# US 2021/0277746 A1 · Instrumentation system for determining risk factors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277746 A1 - Document ID: US20210277746A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/079,629 - Filed: 2020-10-26 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-06 - Applicants: MRC Solberg & Andersen AS - Inventors: Simon Jeeves; Tore Juvik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277746A1 ## CPC - E21B 41/0007: {for underwater installations (E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence)} - E21B 34/04: in underwater well heads - E21B 34/16: Control means therefor being outside the borehole {(control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355)} - F16K 37/0083: {by measuring valve parameters} - F16K 37/0091: {by measuring fluid parameters} - G07C 3/00: Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract An instrumentation system (300) for monitoring one or more valves (20) of an assembly (110) includes one or more sensors (120) coupled to the one or more valves (20), and a data processing arrangement (140) for processing sensor signals generated by the one or more sensors (120) to provide an indication of operation of said one or more valves (20). The one or more sensors (120) and the data processing arrangement (140) are operable to compute one or more risk factors (R) from the sensor signals indicative of operating reliability and/or safety of the one or more valves (20). The instrumentation system (300) is, for example, suitable for use with valves of the X-mas tree (Christmas tree) assembly for oil and gas production, for example in a sub-sea environment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An instrumentation system (300) for monitoring one or more valves (20) of an assembly (110), wherein said system (300) includes one or more sensors (120) coupled to said one or more valves (20), and a data processing arrangement (140) for processing sensor signals generated by said one or more sensors (120) to provide an indication of operation of said one or more valves (20), characterized in that said one or more sensors (120) and said data processing arrangement (140) are operable to compute one or more risk factors (R) from said sensor signals indicative of operating reliability and/or safety of said one or more valves (20). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said instrumentation system (300) is adapted for monitoring said one or more valves (20) incorporated into an oil and/or gas production assembly (110). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said oil and/or gas production assembly (110) and the system (300) are adapted for sub-sea operation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each valve (20) includes a corresponding adjustable flow controlling element (310), an actuator arrangement (420) for actuating said flow controlling element (310), and said one or more sensors (120) are operable to sense: (a) a dynamic pressure difference across said element (310); (b) a cavity (350) pressure indicative of leakage of one or more seals of said element (310); (c) a torque generated by said actuator arrangement (420) when actuating said element (310); and (d) a pressure of actuating fluid supplied to said actuator arrangement (420). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said one or more sensors (120) and a communication arrangement (130) coupling said one or more sensors (120) to said data processing arrangement (140) are arranged to be constructed to an intrinsically safe standard. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the data processing arrangement (140) is operable to compute said one or more risk factors (R) taking into account at least flow characteristics of a flow of fluid through said one or more valves (20) as sensed by said one or more sensors (120). ### Claim 7 A method of employing an instrumentation system (300) for monitoring one or more valves (20) of an assembly (110), characterized in that said method includes: (a) including one or more sensors (120) coupled to said one or more valves (20), and a data processing arrangement (140) for processing sensor signals generated by said one or more sensors (120); and (b) using said data processing arrangement (140) for processing sensor signals generated in operation by said one or more sensors (120) to compute one or more risk factors (R) from said sensor signals indicative of operating reliability and/or safety of said one or more valves (20). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said method further includes: (c) sensing using said one or more sensors (120) in respect of each valve (20) for a corresponding adjustable flow controlling element (310), and an actuator arrangement (420) for actuating said flow controlling element (310), following parameters: (i) a dynamic pressure difference across said element (310): (ii) a cavity (350) pressure indicative of leakage of one or more seals of said element (310); (iii) a torque generated by said actuator arrangement (420) when actuating said element (310); and (iv) a pressure of actuating fluid supplied to said actuator arrangement (420). ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) A software product (150) recorded on machine-readable data storage media, characterized in that said software product (150) is executable on computing hardware (140) for implementing a method as claimed in claim 7. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An assembly (110) including one or more valves (20) for controlling fluid flow within said assembly (110), characterized in that said assembly includes an instrumentation system (300) as claimed in claim 1.