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    Us 7234524

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    Vyacheslav

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 15
    (2) 6 sy 03) o ey @y 6s) United States Patent Shaw et al. SUBSEA CHEMICAL INFECTION UNIT FOR ADDITIVE INJECTION AND MONITORING SYSTEM FOR OILFIELD OPERATIONS. Inventors: Christopher Kempson Shav, Claremore, OK (US); Cindy L, Crow, Sugar Land, TX (US); William Edward Aeschbacher, Jt Houston, TX (US): Sunder Ramachandran, Sugar Land, TX (US); Mitch Means, Richmond, TX (US) ‘Tube, The Woodlands, TX (U Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston, TX US) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the team ofthis pateat is extended or adjusted under 38 USC. 15446) by 200 days. Appl. Now 10/641,380 Filed: Aug. 14, 2003 (ndor 37 CFR 1.47) Prior Publication Data 2004/0168811 AI Sep. 2, 2004 Related US. Application Data Provisional aplication No, 60/403,485, filed on Avg. 14, 2002, "Ch 21k 3706 (2006.01) FIR 401 (2006.01), cl 161304; 166/335; 1660368 Field of Classification Search 1660338, T66(351, 368, 366, 250001, $7, 300, 304 ‘Sce application file for complete search history. References Cited USS. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3685047 A * 101972 Poponowski st a ons 408210 ‘USO072 S242 34 US 7,234,524 B2 Jun, 26, 2007 (10) Patent No. (4s) Date of Patent: 3:80,750 8 * 1297S Perkins 73 ASOAM A SIDR Kelly i 4848875 8 ¢ 7/198) Dean ta 166357 S025855 A * 61991 Caldwell ta 16636 602124 A * 82000 Sheu 166'347 6.196314 BL* 32001. Chen 166275 6.281489 BL—-82001 Tube ea 6292.756 BI* 912001 Lievois eta 0250 6467340 BL* 102002 Gallagher etal... 7815218 6536528 BL* 32003 Amin tl 166369 (Continsed) Primary Examiner—Iennifer H. Gay Assistant EsaninerShane Bomar (04) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Madan, Mossman & Sriram, Pe. on ABSTRACT A system monitors and controls the injection of additives jo formation Mids recovered through a subsea well The system includes a chemical injetion unit and a controller positioned at @ remote subsea location. The injection uait ‘es a pump t supply one or more selected additives from ‘subsea andor remote supply unit. The controller operates the pump to control the aditive flow rte based on signals provided by sensors measuring a parameter of interest. Aone mode system includes» surface facility for supporting the subsea chemical injection and monitoring aetvitis, In one embodiment, the surfice facility is an offshore rig. that sravides power and has a chemical supply that provides Additives to one or more injection units. In anotber embod- iment, the surfice facility includes a relatively stationary ‘buoy and a mobile service vessel. When nocd, the service vessel transfers additives to the chemieal injection units via the buoy. 1s, § Drawing Sheets US 7,234,524 B2 Page 2 USS, PATENT DOCUMENTS. 530.778 Bo 6378248 BD 640.900 82° {540901 BL 6.663361 82° 728924 Bo 6.772.840 B2* 860.251 B2* ‘42003 2003 112003 112003 122003 “4008 ‘83004 +2005 “Twcker ea Zhang tal ra Apnlefrd tal os a Davidson Headwort Zouet a vo THABS 166338 166.036 166387 arpa iss2s00t 166302 408205 2on20009014 AL 2002 20020011335 AI 1/2002 20040134662 AL* 7/2008 gooanrsi7s4 At 122004 do0a0r62008 AL* 122004 douswis7432 AL* 62005, aouswi7ssss AL 82005, * cited by examiner Koh Zhang ol Cito ot a Finia Deans et Mattos st a Appltord et 166:367 ‘628 166339 ‘8915 166365 US 7,234,524 B2 Sheet 1 of § Jun. 26, 2007 U.S. Patent L9H p65 | 65 [zat Neat oN BLN i ieee zh 09 SHOSNaS zk zt b ae Lek PLE ten 7 IY yn TT LNA NL} Sb Lonssaooua ain N TINA suosNas |) 68h NOWO3PNI |~ zt WOIW3HO. $ at 0st: _- pio'y'd ont 004 rk Szgt INT ONISS3008d] [-Adans |{ Xiddhs Lb | SYOSNAS: any WOIWSHO|| ¥aMOd || HITIOYINOD on” $ psi oc: esh YSTIOWLNOD SLOWSY U.S. Patent Jun, 26, 2007 Sheet 2 of 5 US 7,234,524 B2 150 __ [FLECTRICAT a 90 91 POWER 43a 2 (MEMoRy|| "80 PROCESSING Gaver 7 _| i cincurt| “92 a (4 P20 20a apomve | | 223-94 wong. | = A CARBONS — FLOW apomves18 METER PUMP SL] 44 | Hi eee 16 M431 thy 69-4 II }-59 ca Ifill] 4348 118 TL ea iS FIG. 2 US 7,234,524 B2 Sheet 3 of § Jun. 26, 2007 U.S. Patent wz02. qz0¢2: 2202: € 9 W# = TEM woe 02 C# OpL _ Tam qeoz: L# l# l# Tam) ~ wa.aw) Lanna 7 ekg 2902 ie z0e| earouuag | 4-282 i ao eh uITIOBINOD . uingy P] AVTASIO Loge ove. L+SINVHDOUdK 412 AHOWIN } gpg US 7,234,524 B2 Sheet 4 of 5 Jun. 26, 2007 U.S. Patent 2 a9 + ese yDld yA E = 93-7 4 = hoe = ps as a wes fl 16 269 git | HHI 9 Is +29 or i a 2 HuaW SL aounos tt Tin ]2,S¥0n [ laid | waa Tin || INISSIIO¥d a0uNOS 5B) {} } i] ‘ntusau| NO@YVIONCAH Noguyd L# aanippy —le2r EX ore: 4 “OUOAH 1eb- S30UNOS egie/’ e- 206 92L- 4 brie WOINSHO NOILO3PNI ce POLE : (uinn) 7 ot . ITIOWLNOD aa — ALISNO Ove: U.S. Patent Jun, 26, 2007 Sheet 5 of 5 US 7,234,524 B2 533 4-500 = 520 S4b,,_\} ! S4a 530 510 US 7,234,524 B2 1 SUBSEA CHEMICAL INJECTION UNIT FOR ADDITIVE INJECTION AND MONITORING. SYSTEM FOR OILFIELD OPERATIONS. (CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED 'APPLICATIONS, This application takes priority. fom U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/403.45 filed Aug. 14, 2002. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1, Field of the Invention ‘This invention relates generally’ to oilfield operations and ‘more particularly to a subsea chemical injection and fluid processing systems and methods 2. Background of the Art Conventional offshore production facilities often have a floating or fixed platforms stationed atthe waters surface ‘and subsea equipment such as a Well head positioned over the subsea wells tthe mud Tine of a seabed. The production wells died ina subsea formation typically produce Mids (sich can include one oc more of ol, gas and water) to the subsea wellhead This Hid (wellbore Mud) is carried to the platform via riser oF to a subsea fluid separation unit for processing. Often, a variety of chemicals (also referred t0 herein as “aditives”) are introduced into these production wells and processing units (0 control, among other things, corrosion, Scale, parafin, emulsion, hydrate, hydrogen sul- ‘ide, asphaltene, inorzanies and formation of other harmful ‘chomicals. In offshore cillekls, a single oflshore platform, (eg, vessel, semi-submersible o fixed system) ean be used to supply these additives to several producing wells ‘The equipment used to inject additives includes at the surface a chemical supply unit, a chemical injection unit, and a capillary or tubing (also referred to herein as “con ‘ductor line”) that runs from the offshore platorm through oF along th riser and into the subsea wellbore. Preferably, the ative injection systems supply precise amounts of addi tives. It is also desirable for these systems to periodically oF continuously monitor the actual amount of the adkitives, being dispensed, determine the impact of the dispersed additives, and vary the amount of dispersed additives as, needed 0 maintain certain desired parameters of interest thin thei respective desired ranges or at their desired values In conventional arrangements, however, the chemical Injoction mit is postionod atthe water surface (eon the form ora vessel), which can be several hundred fs of feet) from the subsea wellhead. Moreover, the ubing may direct the additives to produced Mids in the ‘wellbores located hundreds or thousands of feet below the seabed floor. The distance separating the chemical injection tinit and the locus of injection activity can redoce the cellectiveness ofthe additive injection process. For example, it js known that the wellbore is a dynamic environment wherein pressure, temperature, and compesition of forma- tion fluids ean continuously fluctuate or change. The dis- tance between the surface-located chemical injection unit and the subsea environment introduces fiition losses and & Jag between the sensing of @ given condition and the ‘execution of measures for addressing that condition. This, for instance, a conventionally located chemical injection unit may inject chemicals to remedy a condition that has since change 0 o 2 The present invention addresses the above-noted prob: Jems and provides an enhanced additive injection system stable for subsea applications SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ‘This invention provides system and method for deploy seat of chemicals or additives in subsea eilwell operations. ‘The chemicals used prevent or reduce build up of harm elements, such as paraffin or scale and prevent or reduce fortosion of hardware in the wellhore and atthe seabed including pipes and also promote separation andor process- ng of formation Nuids produced by subsea welbores. In one aspect, the system includes one or more subsea mounted tanks for storing chemicals, ane or more subsea pumping systems for injecting or pumping chemicals into one or more wwellbores andor subsea processing units(s), @ system for supplying chemicals tothe subsea tanks, which may be via fan umbilical interfacing the subsea tanks toa surface chem cal supply unit ora rmotely-controled unit or vehicle that fan ether replace the empty subsea tanks with chemical illed tanks oF fill the subsea tanks with the chemical, The subsea tanks may also be replaced by any other conventional ‘methods, The surface and subsea tanks may include multiple ‘compartznens or separate tanks to bold different chemicals whieh ean be deployed into wellbores at diferent or same time. The subsea chemical injection unit can be scaled in a ‘watertight enclosure. The subsea chemical storage and injection system decreases the viscosity problems related to pumping chemicals trom the surface through umbilical ‘capillary tobings toa subse instalation location that may ia some cases be up to 20 miles from the surface pumping ‘The system includes sensors associated with the subsea tank, the subsea pipes carrying the produced fluids, the wellbore, the umbilical and the surface facilities. The sur ace to subsea interface may use fiber opti eables to monitor the condition of the umbilical and the lines and provide chemical, physical and environmental data, such as chemical ‘composition, pressure, temperure, viscosity ele, Fiber ‘optie sensors along with conventional sensors may’ also be Utilized in the system wellbore, Other suitable sensors 10 termine the chemical and physical characteristics of the chemical being injected into the wellbore and the fluid extracted fromthe wellbore may also be used. The sensors ‘may be distributed throughout the system to provide dala relating to the properties of the chemicals, the wellbore produced Muid, processed uid ut subsea processing nit and Surface unit and the health and operation of the varios stibsea and sueface equipment, ‘The surface supply units may include tanks earied by 3 platorm or vessel or buoys associated with the subsea wells Electric power at the surface may be generated from solar power of from conventional power generatrs. Hydric power units ane provided for surface and subsea chemical Injection units. Controllers atthe surface alone or at subsea locations of in combination control the operation of the subsea injection system in tesponse to one or parameters of interests relating 0 the system andlor in response (0 pro- ‘rammed instructions. A two-way telemetry system prefer ably provides data communication between the subsea sys- tem and the surface equipment. Commands from the surface unit are received by the subsea injection unit and the ‘equipment and controllers located in the wellbores. The signals and data are transmitted between andior among ‘equipment, subsea chemical injection, ud processing unis, and surface equipment. A remote unit, such a at a land US 7,234,524 B2 3 {oelity, may also be provided. The remote location thea is made capable of controlling the operation of the chemical injection units ofthe system ofthe present invention Tn one embodiment the present invention provides & subsea additive injetion system for testing formation fhi- ‘ids. In one mode, the system injects, monitors and controls the supply of additives into Muids recovered through subsea production wellbores. The system cin inclide a surface facility having a supply unit for supplying additives to @ chemical injection unit located at @ subsea location. ‘The chemical injection unit includes a pump and a con- twoller. The pump supplies, under pressure, a selected add- tive from chemical supply unit into the subsea wellbore via 4 suitable supply line. In one embodiment, one or more additives are pumped from an umbilical disposed on the ‘outside ofa riser extending to a surface facility. In another ‘embodiment, the additives are supplied from one or more subses tanks, The contoller ata scabed location determines additive Now rate and conttols the operation of the pump ‘scconling Wo stored parameters ia the controller, The subse. > ‘controller adjust the low rate of the edtive tothe wellbore to achieve the desired level of chemical additives, ‘The system ofthe present invention may be configured for ‘multiple production wells. In one embodiment, such a system includes a separate pump, a Muid line and a subsea ‘controller for each subsea well, Allematively, a suitable ‘common subsea controller may be provided to communicate with and fo control multiple wellsite pumps via addressable signaling. A separate flow meter for each pump provides sanals representative of the flow rate for its associated pimp to the onsite common controller. The seabed controller atleast periodically polls each flow meter and performs the ahowve-deseribed functions. Ifa common additive is used for ‘a numberof wells, single additive source may be used. A ingle or common pump may also be used with a separate ‘contol valve in each supply Tine that is controlled by the ‘controller to adjust their respective flow rates. The additive injection ofthe preseat invention may also wilize a mixee ‘wherein different additives are mixed or combined at the ‘wellsite andl the combined mixture is injected by a common, pump and metered hy a common meter, The seabed con- teoler controls the amounts of the various additives into the ‘The additive injection system may further include 3 plurality of sensors downhole which provide signals repre- sentative of one or more parameters of interest. Parameter of interest can inelude the status, opecation and condition of ‘equipment (eg, valves) and the characteristics ofthe pro= ‘duced fhiid, such as the presence or formation of sulfites, hydrogen sulfide, parafin, emulsion, scale, asphaltenes, hydrates, fid flow rates irom various perforated zones, flow rates through downhole valves, downhole pressures ‘and any other desired parameter, The system muy also inchide sensors or testers that provide information about the chanicteristcs of the produced fluid. The measurements relating to these various parameters are provided to the wellsite controller which interacts with one or more models ‘or programs provided to the controler or determines the ‘amount of the various additives to be injected into the wellbore and/or into subsea fluid treatment unit and thea ‘causes the system to inject the correct amounts of such fditives, In one aspect, the system eontinaously or peri- ‘odically updates tho models based on the various operating ‘conditions and then controls the additive injection in response to the updated models. This provides a closed-loop system wherein static or dynamic models may be wllized to monitor and control the additive injection process, The 0 o 4 additives injected using the present iavention are injected in very small amounts. Preferably the flow rate for an additive injocted using the present invention i ata rate sch that the additive is present at @ concentration of from about parts per million (ppm) to about 10,000 ppm ia the Mid being treated. The surface facility supports subsea chemical injection and monitoring activities. In one embodiment, the surface Iilty is an offsbore rig dat provides power and has @ chemical supply that provides additives to one or more injection units, This embodiment includes an offshore plat- form having «chemical supply unit, «production fluid processing unit, and a power supply, Disposed outside ofthe fuer are # power initsmission line and umbilical bundle, \whiel transfer electrical power and additives, respectively. from the surface fseilty to the subsea chemical injection ‘unit, The umbilical bundle ean include metal conductors, fiber optic wires, and hydra fines ‘another embodiment, the surface feclity includes relatively stationary buoy and 1 mobile service vessel. The buoy provides aovess to an umbilical adapted to convey cheinicals to the subsea chemical injection unit. In one embodiment, the buoy includes a bull, port assembly, a power unit, a transceiver, and one or more processors. The ‘umbilical includes an outer protective riser, tubing. wlapted toconvey additives, power lines, and data transmission lines ‘having etal conductors andor fiber optic wires, The power Sines transmit energy from the power unit to the chemical injeeon unit and/or other subsea equipment, In certain cembodiments, the transeeiver and processors cooperate t0 monitor subsea operating conditions via the data transi sion lines, Sensors may be positioned in the ehemical supply unit the production ud processing unit, and the riser The signals provided by these sensors can he used to optimize ‘operation ofthe chemical injection unit. The service vessel jncludes a surface chemicsl supply unit and a docking station or other suitable equipment for engaging the buoy tndir the port During deployment, te service vessel visits ‘one or more buoys, and, pumps one or more chemicals tothe chemical injection unt via the port and umbilical ‘Examples ofthe more important features ofthe invention have bees summarized rather broadly in order that the etzled deseription thereof that follows may be beter ‘understood and in onder that the eoneibutions they represent to the art may be appreciated. There are, of course, addi- ‘ional features of the invention that will be deseribed here inaler and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto, [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a detailed understanding of the present invention, reference should be made tothe following detailed deserip- tion of the one mode embodiments, taken in conjunction ‘ith the accompanying drawings, in which like elemen hhave been given like numerals, whercin: FIG. Lisa schomaté illustration of an offshore production facility having an additive injection and monitoring system ‘made according one embodiment of the present invention: PIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a additive injection and monitoring system according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 shows a fimetional diagram depicting one embod ment of the system for coniolling and monitoring. the injection of additives into multiple wellbores, utilizing. a central controller on an addressable control bus, US 7,234,524 B2 5 FIG, 4 is @ schematic illustration of a wellsite additive Injection system which responds to in-situ measurements of ‘downhole and surface parameters of interests according (0 ‘one embodiment ofthe present invention; FIG. 5A is a schematic illstation of a surfice facility having a platform acconling to one embodiment of the present invention; and FIG, 52 is # schematic illustration of a surface facility having a service vessel and buoy made according 10 one ‘embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring intially to FIG. 1, heres schematically shown, ‘8 chemical injection and monitoring system 100 (herwalcr “system 100") made in accordance with the present inven- tion, The system 100 may be deployed in conjunction with a surface facility 110 located ot a water's surface 112 that services one or more subsea production wells 60 residing a seabed 116. Conventionally, each well 60 includes a well head 114 and related equipment positioned over a wellbore {IB formed ina subvemneaa formation 120, The well bores 118 can have one or more production zones 122 for draining hydrocarbons fom the formation 120 (produced Muids” oF “production fii”). The production Mud is conveyed to a strficecalletion facility (eg. surface fility 110 or sepa- rate structure) or a subsea collection andor processing facility 126 via line 127. The fsid may be conveyed to the surface facility 110-via a ine 128 in an untested state of preferably, afler being processed, at least partly, by dhe Production fiid-processing wnit 126. “The system 100 includes a surfice chemical supply unit 130 atthe surface facility 110, a single or mltiple umbil cals 140 disposed inside or outside of the riser 124, one oF ‘ore sensors S, a subsea chemical injection unit 180 located st a remote subsea location (e.g, at or near the seabed 116), ‘and a controller 182. The sensors $ are shown collectively and at representative 43locations; ie, water surface, well hhead, and wellbore. In some embodiments, the system 100 ‘ca include a power supply 153 and a fuid-processing unit 154 positioned on the sirface Facility 110. Tae umbilical 140 ‘can include hydraulic lines 140% for supplying pressurized hydraulic uid, one or more tubes for supplying additives 1140, and poweridata transmission lines 1405 and 14d such ‘as metal conductors or fiber opie Wires for exchanging data tnd control signals. ‘The chemical injection unit can be sealed in a watertight enclosure During production operations, in one embodiment the surface chemical supply unit 130 supplies (or pumps) one oF ‘more additives to the chemical injection unit 180. The surface chemical supply unit 130 may include mulipl tanks Tor storing dilferel chemicals and one or more pumps to pump chemicals to the subsea tank 131. This supply of ‘aitives may be continuous, Multiple subsea tanks may be tied {0 store a pre-determined amount of each chemical These tanks 131 then are replenished as needed by the surface supply unit 130. The chemical injeetion unit 150 feloctively injects these additives into the produetionMuid at ‘one oF more presdewemined Jocations. In a one mode of ‘operation, the controller 182 receives signals from the sensors S regarding a parameter of interest which may relate to a charocteristic of the produced fluid, The parameters of mores can relat, for example, to environmental conditions for the health of equipment. Representative. parameters Include but are not limited to temperature, pressure, flow rate, a measure of one of more of hydrate, asphaltene, 0 o 6 corrosion, chemical composition, wax or emulsion, amous fof water, and viscosity. Based on the data provided by the sensors, the contoller 182 determines the appropriate amount of one or more additives needed to maintain @ ‘desired or pre-determined flow rate or other operational criteria and alters the operation of the chemical injection nit 150 accordingly. A surface controller 1528 may be used to provide signals to the subsea controller 152 40 contol the Selivery of additives to the wellbore 118 andlor the process- ing unit 126, Referring now to FIG. 2, there shown a schematic dia: gram ofa subsea chemical injection system 180 according to ‘one embodiment of the present invention, The system 150 is adapted to inject adtives 13a into the wellbore 18 andor {nto a subsea surface teatment oF processing unit 126. The system 150 is further adapted to: monitor predetermined conditions (discussed later) and alter the injection process ‘cordingly. The wellbore 118i shown as a production well ‘using typical completion equipment. The wellbore 118 has a production zone 122 tha includes multiple perforations $4 fhrough the formation 120, Formation fluid $6 enters @ production tubing §9 in the well 118 via perforations $4 and passages 62. A screen $8 in the annulis S1 between the production tubing $9 and the formation 120 prevents the Slow of solids into the prodetion tubing 59 and also redoces the velocity of the formation Muid entering into the prodve- ‘ion tubing 59 t0 acceptable levels. An upper packer 6a hove the perforations §4 and a lower packer 64 in the fannulus 81 respectively isolate the production zone 122 trom the annulus S12 above and annulus S1B below the production zone 122.4 flow control valve 66 in the pro- ‘duction tubing $9 ean be used to contol the uid flow to the seabed surface 116. A flow control valve 67 may he placed the production tubing 62 below the perforations $4 t0 control fuid flow from any produetion zone below the produetion zone 122 ‘A smaller diameter tubing 68, may be used to cary the Aid from the poduction zones to the subsea wellhead 114 ‘The production well 18 usually includes a casing 40 near the seabed surface 116. The wellhead 114 includes equip- ‘ment such as a blowout preventor stack 44 and passages 14 or supplying fuids into the wellbore 118. Valves. (not shown) are provided to control Quid ow to the seabed surlace 116, Wellhead equipment and production well equip- ‘ment, such as shown in the production well 18, are well Known and thus are not dseribed in greater detail Referring sill to FIG. 2, in one aspect of the preseat invention, the desired additive 130 i8 injected into the ‘wellbore 118 via an injection line 14 by a suitable pump, such asa positive displacement pump 18 "additive pump"). In one aspect, the additive 13a flows through the ine 14 and ischarges into the production tubing 60 near the production ‘one 122 via inlets or passages 13. The same oF different injection lines may be ted to supply additives to different production zones. In FIG. 2, line Id is shown extending to f production zone below the zone 122, Separate injection Tines allow injection of different additives at different well depths. The additives 13a may be supplied from a tank 131 {hat is periodically filled va the supply line 140, Alterna tively the additives 13a may be supplied directly from the steface chemical supply 130 via supply line 140e, The tank ISL may inelude multiple comparments and may be replaceable tanks which is periodically replaced. A Tevel sensor S, ean provide tothe controller 182 or 1828 (FIG. 1) indication of the additive remaining inthe tank 131. Whea the active level falls helow a predetermined level the tank is replenished or replaced. Alternatively a remotely operated US 7,234,524 B2 1 vehicle 700 (*ROV) may be use to replenish the tank via {eed line 140, The ROV 700 attaches tothe supply line and replenishes the tank 131, Other conventional methods may be used to replace tank 131. Replaceable tanks are prefer ably quick disconnect types (eg, mechanieal, hydraulic, ‘etc ). Of conse, certain embodiments can incl a combi nation of supply’ arrangements. In one embodiment, a suitable high-precision, low ow. flow meter 20 (such as pearype meter or a mutating meter) measures the flow rate through line 14 and provides signals representative of the flow rate, The pump 18 is operate hy ‘a suitable device 22 such asa motor. The steoke ofthe pump 18 defines fluid vohume output per stoke. The pomp stoke andlor the pump speed are controlled, eg. by a 420 milliamperes coro! signal to otro the output of the pump 418, The control of air supply controls © pneumatie pump. Any suitable pump and monitoring system may be used to inject additives into the wellbore 118. ‘In one embovtiment of the present invention, a seabed controller 80 controls the operation of the pump 18 by ttlzing programs stored in a memory 91 asvociated with the subser controller 80. The subsea controller $0 peeferahly includes 1 microprocessor 99, resident memory 91 which may’ inchide read only memories (ROM) for storing pro- trams, tables and models, and! random aevess: memories (RAM) for storing data, The microprocessor 91 utilizes signals from the flow meter 20 received via line 21 and programs gored inthe memory 91 to determine the Row rate Of the additive. The wellsite controller 80 can be pro- fsrummed to alter the pump speed, pump stroke or air supply to deliver the desired amount of te aditive 13a, The pimp speed or stroke, a5 the ease may be, is increased if the measured amount of the adklitive injected is Tess than the dsiged amount and decreased if the injected) amount is ‘eeater than the desired amount “The seabed controller 80 preferably includes protocols so that the flow meter 20, pump contnol device 22, and data Tinks 88 made by diferent manufacturers can be utilized in the system 180. Inthe oil industry the analog output for pump control is typically configured for 0-S VDC or 4.20 rliampere (mA) signal. In one mode, te subsea controler ‘80 can be programmed fo operate for such output. This allows for the system 180 to be used with existing pump ‘controllers. A power ait 89 provides power tothe controller 80, converter 83 and other electrical eieuit elements. The power nit 89 can include an AC power unit, an onsite enerator, andlor an electrical hawery that is periodically ‘charged from eneray supplied from a surface location. ‘ltematively, power may be supplied from the surface via power line disposed along the riser 124 (discussed in detail below. Sill fering to FIG. 2, the produced fid 69 received at the seabed surface 116 may be processed by treatment unit ‘or processing unit 126. The seabed processing unit 126 may be of the type that processes the Hud 69 to emove solids and certain other materials suc as hydrogen sulfide, or that processes the fluid 69 to produce semi-refined to refined products. In such systems, it is desired to periodically or ‘ontinusvsly inject certain additives. Thus, the system 180. shown in FIG. 1 ean be used for injecting and monitoring fdditives 13) into the processing unit 126, These aditives may be the same or different from the additives injected into the wellbore 118, These additives 130 are suitable o process the produced wellbore uid before transporting it wo the surface. In configuration of FIG. 2, the same chemical Injection unit may be utilized to pump chemicals in multiple ‘wellbores, subsea pipelines and/or subsea processing units In addition tothe flow rate signals 21 from the Bow meter 20, the seabed controller 80 may be configured to receive Signals representative of other parameters, such as the rpm 0 o 8 ofthe pump 18, or the motor 2 orthe modulating frequency fof a solenoid valve. In one mode of operation, the welsite ‘controller 80 periosically polls the meter 20 andl automat cally adjusts the pump controller 22 via an analog inp 2a for altematively via @ digital signal of a solenoid controlled system (pocumatie pumps). The controller 80 also can be Programmed to detennine whether the pump output, as ‘measured by the meter 20, corresponds tothe evel of signal 22a. This information ean be used to determine the pump ficiency. It can also be an indication ofa leak or another abnomaity relating o the pump 18. Other sensors 94, such as vibration sensors, temperature sensors may be used 10 ‘elermine the physical eanition ofthe pump 18, Sensors S {hat determine properties of the wellbore Muid can provide information of the tealment effectiveness of the additive being injected. Representative sensors include, but are not Timited to, a temperature sensor, a viscosity sensor, a uid flow rate Sensor, a pressure sensor, a sensor 10 dotermine chemical composition of the production fluid, a water cut Sensor, an optical seasor, and a sensor 10 determine ‘measure of af least one of asphaltene, wax, hydrate, emul- sion, foam or corrosion, The information provided by these sensors ca then be used (0 adjust the additive flow rate as ‘more fully described below in reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. It should be understood that a relatively small amount of additives are injected ito the production fui during opers- tion. Accordingly, rather considerations such as precision in

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