US 11,702,927 B2
Method and apparatus for automated pressure integrity testing (APIT)
Md Aminul Islam, Stavanger (NO); Ole Anders Helstrup, Stavanger (NO); Hans Joakim Skadsem, Stavanger (NO); Sonja Moi, Sola (NO); and Liv Almas Carlsen, Stavanger (NO)
Assigned to EQUINOR ENERGY AS, Stavanger (NO)
Filed by EQUINOR ENERGY AS, Stavanger (NO)
Filed on Feb. 11, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/173,304.
Application 17/173,304 is a continuation of application No. 16/070,670, granted, now 10,954,775, previously published as PCT/NO2017/050015, filed on Jan. 18, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 1600897 (GB), filed on Jan. 18, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0164340 A1, Jun. 3, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 47/06 (2012.01); E21B 49/00 (2006.01); E21B 47/117 (2012.01)
CPC E21B 47/06 (2013.01) [E21B 47/117 (2020.05); E21B 49/008 (2013.01)] 28 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of conducting a pressure integrity test for an underground formation whilst fluid is supplied to and then released and returned from the underground formation under pressure, the method comprising:
using an automated monitoring and supervisory system to monitor the pressure of the fluid that is being supplied to and returned from the underground formation in real-time;
using the automated monitoring and supervisory system to monitor a volume of the fluid that is being supplied to and returned from the underground formation in real-time;
using the automated monitoring and supervisory system to determine one or more relationship(s) for the monitored pressure and for the monitored volume in real-time as the pressure and the volume vary relative to each other and/or with time during the real-time monitoring thereof; and
using the automated monitoring and supervisory system to analyze the monitored pressure and volume data using the one or more relationship(s) in real-time in order to provide information and/or warnings in real-time, wherein the information and/or warnings concern one or more of: parameters relating to the underground formation, performance of the pressure integrity test during testing, an outcome of the pressure integrity test, quality of the monitored pressure and volume data, or test metrics;
wherein the method is used after fluid has been supplied to the underground formation under pressure and whilst the fluid pressure is being released and fluid is returned from the underground formation, the pressure and the volume of the returned fluid is monitored in real-time, and the step of analyzing involves determining expected pressure and volume values based on a hydrostatic approximation of the pressure inside the underground formation and comparing the real-time monitored values to the expected values.