Pressure response test to detect leakage of rotating control device
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsRodrigo Feliu, Christopher Scott Del Campo, Emilio De Matias Salces
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes initiating a managed pressure drilling (MPD) operation in an MPD system including a rotating control device (RCD) including at least one sealing element and a plurality of pressures sensors placed relative to the at least one scaling element. The RCD is positioned in the MPD system so as to receive fluid exiting an annulus of a wellbore. Further, the method includes creating a pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during the MPD operation, and monitoring a pressure differential between the plurality of pressure sensors to determine whether there is a leakage within the RCD.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- initiating a managed pressure drilling operation in a managed pressure drilling system comprising:
- a rotating control device comprising:
- at least one sealing element;
- and
- a plurality of pressure sensors placed relative to the at least one sealing element,
- wherein the rotating control device is positioned in the managed pressure drilling system so as to receive fluid exiting an annulus of a wellbore;
- creating a pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during the managed pressure drilling operation;
- and
- monitoring a pressure differential between the plurality of pressure sensors to determine whether there is a leakage within the rotating control device,
- wherein the managed pressure drilling system further comprises:
- a choke manifold connected to the rotating control device via a primary line;
- and
- a backpressure pump having an inlet and an outlet,
- wherein the inlet of the backpressure pump is connected to a fluid source,
- wherein the outlet of the backpressure pump is connected to a backpressure line,
- wherein the backpressure line is fluidly connected to the rotating control device, and
- wherein the backpressure line is a dedicated test line that is connected directly to the rotating control device.
A test system for a managed pressure drilling system comprising:
- a rotating control device comprising:
- at least one sealing element;
- a plurality of pressure sensors placed relative to the at least one sealing element,
- wherein the rotating control device is positioned in the managed pressure drilling system so as to receive fluid exiting an annulus of a wellbore;
- and
- a test port;
- a pump;
- and
- a choke manifold connected to the rotating control device via a primary line,
- wherein at least one of the pump and the choke manifold is configured to create a pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during a managed pressure drilling operation,
- wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are configured to generate pressure sensor data indicative of a condition of the at least one sealing element as a result of creating the pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during the managed pressure drilling operation, and
- wherein the pump is configured to direct fluid into the test port of the rotating control device to create the pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during the managed pressure drilling operation.
A test system for a managed pressure drilling system comprising:
- a rotating control device comprising:
- at least one sealing element;
- a plurality of pressure sensors placed relative to the at least one sealing element, wherein the rotating control device is positioned in the managed pressure drilling system so as to receive fluid exiting an annulus of a wellbore;
- and
- a test port;
- a pump;
- and
- a choke manifold connected to the rotating control device via a primary line,
- wherein at least one of the pump and the choke manifold is configured to create a pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during a managed pressure drilling operation,
- wherein the plurality of pressure sensors are configured to generate pressure sensor data indicative of a condition of the at least one sealing element as a result of creating the pressure spike in the annulus of the wellbore during the managed pressure drilling operation, and
- wherein the pump is a backpressure pump having an inlet and an outlet,
- wherein the inlet of the backpressure pump is connected to a fluid source, and
- wherein the outlet of the backpressure pump is connected to a backpressure line, and
- wherein the backpressure line is fluidly connected to the rotating control device, and
- wherein the backpressure line is fluidly connected to the rotating control device via the test port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.