Integrated Remote Choke System

Abstract

A drilling system for facilitating extraction of subterranean natural resources comprises a blow-out preventer arranged to close a borehole and divert a fluid to a choke valve operable by an electric choke actuator. A choke system is integrated into a drilling rig control system, such that a motor control center of the drilling control system also controls a variable control device that operates the electric choke actuator. The motor control center receives and transmits rig data, comprising both choke position data and rig control data. A user interface device, communicatively coupled to the motor control center, displays information pertaining to the rig data and is operable to transmit choke control commands to the motor control center for operational control of the electric choke actuator. The choke control system is remotely operable from a remote location that overrides the choke control system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling system of a drilling rig for facilitating extraction of subterranean natural resources, the drilling system comprising:
 a blow-out preventer arranged to close a borehole and divert a fluid;   a first choke valve in selective fluid communication with the blow-out preventer;   a first electric choke actuator communicatively coupled to a first variable control device, the first electric choke actuator being operable to regulate fluid flow diverted by the blow-out preventer through the first choke valve and to a surface fluid reservoir;   a motor control center communicatively coupled to the first variable control device the first electric choke actuator operable to receive and transmit rig data, wherein the rig data includes position data associated with a position of the first electric choke actuator, and rig control data associated with at least one well-control parameter; and   a user interface device communicatively coupled to the motor control center, and configured to display information pertaining to the rig data, wherein the user interface device is operable to transmit choke control commands to the motor control center for operational control of the first electric choke actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first variable control device is operable to control the position of the first electric choke actuator in accordance with the choke control commands sent from the user interface device. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second electric choke actuator operable to regulate fluid flow diverted by the blow-out preventer through a second choke valve to the surface fluid reservoir, wherein the first and second electric choke actuators are controllable via the user interface device and the motor control center. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling system of  claim 3 , further comprising a second variable control device communicatively coupled to the second electric choke actuator and the motor control center, the second variable control device operable to control the position of the second electric choke actuator in accordance with the choke control commands sent from the user interface device. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling system of  claim 4 , wherein the user interface device is configured to display a choke control command input for each of the first and second electric choke actuators. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second user interface device communicatively coupled to the motor control center, wherein the second user interface device is operable to transmit choke control commands to the motor control center for operational control of at least one of the first and the second electric choke actuators. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one well-control parameter comprises at least one of well pressure information, mud pump information, fluid flow rate information, mast information, casing information, and return percentage information. 
     
     
         8 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor control center comprises a transmitter for transmitting and receiving rig data to a remote computer system for control of the first electric choke actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote well choke control, wherein control of the first electric choke actuator is interchangeable between the user interface device and the remote well choke control. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor control center comprises a computing system comprising:
 at least one processor;   a memory device including instructions that, when executed by the at least on processer, cause the computing system to:
 provide position data for the first electric choke actuator configured to control a first choke valve in selective fluid communication with a blow-out preventer arranged to close a borehole and divert a fluid; 
 receive a choke control command to move the first electric choke actuator from a first position to a second position; 
 send a control signal to the first variable control device that causes the electric choke actuator to move from the first position to the second position; and 
 provide updated position data for the second position of the electric choke actuator. 
   
     
     
         11 . A drilling rig for extracting subterranean natural resources, comprising:
 a drill rig control system for controlling operations of a drilling rig, the drill rig control system comprising a user interface device; and   a choke system comprising:
 a choke valve associated with a blow-out preventer of the drilling rig system; 
 an electric choke actuator that controls the choke valve; and 
 a variable control device for actuating the electric choke actuator, the choke system being integrated with the drill rig control system to facilitate common control of the drill rig control system and the choke system from the user interface device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The drilling rig of  claim 11 , wherein the drill rig control system further comprises a motor control center communicatively coupled to the variable control device to facilitate control of a position of the electric choke actuator via the user interface device. 
     
     
         13 . The drilling rig of  claim 12 , wherein the user interface device is configured to provide a choke control command input for controlling a position of the electric choke actuator. 
     
     
         14 . The drilling rig  claim 12 , further comprising a drilling operator cabin, wherein the drilling operator cabin at least partially structurally supports the motor control center, the variable control device, and the user interface device. 
     
     
         15 . The drilling rig of  claim 12 , wherein the motor control center is operable to receive and transmit rig data, wherein the rig data includes position data associated with a position of the electric choke actuator, and rig control data associated with at least one well-control parameter, wherein the user interface device is configured to display information pertaining to the rig data. 
     
     
         16 . The drilling rig of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one well-control parameter comprises at least one of well pressure information, mud pump information, fluid flow rate information, mast information, casing information, and return percentage information. 
     
     
         17 . The drilling rig of  claim 11 , wherein the choke system further comprises a remote well choke control, wherein user control of the choke system is interchangeable between the user interface of the drill rig control system and the remote well choke control. 
     
     
         18 . The drilling rig of  claim 12 , further comprising a remote computer system wirelessly communicatively coupled to the motor control center, wherein user control of the choke system is interchangeable between the user interface device and the remote computer system. 
     
     
         19 . A choke system, comprising:
 a choke valve;   an electric choke actuator for controlling the choke valve to regulate fluid flow of subterranean natural resources; and   a variable control device in communication with the electric choke actuator and comprising:
 a motor control center interface operable to communicatively couple the variable control device to a motor control center of a drill rig control system for integrating the choke system with the drill rig control system, 
 wherein the electric choke actuator is controllable via the motor control center and the variable control device. 
   
     
     
         20 . The choke system of  claim 19 , wherein the variable control device further comprises a user interface device operable to facilitate manual control of the electric choke actuator. 
     
     
         21 . The choke system of  claim 19 , wherein the motor control center is communicatively coupled to a user interface device, wherein the user interface device facilitates operator control of the variable control device to move the electric choke actuator from a first position to a second position to regulate fluid flow. 
     
     
         22 . The choke system of  claim 19 , wherein the variable control device comprises a driller cabin mount configured to mount the variable control device to a driller cabin, and further comprising a data cable coupled to the motor control center interface. 
     
     
         23 . The choke system of  claim 19 , wherein the variable control device further comprises an electric choke actuator interface operable to communicatively couple the variable control device to the electric choke actuator, and a data cable coupled to the electric choke actuator interface. 
     
     
         24 . A method for controlling an electric choke system and a drilling rig control system of a drill rig, the method comprising:
 generating rig data associated with a drilling rig;   sending the rig data from a motor control center to a user interface device, wherein the rig data includes position data associated with a position of an electric choke actuator of a choke system, and rig control data associated with at least one well-control parameter of the drilling rig control system;   displaying information on a user interface device pertaining to the rig data; and   transmitting a choke control command from the user interface device to the motor control center that transmits the choke control command to a variable control device for operational control of the electric choke actuator to regulate fluid flow through a choke valve.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising updating position data associated with the electric choke actuator on the user interface device to indicate a position of the electric choke actuator. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising transmitting a choke position command from the user interface device to the motor control center that transmits the choke position command to a second variable control device for operational control of a second electric choke actuator to regulate fluid flow through a second choke valve. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising displaying a choke control for operating the position of the electric choke actuator via the user interface device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising transmitting data between a remote computer system and the motor control center. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising overriding control of the electric choke actuator with the remote computer system to remotely control of the electric choke actuator independent of the user interface device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one well-control parameter comprises at least one of well pressure information, mud pump information, fluid flow rate information, mast information, casing information, and return percentage information. 
     
     
         31 . A method for controlling an electric choke system on a drill rig via a drilling rig control system, the method comprising:
 monitoring, via a user interface device, a first choke valve position of an electric choke system and at least one well-control parameter of a drilling rig control system of a drilling rig;   closing a blow-out preventer of the drilling rig to close a borehole from atmosphere and to divert fluid to the first choke valve; and   modifying the position of the first choke valve via the user interface device to regulate fluid flow through the first choke valve.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising selecting a choke position command of the user interface device to modify the position of the first choke valve, wherein the user interface device is communicatively coupled to a motor control center that transmits the choke position command to a variable control device for operational control of the first choke valve actuator. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein modifying the position of the first choke valve occurs from a drilling operator via the user interface device, wherein the user interface device is configured to display information pertaining to rig data including choke position data and rig control data. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising overriding control of the first electric choke actuator with a remote computer system to remotely control of the first electric choke actuator independent of the user interface device. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one well-control parameter comprises at least one of well pressure information, mud pump information, fluid flow rate information, mast information, casing information, and return percentage information. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 monitoring, via the user interface device, a second choke valve position of the electric choke system; and   modifying the position of the second choke valve via the user interface device to regulate fluid flow through the second choke valve.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising selecting a choke position command of the user interface device to modify the position of the second choke valve, wherein the user interface device is communicatively coupled to a motor control center that transmits the choke position command to a variable control device for facilitating control of the second choke valve actuator. 
     
     
         38 . A method for facilitating control of an electric choke system on a drill rig, the method comprising:
 identifying a choke system on a drill rig, the choke system comprising a first choke valve and a first electric choke actuator associated with the choke valve;   connecting a variable control device to the first electric choke actuator;   connecting, via a motor control center interface of the choke system, the variable control device to a motor control center of a drill rig control system of a drill rig for integrating the choke system with the drill rig control system, wherein the first electric choke actuator and the first choke valve are controllable via the motor control center and the drill rig control system through a user interface device; and   facilitating transmission of a first choke control command from the user interface device to the motor control center that transmits the first choke control command to the variable control device to control the position of the first choke valve via the first electric choke actuator.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising connecting a second variable control device to a second electric choke actuator, and connecting the second variable control device to the motor control center. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising facilitating execution of instructions of a memory device of a computing system of the motor control center, wherein the instructions cause the computing system to:
 provide position data for the first electric choke actuator configured to control the first choke valve in selective fluid communication with a blow-out preventer arranged to close a borehole and divert a fluid to the first choke valve;   receive the first choke control command to move the first electric choke actuator from a first position to a second position;   send a control signal to the first variable control device that causes the electric choke actuator to move from the first position to the second position; and   provide updated position data for the second position of the first electric choke actuator.