Non-obtrusive methods of measuring flows into and out of a subsea well and associated systems

Abstract

A fluid level monitoring system comprising: a subsea well comprising a wellbore and a wellhead; a subsea well isolation device installed on the wellhead; and a fluid level monitoring device and associated methods.

1 . A fluid level monitoring system comprising:
 a subsea well comprising a wellbore and a wellhead;   a subsea well isolation device installed on the wellhead; and   a fluid level monitoring device.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises a mud-line wellbore differential pressure monitoring device. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 2 , wherein the mud-line wellbore differential pressure device comprises one or more pressure gauges. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 2 , further comprising a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump system, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid monitoring system of  claim 2 , further comprising an umbilical flow conduit, a subsea control system umbilical, and a surface operating unit. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises a mud-line wellbore pressure monitoring device. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 6 , wherein the mud-line wellbore pressure device comprises one or more pressure gauges. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 6 , further comprising a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid monitoring system of  claim 6 , further comprising an umbilical flow conduit, a subsea control system umbilical, and a surface operating unit. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises one or more resistance temperature detectors. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises a temperature source and a temperature sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid level monitoring system of  claim 10 , further comprising a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump system, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid monitoring system of  claim 10 , further comprising an umbilical flow conduit, a subsea control system umbilical, and a surface operating unit. 
     
     
         14 . A method of maintaining a constant fluid level within a wellbore comprising:
 providing a fluid level monitoring system comprising a subsea well comprising a wellbore and a wellhead, a subsea well isolation device installed on the wellhead, and a fluid level monitoring device and   maintaining a constant fluid level within the wellbore.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises a mud-line wellbore differential pressure device comprising one or more pressure gauges and the fluid level monitoring system further comprises a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump system, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein maintaining a constant fluid level within the wellbore comprises measuring a pressure difference with the mud-line wellbore pressure monitoring device to determine the fluid level in the wellbore. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises a mud-line wellbore pressure monitoring device and the fluid level monitoring system further comprises a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump system, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein maintaining a constant fluid level within the wellbore comprises measuring a pressure difference with the mud-line wellbore pressure monitoring device to determine the fluid level in the wellbore. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid level monitoring device comprises one or more resistance temperature detectors and the fluid level monitoring system further comprises a wellhead remote visual monitoring device, a constant level subsea pump system, and a subsea control module. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein maintaining a constant fluid level within the wellbore comprises inducing a temperature variation in the wellbore and measuring the induced temperature variation to determine the fluid level in the wellbore.