Flexible pipe armor wire monitoring system and method
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorsFarzan Parsinejad, Matthew Davis Hense
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring armor wires in a flexible pipe by inferring a condition of the armor wires using at least one polymeric coupon containing steel wires. The coupon is designed to simulate the conditions of the armor wires in the annulus of the flexible pipe. The coupon is removably held by a coupon holder in the bore of a surface pipe connected to the flexible pipe. The coupon can be removed from the bore of the surface pipe after a period of time to dissect the coupon and evaluate the steel wires. The systems and methods allow insight into the condition of the armor wires during operational life that does not otherwise exist at present.
Claims20
A system for monitoring armor wire components in a flexible pipe riser that is at least partially located subsea and used to transport oil and gas in a subsea application, wherein the flexible pipe riser has a bore, an annulus, a pressure sheath between the bore and the annulus, an outer sheath surrounding the annulus, and armor wire components within the annulus, the system comprising:
- a. at least one coupon comprising a polymeric material surrounding a plurality of steel wires, wherein a gap exists between the polymeric material and the steel wires, and wherein the gap results in a ratio of a surface area of the steel wires to a free volume of the gap substantially equivalent to a ratio of a surface area of the armor wire components to a free volume of space surrounding the armor wire components within the annulus of the flexible pipe riser;
- and
- b. a coupon holder for holding the at least one coupon in a position such that the at least one coupon extends into a bore of a surface pipe connected to the flexible pipe riser, wherein one of the at least one coupon can be removed from the bore of the surface pipe after a desired period of time to evaluate a condition of the steel wires and thereby infer a condition of the armor wire components in the annulus of the flexible pipe riser, wherein the coupon holder is configured to extend into the bore of the surface pipe to hold the at least one coupon in the position, and wherein the surface pipe carries produced fluids from the flexible pipe riser to a destination.
A system for monitoring armor wire components in a flexible pipe riser that is at least partially located subsea and used to transport oil and gas in a subsea application, wherein the flexible pipe riser has a bore, an annulus, a pressure sheath between the bore and the annulus, an outer sheath surrounding the annulus, and armor wire components within the annulus, the system comprising:
- a. at least one coupon comprising a polymeric material surrounding a plurality of steel wires, wherein each steel wire of the plurality of steel wires is coated with a different predetermined amount of manufacturing grease ranging from no coverage to full coverage of a surface area of the respective steel wire;
- and
- b. a coupon holder for holding the at least one coupon in a position such that the at least one coupon extends into a bore of a surface pipe connected to the flexible pipe riser, wherein one of the at least one coupon can be removed from the bore of the surface pipe after a desired period of time to evaluate a condition of the steel wires and thereby infer a condition of the armor wire components in the annulus of the flexible pipe riser, wherein the coupon holder is configured to extend into the bore of the surface pipe to hold the at least one coupon in the position, and wherein the surface pipe carries produced fluids from the flexible pipe riser to a destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.