Systems and techniques for controlling and monitoring downhole operations in a well

A system to perform a test in a hydrocarbon well, comprising:

• a control station;
• a pressure-powered tool in communication with the control station, the pressure-powered tool comprising:
• a fluid chamber containing a reservoir of fluid that is subjected to a pressure when the tool is deployed in the hydrocarbon well;
• a piston energizable by the pressurized fluid to shift the tool between operating states;
• a hydraulic control system to control the operating state of the piston in response to a command from the control station, the hydraulic control system controlling the operating state by controlling a fluid communication path between the piston and the fluid chamber;
• and
• a pressure sensor to provide indications of pressure in a region within the tool,
• wherein the control station receives the indications of pressure and determines an operating condition of the pressure-powered tool based on the received indications;
• and,
• wherein, if the operating condition is indicative of a fluid leak, the control station further identifies a time remaining before the pressure-powered tool fails.

A method of determining an operating condition of a pressure-powered tool that can be shifted between operating states, comprising:

• observing pressure in a region within the tool during shifting of the tool between operating states;
• providing an indication of the observed pressure;
• comparing the indication of the observed pressure with an expected pressure indication;
• determining the operating condition of the tool based on the comparison;
• and
• if in an undesired operating condition, taking a corrective action, wherein if the undesired operating condition includes a fluid leak in the pressure-powered tool, then the method further comprises determining a time remaining before the tool fails.