US 12,305,478 B2
Evaluating choke valve performance during subterranean field operations
Hailing An, Houston, TX (US); and James Nileshwar, Perth (AU)
Assigned to CHEVRON U.S.A. INC., San Ramon, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/854,964
Filed by Chevron U.S.A. Inc., San Ramon, CA (US)
PCT Filed May 2, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/027276
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 7, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/214958, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 9, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0109652 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. E21B 34/02 (2006.01); E21B 47/06 (2012.01)
CPC E21B 34/025 (2020.05) [E21B 47/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for evaluating performance of a choke valve during a field operation of a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
collecting, based on measurements from a sensor device, baseline performance data for the choke valve during a first time period during the field operation, wherein the choke valve has a fluid flowing therethrough during the first time period;
establishing, based on evaluating the baseline performance data, a relationship between flow areas of the choke valve and positions of the choke valve for the first time period;
generating, using the relationship established for the first time period and assuming that the performance of the choke valve is within a range of acceptable performance values, a predicted flow area of the choke valve during a second time period that proceeds the first time period, wherein the second time period corresponds to a field operation in which the choke valve is used;
collecting, using the sensor device and in real time, measurements of a parameter associated with the choke valve during the second time period;
generating, in real time and using the measurements of the parameter, an estimated flow area through the choke valve during the second time period, wherein the fluid flows through the choke valve during the second time period;
comparing, in real time, the estimated flow area with the predicted flow area for the second time period;
determining, in real time, that the performance of the choke valve is no longer within the range of acceptable performance values when a difference between the estimated flow area and the predicted flow area for the second time period falls outside a range of threshold values; and
determining, in real time and based on the difference, an adjusted position of the choke valve to bring the difference within a range of acceptable values during the field operation,
wherein the choke valve is adjusted from a current position to the adjusted position during the field operation after determining the adjusted position based on the difference.