless pressure transducers 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, and 160 are similar to the sealed wireless pressure transducer 150 described in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart outlining the various steps that are taken to begin monitoring the system and the steps taken to reach a provide meaningful data to the user. Provided that the wireless pressure transducer is in place and powered, to initiate the system the user opens the control application 302. As part of the initialization process the system wants to confirm that the transducer is configured 304. If the transducer is configured the user will enter in the affirmative and be directed to box 330. If the transducer is not configured the system will ask the user to configure the system by activating the click on tab 306. A menu 310 of applicable transducers will then be accessible. The user clicks on the applicable transducer. The user will then be prompted to enter the wireless transducer's identification number 312. Subsequently, in order to easily identify the particular wireless pressure transducer, the system will ask the user to enter a label 314 for the particular wireless transducer. After entering a label for a particular wireless pressure transducer, the user enters done 316. Once done, the system asks if the user would like to enter another wireless pressure transducer 320. If the user enters, yes, they would like to enter another wireless pressure transducer, the user is looped back to box 310, a list of applicable wireless pressure transducers, as indicated by arrow 322. The loop from box 310, 312, 314, 316, and 320 continues until all transducers have been entered and the user, when prompted whether or not they would like to enter another wireless pressure transducer, answers no. Upon entering, no, in box 320 the user is redirected to box 330 as indicated by arrow 321. At box 330 user is prompted to initiate a pressure calibration test on the wireless pressure transducers. With the pressure calibration test complete the user, at box 331, is prompted as to whether or not the user wishes to associate the test with a particular customer or ticket. At box 332 the user is prompted to select a particular transducer from a drop-down menu of all the previously entered wireless pressure transducers. With a particular wireless pressure transducer selected the user, at box 334, is prompted to select a particular type of pressure test. The pressure test types may include sampling frequency such as once every hundred milliseconds (ms) or pressure limits where if a limit is exceeded and alarm indication will be generated. With the type of pressure test selected users then asked, at box 338, when to start the test. The test may be displayed in real time on a video screen where the video screen may be part of a computer, a smart pad, or a smart phone. Usually, the test is recorded as well as being displayed. The test and thereby the recording may be started immediately, after a preset period of time, or upon reaching a particular pressure threshold. At box 340 the user is prompted when to stop the test and thereby the recording. The test may be stopped immediately or upon reaching one or more preset conditions such as passage of time or pressure limits. With the test stopped a graph of the pressure test data is displayed on the video screen, smart pad or the smart phone and at box 342 the user is requested to utilize the system's predetermined portion of the test as being a good test or the user may select their own portion of the test as the good test. The user is then prompted to make a determination as to whether or not an additional test is needed. If an additional test is needed user selects yes as indicated by box 350 which then redirects the user as indicated by arrow 351 back to box 332 to allow the user to restart the pressure tests. If no additional test is needed user selects no as indicated by box 360 which causes the system to save the test to a file designated by the user as well as to the ticket or customer as previously indicated by box 331. The system then automatically generates a report concerning the outcome of the test as indicated by box 362 which is then saved to a file designated by the user as indicated by box 364. As indicated by box 370 the report is also saved to the ticket or customer as previously indicated by box 331.

The nomenclature of leading, trailing, forward, rear, clockwise, counterclockwise, right hand, left hand, upwards, and downwards are meant only to help describe aspects of the tool that interact with other portions of the tool.

Plural instances may be provided for components, operations or structures described herein as a single instance. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate components in the exemplary configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements may fall within the scope of the inventive subject matter.