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US 11,831,166 B2Granted
Rig power management system
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsAlejandro Camacho Cardenas, David Robert Evan Snoswell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for monitoring and optimizing fuel consumption by a genset at an oil rig is described. Gensets require large amounts of fuel to initiate and to maintain in a standby, idling position. The system accesses data in a drill plan to determine the present and future power requirements and initiates gensets if needed; otherwise gensets can be shut down. Excess power can be stored in a power storage unit such as a capacitor, battery, or a liquid air energy storage unit.
Claims25
A system for managing fuel expenditures at an oil rig, comprising:
- a plurality of gensets, each genset comprising a prime mover and an alternator;
- a load operatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of gensets, wherein the load is configured to:
- receive power from the one or more of the plurality of gensets;
- receive power from a power storage unit;
- and
- execute one or more tasks at the oil rig;
- a power storage unit operatively coupled to one or more of the plurality of gensets and to the load, wherein the power storage unit is configured to:
- receive power from the one or more of the plurality of gensets coupled to the power storage unit;
- store the power;
- and
- deliver the stored power to the load;
- a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of gensets the power storage unit, and the load, wherein the controller is configured to:
- monitor power consumption by the load;
- monitor a power capacity of the power storage unit;
- and
- monitor an operating status of the plurality of gensets;
- and
- a database configured to store a drill plan detailing the one or more tasks including detailing expected power consumption and duration for the one or more tasks, wherein the controller is further configured to:
- calculate a total expected power consumption to execute at least one task of the one or more tasks during a first time period based on the stored drill plan;
- identify a number of gensets to provide power equal to the total expected power consumption to execute the at least one task during the first time period;
- and
- ensure the total expected power is provided to the load during the first time period by:
- when the number of gensets to provide the total expected power consumption is less than a number of active gensets:
- turning on one or more additional gensets at or before the first time period;
- instructing the power storage unit to deliver stored power to the load at the first time period;
- or a combination thereof;
- and
- when the number of gensets to provide the total expected power consumption is greater than the number of active gensets:
- shutting down one or more of the active gensets at or before the first time period;
- instructing one or more of the plurality of gensets to deliver excess power to the power storage unit at the first time period;
- or a combination thereof.
28 more elements
A method for optimizing an operating parameter of gensets at an oil rig, the method comprising:
- accessing a rig plan including data describing times and power consumption loads associated with a plurality of tasks at the oil rig;
- for a given time period, calculate a total expected power consumption during a first time period by summing the power consumption loads for one or more tasks of the plurality of tasks scheduled during the first time period in the rig plan;
- calculating a number of gensets to provide power equal to the total expected power consumption for the tasks scheduled during the first time period and a predetermined quantity of headroom power in addition to the summed power consumption loads;
- ensuring that the number of gensets are running at the first time;
- diverting the headroom power to a power storage unit;
- and
- accessing the headroom power stored in the power storage unit when the power consumption for the tasks is greater than the total expected power consumption.
4 more elements
A system for managing a plurality of gensets at an oil rig, the system comprising:
- the plurality of gensets configured to consume fuel and deliver power;
- a load configured to receive power from the plurality of gensets, the load defining a drilling operation at the oil rig, wherein power consumption and scheduling data for the load is described in a drill plan;
- a power storage unit configured to:
- receive power from at least one of the plurality of gensets;
- store the power;
- and
- deliver the stored power to the load;
- a computational unit configured to:
- monitor the plurality of gensets;
- monitor the load;
- access the drill plan;
- determine, based on the drill plan, a total expected power consumption during a first time period during the drilling operation;
- monitor the power storage unit for capacity and availability of power;
- ensure the total expected power consumption is provided to the load during the first time period by:
- when a number of gensets to provide the total expected power consumption is greater than a number of active gensets:
- shutting down one or more of the active gensets at or before the first time period;
- diverting excess power to the power storage unit during the first time period;
- or a combination thereof;
- and
- when the number of gensets to provide the total expected power consumption is less than the number of active gensets:
- turning on one or more additional gensets at or before the first time period;
- accessing power stored in the power storage unit during the first time period;
- or a combination thereof.
20 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.