Systems and methods for monitoring a blowout preventer

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SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MONITORING A BLOWOUT PREVENTER

BACKGROUND

[0001] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of

art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are

described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in

providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better

understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it

should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not

as admissions of prior art.

[0002] A blowout preventer (BOP) is installed on a wellhead to seal and

control an oil and gas well during drilling operations. A drill string may be

suspended inside a drilling riser from a rig through the BOP and into the well

bore. During drilling operations, a drilling fluid is delivered through the drill string

and returned up through an annulus between the drill string and a casing that

lines the well bore. In the event of a rapid invasion of formation fluid in the

annulus, commonly known as a “kick,” the BOP may be actuated to seal the

annulus and to control fluid pressure in the wellbore, thereby protecting well

equipment disposed above the BOP. Unfortunately, it may be difficult to

determine and/or monitor a structural integrity of the BOP and/or components

disposed within the BOP in order to determine when to perform repairs and/or

maintenance on the BOP.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003] Various features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure

will become better understood when the following detailed description is read

with reference to the accompanying figures in which like characters represent like

parts throughout the figures, wherein:

[0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an offshore system, in accordance

with an aspect of the present disclosure;

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[0005] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a BOP stack

assembly that may be used in the offshore system of FIG. 1, in accordance with

an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0006] FIG. 3 is a schematic of an embodiment of a BOP monitoring system

that may be utilized to monitor the BOP stack assembly of FIG. 2, in accordance

with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0007] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a BOP of the BOP

stack assembly of FIG. 2 that includes an opening configured to receive an

ultrasonic transducer, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0008] FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of an embodiment of a baseline

frequency profile of a BOP and a measured frequency profile based on an

ultrasonic sound pulse emitted by the ultrasonic transducer of FIG. 4, in

accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0009] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an embodiment of a process for monitoring the

structural integrity of the BOP of FIG. 4, in accordance with an aspect of the

present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT...