# US 12,000,244 B2 · Determining efficiencies of wellbore pressure control valves

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,000,244 B2
- Document ID: US12000244B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/589,404
- Filed: 2022-01-31
- Published: 2023-08-03
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2022-01-31
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Mohammed Alatigue; Anton Tarihoran; Nahr M. Abulhamayel; Abdulrahman Aljughayman; Abdulaziz Al Lajam
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000244B2

## CPC

- E21B 34/16: Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)}
- E21B 34/02: in well heads
- E21B 34/08: responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained (E21B34/10 takes precedence)
- E21B 43/12: Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00)
- E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

To determine efficiencies of wellbore pressure control valves, results of manufacturer tests performed by a manufacturer of a pressure control valve (PCV) are identified. The PCV is configured to control flowrate of a fluid through a pipeline. The manufacturer tests correlate quantities of the fluid that the PCV allows to flow through the pipeline at respective open positions of the PCV. After installing the PCV in a flowline downstream of a production tree disposed within a hydrocarbon gas production wellbore to control hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the production wellbore, operational tests are performed on the PCV to measure quantities of the hydrocarbon gas that the PCV allows to flow through the flowline at the respective open positions of the PCV. The results of the manufacturer tests are compared with results of the operational tests. Based on a result of the comparing, an operational condition of the PCV is determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
identifying results of manufacturer tests performed by a manufacturer of a pressure control valve (PCV) configured to control flowrate of a fluid through a pipeline, wherein the manufacturer tests correlate quantities of the fluid that the PCV allows to flow through the pipeline at respective open positions of the PCV;
after installing the PCV in a flowline downstream of a production tree disposed within a hydrocarbon gas production wellbore to control hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the production wellbore, performing operational tests on the PCV to measure quantities of the hydrocarbon gas that the PCV allows to flow through the flowline at the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein performing operational tests on the PCV comprises:
(a) setting the PCV to an open position;
(b) measuring a flowing wellhead pressure (FWHP) of the production wellbore at the open position of the PCV;
(c) measuring a hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV;
(d) measuring a condensate rate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV;
(e) determining a condensate to gas ratio (CGR) by dividing the condensate rate by the hydrocarbon gas flowrate; and
(f) determining a choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV;
comparing the results of the manufacturer tests with results of the operational tests; and
based on a result of the comparing, determining an operational condition of the PCV.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
repeating steps (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) at each of the open positions; and
generating a plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein results of the manufacturer tests comprise a manufacturer plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein comparing the results of the manufacturer tests with results of the operational tests comprises:
determining a difference between an area under the manufacturer plot and an area under the plot; and
comparing the difference with a threshold area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein based on a result of the comparing, determining an operational condition of the PCV comprises:
determining that the difference exceeds the threshold area; and
in response to determining that the threshold exceeds the threshold area, determining that the operational condition of the PCV is faulty.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to determining that the operational condition of the PCV is faulty, transmitting an alert to rectify the PCV.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to determining that the operational condition of the PCV is faulty:
ceasing the hydrocarbon gas production through the production wellbore;
replacing the PCV with a new PCV; and
re-starting the hydrocarbon gas production through the production wellbore.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV comprises solving equation:
(
d
64
)
=
qg
·
59.8929355006557
·
CGR
0.1031801407188
FWHP
1.85146181546
wherein d is the choke size, and qg is the hydrocarbon gas flowrate.

### Claim 8

A computer-implemented method comprising:
for a pressure control valve (PCV) configured to control flowrate of a fluid through a pipeline, receiving a manufacturer plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the manufacturer plot correlates quantities of the fluid that the PCV allows to flow through the pipeline at the respective open positions of the PCV;
after installing the PCV in a flowline downstream of a production tree disposed within a hydrocarbon gas production wellbore to control hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the production wellbore, receiving a plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the plot is generated responsive to performing operational tests to measure quantities of the hydrocarbon gas that the PCV allows to flow through the flowline at the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the operational tests on the PCV comprise:
(a) setting the PCV to an open position,
(b) measuring a flowing wellhead pressure (FWHP) of the production wellbore at the open position of the PCV,
(c) measuring a hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV,
(d) measuring a condensate rate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV,
(e) receiving the open position of the PCV, the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the condensate rate;
(f) determining a condensate to gas ratio (CGR) by dividing the condensate rate by the hydrocarbon gas flowrate; and
(g) determining a choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV;
comparing the manufacturer plot with the plot;
based on a result of the comparing, determining that an operational condition of the PCV is faulty; and
in response to determining that the operational condition of the PCV is faulty, transmitting an alert indicating the faulty operational condition of the PCV.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the operational tests comprise repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and (d), wherein the method further comprises:
repeating steps (e), (f) and (g); and
generating the plot of the plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein determining the choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV comprises solving equation:
(
d
64
)
=
qg
·
59.8929355006557
·
CGR
0.1031801407188
FWHP
1.85146181546
wherein d is the choke size, and qg is the hydrocarbon gas flowrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein comparing the manufacturer plot with the plot comprises:
determining a difference between an area under the manufacturer plot and an area under the plot; and
comparing the difference with a threshold area.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein based on a result of the comparing, determining that an operational condition of the PCV is faulty comprises determining that the difference exceeds the threshold area.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more computer systems to perform operations comprising:
for a pressure control valve (PCV) configured to control flowrate of a fluid through a pipeline, receiving a manufacturer plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the manufacturer plot correlates quantities of the fluid that the PCV allows to flow through the pipeline at the respective open positions of the PCV;
after installing the PCV in a flowline downstream of a production tree disposed within a hydrocarbon gas production wellbore to control hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the production wellbore, receiving a plot of a plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the plot is generated responsive to performing operational tests to measure quantities of the hydrocarbon gas that the PCV allows to flow through the flowline at the respective open positions of the PCV, wherein the operational tests on the PCV comprise:
(a) setting the PCV to an open position,
(b) measuring a flowing wellhead pressure (FWHP) of the production wellbore at the open position of the PCV,
(c) measuring a hydrocarbon gas flowrate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV,
(d) measuring a condensate rate through the flowline at the open position of the PCV,
(e) receiving the open position of the PCV, the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the condensate rate;
(f) determining a condensate to gas ratio (CGR) by dividing the condensate rate by the hydrocarbon gas flowrate; and
(g) determining a choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV;
comparing the manufacturer plot with the plot;
based on a result of the comparing, determining that an operational condition of the PCV is faulty; and
in response to determining that the operational condition of the PCV is faulty, transmitting an alert indicating the faulty operational condition of the PCV.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The medium of claim 13, wherein the operational tests comprise repeating steps (a), (b), (c) and (d), wherein the operations further comprise:
repeating steps (e), (f) and (g); and
generating the plot of the plurality of choke sizes versus the respective open positions of the PCV.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The medium of claim 13, wherein determining the choke size at the open position of the PCV based on the FWHP, the hydrocarbon gas flowrate and the CGR at the open position of the PCV comprises solving equation:
(
d
64
)
=
qg
·
59.8929355006557
·
CGR
0.1031801407188
FWHP
1.85146181546
wherein d is the choke size, and qg is the hydrocarbon gas flowrate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The medium of claim 13, wherein comparing the manufacturer plot with the plot comprises:
determining a difference between an area under the manufacturer plot and an area under the plot; and
comparing the difference with a threshold area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The medium of claim 16, wherein based on a result of the comparing, determining that an operational condition of the PCV is faulty comprises determining that the difference exceeds the threshold area.