WELL CONTROL & PRESSURE CONTROL EQUIPMENT
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Figure 1: In the event of a developing well control incident, response time is key to
how the event will turn out. A best-case scenario is one where the incident is spot-
ted early, the well is shut in, and the influx is safely circulated out of the hole .

possibly due to system elements failing
through exposure to extreme heat or pres-
sure (explosion).

There are two key stages to a successful
manual shut-in:
■ a. The well must be spaced out correctly
■ b. The chosen annular or rams must
close There is one key stage to a successful
remote shut-in.

■ a. The rams must close
When developing new technology, the
research teams sought to address these
main challenges:
■ 1. Reduce risk of an attempted shut-in
with incorrectly spaced-out string in hole.

■ 2. In the event of serious incident, allow
(or mandate) the crew to evacuate to a safe
distance from the rig site before function-
ing the final BOP element.

■ 3. Ensure the equipment remains func-
tional long enough to execute a remote
shut-in command.

Auto Well Space Out
The Auto Well Space Out technology
constantly monitors the position of tool
joints above and below the rig floor level
to calculate and inform the driller if the
required BOP can be reliably functioned
or if the drill string needs to be moved. In
addition to being an advisory system, on
some rigs, the BOP control system can be
updated to prevent the operator function-
ing ram close. On other rig systems the
hoisting system can be set to automati-
cally adjust the drill string to space out
when a tool joint proximity is calculated.

It works by using one or more high-
definition cameras positioned at approxi-
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Figure 2: Expansion of safe time windows with the ability to remotely function a BOP
system to shut in a well.

28 mately 30 ft on the rig floor to observe the
well center. The camera(s) have sufficient
resolution to detect changes to the drill
string position and properties, including
drill pipe outside diameter (OD) as it is
deployed into and out of the wellbore.

Image data from the camera(s) is fed to
an Edge gateway processor, which com-
bines the data with operator input parame-
ters to calculate the relative position of the
string when moving it into and out of the
well. By continually tracking the positions
of the larger OD sections (tool joints) and
knowing the fixed positions of the BOP
ram components (Figure 3), it is possible
to dynamically calculate the positions of
those tool joints or other larger compo-
nents relative to BOP position. To ensure
accuracy, it is important that the camera
has visibility of at least one tool joint or
major tubular OD change at all times.

In another application, the plan view
position of the tubular string is monitored
for centralization through the rotary table,
which can be significant for some BOP
ram functionality and in other drilling
operations. Figure 4 details the control loops asso-
ciated with primary function processes.

Data input comes from two sources: opera-
tor and camera image. The operator input
is low-frequency data of the type that
changes less than once per day on average,
whilst the camera provides parameters
that update at a frequency greater than 1
Hz. Both data sources feed into the Edge
Gateway Processor unit. After processing
and storage, data is output to multiple
locations. In the simplest application of the tech-
nology, a traffic light human-machine
interface (HMI) allows the user operat-
ing the BOP panel to identify a potential
problem that would prevent a reliable well
seal. Such information allows the driller to
proceed with immediately shutting in the
BOP if “green,” or selecting an alternative
BOP in the stack or moving the string to
ensure there is no clash if “red.”
Wireless Remote BOP Control
The Wireless Remote BOP control sys-
tem provides the rig crew an opportunity
to evacuate earlier, increasing the potential
to save lives. In blowout incidents that
result in rig fires, the rig crew is often inca-
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 • DRILLING CONTRACTOR




WELL CONTROL & PRESSURE CONTROL EQUIPMENT
pacitated from the start, which escalates
the severity of the incident. After a certain
point, no one is able to manually shut in
the well because they are either trapped,
injured or, unfortunately, dead.

A wireless remote shut-in has only one
function – an emergency closure of the
BOPs. The system is only hooked up to one
set of rams. It is to be operated as a last
resort when the situation has deteriorated
to a point where it is the only option left.

With regulators reluctant to authorize
the use of wireless communications in
well control applications, the research
teams sought a supplementary solution
that could provide additional functionality
without affecting or compromising exist-
ing systems and procedures .

To this end, an additional set of rams
is added to the BOP stack, which will be
actuated by the wireless controller. These
are blind shear rams designed to sever the
pipe and seal the wellbore; at this stage in
the incident, space out may no longer be
an option .

The system hardware is described in
Figure 5. An additional set of rams (item
2) is added to the stack and connected to
a dedicated hydraulic power unit (HPU)
(item 7), which in turn is connected to a
wireless base station with local controls
(item 8). The base station is situated at
the rig site and contains the PLC, HMI and
radio telemetry device. The base station
acts as a monitoring point for the HPU
and controls and as a secondary control
station. It allows the ram open function,
operationally required for system testing
and training. Additionally, the base station
hosts a UPS and a user display showing
key operating parameters, such as ram
close pressure (trend), ram open pressure
and accumulator pressure.

The BOP ram can be functioned from
the base station or from a wireless por-
table control station (item 9). In addition
to closing the ram, the wireless station
provides status feedback and strength of
the radio link. The portable unit is mount-
ed in a carry case suitable for shock,
vibration, sand and heat exposure. The
device has an HMI to provide process
status with instructions and feedback on
use. Valve operation is a multi-stage pro-
cess to prevent accidental or unauthorized
BOP activation. All switches and buttons
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Figure 3: The Auto Well Space Out technology tracks the positions of the larger OD
sections by using one or more high-definition cameras on the rig floor to observe
the well center .

have covers to reduce the chance of mis-
operation. The portable station has continu-
ous backup power, with the ability to be
charged either from a mains power supply
or an electrical point in a vehicle. The light
weight of the unit allows for flexibility in its
use. At rig sites where H2S may be present,
it would be advantageous to not house the
Operator Data Input
parameters Rig data
network Safety and
efficiency KPI
generation unit in a fixed location, which may end up
being downwind of a release. Instead, the
unit can be located in a truck, which can be
moved to a safe location upwind to operate.

Upgrades to BOP
hydraulic hoses
The successful operation of the remote
shutdown system (or the existing BOP
Camera Input
parameters PROCESSOR
Data Logger
Traffic light BOP
“clash” interface
Rig Control network or
direct link to equipment
control: Drawworks, BOP
Control Panel
Operator takes
Action Drill String
Movement Automatic Action
Well Control Incident
Figure 4: Data flow and control loop of the Auto Well Space Out technology.

DRILLING CONTRACTOR • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
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