Systems and methods for reducing pvt effects during pressure testing of a wellbore fluid containment system

Abstract

A system for pressure testing a component of a well system includes a tubular member extending into a wellbore. The tubular member has a fluid passageway and one or more nodes that are configured to measure fluid pressure. The system also includes a heat exchanger configured to cool a fluid passing therethrough.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for pressure testing a component of a well system comprising:
 a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation;   a tubular member extending into the wellbore having a first fluid passageway;   one or more nodes that are configured to measure fluid pressure and are coupled to the tubular member;   a heat exchanger having a second fluid passageway and is configured to cool a fluid passing through the second fluid passageway; and   a fluid flowpath that comprises at least a portion of the first fluid passageway and at least a portion of the second fluid passageway.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises a drillstring. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular member comprises a production riser. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a shell and tube heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first volume of fluid in the fluid flowpath having a first pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flowpath further comprises an annulus surrounding the tubular member. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid flowpath further comprises the wellbore of the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the fluid flowpath and configured to pressurize fluid in the fluid flowpath to produce a pressurized fluid having a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure of the first of fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the first volume of fluid is substantially equal to the temperature of the pressurized fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the temperature of the pressurized fluid is less than the temperature of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a test plug disposed within the tubular member;   a ram of a blowout preventer disposed at least partially within the tubular member; and   a sealed chamber formed by the tubular member, the ram and the test plug;   wherein one of the one or more nodes is disposed within the sealed chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the pressurized fluid comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the first portion of the pressurized fluid is cooled to a first temperature and the second portion of the pressurized fluid is cooled to a second temperature. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first temperature is different than the second temperature. 
     
     
         14 . A method for pressure testing a well system comprising:
 cooling a first volume of fluid having a first pressure to produce a cooled fluid;   flowing the cooled fluid into a closeable chamber of the well system;   shutting in the chamber; and   measuring a pressure in the chamber using nodes distributed within the chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein flowing the cooled fluid into the chamber comprises pressurizing the cooled fluid to produce a pressurized fluid having a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , transmitting the pressure measurement to a remote location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the cooled fluid to produce a pressurized fluid comprises pressurizing the cooled fluid to a temperature that is substantially equal to the temperature of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein pressurizing the cooled fluid to produce a pressurized fluid comprises pressurizing the cooled fluid to a temperature that is less than the temperature of the first volume of fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining the presence of a leak within the closeable chamber by monitoring the pressure measurement. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising filling the closeable chamber with the cooled fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising transmitting the measured pressure to a remote location. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the measured pressure is transmitted via a network comprising wired drill pipe. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein cooling the fluid to produce the cooled fluid comprises flowing the fluid through a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the closeable chamber comprises an annulus surrounding a tubular body. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the closeable chamber comprises a wellbore. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein cooling the fluid to produce a cooled fluid comprises cooling a first portion of the fluid to produce a first cooled portion of fluid and cooling a second portion of the fluid to produce a second cooled portion of fluid. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first cooled portion of fluid is cooled to a temperature that is higher than the temperature of the second cooled portion of fluid. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 flowing the cooled fluid into the chamber comprises pressurizing the cooled fluid to produce a pressurized fluid;   wherein cooling the fluid to produce a cooled fluid comprises cooling a first portion of the fluid to a first temperature and cooling a second portion of the fluid to a second temperature that is different than the first temperature.