Disposal of well control fluids

Abstract

Hydraulic well fluid vented from a hydraulically controlled actuating device is disposed of by pumping the fluid via a pump and a valve into a production flowline of the well.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of disposing of hydraulic well control fluid, comprising pumping the fluid into a production flowline of the well. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid comprises hydraulic fluid vented from a hydraulically controlled actuating device of a control system of the well. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the actuating device is hydraulically controlled using a directional control valve. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein there is a plurality of said actuating devices, hydraulic fluid vented from them being pumped into said production flowline. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid is pumped into the production flowline via a relief valve. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the relief valve opens at a pressure greater than the pressure of fluid in the flowline. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the well is a subsea hydrocarbon production well. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid comprises hydraulic fluid vented from a hydraulically controlled actuating device of a control system of the well, the fluid is pumped into the production flowline via a relief valve and the relief valve opens at a pressure greater than the pressure of fluid in the flowline. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the actuating device is hydraulically controlled using a directional control valve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the well is a subsea hydrocarbon production well. 
     
     
         20 . A well control system, which includes means for disposing of hydraulic well control fluid by pumping the fluid into a production flowline of the well. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the fluid comprises hydraulic fluid vented from a hydraulically controlled actuating device of the system. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , including an electrically operated directional control valve for use in hydraulically controlling said actuating device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein there is a plurality of said actuating devices, the disposing means being adapted for pumping vented hydraulic fluid from them into said flowline. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein said disposing means includes a relief valve via which the fluid is pumped into the flowline. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 20 , which is a control system for a subsea hydrocarbon production well. 
     
     
         26 . A well control system, which includes disposing means including a pump for disposing of hydraulic well control fluid by pumping the fluid into a production flowline of the well, wherein the fluid comprises hydraulic fluid vented from a hydraulically controlled actuating device of the system and said disposing means includes a relief valve via which the fluid is pumped into the flowline by said pump. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , which includes an electrically operated directional control valve for use in hydraulically controlling said actuating device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein there is a plurality of said actuating devices, the disposing means being adapted for pumping vented hydraulic fluid from them into said flowline via said pump. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 26 , which is a control system for a subsea hydrocarbon production well.