Tubing hanger running tool and subsea test tree control system

Abstract

A system for providing power to elements down-hole in a subsea well includes a control pod having at least one shuttle valve, a down-hole hydraulically-actuated device having at least one internal porting mechanism in fluid communication with the at least one shuttle valve, a blowout preventer stack connected to the down-hole device, the blowout preventer stack including a first ram and a second ram, and a choke line in fluid communication with an area between the first ram and the second ram. The at least one shuttle valve controls distribution of hydraulic pressure applied through the choke line to the internal porting mechanism for selective distribution of power to the hydraulically-actuated device.

1 . A system for providing power to elements down-hole in a subsea well, the system comprising: 
 a control pod having at least one shuttle valve;    a down-hole hydraulically-actuated device having at least one internal porting mechanism in fluid communication with the at least one shuttle valve;    a blowout preventer stack connected to the down-hole device, the blowout preventer stack including a first ram and a second ram;    a choke line in fluid communication with an area between the first ram and the second ram, 
 wherein the at least one shuttle valve controls distribution of hydraulic pressure applied through the choke line to the internal porting mechanism for selective distribution of power to the hydraulically-actuated device.  
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle valves are battery activated shuttle valves.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic signal generator, wherein the shuttle valves are controlled by an acoustic signal generated by the acoustic signal generator.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle valves are controlled with electronic signals received by the control pod.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle valves are electrically controlled.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control pod includes a receiver to decode pressure pulses generated to control the shuttle valves.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the down-hole hydraulically actuated device includes a component in at least one of a tubing hanger running tool, a subsea test tree, and a tubing hanger.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the blowout preventer stack includes a port positioned between the first ram and the second ram, and wherein the choke line is in fluid communication with the port.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an electronic control panel and a slip ring to provide control commands to the shuttle valves in the control pod.  
   
   
       10 . A method of providing hydraulic power to tools in a subsea well system, the system comprising a blowout preventer stack having a first ram and a second ram and a choke line through which hydraulic pressure is provided to a port in the blowout preventer stack, the method comprising: 
 isolating an area between the first ram and the second ram of the blowout preventer;    distributing hydraulic pressure through the choke line to the area between the first ram and the second ram of the blowout preventer; and    controlling the distribution of hydraulic pressure through the choke line to a hydraulically-actuated device in the subsea well by actuating shuttle valves positioned in a control pod.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising generating an acoustic signal and controlling the shuttle valves with the acoustic signal.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising: 
 generating pressure pulses;    receiving the pressure pulses in a control pod housing the shuttle valves; and    decoding the pressure pulses to control the shuttle valves.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising closing the area between the first ram and the second ram above and below an inlet from the choke line and providing a seal for hydraulic fluid in the blowout preventer.