Displacement Sensor for Subsea Structures

摘要

Systems and methods are described for monitoring displacement on structural elements of subsea systems such as on components of a subsea pipeline network used to transport production fluid from a subsurface wellhead to surface facilities. The described techniques sense changes in displacement using a sensing blade, for example made of crystalline material such as sapphire, that is anchored to the structural element such that it is approximately perpendicular to the direction of sensed displacement. Displacement is sensed as bending of the sensing blade using one or more instruments fabricated on the blade. Robustness of design is in part provided by additional flexible non-sensing blades mounted in parallel to the sensing blade.

主权项

1. A method of sensing displacement on a subsea structural system, the method comprising sensing displacement between a first location on a structural element of the subsea structural system and a second location on the structural element, said sensing being based at least in part on a sensing element having a crystalline material substrate.