Development and Application of Intelligent Control Devices for BOPs

The control device of blow-out preventers (BOPs) is the primary equipment for controlling the wellhead BOP assembly and wellhead valves. It is an essential device to prevent well blowouts, overflows and proceed well killing process during drilling and workover operations. However, current widely used control devices for BOPs have limited control methods and low automation level, and also require multi-position coordination for well shut-in operations, thus the well shut-in speed is slow and it is prone to misoperations. Therefore, through hardware upgrades and function expansions of existing control devices, an intelligent control device for BOPs was developed, and an intelligent well shut-in control software was developed to achieve unified coordination among various controlled objects such as BOPs and manifold valves during well shut-in operations at drilling sites. The application of more than 50 wells on site shows that this intelligent control device for BOPs has the characteristics of high level of automation, diverse control methods, etc. It could significantly improve well shut-in efficiency and accuracy and enhance intrinsic safety in well control, and have promising prospects for widespread application.