Systems and methods for conducting pressure tests on a wellbore fluid containment system

Abstract

A method for pressure testing a well system includes: pressurizing testing fluid within a closeable chamber of a well system; determining a leak within the closeable chamber using real time pressure and temperature measurements of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber; and determining the pathway of the leak using real time pressure and temperature measurements of a volume of fluid that is disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for pressure testing a well system comprising:
 pressurizing a volume of testing fluid within a closeable chamber of a well system;   determining a leak within the closeable chamber using real time pressure and temperature measurements of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber; and   determining the pathway of the leak using real time pressure and temperature measurements of a volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a leak within the closeable chamber comprises determining the change in fluid pressure within the closeable chamber due to a change in volume of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the change in fluid pressure within closeable chamber due to a change in volume of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber comprises subtracting the change in fluid pressure within the closeable chamber due to a change in temperature of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber from the total change in fluid pressure within the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein pressurizing fluid within a closeable chamber of a well system comprises flowing fluid into the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the change in fluid pressure within closeable chamber due to a change in volume of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber comprises measuring in real time a change in fluid pressure within the closeable chamber using a sensor disposed within the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the change in fluid pressure within closeable chamber due to a change in volume of the volume of testing fluid within the closeable chamber comprises measuring in real time a change in fluid temperature within the closeable chamber using a sensor disposed within the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the pathway of the leak using real time pressure and temperature measurements of a volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber comprises disposing a sensor within the volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the pathway of the leak comprises detecting a fluid pressure increase in real time within the volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting a pressure increase within the volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber comprises determining the change in fluid pressure within the volume due to a change in volume of the volume of fluid disposed adjacent to the closeable chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining a leak within the closeable chamber using real time pressure and temperature measurements comprises transmitting the pressure and temperature measurements of the volume of testing fluid to a computer of the well system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the closeable chamber is formed using a blowout preventer and a testing plug. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pathway of the leak comprises a sealing surface of the blowout preventer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pathway of the leak comprises a sealing surface of the testing plug. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the closeable chamber comprises a component of a fluid containment system. 
     
     
         15 . A method for pressure testing a blowout preventer comprising:
 pressurizing a volume of testing fluid within the blowout preventer;   determining a leak within the blowout preventer using real time pressure and temperature measurements of fluid disposed within the well system; and   determining the pathway of the leak using real time pressure and temperature measurements of a volume of fluid disposed adjacent to blowout preventer.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the volume of testing fluid within the blowout preventer comprises actuating a ram of the blowout preventer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the volume of testing fluid within the blowout preventer comprises actuating an annular of the blowout preventer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein determining the leak within the blowout preventer using real time pressure and temperature measurements of fluid disposed within the well system comprises determining a leak across a ram of the blowout preventer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein determining the leak within the blowout preventer using real time pressure and temperature measurements of fluid disposed within the well system comprises determining a leak across an annular of the blowout preventer.