Communication networks for bop control

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a subsea blowout preventor (BOP) includes a control system for controlling a subsea BOP of a subsea stack assembly installed over a subsea oil and gas well. The control system includes a first topside control device and a second topside control device, and a first subsea control device and a second subsea control device. The first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP. The first subsea control device is a portion of a first control pod of the subsea stack assembly. The second subsea control device is a portion of a second control pod of the subsea stack assembly. The first topside control device is communicatively connected with the second topside control device via a ring communication network.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a control system for controlling a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) of a subsea stack assembly installed over a subsea oil and gas well, wherein the control system comprises:
 a first topside control device and a second topside control device; and 
 a first subsea control device and a second subsea control device; 
 a first riser control box controller and a second riser control box controller, wherein:
 the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP; 
 the first subsea control device and the first riser control box controller are located in a first control pod of the subsea stack assembly; 
 the second subsea control device and the second riser control box controller are located in a second control pod of the subsea stack assembly; 
 the first topside control device is communicatively connected with the second topside control device via a first ring communication network, wherein the first ring communication network is at least partially located topside; 
 the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first riser control box controller, and the second riser control box controller are communicatively connected together via a second ring communication network that extends topside and subsea; and 
 the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device are communicatively connected together via a third ring communication network that extends topside and subsea. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third subsea control device and a fourth subsea control device,   wherein the third subsea control device and the fourth subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP,   wherein the third subsea control device is located in the first control pod of the subsea stack assembly,   wherein the fourth subsea control device is located in the second control pod of the subsea stack assembly, and   wherein the third subsea control device and the fourth subsea control device are communicatively connected together with the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device via the third ring communication network that extends topside and subsea.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first riser control box controller and the second riser control box controller are communicatively connected together via a distinct communication line. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the second ring communication network comprises:
 a first subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the first topside control device; 
 the first subsea control device; and 
 the third subsea control device; and 
   a second subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the second topside control device; 
 the second subsea control device; and 
 the fourth subsea control device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; and the second subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; the second subsea control device; the third subsea control device; and the fourth subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; the second subsea control device; the third subsea control device; and the fourth subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a control system for controlling a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) of a subsea stack assembly installed over a subsea oil and gas well, wherein the control system comprises:
 a first topside control device and a second topside control device; and 
 a first subsea control device and a second subsea control device; 
 a first riser control box controller and a second riser control box controller, wherein:
 the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP; 
 the first subsea control device and the first riser control box controller are located in a first control pod of the subsea stack assembly; 
 the second subsea control device and the second riser control box controller are located in a second control pod of the subsea stack assembly; 
 the first topside control device is communicatively connected with the second topside control device via a first ring communication network, wherein the first ring communication network is at least partially located topside; 
 the first subsea control device is communicatively connected with the first riser control box controller via a second ring communication network, wherein the second ring communication network is located subsea; and 
 the second subsea control device is communicatively connected with the second riser control box controller via a third ring communication network, wherein the third ring communication network is located subsea. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a third subsea control device and a fourth subsea control device,   wherein the third subsea control device and the fourth subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP,   wherein the third subsea control device is located in the first control pod of the subsea stack assembly,   wherein the fourth subsea control device is located in the second control pod of the subsea stack assembly,   wherein the third subsea control device is communicatively connected together with first subsea control device and the first riser box controller via the second ring communication network, and   wherein the fourth subsea control device is communicatively connected together with the second subsea control device and the second riser box controller via the third ring communication network.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the second ring communication network comprises:
 a first subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the first subsea control device; and 
 the third subsea control device; and 
   a second subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the second subsea control device; and 
 the fourth subsea control device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising an event logger operable to record data output by at least one of: the first topside control device and the second topside control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising an event logger operable to record data output by at least one of: the first topside control device and the second topside control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising an event logger operable to record data output by at least one of: the first topside control device and the second topside control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device and the second topside control device via the first ring communication network.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a control system for controlling a subsea blowout preventer (BOP) of a subsea stack assembly installed over a subsea oil and gas well, wherein the control system comprises:   a first topside control device and a second topside control device; and   a first subsea control device and a second subsea control device;   a first riser control box controller and a second riser control box controller, wherein:   the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, and the second subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP;   the first subsea control device and the first riser control box controller are located in a first control pod of the subsea stack assembly;   the second subsea control device and the second riser control box controller are located in a second control pod of the subsea stack assembly;   the first topside control device, the second topside control device, the first subsea control device, the second subsea control device, the first riser control box controller, and the second riser control box controller are communicatively connected together via a single ring communication network that extends topside and subsea.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a third subsea control device and a fourth subsea control device,   wherein the third subsea control device and the fourth subsea control device are each communicatively connected with the BOP and operable to control operation of the BOP,   wherein the third subsea control device is located in the first control pod of the subsea stack assembly,   wherein the fourth subsea control device is located in the second control pod of the subsea stack assembly, and   wherein the third subsea control device and the fourth subsea control device are communicatively connected together with the first subsea control device, the second subsea control device, the first riser box controller, and the second riser box controller via the single ring communication network that extends topside and subsea.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first riser control box controller and the second riser control box controller are communicatively connected together via a distinct communication line. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the single ring communication network comprises:
 a first subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the first topside control device; 
 the first subsea control device; 
 the third subsea control device; and 
 the first riser control box controller; and 
   a second subsea communication node communicatively connected with:
 the second topside control device; 
 the second subsea control device; 
 the fourth subsea control device; and 
 the second riser control box controller. 
   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; the second subsea control device; the third subsea control device; and the fourth subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device, the second topside control device, first subsea control device, the second subsea control device, the third subsea control device, and the fourth subsea control device via the single ring communication network.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; the second subsea control device; the third subsea control device; and the fourth subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device, the second topside control device, first subsea control device, the second subsea control device, the third subsea control device, and the fourth subsea control device via the single ring communication network.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising an event logger operable to record control data output by at least one of: the first topside control device; the second topside control device; the first subsea control device; the second subsea control device; the third subsea control device; and the fourth subsea control device,
 wherein the event logger is communicatively connected with the first topside control device, the second topside control device, first subsea control device, the second subsea control device, the third subsea control device, and the fourth subsea control device via the single ring communication network.