Abstract:
Some of the present systems include a hydraulic power storage system having an accumulator configured to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to a hydraulically actuated device to actuate the hydraulically actuated device and a drain in fluid communication with the accumulator and including a valve that is actuatable to drain hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic power storage system such that an internal pressure of the accumulator is reduced and a flow restrictor configured to reduce a flow rate of hydraulic fluid through the valve, a hydraulic pump configured to pressurize the accumulator, a pressure sensor configured to capture data indicative of the internal pressure of the accumulator, and a processor configured to actuate the hydraulic pump to increase the internal pressure of the accumulator if the internal pressure of the accumulator, as indicated in data captured by the pressure sensor, falls below a threshold pressure.
Abstract:
Pressure in subsea systems, and accumulators of the subsea systems, may be increased through the use of a supercharge cylinder to generate higher pressures from an initial pressure provided from a surface vessel. The supercharge cylinder may include a piston that can be stroked to increase pressure stored in accumulators located near subsea systems, such as a blowout preventer (BOP). The increased pressure provided by the supercharge cylinder may allow the same number of accumulators to be used in the subsea system but allow additional effective hydraulic fluid to be stored in the accumulators.
Abstract:
Induction shearing may be used to cut a drillpipe at an undersea well. Electromagnetic rings may be built into a blow-out preventer (BOP) at the seafloor. The electromagnetic rings create a magnetic field through the drillpipe and may transfer sufficient energy to change the state of the metal drillpipe to shear the drillpipe. After shearing the drillpipe, the drillpipe may be sealed to prevent further leakage of well contents.
Abstract:
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and implementations of an HMI control system for BOP rigs are disclosed. At least some versions of the disclosed systems enable a user to configure interface settings, perform actions on a BOP stack, view diagnostics, perform testing, and observe and rectify alarms. The disclosed systems may enable a user to more efficiently navigate between different interfaces and perform HMI functions due to a control zone configuration. Additionally, the control zone configuration may reduce operator error by assigning certain control zones to particular functions and requiring the user to take affirmative steps to perform destructive functions.
Abstract:
This disclosure includes manifolds, subsea valve modules, and related methods. Some manifolds and/or subsea valve modules include one or more inlets, each configured to receive hydraulic fluid from a fluid source, one or more outlets, each in selective fluid communication with at least one of the inlets, and one or more subsea valve assemblies, each configured to selectively control hydraulic fluid communication from at least one of the inlets to at least one of the outlets, where at least one of the outlets is configured to be in fluid communication with an actuation port of the hydraulically actuated device.
Abstract:
This disclosure includes hydraulic apparatuses and methods for redundant actuation of a hydraulic device. Some apparatuses include a hydraulic device having a first hydraulic actuator and a second hydraulic actuator, wherein each of the first and second hydraulic actuators comprises at least a first hydraulic cavity, a second hydraulic cavity, and a piston. Some apparatuses also include a controller coupled to the hydraulic device. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to receive hydraulic fluid from a fluid source via at least two parallel hydraulic lines coupled to the controller, select a first hydraulic line of the at least two parallel hydraulic lines, and transfer the hydraulic fluid from the selected first hydraulic line to a first cavity of the first hydraulic actuator to apply pressure to a first piston to actuate the hydraulic device.
Abstract:
Induction shearing may be used to cut a drillpipe at an undersea well. Electromagnetic rings may be built into a blow-out preventer (BOP) at the seafloor. The electromagnetic rings create a magnetic field through the drillpipe and may transfer sufficient energy to change the state of the metal drillpipe to shear the drillpipe. After shearing the drillpipe, the drillpipe may be sealed to prevent further leakage of well contents.
Abstract:
This disclosure includes systems and methods for actuation of subsea hydraulically actuated devices. Some systems use or include one or more subsea reservoirs, each having a body defining an interior volume configured to contain a sub-ambient internal pressure, the body defining an outlet in fluid communication with the interior volume, and a hydraulic power delivery system including one or more subsea valves configured to selectively allow fluid communication between the outlet of at least one of the reservoir(s) and a first port of the hydraulically actuated device. In some systems, the hydraulic power delivery system includes a rigid sliding member configured to unseal a selectively sealed outlet of at least one of the reservoir(s). In some systems, the subsea valve(s) are configured to alternatively allow fluid communication between the outlet of the at least one of the reservoir(s) and the first or a second port of the hydraulically actuated device.
Abstract:
Some embodiments of the present subsea pipe cutting apparatuses use or include a frame, one or more water jet nozzles coupled to the frame and configured to apply pressurized fluid to a pipe to cut the pipe, and one or more of: a flange configured to secure the subsea pipe cutting apparatus relative to a blowout preventer stack, one or more water jet nozzles coupled to a rotating portion of the frame and configured to rotate about the pipe, one or more water jet nozzles movable between a retracted state and a deployed state in which the one or more water jet nozzles are radially closer to the pipe than when in the retracted state, one or more water jet nozzles pivotally coupled to the frame and configured to pivot while applying pressurized fluid to a surface of the pipe, and two or more water jet nozzles.
Abstract:
This disclosure includes BOP control and/or power and/or data communication systems and related methods. Some systems use or include a plurality of controllers, each in communication with a BOP control network and configured to transmit information associated with the BOP, and a signal conditioning circuit in electrical communication with and configured to provide a power signal and a data signal to at least one of the plurality of controllers, the signal conditioning circuit including a signal coupler, a subsea signal decoupler, an amplifier, and/or a frequency converter, where each controller is in communication with one or more processors and is configured to transmit at least a portion of the information through the BOP control network during a respective time interval.