Monitoring health of additive systems

Abstract

A monitoring system operable to monitor an oilfield additive system having multiple components. The oilfield additive system is operable to transfer an additive-containing substance for injection into a wellbore. The monitoring system includes sensors each associated with, and operable to generate information related to an operational parameter of, a corresponding one of the oilfield additive system components. The monitoring system also includes a monitoring device in communication with the sensors and operable to record the information generated by the sensors to generate a database. The database includes information indicative of maintenance aspects of the oil-field additive system and/or the oilfield additive system components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a monitoring system operable to monitor an oilfield additive system, wherein the oilfield additive system is operable to transfer an additive-containing substance for injection into a wellbore, wherein the oilfield additive system comprises a plurality of components each associated with a corresponding operational parameter, and wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 a plurality of sensors each associated with, and operable to generate information related to the operational parameter of, a corresponding one of the plurality of components; and 
 a monitoring device in communication with each of the plurality of sensors and operable to record the information generated by the plurality of sensors to generate a database indicative of a maintenance aspect of an item, wherein the item is at least one of:
 the oilfield additive system; 
 at least one of the plurality of components; and/or 
 a combination thereof. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the maintenance aspect is, or is indicative of, an estimated remaining functional life of the item. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the maintenance aspect is, or is indicative of, a health of the item. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of components comprises a prime mover and a material-transfer device operable in conjunction with the prime mover, and wherein the plurality of sensors comprises:
 a first sensor operable to generate information related to the operating parameter of the prime mover; and 
 a second sensor operable to generate information related to the operating parameter of the material-transfer device. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the material-transfer device is operable to transfer subterranean formation fracturing fluid and/or wellbore casing cement. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the oilfield additive system, the additive-containing substance, the wellbore, the plurality of components, the plurality of sensors, the information, and the operational parameter are, respectively, a first oilfield additive system, a first additive-containing substance, a first wellbore, a first plurality of components, a first plurality of sensors, first information, and a first operational parameter; 
 the monitoring system is further operable to monitor a second oilfield additive system operable to transfer a second additive-containing substance for injection into a second wellbore; 
 the second oilfield additive system comprises a second plurality of components each associated with a corresponding second operational parameter; 
 the monitoring system further comprises a second plurality of sensors each associated with, and operable to generate second information related to the second operational parameter of, a corresponding one of the second plurality of components; and 
 the maintenance aspect of the item is based on a comparison of at least portions of the first information and the second information. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the first plurality of components comprises a first material-transfer device; 
 the second plurality of components comprises a second material-transfer device; 
 the item is the first material-transfer device; 
 the compared portion of the first information is indicative of a first efficiency of the first material-transfer device; and 
 the compared portion of the second information is indicative of a second efficiency of the second material-transfer device. 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein:
 the first efficiency is based on a first ratio of a first actual material transfer rate of the first material-transfer device to a first theoretical material transfer rate of the first material-transfer device; and 
 the second efficiency is based on a second ratio of a second actual material transfer rate of the second material-transfer device to a second theoretical material transfer rate of the second material-transfer device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the information generated by one of the plurality of sensors comprises information related to one or more of performance, efficiency, and accuracy of the corresponding one of the plurality of components. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the information generated by one of the plurality of sensors comprises information related to a property of the additive-containing substance. 
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 transferring an additive-containing substance for injection into a wellbore with an oilfield additive system, wherein the oilfield additive system comprises a plurality of components each associated with a corresponding operational parameter;   generating information related to the operational parameter of each of the plurality of components with a corresponding one of a plurality of sensors; and   recording the information generated by the plurality of sensors with a monitoring device to generate a database indicative of a maintenance aspect of an item, wherein the item is at least one of:
 the oilfield additive system; 
 at least one of the plurality of components; and/or 
 a combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the maintenance aspect is, or is indicative of, an estimated remaining functional life of the item, and wherein the estimated remaining functional life is an estimate of remaining operational time until failure of the item and/or operational efficiency of the item falling below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising comparing the information related to the operational parameter of a selected one of the plurality of components with the database to determine the maintenance aspect of the item. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein monitoring the oilfield additive system further comprises:
 comparing the information generated by the plurality of sensors to predetermined thresholds; and 
 generating an output signal based on the comparison. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the oilfield additive system, the additive-containing substance, the wellbore, the plurality of components, the plurality of sensors, the information, and the operational parameter are, respectively, a first oilfield additive system, a first additive-containing substance, a first wellbore, a first plurality of components, a first plurality of sensors, first information, and a first operational parameter; and
 the method further comprises:
 transferring a second additive-containing substance for injection into a second wellbore with a second oilfield additive system, wherein the second oilfield additive system comprises a second plurality of components each associated with a corresponding second operational parameter; 
 generating second information related to the second operational parameter of each of the second plurality of components with a corresponding one of a second plurality of sensors; and 
 comparing at least portions of the first information and the second information to determine the maintenance aspect of the item. 
 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein:
 the first plurality of components comprises a first material-transfer device; 
 the second plurality of components comprises a second material-transfer device; 
 the item is the first material-transfer device; 
 the compared portion of the first information is indicative of a first efficiency of the first material-transfer device; 
 the compared portion of the second information is indicative of a second efficiency of the second material-transfer device; and 
 the method further comprises:
 determining a first ratio of a first actual material transfer rate of the first material-transfer device to a first theoretical material transfer rate of the first material-transfer device to determine the first efficiency; and 
 determining a second ratio of a second actual material transfer rate of the second material-transfer device to a second theoretical material transfer rate of the second material-transfer device to determine the second efficiency. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the oilfield additive system further comprises a communication system operable to facilitate communication between the plurality of components, wherein the communication system comprises:
 an input/output module in communication with the plurality of sensors and the plurality of components; 
 a controller in communication with the input/output module; and 
 a human/machine interface in communication with the controller; and 
 
       wherein monitoring the oilfield additive system further comprises:
 detecting a defect in communications between the input/output module, the controller, and the human/machine interface; and 
 generating an output signal when the defect is detected. 
 
     
     
         18 . A system, comprising:
 an oilfield additive system operable to transfer a material for injection into a wellbore, wherein the oilfield additive system comprises a plurality of components;   a monitoring system operable to monitor the oilfield additive system, wherein the monitoring system comprises:
 a plurality of sensors each associated with, and operable to generate information related to operational parameters of, a corresponding one of the plurality of components; and 
 a monitoring device in communication with each of the plurality of sensors and operable to record the information generated by the plurality of sensors to generate a database, wherein the database is indicative of a maintenance aspect of the oilfield additive system and/or at least one of the plurality of components. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the maintenance aspect is, or is indicative of, an estimated remaining functional life of the oilfield additive system and/or at least one of the plurality of components. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the maintenance aspect is, or is indicative of, a health of the oilfield additive system and/or at least one of the plurality of components.