Vetco Gray Controls Limited

Ge Oil & Gas UK Limited

Baker Hughes Energy Technology UK Limited

Julian Richard Davis

Graham Thomas Morley

Martin Stokes

Steven Lewis Charles Simpson

Hilton Smart

Simon David Gill

Adrian John Derrick

Ian John Kent

Robert Dalziel

Silviu Puchianu

Silviu Puchiano

Steven Critchard

A subsea system, a communication system for determining operation of at least one subsea actuator member, and apparatus for controlling one or more valves are disclosed. The subsea system comprises at least one auxiliary equipment and/or valve actuator module; and at least one modem unit that receives power signals; wherein the auxiliary equipment is responsive to an output provided by the modem unit.

Powerline interface communication

A method of testing a solenoid of a directional control valve in a subsea hydrocarbon production system, the solenoid having a coil and an armature for operating the valve and the coil being energized by a drive voltage across it, the method comprises removing or reducing the drive voltage and sensing current through the coil to produce an indication of movement of the armature.

Testing a solenoid of a directional control valve

A system for transmitting electrical power and communication signals is provided. The system comprises a transmission line, a source of electrical power for supplying electrical power to the transmission line, a first communication unit configured to supply communication signals to the transmission line, a power extraction unit configured to extract and use electrical power from the transmission line, a second communication unit configured to receive communication signals from the transmission line; and a control unit configured to control operation of the system. The source supplies electrical power to the transmission line for respective periods of time which are different from respective periods of time in which the first communication unit supplies communication signals to the transmission line.

Transmitting electrical power and communication signals

A method of testing a control system including a valve which is operable by a solenoid is disclosed. The method comprises applying a current through a coil of the solenoid, the current being insufficient to cause the solenoid to operate the valve, and monitoring a response of the system to the current.

Testing a control system including a valve

A system for transmitting alternating current power and communication signals between a first location and a second location through a communication path which includes at least one inductive load and at least one switch configured to switch power to the at least one inductive load on and off is disclosed herein. The system comprises a control configured to control the at least one switch so that, if the power is switched on during a particular phase of the power, is the power is switched off during the opposite phase of the power, and if the power is switched off during a particular phase of the power, the power is switched on during the opposite phase of the power.

Protecting against transients in a communication system

A method of energizing a coil of a solenoid of a directional control valve, wherein an armature of the solenoid moves between a first position in which the solenoid is operating and a second position in which the solenoid is not operating, the method comprising energizing the coil with a voltage, controlling the voltage, detecting a current in the coil at which the armature of the solenoid moves between the first position and the second position, and using the current at which the armature of the solenoid moves between the first position and the second position increased by a margin as an operating current for energizing the coil of the solenoid.

Energizing a coil of a solenoid of a directional control valve

A subsea control module has a casing inside which there is at least one pair of electrodes, there being electronic means connected with the electrodes of the or each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed. This can include, for example, a change due to an ingress of seawater and/or an ingress of hydraulic fluid into the interior of the casing. The or each pair of electrodes include an array in which each electrode of the pair has finger portions interleaved with finger portions of the other electrode.

Monitoring of undesirable fluid ingress into subsea control modules

An electronics module for a well installation configured to receive software via a wireless connection and methods of installing software on an electronics module for a well installation, are provided. An example of such electronics module comprises a short-range wireless receiver for wirelessly receiving software and/or data from an external wireless source. Modem external interface wiring can be employed as an antenna for the wireless receiver to receive the wireless transmission of the software and/or data.

Subsea electronics module and methods of loading software thereon

A Subsea Electronics Module for a well installation, comprising: wherein the module further comprises a communications handling board operatively connected to the printed circuit boards, the communications component being mounted on the communications handling board.

Subsea electronics module

An electronic module for use as a subsea electronic module for an underwater fluid extraction well, wherein a local area network enables communication within the module, the local area network including a plurality of interfaces with components of the network, and wherein the interfaces comprise capacitive coupling interfaces.

Subsea electronic module

An electronic module for use as a subsea electronic module (SEM) for an underwater fluid extraction well, as provided. An example of such an SEM includes a plurality of substantially planar electronics cards to operate devices in the SEM. The cards are arranged in a stack such that major faces of each card are oriented substantially parallel to, and coaxial with, major faces of the other cards in the stack. The SEM also includes a substantially planar switch card orientated relative to the stack such that its major faces are oriented substantially parallel to a main axis of the stack and orthogonal to the orientation of the major faces of the electronics cards within the stack. The switch card includes a first Ethernet switch blade configured to control traffic on a LAN area network and a second Ethernet switch blade configured to control traffic on a second LAN.

A subsea control module has a casing () inside which there is at least one pair of electrodes, there being electronic means (-) connected with the electrodes of the or each pair for monitoring at least one electrical characteristic between the electrodes as a result of a fluid to which the electrodes are exposed, the or each pair of electrodes comprising an array () in which each electrode of the pair has finger portions interleaved with finger portions of the other electrode.

A method of testing an electronics module () for an underwater well installation, comprises the steps of: providing a test equipment () comprising a processor () and a Local Area Network (LAN) switch (), such that the processor () may communicate with the switch (); providing an electronics module () comprising a data acquisition means () and a second LAN switch (), such that the data acquisition means () may communicate with the second switch (); passing test data from the processor () to the data acquisition means () via the first and second LAN switches (); and monitoring the response of the electronics module () in response to the test data.

Testing of an electronics module

A method of monitoring a solenoid () of a directional control valve (DCV) associated with a subsea control module () in a subsea hydrocarbon production system is disclosed. A voltage is applied across a coil of the solenoid, for moving the armature () thereof, and a current through the coil is sensed to produce an indication of if and when the armature is moved.

Growing community of inventors

Frampton Cotterell, United Kingdom

Julian Richard Davis