System for use in controlling a hydrocarbon production well

Abstract

A system for use in controlling a hydrocarbon production well has a: computer at a control location remote from a well tree of the well. A processor at the well tree applies control signals to and receives signals from devices of well tree. The processor also receives further signals associated with the operation of the well. A bi-directional communication link extends between the remote computer and the well tree processor. The well tree further has a communications router coupled with the processor and receiver, for multiplexing the signals from devices at the well head and the further signals on to the bi-directional link.

1. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
 a subsea well complex on a sea floor;  
 first and second communicating devices at the well complex;  
 a communications router coupled to the first and second communicating devices;  
 a computer at a location remote from the well complex;  
 a communication link extending between the computer and the router; and wherein  
 the router receives signals from the first and second communicating devices and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.  
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the second communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to different data protocol from the selected data protocol. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first communicating device comprises:
 a processor that provides signals to electrical devices for controlling valves of the subsea well complex.  
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein;
 the first communicating device comprises a processor that provides signals to electrical devices for controlling valves of the subsea well complex, the processor communicating with the router with a selected data protocol; and  
 the second communicating device comprises a sensor that monitors a condition associated with the subsea well complex, the second communicating device communicating with the router free of any restrictions as to data protocol.  
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first communicating device comprises a subsea electronics module of a first subsea tree; and  
 the second communicating device comprises a subsea electronics module of a second subsea tree.  
 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a communications electronic module located at the subsea well complex, the router being located within the communications electronic module;  
 a plurality of subsea electronics modules at the subsea well complex, each associated with a separate subsea tree of the subsea well complex; and  
 wherein each of the subsea electronics modules contains a router that communicates with said first mentioned router.  
 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the router receives multiplexed control signals over the communication link from the computer, the multiplexed control signals including control signals for the first communicating device; and wherein  
 the router directs the control signals to the first communicating device.  
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication link comprises a fiber optics link. 
     
     
       9. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
 a subsea well complex having at least one subsea tree containing electrical devices for controlling valves that control fluid flow in the tree and sensors for monitoring tree conditions;  
 a processor at the well complex for providing signals to the electrical devices and receiving signals from the sensors;  
 a communicating device at the well complex;  
 a computer at a location remote from the well complex;  
 a communications router at the well complex coupled with the processor and the communicating device;  
 a communication link between the computer and the router, and wherein  
 the router receives signals from the processor and the communicating device and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.  
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the communicating device communicates with the router at a different protocol and data rate than the processor. 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the link comprises a fiber optics link. 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the communicating device comprises a sensor that monitors a condition associated with a well. 
     
     
       13. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
 a subsea well complex having a plurality of subsea trees containing electrical devices for controlling valves that control fluid flow in the trees and sensors for monitoring tree conditions;  
 a processor associated with each tree for providing signals to the electrical devices and receiving signals from the sensors;  
 a communicating device associated with each tree that monitors a condition associated with the tree;  
 a computer at a location remote from the well complex;  
 a plurality of well tree routers, each associated with one of the trees and coupled to the processor and the communicating device of the same tree, each of the well tree routers communicating with the processor of the same tree by a selected data protocol and communicating with the communicating device of the same tree by at least one other data protocol;  
 a communication link between the computer and the well tree routers; and wherein  
 each of the well tree routers receives signals from the processor and the communicating device of the same tree and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.  
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising: a communications electronic module located at the subsea well complex;
 a central router in the communications electronic module and linked to each of the well tree routers; and wherein  
 the communication link extends between the central router and the computer.  
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the communication link comprises a fiber optics link. 
     
     
       16. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
   a subsea well complex;        a surface computer facility;        at least one communicating device at the well complex;        a modem at the well complex for communicating with the computer facility;        a communications router at the well complex coupled to the modem;        a communications link extending between the computer facility and the modem;        a processor at the well complex coupled to the communications router for performing control and monitoring functions at the well complex;        the communicating device being coupled directly to the router and by - passing the processor for communicating with the computer facility.     
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the communicating device comprises a sensor. 
     
     
       18. The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a video camera. 
     
     
       19. The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor for performing the monitoring function. 
     
     
       20. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the processor communicates with the router pursuant to a different data protocol. 
     
     
       21. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one communicating device comprises first and second communicating devices and wherein the first communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the second communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a different data protocol. 
     
     
       22. The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the communication link comprises an optical fiber. 
     
     
       23. A subsea electronics module for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
   a subsea modem;        a subsea communications router coupled to the modem;        at least one subsea communicating device coupled to the router;        a subsea processor coupled to the communications router for performing subsea control and monitoring functions;        the communicating device being coupled directly to the router and by - passing the processor.     
     
     
       24. The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the communicating device comprises a sensor. 
     
     
       25. The system according to  claim 24 , wherein the sensor comprises a video camera. 
     
     
       26. The system according to  claim 23 , further comprising a sensor coupled to the processor for performing the monitoring function. 
     
     
       27. The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the processor communicates with the router pursuant to a different data protocol. 
     
     
       28. The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the communicating device comprises a first and a second communicating devices and wherein the first communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the second communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to a different data protocol. 
     
     
       29. The system according to  claim 23 , further comprising an optical fiber link connected between the subsea modem and a surface computer facility. 
     
     
       30. A method for remotely controlling subsea equipment at a subsea well complex from a surface computer facility, the method comprising:
 ( a )  providing a surface computer facility;      ( b )  providing a subsea processor;      ( c )  providing a subsea communicating device;      ( d )  providing a communication link between the surface computer facility and the processor and communicating device;      ( e )  monitoring subsea equipment with the processor and routing a signal in response thereto from the processor to the surface computer facility;      ( f )  controlling subsea equipment with the processor and routing a signal in response thereto from the surface computer facility to the processor; and      ( g )  routing a signal from the communicating device to the surface computer facility by - passing the subsea processor.     
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein step ( g )  comprises routing a signal corresponding to a sensed parameter.   
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 31 , wherein step ( g )  comprises routing a video signal.   
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein steps ( e )  and  ( f )  are performed using different protocol than step  ( g ). 
     
     
       34. The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising sensing a subsea characteristic and providing a signal to the processor. 
     
     
       35. The method according to  claim 30 , wherein steps ( e ), ( f ) , and  ( g )  are communicated to the surface computer facility via an optical fiber.   
     
     
       36. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
   a subsea well complex on a sea floor;        a processor at the well complex;        at least one communicating device not coupled to the processor at the well complex;        a communications router coupled separately to the processor and the communicating device;        a computer at a location remote from the well complex;        a communication link extending between the computer and the router; and        wherein the router receives signals from the processor and the communicating devices and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.     
     
     
       37. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the processor communicates with the router pursuant to a selected data protocol, and the communicating device communicates with the router pursuant to different data protocol from the selected data protocol. 
     
     
       38. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the processor provides signals to electrical devices for controlling valves of the subsea well complex. 
     
     
       39. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein:
   the processor provides signals to electrical devices for controlling valves of the subsea well complex, the processor communicating with the router with a selected data protocol; and        the communicating device comprises a sensor that monitors a condition associated with the subsea well complex, the communicating device communicating with the router free of any restrictions as to data protocol.     
     
     
       40. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein:
   the processor comprises a subsea electronics module of a first subsea tree.     
     
     
       41. The system according to  claim 36 , further comprising:
   a communications electronic module located at the subsea well complex, the router being located within the communications electronic module;        a plurality of subsea electronics modules at the subsea well complex, each associated with a separate subsea tree of the subsea well complex; and        wherein each of the subsea electronics modules contains a router, coupled separately to a processor and a communicating device, that communicates with the first mentioned router.     
     
     
       42. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein:
   the router receives multiplexed control signals over the communication link from the computer, the multiplexed control signals including control signals for the processor; and        wherein the router directs the control signals to the processor.     
     
     
       43. The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the communication link comprises a fiber optics link. 
     
     
       44. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
   a subsea well complex having at least one subsea tree containing electrical devices for controlling valves that control fluid flow in the tree and sensors for monitoring tree conditions;        a processor at the well complex for providing signals to the electrical devices and receiving signals from the sensors;        a communicating device not coupled to the processor at the well complex;        a computer at a location remote from the well complex;        a communications router at the well complex separately coupled with the processor and the communicating device;        a communication link between the computer and the router; and        wherein the router receives signals from the processor and the communicating device and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.     
     
     
       45. The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the communicating device communicates with the router at a different protocol and data rate than the processor. 
     
     
       46. The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the link comprises a fiber optics link. 
     
     
       47. The system according to  claim 44 , wherein the communicating device comprises a sensor that monitors a condition associated with a well. 
     
     
       48. A system for remotely controlling subsea equipment, comprising:
   a subsea well complex having a plurality of subsea trees containing electrical devices for controlling valves that control fluid flow in the trees and sensors for monitoring tree conditions;        a processor associated with each tree for providing signals to the electrical devices and receiving signals from the sensors;        a communicating device not coupled to the processor associated with each tree that monitors a condition associated with the tree;        a computer at a location remote from the well complex;        a plurality of well tree routers, each associated with one of the trees and separately coupled to the processor and the communicating device of the same tree, each of the well tree routers communicating with the processor of the same tree by a selected data protocol and communicating with the communicating device of the same tree by at least one other data protocol;        a communication link between the computer and the well tree routers; and        wherein each of the well tree routers receives signals from the processor and the communicating device of the same tree and multiplexes the signals onto the communication link.     
     
     
       49. The system according to  claim 48 , further comprising:
   a communications electronic module located at the subsea well complex;        a central router in the communications electronic module and linked to each of the well tree routers; and wherein        the communication link extends between the central router and the computer.     
     
     
       50. The system according to  claim 49  wherein the communication link comprises a fiber optics link.