Oil field system data recorder for failure reconstruction

Abstract

A plurality of inputs from an oil field system is monitored. It is determined that a failure in the oil field system has occurred. In response, a mechanical release mechanism to release an apparatus is triggered. A remote signal is provided to report a subset of the inputs to a remote location as the processor is monitoring the signal inputs. A memory stores the inputs. An output is provided through which the stored inputs can be extracted to analyze the failure in the oil field system.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of inputs to receive signals from an oil field system that the apparatus is monitoring;   a processor to:
 monitor the inputs; 
 determine that a failure in the oil field system has occurred and, in response, 
 trigger a mechanical release mechanism to release the apparatus; 
   a remote signal output to report a subset of the inputs to a remote location as the processor is monitoring the signal inputs;   a memory to store the inputs; and   an output through which the stored inputs can be extracted to analyze the failure in the oil field system.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a primary power source; and 
 a battery backup system which is charged by the primary power source. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the processor to sample the inputs; 
 the processor to recognize a plurality of stages of failure of the oil field system based on the inputs; and 
 the processor to sample the signal inputs at rates associated with each of the plurality of stages of failure. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a data protection system to prevent an original format of the one of the inputs stored in the memory from being modified. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the memory to store a plan that is to be followed with respect to the oil field system; 
 the plan comprising a milestone, the accomplishment of which can be identified by the processor using a milestone subset of the stored inputs; 
 the processor, upon determining that the milestone has been met, to decimate a subset of the stored inputs, to leave enough data in the decimated data from which a primary set of conditions of the oil field system can be evaluated. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the memory to store a plan that is to be followed by the oil field system; 
 the plan comprising a milestone, the accomplishment of which can be identified by the processor using a milestone subset of the stored inputs; 
 the milestone subset of the stored inputs comprising:
 a voice input through which a speaker's comment regarding progress toward completion of the milestone can be:
 accepted; 
 digitized; 
 stored in the memory; and 
 voice recognized to identify the speaker. 
 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the memory to store a plan that is to be followed by the oil field system; 
 the plan comprising a milestone, the accomplishment of which can be identified by the processor using a milestone subset of the stored inputs; 
 the milestone subset of the stored inputs comprising:
 a voice input through which a public address system can be accepted, digitized, and stored in the memory. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the memory to store a plan that is to be followed by the oil field system; 
 the plan comprising:
 a milestone; 
 a task, the accomplishment of which can be identified using a milestone subset of the stored inputs, to be accomplished to achieve the milestone; 
 a deadline by which the task is to be accomplished; 
 
 the processor to monitor the milestone subset of stored inputs to determine that the task has not been accomplished by the deadline and, in response, to provide an alert through an alert output of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 one of the plurality of inputs to receive real-time voice signals from a person entering a work area in the oil field system; 
 the processor to voice recognize the voice signal to identify the person; and 
 the processor to log the person's entry into the work area and a current date and time in a log in the memory. 
 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an extendable tether to maintain a signal connection between the apparatus and the oil field system after the mechanical release mechanism has been triggered. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving an oil field system signal by a releasable apparatus attached to an oil field system;   digitizing the oil field system signal by the releasable apparatus to produce a digitized signal;   storing the digitized signal in a memory in the releasable apparatus;   forwarding the digitized signal to a location remote from the oil field system by the releasable apparatus;   determining from the digitized signal that a failure in the oil field system has occurred and, in response:
 releasing the releasable apparatus from the oil field system; 
   retrieving the releasable apparatus;   extracting the digitized signal from the memory in the releasable apparatus;   using the digitized signal to analyze the failure in the oil field system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 determining based on the digitized signal that a milestone in a plan stored in the memory has been met and, in response:
 decimating data regarding the oil field system stored in the memory but leaving enough data in the decimated data from which a primary set of conditions of the oil field system can be evaluated. 
 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 storing a plan to be followed by the oil field system in the memory, the plan comprising a milestone, the accomplishment of which can be identified using a milestone set of digitized signals; 
 the milestone set of digitized signals comprising a voice input through which a public address system can be accepted, digitized, and stored in the memory. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 storing a plan to be followed by the oil field system in the memory, the plan comprising:
 a milestone; 
 a task, the accomplishment of which can be identified using a milestone subset of the stored inputs, to be accomplished to achieve the milestone; 
 a deadline by which the task is to be accomplished; 
 
 monitoring the milestone subset of stored inputs to determine that the task has not been accomplished by the deadline and, in response, to provide an alert through an alert output of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 receiving by the releasable apparatus real-time voice signals from a person entering a work area in the oil field system; 
 voice recognizing the voice signal to identify the person; and 
 logging the person's entry into the work area and a current date and time in a log in the memory. 
 
     
     
         16 . A computer program, stored in a computer-readable tangible medium, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:
 receive an oil field system signal by a releasable apparatus attached to the oil field system;   digitize the oil field system signal by the releasable apparatus to produce a digitized signal;   store the digitized signal in a memory in the releasable apparatus;   forward the digitized signal to a location remote from the oil field system by the releasable apparatus;   determine from the digitized signal that a failure in the oil field system has occurred and, in response:
 release the releasable apparatus from the oil field system; 
   retrieve the releasable apparatus;   extract the digitized signal from the memory in the releasable apparatus;   use the digitized signal to analyze the failure in the oil field system.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program of  claim 16  further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:
 determine based on the digitized signal that a milestone in a plan stored in the memory has been met and, in response:
 decimate data regarding the oil field system stored in the memory but leaving enough data in the decimated data from which a primary set of conditions of the oil field system can be evaluated. 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The computer program of  claim 16  further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:
 store a plan to be followed by the oil field system in the memory, the plan comprising a milestone, the accomplishment of which can be identified using a milestone set of digitized signals; 
 the milestone set of digitized signals comprising a voice input through which a public address system can be accepted, digitized, and stored in the memory. 
 
     
     
         19 . The computer program of  claim 16  further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:
 store a plan to be followed by the oil field system in the memory, the plan comprising:
 a milestone; 
 a task, the accomplishment of which can be identified using a milestone subset of the stored inputs, to be accomplished to achieve the milestone; 
 a deadline by which the task is to be accomplished; 
 
 monitor the milestone subset of stored inputs to determine that the task has not been accomplished by the deadline and, in response, to provide an alert through an alert output of the apparatus. 
 
     
     
         20 . The computer program of  claim 16  further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:
 receive by the releasable apparatus real-time voice signals from a person entering a work area in the oil field system; 
 voice recognize the voice signal to identify the person; and 
 log the person's entry into the work area and a current date and time in a log in the memory.