Patent Application
20050252686
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to downhole drilling and, in particular, to an electrically sequenced tractor (EST) for controlling the motion of a downhole drilling tool in a borehole.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art of drilling vertical, inclined, and horizontal boreholes plays an important role in many industries, such as the petroleum, mining, and communications industries. In the petroleum industry, for example, a typical oil well comprises a vertical borehole which is drilled by a rotary drill bit attached to the end of a drill string. The drill string is typically constructed of a series of connected links of drill pipe which extend between ground surface equipment and the drill bit. A drilling fluid, such as drilling mud, is pumped from the ground surface equipment through an interior flow channel of the drill string to the drill bit. The drilling fluid is used to cool and lubricate the bit, and to remove debris and rock chips from the borehole, which are created by the drilling process. The drilling fluid returns to the surface, carrying the cuttings and debris, through the annular space between the outer surface of the drill pipe and the inner surface of the borehole.
The method described above is commonly termed “rotary drilling” or “conventional drilling.” Rotary drilling often requires drilling numerous boreholes to recover oil, gas, and mineral deposits. For example, drilling for oil usually includes drilling a vertical borehole until the petroleum reservoir is reached, often at great depth. Oil is then pumped from the reservoir to the ground surface. Once the oil is completely recovered from a first reservoir, it is typically necessary to drill a new vertical borehole from the ground surface to recover oil from a second reservoir near the first one. Often a large number of vertical boreholes must be drilled within a small area to recover oil from a plurality of nearby reservoirs. This requires a large investment of time and resources.
In order to recover oil from a plurality of nearby reservoirs without incurring the costs of drilling a large number of vertical boreholes from the surface, it is desirable to drill inclined or horizontal boreholes. In particular, it is desirable to initially drill vertically downward to a predetermined depth, and then to drill at an inclined angle therefrom to reach a desired target location. This allows oil to be recovered from a plurality of nearby underground locations while minimizing drilling. In addition to oil recovery, boreholes with a horizontal component may also be used for a variety of other purposes, such as coal exploration and the construction of pipelines and communications lines.
Two methods of drilling vertical, inclined, and horizontal boreholes are the aforementioned rotary drilling and coiled tubing drilling. In rotary drilling, a rigid drill string, consisting of a series of connected segments of drill pipe, is lowered from the ground surface using surface equipment such as a derrick and draw works. Attached to the lower end of the drill string is a bottom hole assembly, which may comprise a drill bit, drill collars, stabilizers, sensors, and a steering device. In one mode of use, the upper end of the drill string is connected to a rotary table or top drive system located at the ground surface. The top drive system rotates the drill string, the bottom hole assembly, and the drill bit, allowing the rotating drill bit to penetrate into the formation. In a vertically drilled hole, the drill bit is forced into the formation by the weight of the drill string and the bottom hole assembly. The weight on the drill bit can be varied by controlling the amount of support provided by the derrick to the drill string. This allows, for example, drilling into different types of formations and controlling the rate at which the borehole is drilled.
The inclination of the rotary drilled borehole can be gradually altered by using known equipment such as a downhole motor with an adjustable bent housing to create inclined and horizontal boreholes. Downhole motors with bent housings allow the ground surface operator to change drill bit orientation, for example, with pressure pulses from the surface pump. Typical rates of change of inclination of the drill string are relatively small, approximately 3 degrees per 100 feet of borehole depth. Hence, the drill string inclination can change from vertical to horizontal over a vertical distance of about 3000 feet. The ability of the substantially rigid drill string to turn is often too limited to reach desired locations within the earth. In addition, friction of the drilling assembly on the casing or open hole frequently limits the distance that can be achieved with this drilling method.
As mentioned above, another type of drilling is coiled tubing drilling. In coiled tubing drilling, the drill string is a non-rigid, generally compliant tube. The tubing is fed into the borehole by an injector assembly at the ground surface. The coiled tubing drill string can have specially designed drill collars located proximate the drill bit that apply weight to the drill bit to penetrate the formation. The drill string is not rotated. Instead, a downhole motor provides rotation to the bit. Because the coiled tubing is not rotated or not normally used to force the drill bit into the formation, the strength and stiffness of the coiled tubing is typically much less than that of the drill pipe used in comparable rotary drilling. Thus, the thickness of the coiled tubing is generally less than the drill pipe thickness used in rotary drilling, and the coiled tubing generally cannot withstand the same rotational, compression, and tension forces in comparison to the drill pipe used in rotary drilling.
One advantage of coiled tubing drilling over rotary drilling is the potential for greater flexibility of the drilling assembly, to permit sharper turns to more easily reach desired locations within the earth. The capability of a drilling tool to turn from vertical to horizontal depends upon the tool's flexibility, strength, and the load which the tool is carrying. At higher loads, the tool has less capability to turn, due to friction between the borehole and the drill string and drilling assembly. Furthermore, as the angle of turning increases, it becomes more difficult to deliver weight on the drill bit. At loads of only 2000 pounds or less, existing coiled tubing tools, which are pushed through the hole by the gravity of weights, can turn as much as 90° per 100 feet of travel but are typically capable of horizontal travel of only 2500 feet or less. In comparison, at loads up to 3000 pounds, existing rotary drilling tools, whose drill strings are thicker and more rigid than coiled tubing, can only turn as much as 30°-40° per 100 feet of travel and are typically limited to horizontal distances of 5000-6000 feet. Again, such rotary tools are pushed through the hole by the gravity force of weights.
In both rotary and coiled tubing drilling, downhole tractors have been used to apply axial loads to the drill bit, bottom hole assembly, and drill string, and generally to move the entire drilling apparatus into and out of the borehole. The tractor may be designed to be secured between the lower end of the drill string and the upper end of the bottom hole assembly. The tractor may have anchors or grippers adapted to grip the borehole wall just proximal the drill bit. When the anchors are gripping the borehole, hydraulic power from the drilling fluid may be used to axially force the drill bit into the formation. The anchors may advantageously be slidably engaged with the tractor body, so that the drill bit, body, and drill string (collectively, the “drilling tool”) can move axially into the formation while the anchors are gripping the borehole wall. The anchors serve to transmit axial and torsional loads from the tractor body to the borehole wall. One example of a downhole tractor is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,606 to Moore et al. (“Moore '606”). Moore '606 teaches a highly effective tractor design as compared to existing alternatives.
It is known to have two or more sets of anchors (also referred to herein as “grippers”) on the tractor, so that the tractor can move continuously within the borehole. For example, Moore '606 discloses a tractor having two grippers. Longitudinal (unless otherwise indicated, the terms “longitudinal” and “axial” are hereinafter used interchangeably and refer to the longitudinal axis of the tractor body) motion is achieved by powering the drilling tool forward with respect to a first gripper which is actuated (a “power stroke”), and simultaneously moving a retracted second gripper forward with respect to the drilling tool (“resetting”), for a subsequent power stroke. At the completion of the power stroke, the second gripper is actuated and the first gripper is retracted. Then, the drilling tool is powered forward while the second gripper is actuated, and the retracted first gripper is simultaneously reset for a subsequent power stroke. Thus, each gripper is operated in a cycle of actuation, power stroke, retraction, and reset, resulting in longitudinal motion of the drilling tool.
It has been proposed that the power required for actuating the anchors, axially thrusting the drilling tool, and axially resetting the anchors may be provided by the drilling fluid. For example, in the tractor disclosed by Moore '606, the grippers comprise inflatable engagement bladders. The Moore tractor uses hydraulic power from the drilling fluid to inflate and radially expand the bladders so that they grip the borehole walls. Hydraulic power is also used to power forward cylindrical pistons residing within propulsion cylinders slidably engaged with the tractor body. Each such cylinder is rigidly secured to a bladder, and each piston is axially fixed with respect to the tractor body. When a bladder is inflated to grip the borehole, drilling fluid is directed to the proximal side of the piston in the cylinder that is secured to the inflated bladder, to power the piston forward with respect to the borehole. The forward hydraulic thrust on the piston results in forward thrust on the entire drilling tool. Further, hydraulic power is also used to reset each cylinder when its associated bladder is deflated, by directing drilling fluid to the distal side of the piston within the cylinder.
Tractors may employ a system of pressure-responsive valves for sequencing the distribution of hydraulic power to the tractor's anchors, thrust, and reset sections. For example, the Moore '606 tractor includes a number of pressure-responsive valves which shuttle between their various positions based upon the pressure of the drilling fluid in various locations of the tractor. In one configuration, a valve can be exposed on both sides to different fluid streams. The valve position depends on the relative pressures of the fluid streams. A higher pressure in a first stream exerts a greater force on the valve than a lower pressure in a second stream, forcing the valve to one extreme position. The valve moves to the other extreme position when the pressure in the second stream is greater than the pressure in the first stream. Another type of valve is spring-biased on one side and exposed to fluid on the other, so that the valve will be actuated against the spring only when the fluid pressure exceeds a threshold value. The Moore tractor uses both of these types of pressure-responsive valves.
It has also been proposed to use solenoid-controlled valves in tractors. In one configuration, solenoids electrically trigger the shuttling of the valves from one extreme position to another. Solenoid-controlled valves are not pressure-actuated. Instead, these valves are controlled by electrical signals sent from an electrical control system at the ground surface.
Various types of radially expanding anchors have been used in downhole tractors, such as rigid friction blocks, flexible beams, and engagement bladders. Some advantages of bladders are that they are more radially expandable and thus can operate within certain voids in the earth. Also, bladders can conform to various different geometries of the borehole wall. One known bladder configuration comprises a combination of fiber and rubber. Previous designs utilized Nylon fibers and Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR). The fatigue life of current bladder designs is such that the bladders are able to achieve as much as 7400 cycles of inflation.
One problem with bladders is that they do not resist torque in the tractor body. As the drill bit rotates into the formation, the earth transmits a reactive torque to the bit, which is transmitted proximally through the tractor body. When an engagement bladder is inflated to grip the borehole wall, the compliant bladder tends to permit the tractor body to twist to some degree due to the torque therein. Such rotation can confuse tool direction sensors, requiring an approximation of such reverse twist in the drill direction control algorithm.
Prior art tractors have utilized anchors which permit at least some degree of rotation of the tractor body when the anchor is engaged with an underground borehole wall. A disadvantage of this configuration is that it causes the drill string to absorb reaction torque from the formation. When drilling, the drill bit exerts a drilling torque onto the formation. Simultaneously, the formation exerts an equal and opposite torque to the tractor body. This torque is absorbed partially by the drill string, since the configuration allows rotation of the tractor body when the anchor is actuated. This causes the drill string to twist. If all of the anchors are retracted, which may occur when the tool is to be retrieved, the drill string tends to untwist, which can result in inconsistent advance during walking.
Thus, there is a need for a downhole drilling tractor which overcomes the above-mentioned limitations of the prior art.
Accordingly, it is a principle advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of these limitations and to provide an improved downhole drilling tractor.
The structural configuration of the tractor, which allows it to work within the harsh environment and limited space within the bore of an oil well, is an important aspect of the invention. An important aspect of the invention is the structural configuration that permits the tractor to fit within an envelope no more than 8.5 inches in diameter and, preferably, no more than 2.875 inches in diameter. This relatively small diameter permits the tractor to work with standard oil well equipment that is designed for 2.875-8.5 inch diameter well bores. Another important aspect of the present invention is the structural configuration that permits the tractor to make relatively sharp turns. Specifically, the tractor desirably has a length of no more than 150 feet, more desirably no more than 100 feet, more desirably no more than 75 feet, more desirably no more than 50 feet, and even more desirably no more than 40 feet. Preferably the length of the tractor is approximately 32 feet. Advantageously, the tractor can turn at least 600 per 100 feet of travel. Yet another important aspect of the invention is a structure that permits the tractor to operate at downhole pressures up to 16,000 psi and, preferably, 5,000-10,000 psi, and downhole temperatures up to 300° F. and, preferably, 200-250° F. Preferably, the tractor can operate at differential pressures of 200-2500 psi, and more preferably within a range of 500-1600 psi (the pressure differential between the inside and outside of the EST, thus across the internal flow channel and the annulus surrounding the tractor).
One limitation of prior art tractors that have valves whose positions control fluid flow providing thrust to the tractor body is that such valves tend to operate only at extreme positions. These valves can be characterized as having distinct positions in which the valve is either on or off, open or closed, etc. As a result, these valves fail to provide fine-tuned control over the position, speed, thrust, and direction of the tractor.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a tractor for moving within a borehole, which is capable of an exceptionally fast response to variations in load exerted on the tractor by the borehole or by external equipment such as a bottom hole assembly or drill string. The tractor comprises a tractor body sized and shaped to move within a borehole, a valve on the tractor body, a motor on the tractor body, and a coupler. The valve is positioned along a flowpath between a source of fluid and a thrust-receiving portion of the body. The valve comprises a fluid port and a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor has a first position in which the restrictor completely blocks fluid flow through the fluid port, a range of second positions in which the restrictor permits a first level of fluid flow through the fluid port, a third position in which the restrictor permits a second level of fluid flow through the fluid port. The second level of fluid flow is greater than the first level of fluid flow. The coupler connects the motor and the flow restrictor, such that movement of the motor causes the restrictor to move between the first position, the range of second positions, and the third position. The restrictor is movable by the motor such that the net thrust received by the thrust receiving portion can be altered by 100 pounds within 0.5 seconds.
One goal of the present invention is to provide a downhole tractor which provides an exceptional level of control over position, speed, thrust, and change of direction of the tractor within a borehole, compared to prior art tractors. Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a tractor for moving within a hole, comprising a tractor body having a plurality of thrust receiving portions, at least one valve on the tractor body, and a plurality of grippers. The valves are positioned along at least one of a plurality of fluid flow paths between a source of fluid and the thrust receiving portions. Each of the plurality of grippers is longitudinally movably engaged with the body and has an actuated position in which the gripper limits movement of the gripper relative to an inner surface of the borehole and a retracted position in which the gripper permits substantially free relative movement of the gripper relative to the inner surface. The plurality of grippers, the plurality of thrust receiving portions, and the valves are configured such the tractor can propel itself at a sustained rate of less than 50 feet per hour and at a sustained rate of greater than 100 feet per hour.
In other embodiments, the tractor can propel itself at sustained rates of less than 30 feet per hour and greater than 100 feet per hour, less than 10 feet per hour and greater than 100 feet per hour, less than 5 feet per hour and greater than 100 feet per hour, less than 50 feet per hour and greater than 250 feet per hour, and less than 50 feet per hour and greater than 500 feet per hour. In another embodiment, the source of fluid has a differential pressure in the range of 200-2500 psi. In another embodiment, the source of fluid has a differential pressure in the range of 500-1600 psi. In another embodiment, the tractor can change the rate at which it propels itself without a change in differential pressure of the fluid. In various embodiments, the tractor has a length preferably less than 150 feet, more preferably less than 100 feet, even more preferably less than 75 feet, even more preferably less than 50 feet, and most preferably less than 40 feet. In various embodiments, the tractor has a maximum diameter preferably less than eight inches, more preferably less than six inches, and even more preferably less than four inches.
In another aspect the present invention provides a tractor comprising a tractor body sized and shaped to move within a borehole, and a valve on the tractor body. The valve is positioned along a fluid flow path between a source of fluid and a thrust-receiving portion of the tractor body, such as a tubular piston. The thrust-receiving portion is sized and configured to receive hydraulic thrust from the fluid.
The configuration of the valve facilitates improved control over the aforementioned properties. In particular, the valve permits precise control over the fluid flowrate along the fluid flow path to the thrust-receiving portion. The valve comprises a valve body and an elongated valve spool. The valve body has an elongated spool passage defining a spool axis, and at least a first fluid port which communicates with the spool passage. The fluid flow path passes through the spool passage and through at least the first fluid port. The valve spool is received within the spool passage and movable along the spool axis. The spool has a flow-restricting segment defining a first chamber within the spool passage on a first end of the flow-restricting segment and a second chamber within the spool passage on a second end of the flow-restricting segment. The flow-restricting segment has an outer radial surface configured to slide along inner walls of the spool passage so as to fluidly seal the first chamber from the second chamber. The flow-restricting segment also has one or more recesses on one of its ends and on its outer radial surface.
The spool has first, second, and third ranges of positions as follows: In the first range of positions, the flow-restricting segment of the spool completely blocks fluid flow through the first fluid port. In the second range of positions, the flow-restricting segment permits fluid flow through the first fluid port only through the recesses. In the third range of positions, the flow-restricting segment permits fluid flow through the first fluid port at least partially outside of the recesses. Advantageously, the flowrate of fluid flowing along the fluid flow path is controllable by controlling the position of the valve spool within the first, second, and third ranges of positions.
In another embodiment, the valve controls the flowrates of fluid to a plurality of different surfaces of the thrust-receiving portion, thereby controlling the net thrust on the tractor body. In yet another embodiment, the tractor body has a second thrust-receiving portion, and a second valve controls the flowrate of fluid flowing thereto.
In another embodiment, the tractor comprises a tractor body, a spool valve, a motor, a coupler, and a gripper. The tractor body has a thrust-receiving portion having a first surface and a second opposing surface. The first surface may be a rear surface, and the second surface may be a front surface. The spool valve comprises a valve body and an elongated spool. The valve body has a spool passage defining a spool axis, and fluid ports which communicate with the spool passage.
Received within the spool passage, the spool is movable along the spool axis to control flowrates along fluid flow paths through the fluid ports and the spool passage. The spool has a first position range in which the valve permits fluid flow from a fluid source to the first surface of the thrust-receiving portion and blocks fluid flow to the second surface. The flowrate of the fluid flow to the first surface varies depending upon the position of the spool within the first position range. The fluid flow to the first surface delivers thrust to the body to propel the body in a first direction in the borehole. The magnitude of the thrust in the first direction depends on the flowrate of the fluid flow (with its associated pressure) to the first surface. The spool also has a second position range in which the valve permits fluid flow from the fluid source to the second surface of the thrust-receiving portion and blocks fluid flow to the first surface. The flowrate of the fluid flow to the second surface varies depending upon the position of the spool within the second position range. The fluid flow to the second surface delivers thrust to the body to propel the body in a second direction in the borehole. The first direction may be downhole, and the second direction may be uphole. The magnitude of the thrust in the second direction depends on the flowrate of the fluid flow to the second surface.
The motor is within the tractor body. The coupler connects the motor and the spool so that operation of the motor causes the spool to move along the spool axis. The gripper is longitudinally movably engaged with the tractor body. The gripper has an actuated position in which the gripper limits movement of the gripper relative to an inner surface of the borehole, and a retracted position in which the gripper permits substantially free relative movement of the gripper relative to the inner surface. Advantageously, the motor is operable to move the spool along the spool axis sufficiently fast to alter the net thrust received by the thrust-receiving portion by 100 pounds within 2 seconds, and preferably within 0.1-0.2 seconds.
In one embodiment, the tractor further comprises one or more sensors and an electronic logic component on the tractor body. The sensors are configured to generate electrical feedback signals which describe one or more of: fluid pressure in the tractor, the position of the tractor body with respect to the gripper, longitudinal load exerted on the tractor body by equipment external to the tractor or by inner walls of the borehole, and the rotational position of an output shaft of the motor. The output shaft controls the position of the spool along the spool axis. The logic component is configured to receive and process the electrical feedback signals, and to transmit electrical command signals to the motor. The motor is configured to be controlled by the electrical command signals. The command signals control the position of the spool.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a tractor having a valve whose position controls the position, speed, and thrust of the tractor body, and in which fluid pressure resistance to valve motion is minimized. Accordingly, the tractor comprises a body and a valve, motor, coupler, and pressure compensation piston all within the body. The valve is positioned along a fluid flow path from a source of a first fluid to a thrust-receiving portion of the body. The valve is movable generally along a valve axis. The valve has a first position in which the valve completely blocks fluid flow along the flow path, and a second position in which the valve permits fluid flow along the flow path. The coupler connects the motor and the valve so that operation of the motor causes the valve to move along the valve axis. The pressure compensation piston is exposed on a first side to the first fluid and on a second side to a second fluid. The first and second fluids are fluidly separate. The compensation piston is configured to move in response to pressure forces from the first and second fluids so as to effectively equalize the pressure of the first and second fluids. The valve is exposed to the first fluid, and the motor is exposed to the second fluid. Advantageously, the compensation piston acts to minimize the net fluid pressure force acting on the valve along the valve axis, thereby minimizing resistance to valve movement and permitting improved control over the position, speed, thrust, and change of direction of the tractor.
Since the tractor is electric and the motion is controlled electrically, the present invention permits the use of multiple tractors connected in series and simultaneous or non-simultaneous sequencing of the tractors' packerfeet for various functions. In other words, any number of the tractors can operate simultaneously as a group. Also, some tractors can be deactivated while others are operating. In one example, one tractor can be used for normal drilling with low speeds (0.25-750 feet per hour), and a second tractor in the drill string can be designed for high speeds (750-5000 feet per hour) for faster tripping into the borehole. In another example, two or more tractors can be used with similar performance characteristics. This type of assembly would be useful for applications of pulling long and heavy assemblies into long or deep boreholes. Another example is the use of two or more tractors performing different functions. This type of assembly can have one tractor set up for milling and a second tractor for drilling after the milling job is complete, thus requiring fewer trips to the ground surface. Any combination of different or similar types of tractors is possible.
In another design variation, the tractor can be formed from less expensive materials, such as steel, resulting in decreased performance capability of the tractor. Such a low cost tractor can be used for specialized applications, such as pulling specialty oil production apparatus into the borehole and then leaving it in the hole. Sliding sleeve sand filter production casing can be installed in this manner.
Another goal of the present invention is to provide a downhole tractor for drilling or moving within a borehole, which is capable of turning at significantly high angles while pulling or pushing a large load and/or while minimizing twisting of the tractor body. Accordingly, in another aspect the present invention provides a tractor for moving within a borehole, comprising an elongated body, a gripper, and a propulsion system on the body. The body is configured to push or pull equipment within the borehole, the equipment exerting a longitudinal load on the body. The gripper is longitudinally movably engaged with the body. The gripper has an actuated position in which the gripper limits movement between the gripper and an inner surface of the borehole, and a retracted position in which the gripper permits substantially free relative movement between the gripper and the inner surface. The propulsion system is configured to propel the body through the borehole while the gripper is in its actuated position.
Advantageously, the body is sufficiently flexible such that the tractor can preferably turn up to 30°, more preferably 45°, and even more preferably 60° per 100 feet of travel, while pushing or pulling a longitudinal load. The particular load which the body can push or pull while exhibiting this turning capability depends upon the body diameter. Various embodiments of the invention include tractors having diameters of 2.175 inches, 3.375 inches, 4.75 inches, and 6.0 inches. Note that other embodiments are also conceived. A tractor having a diameter of 2.175 inches desirably has the above-mentioned turning capability while pushing or pulling loads up to 1000 pounds, and more desirably up to 2000 pounds. The same information for other embodiments is summarized in the following table:
It should be noted that as the maximum diameter of the tractor's pistons, shafts, and control assembly increase so also shall the maximum thrust-pull and speed. These and other design considerations can be adjusted for optimum performance with respect to maximum and minimum speed, maximum and minimum pull-thrust, control response times, turning radius, and other desirable performance characteristics.
In one embodiment, the tractor has large diameter segments and small diameter segments. The large diameter segments include one or more of (1) a valve housing having valves configured to control the flow of fluid to components of the propulsion system, (2) a motor housing having motors configured to control the valves, (3) an electronics housing having logic componentry configured to control the motors, (4) one or more propulsion chambers configured to receive fluid to propel the body, (5) pistons axially movable within the propulsion chambers, and (6) the gripper. For the tractor having a diameter of 3.375 inches, the large diameter segments have a diameter of at least 3.125 inches. The small diameter segments have a diameter of 2.05 inches or less and a modulus of elasticity of 19,000,000 or more. Substantially all of the bending of the tractor occurs in the small diameter segments.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a tractor for moving within a borehole, comprising an elongated body, at least a first gripper, and a propulsion system on the body. The body defines a longitudinal axis and is configured to transmit torque through the body. In particular, the body is configured so that when the body is subjected to a torque about the longitudinal axis below a certain value, twisting of the body is limited to no more than 5° per movement of a gripper, i.e., per on stroke length of a propulsion cylinder. These values vary depending upon the tractor diameter, and are summarized in the table below:
The first gripper is axially movably engaged with the body. The first gripper has an actuated position in which the first gripper limits movement of the first gripper relative to an inner surface of the borehole, and a retracted position in which the first gripper permits substantially free relative movement between the first gripper and the inner surface. The first gripper is rotationally fixed with respect to the body so that the first gripper resists rotation of the body with respect to the borehole when the first gripper is in the actuated position. A second gripper may also be provided, which is configured identically to the first gripper and is also axially movably engaged with the body. The propulsion system is configured to propel the body when at least one of the grippers is in its actuated position. Advantageously, the body is sufficiently flexible such that the tractor can turn up to 60° per 100 feet of longitudinal travel.
Another goal of the present invention is to provide an improved gripper for a downhole tractor used for moving within a borehole. Accordingly, in yet another aspect the invention provides a tractor for moving within a borehole, comprising an elongated body and a packerfoot configured to provide enhanced radial expansion compared to the prior art. The packerfoot comprises an elongated mandrel longitudinally movably engaged on the body, and a generally tubular bladder assembly concentrically engaged on the mandrel. The bladder assembly comprises a generally tubular inflatable bladder having a radial exterior, a first mandrel engagement member attached to a first end of the bladder and engaged with the mandrel, a second mandrel engagement member attached to a second end of the bladder and engaged with the mandrel, a plurality of longitudinally oriented flexible beams on the radial exterior of the bladder, a first band securing the first ends of the beams against the first mandrel engagement member, and a second band securing the second ends of the beams against the second mandrel engagement member. The beams have first ends at the first end of the bladder and second ends at the second end of the bladder. The beams are configured to flex and grip onto a borehole when the bladder is inflated.
In one embodiment, the mandrel is non-rotatably engaged on the body. In another embodiment, the first mandrel engagement member is fixed to the mandrel, the second mandrel engagement member is longitudinally slidably engaged with the mandrel, and the second tube portion is non-rotatable with respect to the mandrel. In another embodiment, the tractor of the present invention can be fitted with different sizes of packerfeet, which allows the tractor to enter and operate in a range of hole sizes.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a downhole tractor having a “flextoe packerfoot,” in which separate components provide outward radial force for gripping a borehole and torque transmission from the tractor body to the borehole. Accordingly, a tractor for moving within a borehole comprises an elongated body, an elongated mandrel longitudinally movably engaged with the body, and a gripper assembly. The gripper assembly comprises one or more inflatable bladders on the mandrel, and one or more elongated beams. The beams have first ends fixed to the mandrel on a first end of the bladder, and second ends longitudinally movably engaged with the mandrel on a second end of the bladder. The bladder has an inflated position in which the bladder or the beams limit movement of the gripper assembly relative to an inner surface of the borehole, and a deflated position in which the bladder or the beams permit substantially free relative movement between the gripper assembly and the inner surface. The beams are configured to flex radially outward to grip the inner surface of the borehole when the bladder is in the inflated position. The beams are also configured to transmit torque from within the body to the inner surface of the borehole.
In one embodiment, the bladder is configured to apply a radially outward force onto the beams when the bladder is in the inflated position, which causes the beams to flex outward and grip the inner surface of the borehole. In another embodiment, the mandrel is non-rotatably engaged with the body so that the body is prevented from rotating with respect to the inner surface of the borehole when the bladder is in the inflated position. In another embodiment, the first ends of the beams are hingedly secured to the mandrel, and the second ends of said beams are hingedly secured to a shuttle configured to slide longitudinally on the mandrel. The shuttle is non-rotatable with respect to the mandrel.
Another goal of the present invention is to provide a downhole tractor having an improved, longer-lasting inflatable bladder for gripping onto the inner surface of a borehole. In particular, the bladder has a higher fatigue life than prior art bladders. Accordingly, the present invention provides a tractor for moving within a borehole, comprising an elongated body defining a longitudinal axis, and an inflatable bladder longitudinally movably engaged with the body. The bladder is formed from an elastomeric material reinforced by fibers oriented in two general directions crossing one another at an angle of between 0° and 90° woven together, more preferably between 14° and 60°, and even more preferably between approximately 30° and 40°. The bladder has an inflated position in which the bladder limits movement of the bladder relative to an inner surface of the borehole, and a deflated position in which the bladder permits substantially free relative movement between the bladder and the inner surface.
The above-described embodiments of the invention, which utilize the drilling fluid to provide power for the tool, have specific design considerations to optimize tool operational life. Experiments have shown that drilling fluids can rapidly erode many metals, including Stabaloy and Copper-Beryllium if drilling fluid velocities within the tool are exceeded. It is another aspect of this invention to limit fluid velocities on straight sections within the tool to less than 35 feet per second, unless high abrasion resistant materials are used or other geometrical flow path considerations are used. It is known that at higher velocities erosion occurs within the tool, which limits the operational life of tractor components. Operational life is significant in that downhole failures and tool retrievals are extremely costly.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.
FIGS. 4A-F are schematic diagrams illustrating an operational cycle of the EST;
FIGS. 43A-C are exploded longitudinal sectional views of the aft propulsion valve, illustrating different flow-restricting positions of the valve spool;
FIGS. 69A-D are a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the electronic configuration of the EST;
It must be emphasized that the following describes one configuration of the EST. However, numerous variations are possible. These variations in structure result in various ranges of performance characteristics. Several physical constraints require the EST to be innovative with respect to the use of available space within the borehole. The physical constraints are the result of the drilling environment. First, the maximum diameter of the tool is restricted by the diameter of the drilled hole and the amount and pressure of the drilling fluid pumped through the internal bore of the tool and returning to the ground surface with drill cuttings. Next, the physical length of the tractor is restricted by the size of surface handling equipment and rig space. The temperature and pressure downhole are the result of rock formation conditions. The desired thrust capacity of the EST is defined by the size of the drill bit, the downhole motor thrust capacity, and rock characteristics. The desired pull capacity of the tool is defined by the weight of the drill string and the bottom hole assembly in the drilling fluid considering the friction of the components against the borehole wall or casing wall or by the desired functional requirements, such as the amount of force required to move a sliding sleeve in a casing. The desired maximum speed is influenced by rig economics that include the associated costs of drilling labor, material, facilities, cost of money, risk, and other economic factors. The lowest desired speed is defined by the type of operation, such as rate of penetration in a particular formation or rate of milling casing. In addition, drilling convention has resulted in numerous default sizes used in drilling. These size constraints are generally a function of the size of drill bit available, the size of casing available, the size of ground surface equipment, and other parameters.
For example, the EST design described herein has a maximum diameter of 3.375 inches for use in a 3.75-inch hole. However, several other designs are conceived, including a 2.125 inch diameter tool for use in a 2.875 inch hole, a 4.75 inch diameter tool for use in a 6.0 inch hole, and a 6.0 inch diameter tool for use in a 8.5 inch hole.
It is believed, however, that for a given set of operating criteria, such as a requirement that the tool operate within a 3.75 inch diameter borehole and have a given maximum length, that the present invention has numerous advantages over prior art tractors. For example, having a single tractor which can fit within a given borehole and which can sustain both slow speeds for activities such as milling and high speeds for activities such as tripping out of a borehole is extremely valuable, in that it saves both the expense of having another tractor and the time which would otherwise be required to change tractors.
It will be appreciated that the EST may be used to move a wide variety of tools and equipment within a borehole. Also, the EST can be used in conjunction with numerous types of drilling, including rotary drilling and the like. Additionally, it will be understood that the EST may be used in many areas including petroleum drilling, mineral deposit drilling, pipeline installation and maintenance, communications, and the like. Also, it will be understood that the apparatus and method for moving equipment within a passage may be used in many applications in addition to drilling. For example, these other applications include well completion and production work for producing oil from an oil well, pipeline work, and communications activities. It will be appreciated that these applications may require the use of other equipment in conjunction with an EST according to the present invention. Such equipment, generally referred to as a working unit, is dependent upon the specific application undertaken.
For example, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that oil and gas well completion typically requires that the reservoir be logged using a variety of sensors. These sensors may operate using resistivity, radioactivity, acoustics, and the like. Other logging activities include measurement of formation dip and borehole geometry, formation sampling, and production logging. These completion activities can be accomplished in inclined and horizontal boreholes using a preferred embodiment of the EST. For instance, the EST can deliver these various types of logging sensors to regions of interest. The EST can either place the sensors in the desired location, or the EST may idle in a stationary position to allow the measurements to be taken at the desired locations. The EST can also be used to retrieve the sensors from the well.
Examples of production work that can be performed with a preferred embodiment of the EST include sands and solids washing and acidizing. It is known that wells sometimes become clogged with sand, hydrocarbon debris, and other solids that prevent the free flow of oil through the borehole 42. To remove this debris, specially designed washing tools known in the industry are delivered to the region, and fluid is injected to wash the region. The fluid and debris then return to the surface. Such tools include acid washing tools. These washing tools can be delivered to the region of interest for performance of washing activity and then returned to the ground surface by a preferred embodiment of the EST.
In another example, a preferred embodiment of the EST can be used to retrieve objects, such as damaged equipment and debris, from the borehole. For example, equipment may become separated from the drill string, or objects may fall into the borehole. These objects must be retrieved, or the borehole must be abandoned and plugged. Because abandonment and plugging of a borehole is very expensive, retrieval of the object is usually attempted. A variety of retrieval tools known to the industry are available to capture these lost objects. The EST can be used to transport retrieving tools to the appropriate location, retrieve the object, and return the retrieved object to the surface.
In yet another example, a preferred embodiment of the EST can also be used for coiled tubing completions. As known in the art, continuous-completion drill string deployment is becoming increasingly important in areas where it is undesirable to damage sensitive formations in order to run production tubing. These operations require the installation and retrieval of fully assembled completion drill string in boreholes with surface pressure. The EST can be used in conjunction with the deployment of conventional velocity string and simple primary production tubing installations. The EST can also be used with the deployment of artificial lift devices such as gas lift and downhole flow control devices.
In a further example, a preferred embodiment of the EST can be used to service plugged pipelines or other similar passages. Frequently, pipelines are difficult to service due to physical constraints such as location in deep water or proximity to metropolitan areas. Various types of cleaning devices are currently available for cleaning pipelines. These various types of cleaning tools can be attached to the EST so that the cleaning tools can be moved within the pipeline.
In still another example, a preferred embodiment of the EST can be used to move communication lines or equipment within a passage. Frequently, it is desirable to run or move various types of cables or communication lines through various types of conduits. The EST can move these cables to the desired location within a passage.
Overview of EST Components
EST Schematic Configuration and Operation
The forward propulsion cylinders 112 and 114 are configured similarly to the aft propulsion cylinders. Cylinders 112 and 114 are axially slidably engaged with shaft 124. Annular pistons 144 and 146 are axially fixed to shaft 124 and are enclosed within cylinders 112 and 114, respectively. Piston 144 fluidly divides the chamber formed by cylinder 112 into a rear chamber 174 and a front chamber 176. Piston 146 fluidly divides the chamber formed by cylinder 114 into a rear chamber 178 and a front chamber 180. Chambers 166, 168, 170, 172, 174, 176, 178, and 180 have varying volumes, depending upon the positions of pistons 140, 142, 144, and 146 therein.
Although two aft propulsion cylinders and two forward propulsion cylinders (along with two corresponding aft pistons and forward pistons) are shown in the illustrated embodiment, any number of aft cylinders and forward cylinders may be provided, which includes only a single aft cylinder and a single forward cylinder. As described below, the hydraulic thrust provided by the EST increases as the number of propulsion cylinders increases. In other words, the hydraulic force provided by the cylinders is additive. Four propulsion cylinders are used to provide the desired thrust of approximately 10,500 pounds for a tractor with a maximum outside diameter of 3.375 inches. It is believed that a configuration having four propulsion cylinders is preferable, because it permits relatively high thrust to be generated, while limiting the length of the tractor. Alternatively, fewer cylinders can be used, which will decrease the resulting maximum tractor pull-thrust. Alternatively, more cylinders can be used, which will increase the maximum output force from the tractor. The number of cylinders is selected to provide sufficient force to provide sufficient force for the anticipated loads for a given hole size.
The EST is hydraulically powered by a fluid such as drilling mud or hydraulic fluid. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “fluid” and “drilling fluid” are used interchangeably hereinafter. In a preferred embodiment, the EST is powered by the same fluid which lubricates and cools the drill bit. Preferably, drilling mud is used in an open system. This avoids the need to provide additional fluid channels in the tool for the fluid powering the EST. Alternatively, hydraulic fluid may be used in a closed system, if desired. Referring to
Fluid exiting diffuser 148 enters a spring-biased failsafe valve 150. Failsafe valve 150 serves as an entrance point to a central galley 155 (illustrated as a flow path in FIGS. 4A-F) in the control assembly which communicates with a relief valve 152, packerfoot valve 154, and propulsion valves 156 and 158. When the differential pressure (unless otherwise indicated, hereinafter “differential pressure” or “pressure” at a particular location refers to the difference in pressure at that location from the pressure in annulus 40) of the drilling fluid approaching failsafe valve 150 is below a threshold value, failsafe valve 150 remains in an off position, in which fluid within the central galley vents out to exhaust line E, i.e., to annulus 40. When the differential pressure rises above the threshold value, the spring force is overcome and failsafe valve 150 opens to permit drilling fluid to enter central galley 155. Failsafe valve 150 prevents premature starting of the EST and provides a fail-safe means to shut down the EST by pressure reduction of the drilling fluid in the coiled tubing drill string. Thus, valve 150 operates as a system on/off valve. The threshold value for opening failsafe valve 150, i.e., for turning the system on, is controlled by the stiffness of spring 151 and can be any value within the expected operational drilling pressure range of the tool. A preferred threshold pressure is about 500 psig.
Drilling fluid within central galley 155 is exposed to all of the valves of EST 100. A spring-biased relief valve 152 protects over-pressurization of the fluid within the tool. Relief valve 152 operates similarly to failsafe valve 150. When the fluid pressure in central galley 155 is below a threshold value, the valve remains closed. When the fluid pressure exceeds the threshold, the spring force of spring 153 is overcome and relief valve 152 opens to permit fluid in galley 155 to vent out to annulus 40. Relief valve 152 protects pressure-sensitive components of the EST, such as the bladders of packerfeet 104 and 106, which can rupture at high pressure. In the illustrated embodiment, relief valve 152 has a threshold pressure of about 1600 psig.
Packerfoot valve 154 controls the inflation and deflation of packerfeet 104 and 106. Packerfoot valve 154 has three positions. In a first extreme position (shown in
In normal operation, the aft and forward packerfeet are alternately actuated. As aft packerfoot 104 is inflated, forward packerfoot 106 is deflated, and vice-versa. The position of packerfoot valve 154 is controlled by a packerfoot motor 160. In a preferred embodiment, motor 160 is electrically controllable and can be operated by a programmable logic component on EST 100, such as in electronics housing 130 (
Propulsion valve 156 controls the flow of fluid to and from the aft propulsion cylinders 108 and 110. In one extreme position (shown in
In its other extreme position (
Propulsion valve 158 is configured similarly to valve 156. Propulsion valve 158 controls the flow of fluid to and from the forward propulsion cylinders 112 and 114. In one extreme position (
In its other extreme position (
In a preferred embodiment, propulsion valves 156 and 158 are configured to form a controllable variable flow restriction between central galley 155 and the chambers of the propulsion cylinders. The physical configuration of valves 156 and 158 is described below. To illustrate the advantages of this feature, consider valve 156. As valve 156 deviates slightly from its central position, it permits a limited volume flowrate from central galley 155 into the aft propulsion cylinders. The volume flowrate can be precisely increased or decreased by varying the flow restriction, i.e., by opening further or closing further the valve. By carefully positioning the valve, the volume flowrate of fluid into the aft propulsion cylinders can be controlled. The flow-restricting positions of the valves are indicated in FIGS. 4A-F by flow lines which intersect X's. The flow-restricting positions permit precise control over (1) the longitudinal hydraulic force received by the pistons; (2) the longitudinal position of the pistons within the aft propulsion cylinders; and (3) the rate of longitudinal movement of the pistons between positions. Propulsion valve 158 may be similarly configured, to permit the same degree of control over the forward propulsion cylinders and pistons. As will be shown below, controlling these attributes facilitates enhanced control of the thrust and speed of the EST and, hence, the drill bit.
In a preferred embodiment, the position of propulsion valve 156 is controlled by an aft propulsion motor 162, and the position of propulsion valve 158 is controlled by a forward propulsion motor 164. Preferably, these motors are electrically controllable and can be operated by a programmable logic component on EST 100, such as in electronics unit 92 (
The above-described configuration of the EST permits greatly improved control over tractor thrust, speed, and direction of travel. EST 100 can be moved downhole according to the cycle illustrated in FIGS. 4A-F. As shown in
Simultaneously or independently to the power stroke of the aft pistons 140 and 142, propulsion valve 158 is moved to its second extreme position, shown in
After the aft propulsion cylinders complete a power stroke and the forward propulsion cylinders complete a reset stroke, packerfoot valve 154 is shuttled to its second extreme position, shown in
Those skilled in the art will understand that EST 100 can move in reverse, i.e., uphole, simply by reversing the sequencing of packerfoot valve 154 or propulsion valves 156 and 158. When packerfoot 104 is inflated to grip borehole wall 42, propulsion valve 156 is positioned to deliver fluid to front chambers 168 and 172. The incoming fluid imparts an uphole hydraulic force on pistons 140 and 142, causing cylinders 108 and 110 to execute an uphole power stroke. Simultaneously, propulsion valve 158 is positioned to deliver fluid to rear chambers 174 and 178, so that cylinders 112 and 114 execute a reset stroke. Then, packerfoot valve 154 is moved to inflate packerfoot 106 and deflate packerfoot 104. Then the propulsion valves are reversed so that cylinders 112 and 114 execute an uphole power stroke while cylinders 108 and 110 execute a reset stroke. Then, the cycle is repeated.
Advantageously, the EST can reverse direction prior to reaching the end of any particular power or reset stroke. The tool can be reversed simply by reversing the positions of the propulsion valves so that hydraulic power is provided on the opposite sides of the annular pistons in the propulsion cylinders. This feature prevents damage to the drill bit which can be caused when an obstruction is encountered in the formation.
The provision of separate valves controlling (1) the inflation of the packerfeet, (2) the delivery of hydraulic power to the aft propulsion cylinders, and (3) the delivery of hydraulic power to the forward propulsion cylinders permits a dual power stroke operation and, effectively, a doubling of axial thrust to the EST body. For example, packerfoot valve 154 can be moved to its central position to inflate both packerfeet 104 and 106. Propulsion valves 156 and 158 can then be positioned to deliver fluid to the rear chambers of their respective propulsion cylinders. This would result in a doubling of downhole thrust to the EST body. Similarly, the propulsion valves can also be positioned to deliver fluid to the front chambers of the propulsion cylinders, resulting in double uphole thrust. Double thrust may be useful when penetrating harder formations.
As mentioned above, packerfoot valve motor 160 and propulsion valve motors 162 and 164 may be controlled by an electronic control system. In one embodiment, the control system of the EST includes a surface computer, electric cables (fiber optic or wire), and a programmable logic component 224 (
As part of its control algorithm, logic component 224 can also process various feedback signals containing information regarding tool conditions. For example, logic component 224 can be configured to process pressure and position signals from pressure transducers and position sensors throughout the EST, a weight on bit (WOB) signal from a sensor measuring the load on the drill bit, and/or a pressure signal from a sensor measuring the pressure difference across the drill bit. In a preferred embodiment, logic component 224 is programmed to intelligently operate valve motors 160, 162, and 164 to control the valve positions, based at least in part upon one or both of two different properties—pressure and displacement. From pressure information the control system can determine and control the thrust acting upon the EST body. From displacement information, the control system can determine and control the speed of the EST. In particular, logic component 224 can control the valve motors in response to (1) the differential pressure of fluid in the rear and front chambers of the propulsion cylinders and in the entrance to the failsafe valve, (2) the positions of the annular pistons with respect to the propulsion cylinders, or (3) both.
The actual command logic and software for controlling the tractor will depend on the desired performance characteristics of the tractor and the environment in which the tractor is to be used. Once the performance characteristics are determined, it is believed that one skilled in the art can readily determine the desired logical sequences and software for the controller. It is believed that the structure and methods disclosed herein offer numerous advantages over the prior art, regardless of the performance characteristics and software selected. Accordingly, while a prototype of the invention uses a particular software program (developed by Halliburton Company of Dallas, Tex.), it is believed that a wide variety of software could be used to operate the system.
Pressure transducers 182, 184, 186, 188, and 190 may be provided on the tool to measure the differential fluid pressure in (1) rear chambers 166 and 170, (2) front chambers 168 and 172, (3) rear chambers 174 and 178, (4) front chambers 176 and 180, and (5) in the entrance to failsafe valve 150, respectively. These pressure transducers send electrical signals to logic component 224, which are proportional to the differential fluid pressure sensed. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 4A-F, displacement sensors 192 and 194 may be provided on the tool to measure the positions of the annular pistons with respect to the propulsion cylinders. In the illustrated embodiment, sensor 192 measures the axial position of piston 140 with respect to cylinder 110, and sensor 194 measures the axial position of piston 144 with respect to cylinder 112. Sensors 192 and 194 can also be positioned on pistons 140 and 146, or additional displacement sensors can be provided if desired.
Rotary accelerometers or potentiometers are preferably provided to measure the rotation of the motors. By monitoring the rotation of the motors, the positions of the motorized valves 154, 156, and 158 can be determined. Like the signals from the pressure transducers and displacement sensors, the signals from the rotary accelerometers or potentiometers are fed back to logic component 224 for controlling the valve positions.
Detailed Structure of the EST
The major subassemblies of the EST are the aft section, the control assembly, and the forward section. Referring to
The forward section is structurally nearly identical to the aft section, with the exceptions that the components are inverted in order and the forward section does not include an aft transition housing. The forward section comprises shaft 124, forward propulsion cylinders 112 and 114, connectors 126 and 128, and forward packerfoot 106. The forward section includes a central conduit for transporting drilling fluid supply to the drill bit. The forward section also includes passages for fluid flow between control assembly 102 and forward packerfoot 106 and forward propulsion cylinders 112 and 114. The forward section further includes at least one passage for wires for transmission of electrical signals between the ground surface, control assembly 102, and the bottom hole assembly. A connector 129 is attached to the forward end of the forward section, for connecting shaft 124 to downhole components such as the bottom hole assembly, as known in the art.
Control Assembly
Referring to
The first component of control assembly 102 is aft transition unit 90. Aft transition housing 131 is shown in
It will be appreciated that the components of the EST include numerous passages for transporting drilling fluid and electrical wires through the tool. Aft transition housing 131 includes several longitudinal bores which comprise a portion of these passages. Lengthwise passage 202 transports the drilling fluid supply (from the drill string) downhole. As shown in
As shown in
A motor mount plate 250, shown in
As shown in
Referring still to
One embodiment of diffuser 148 is shown in
Referring to
Vent 300 of valve body 294 permits fluid to be exhausted from passage 298 to annulus 40. The ports of valve body 294 fluidly communicate with one another depending upon the position of spool 292.
As mentioned above, failsafe valve 150 permits fluid to flow into the galley 155 of valve unit 96. The desired volume flowrate into galley 155 depends upon the tractor size and activity to be performed, and is summarized in the table below. The below-listed ranges of values are the flowrates (in gallons per minute) through valve 150 into galley 155 for milling, drilling, tripping into an open or cased borehole, for various EST diameters. The flowrate into galley 155 depends upon the dimensions of the failsafe valve body and ports.
If desired, the stroke length of failsafe valve 150 may be limited to a 1/8 inch stroke (from its closed to open positions), to minimize the burden on relief valve 152. The failsafe valve spool's stroke is limited by the compression of spring 151. For an EST having a diameter of 3.375 inches, this stroke results in a maximum volume flowrate of approximately 12 gallons per minute from diffuser exit 238 to galley 155, with an average flowrate of approximately 8 gallons per minute. The volume flowrate capacity of failsafe valve 150 is preferably significantly more than, and preferably twice, that of propulsion valves 154 and 156, to assure sufficient flow to operate the tool.
In the illustrated embodiment, propulsion valves 156 and 158 are identical, and packerfoot valve 154 is structurally similar. In particular, as shown in
It will be appreciated that the volume flowrate of drilling fluid into aft propulsion cylinders 108 and 110 can be precisely controlled by controlling the axial position of valve spool 304 within valve body 306. The volume flowrate of fluid through any given fluid port of body 306 depends upon the extent to which a large diameter segment 309 of spool 304 blocks the port.
FIGS. 43A-C illustrate this concept.
In
Valve spool 304 preferably includes at least two, advantageously between two and eight, and more preferably three, notches 312 on the edges of the large diameter segments 309. As shown in
The valve spools can also have alternative configurations. For example, the segments 309 may have a single region of smaller diameter at their axial ends, to provide an annular flow conduit for the drilling fluid. In other embodiments, the spools can be provided with a multiplicity of steps and shapes that would allow different mudflow rates through the EST. For example, multiple steps 550 can be provided as shown in
Although the above-described spool configurations can be used to provide different flowrate regulation capabilities, the notched configuration of
Of significance in the design for the spool valves is the radial clearance between the valve body and spool. The clearance is preferably made sufficiently large to resist potential plugging by large particles in the drilling fluid, but sufficiently small to prevent leakage which could inhibit control of the EST. This behavior is attributable to the tendency of some muds (especially those containing barite) to bridge or seal small openings. The clearance is sized within the typical operational characteristics of most drilling fluids. Preferably, the clearance is about 0.0006-0023 inches.
As mentioned above, the configuration of valves 154, 156, and 158 permits precise control over the volume flowrate of fluid to propulsion cylinders 108, 110, 112, and 114 and packerfeet 104 and 106. In the illustrated embodiment of the EST, the volume flowrate of fluid to the propulsion cylinders can be more precisely controlled and maintained at any flowrate to a minimum of preferably 0.6 gallons per minute, more preferably 0.06 gallons per minute, and even more preferably 0.006 gallons per minute, corresponding to fluid flow only through the notches 312. The ability to control and maintain a substantially constant volume flowrate at such small flow levels permits the EST to operate at slow speeds. For an EST having a diameter of 3.375 inches, the stroke length of the propulsion valve spools is preferably limited so that the maximum volume flowrate into the propulsion cylinders is approximately 0-9 gallons per minute. Preferably, the maximum stroke length from the closed position shown in
As mentioned above, packerfoot valve 154 and aft and forward propulsion valves 156 and 158 are controlled by motors. In a preferred embodiment, the structural configuration which permits the motors to communicate with the valves is similar for each motorized valve. Thus, only that of aft propulsion valve 156 is described herein.
Inside leadscrew housing 318, motor 162 is coupled to a leadscrew 322 via motor coupling 320, so that torque output from the motor causes leadscrew 322 to rotate. A bearing 324 is provided to maintain leadscrew 322 along the center axis of housing 318, which is aligned with aft propulsion valve spool 304 in valve housing 134. Leadscrew 322 is threadingly engaged with a leadscrew nut 326. A longitudinal key 325 on leadscrew nut 326 engages a longitudinal slot 328 in leadscrew housing 318. This restricts nut 326 from rotating with respect to leadscrew housing 318, thereby causing nut 326 to rotate along the threads of leadscrew 322. Thus, rotation of leadscrew 322 causes axial translation of nut 326 along leadscrew 322. A stem 330 is attached to the forward end of nut 326. Stem 330 extends forward through annular restriction 333, which separates oil in motor housing 132 from drilling fluid in valve housing 134. The drilling fluid is sealed from the oil via a tee seal 332 in restriction 333. The forward end of stem 330 is attached to valve spool 304 via a spool bolt 336 and split retainer 338. Stem 330 is preferably relatively thin and flexible so that it can compensate for any misalignment between the stem and the valve spool.
Thus, it can be seen that torque output from the motors is converted into axial translation of the valve spools via leadscrew assemblies as described above. The displacement of the valve spools is monitored by constantly measuring the rotation of the motors. Preferably, rotary accelerometers or potentiometers are built into the motor cartridges to measure the rotation of the motors, as known in the art. The electrical signals from the accelerometers or potentiometers can be transmitted back to logic component 224 via electrical wires 536 and 538 (
Preferably, motors 160, 162, and 164 are stepper motors, which require fewer wires. Advantageously, stepper motors are brushless. If, in contrast, brush-type motors are used, filaments from the breakdown of the metal brushes may render the oil electrically conductive. Importantly, stepper motors can be instructed to rotate a given number of steps, facilitating precise control of the valves. Each motor cartridge may include a gearbox to generate enough torque and angular velocity to turn the leadscrew at the desired rate. The motor gear box assembly should be able to generate desirably at least 5 pounds, more desirably at least 10 pounds, and even more desirably at least 50 pounds of force and angular velocity of at least 75-180 rpm output. The motors are preferably configured to rotate 12 steps for every complete revolution of the motor output shafts. Further, for an EST having a diameter of 3.375 inches, the motor, gear box, and accelerometer assembly desirably has a diameter no greater than 0.875 inches (and preferably 0.75 inches) and a length no longer than 3.05 inches. A suitable motor is product no. DF7-A sold by CD Astro Intercorp, Inc. of Deerfield, Fla.
In order to optimally control the speed and thrust of the EST, it is desirable to know the relationships between the angular positions of the motor shafts and the flowrates through the valves to the propulsion cylinders. Such relationships depend upon the cross-sectional areas of the flow restrictions acting on the fluid flows through the valves, and thus upon the dimensions of the spools, valve bodies, and fluid ports of the valve bodies. Such relationships also depend upon the thread pitch of the leadscrews. In a preferred embodiment, the leadscrews have about 8-32 threads per inch.
Inside motor housing 132, bores 240, 242, and 244 contain the motors as well as electrical wires extending rearward to electronics unit 92. For optimal performance, these bores are preferably filled with an electrically nonconductive fluid, to reduce the risk of ineffective electrical transmission through the wires. Also, since the pressure of the motor chambers is preferably equalized to the pressure of annulus 40 via a pressure compensation piston (as described below), such fluid preferably has a relatively low compressibility, to minimize the longitudinal travel of the compensation piston. A preferred fluid is oil, since the compressibility of oil is much less than that of air. At the aft end of motor housing 132, these bores are fluidly open to the space surrounding pressure transducer manifold 222. Thus, the outer ends of pressure transducers 182, 184, 186, 188, and 190 are also exposed to oil.
When the EST is removed from a borehole, drilling fluid residue is likely to remain within passage 246 of motor housing 132. As shown in
Referring to FIGS. 44A-B, the leadscrew assemblies for the motorized valves contain drilling fluid from annulus 40. Such fluid enters the leadscrew assemblies via the exhaust vents in the valve bodies, and surrounds portions of the valve spools and stems 330 forward of annular restrictions 333. As mentioned above, the chambers rearward of restrictions 333 are filled with oil. In order to move the valve spools, the motors must produce sufficient torque to overcome (1) the pressure difference between the drilling fluid and the oil, and (2) the seal friction caused by tee seals 332. Since the fluid pressure in annulus 40 can be as high as 16,000 psi, the oil pressure is preferably equalized with the fluid pressure in annulus 40 so that the pressure difference across seals 332 is zero. Absent such oil pressure compensation, the motors would have to work extremely hard to advance the spools against the high pressure drilling fluid. A significant pressure difference can cause the motors to stall. Further, if the pressure difference across seals 332 is sufficiently high, the seals would have to be very tight to prevent fluid flow across the seals. However, if the seals were very tight they would hinder and, probably, prevent movement of the stems 330 and hence the valve spools.
With reference to
In a preferred embodiment, control assembly 102 is substantially cylindrical with a diameter of about 3.375 inches and a length of about 46.7 inches. Housings 130, 131, 132, 134, and 136 are preferably constructed of a high strength material, to prevent erosion caused by exposure to harsh drilling fluids such as calcium bromide or cesium formate muds. In general, the severity and rate of erosion depends on the velocity of the drilling fluid to which the material is exposed, the solid material within the fluid, and the angle at which the fluid strikes a surface. In operation, the control assembly housings are exposed to drilling mud velocities of 0 to 55 feet per second, with typical mean operating speeds of less than 30 feet per second (except within the valves). Under these conditions, a suitable material for the control assembly housings is Stabaloy, particularly Stabaloy AG 17. In the valves, mud flow velocities can be as high as 150 feet per second. Thus, the valves and valve bodies are preferably formed from an even more erosion-resistant material, such as tungsten carbide, Ferro-Tec (a proprietary steel formed of titanium carbide and available from Alloy Technologies International, Inc. of West Nyack, N.Y.), or similar materials. The housings and valves may be constructed from other materials, giving due consideration to the goal of resisting erosion.
Shaft Assemblies
In a preferred embodiment, the aft and forward shaft assemblies are structurally similar. Thus, only the aft shaft assembly is herein described in detail.
Connectors 120 and 122 may be attached to packerfoot 104 and cylinders 108 and 110 via threaded engagement, to provide high-pressure integrity and avoid using a multiplicity of bolts or screws. Tapers may be provided on the leading edges of connectors 120 and 122 and seal cap 123 attached to the forward end of cylinder 110. Such tapers help prevent the assembly from getting caught against sharp surfaces such as milled casing passages.
A plurality of elongated rotation restraints 364 are preferably attached onto shaft 118, which prevent packerfoot 104 from rotating with respect to the shaft. Restraints 364 are preferably equally spaced about the circumference of shaft 118, and can be attached via bolts as shown. Preferably four restraints 364 are provided. Packerfoot 104 is configured to engage the restraints 364 so as to prevent rotation of the packerfoot with respect to the shaft, as described in greater detail below.
As shown in
With reference to
With reference to
In a preferred embodiment, some of the components of the EST are formed from a flexible material, so that the overall flexibility of the tool is increased. Also, the components of the tool are preferably non-magnetic, since magnetic materials can interfere with the performance of magnetic displacement sensors. Of course, if magnetic displacement sensors are not used, then magnetic materials are not problematic. A preferred material is copper-beryllium (CuBe) or CuBe alloy, which has trace amounts of nickel and iron. This material is non-magnetic and has high strength and a low tensile modulus. With reference to
In a preferred embodiment, each shaft is about 12 feet long, and the total length of the EST is about 32 feet. Preferably, the propulsion cylinders are about 25.7 inches long and 3.13 inches in diameter. Connectors 120, 122, 126, and 128 are preferably smaller in diameter than the propulsion cylinders and packerfeet at their center. The connectors desirably have a diameter of no more than 2.75 inches and, preferably, no more than 2.05 inches. This results in regions of the EST that are more flexible than the propulsion cylinders and control assembly 102. Consequently, most of the flexing of the EST occurs within the connectors and shafts. In one embodiment, the EST can turn up to 60° per 100 feet of drilled arc.
Shafts 118 and 124 can be constructed according to several different methods. One method is diffusion bonding, wherein each shaft comprises an inner shaft and an outer shaft, as shown in
The inner and outer shafts 480 and 482 may be formed by a co-extrusion process. Shafts 480 and 482 are preferably made from CuBe alloy and annealed with a “drill string” temper process (annealing temper and thermal aging) that provides excellent mechanical properties (tensile modulus of 110,000-130,000 psi, and elongation of 8-10% at room temperature). The inner and outer shafts are then diffusion bonded together. Accordingly, the shafts are coated with silver, and the inner shaft is placed inside the outer shaft. The assembly is internally pressurized, externally constrained, and heated to approximately 1500° F. The CuBe shafts expand under heat to form a tight fit. Heat also causes the silver to diffuse into the CuBe material, forming the diffusion bond. Experiments on short pieces of diffusion-bonded shafts have demonstrated pressure integrity within the several passages. Also, experiments with short pieces have demonstrated diffusion bond shear strengths of 42,000 to 49,000 psi.
After the shafts are bonded together, the assembly is electrolitically chrome-plated to increase the life of the seals on the shaft. Special care is made to minimize the thickness of the chrome to allow both long life and shaft flexibility. The use of diffusion bonding permits the unique geometry shown in
Alternatively, other materials and constructions can be used. For example, Monel or titanium alloys can be used with appropriate welding methods. Monel is an acceptable material because of its non-magnetic characteristics. However, Monel's high modulus of elasticity or Young's Modulus tends to restrict turning radius of the tractor to less than 40° per 100 feet of drilled arc. Titanium is an acceptable material because of its non-magnetic characteristics, such as high tensile strength and low Young's modulus (compared to steel). However, titanium welds are known to have relatively short fatigue life when subjected to drilling environments.
In another method of constructing shafts 118 and 124, the longitudinal wire and fluid passages are formed by “gun-drilling,” a well-known process used for drilling long holes. Advantages of gun-drilling include moderately lower torsional and bending stiffness than the diffusion-bonded embodiment, and lower cost since gun-drilling is a more developed art. When gun-drilling a hole, the maximum length and accuracy of the hole depends upon the hole diameter. The larger the hole diameter, the longer and more accurately the hole can be gun-drilled. However, since the shafts have a relatively small diameter and have numerous internal passages, too great a hole diameter may result in inability of the shafts to withstand operational bending and torsion loads. Thus, in selecting an appropriate hole diameter, the strength of the shaft must be balanced against the ability to gun-drill long, accurate holes.
The shaft desirably has a diameter of 1-3.5 inches and a fluid supply passage of preferably 0.6-1.75 inches in diameter, and more preferably at least 0.99 inches in diameter. In a preferred embodiment of the EST, the shaft diameter is 1.746-1.748 inches, and the diameter of fluid supply passage 202 is 1 inch. For an EST having a diameter of 3.375 inches, the shafts are designed to survive the stresses resulting from the combined loads of 1000 ft-lbs of torque, pulling-thrusting load up to 6500 pounds, and bending of 60° per 100 feet of travel. Under these constraints, a suitable configuration is shown in
The welded shaft is then preferably thermally annealed to have desired physical properties, which include a tensile modulus of approximately 19,000,000 psi, tensile strength of approximately 110,000-130,000 psi, and elongation of about 8-12%. The shaft can be baked at 1430° F. for 1-8 hours depending upon the desired characteristics. Details of post-weld annealing methods are found in literature about CuBe. After the thermal annealing step, the welded shaft is then finished, machined, ground, and chrome-plated.
Packerfeet
The ends of bladder assembly 404 are preferably configured to move longitudinally toward each other to enhance radial expansion of bladder 406 as it is inflated. In the illustrated embodiment, aft end 416 of assembly 404 is fixed to mandrel 400, and forward end 417 is slidably engaged with segment 418 of mandrel 400. This permits forward end 417 to slide toward aft end 416 as the packerfoot is inflated, thereby increasing the radial expansion of bladder 406. The EST's packerfeet are designed to traverse holes up to 10% larger than the drill bit without losing traction. For example, a typical drill bit size, and the associated drilled hole, is 3.75 inches in diameter. A correspondingly sized packerfoot can traverse a 4.1 inch diameter hole. Similarly, a 4.5-inch diameter hole will be traversed with a packerfoot that has an expansion capability to a minimum of 5.0 inches. Further, the slidable connection of bladder assembly 404 with segment 418 tends to prevent the fibers in bladder 406 from overstraining, since the bladder tends not to stretch as much. Alternatively, the bladder assembly can be configured so that its forward end is fixed to the mandrel and its aft can slide toward the forward end. However, this may cause the bladder to undesirably expand when pulling the tractor upward out of a borehole, which can cause the tractor to “stick” to the borehole walls. Splines 419 on the forward end of assembly 404 engage grooves inside connector 420 so that end 417 cannot rotate with respect to mandrel 400.
One or more fluid ports 428 are provided along a length of mandrel 400, which communicate with the interior of bladder 406. Ports 428 are preferably arranged about the circumference of mandrel 400, so that fluid is introduced uniformly throughout the bladder interior. Fluid from aft packerfoot passage 210 reaches bladder 406 by flowing through ports 378 in shaft 118 (
In a preferred embodiment, bladder 406 is constructed of high strength fibers and rubber in a special orientation that maximizes strength, radial expansion, and fatigue life. The rubber component may be nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) or a tetra-fluor-ethylene (TFE) rubber, such as the rubber sold under the trade name AFLAS™. NBR is preferred for use with invert muds (muds that have greater diesel oil content by volume than water). AFLAS™ material is preferred for use with some specialized drilling fluids, such as calcium formate muds. Other additives may be added to the rubber to improve abrasion resistance or reduce hysterisis, such as carbon, oil, plasticizers, and various coatings including bonded Teflon type materials.
High strength fibers are included within the bladder, such as S-glass, E-glass, Kevlar (polyamides), and various graphites. The preferred material is S-glass because of its high strength (530,000 psi) and high elongation (5-6%), resulting in greatly improved fatigue life compared to previous designs. For instance, if the fatigue life criterion for the bladders is that the working strain will remain below approximately 25-35% of the ultimate strain of the fibers, previous designs were able to achieve about 7400 cycles of inflation. In contrast, the expected life of the bladders of the present invention under combined loading is estimated to be over 25,000 cycles. Advantageously, more inflation cycles results in increased operational downhole time and lower rig costs.
The fibers are advantageously arranged in multiple layers, a cross-ply pattern. The fibers are preferably oriented at angles of ±α relative to the longitudinal axis of the tractor, where α is preferably between 0° and 45°, more preferably between 7° and 30°, even more preferably between 15° and 20°, and most preferably about 15°. This allows maximal radial expansion without excessive bulging of the bladder into the regions between the packerfoot toes, described below. It also allows optimal fatigue life by the criterion described above.
When bladder 406 is inflated to engage a borehole wall 42, it is desirable that the bladder not block the uphole return flow of drilling fluid and drill cuttings in annulus 40. To prevent this, elongated toes 430 are bonded or otherwise attached to the outer surface of the rubber bladder 406, as shown in
A protective shield of plastic or metal may be placed in front of the leading edge of the packerfoot, to channel the annulus fluid flow up onto the inflated packerfoot and thereby protect the leading edge of the bladder from erosion by the fluid and its particulate contents.
The figures show one embodiment of an aft flextoe packerfoot 440. Since the forward flextoe packerfoot is structurally similar to aft flextoe packerfoot 440, it is not described herein. The major components of aft flextoe packerfoot 440 comprise a mandrel 434, fixed endpiece 436, two dowel pin assemblies 438, two jam nuts 442, shuttle 444, spline endpiece 446, spacer tube 448, connector 450, four bladders 452, four bladder covers 454, and four flextoes 456.
With reference to
Referring to
Referring to
Spline end piece 446 is secured to mandrel 434 via bolts extending into threaded holes 472. At the point of attachment, the inner diameter of end piece 446 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of mandrel 434. Rear of the point of attachment, the inner diameter of end piece 446 is slightly larger, so that shuttle 444 can slide within end piece 446. End piece 446 also has longitudinal grooves in its inner diameter, which receive splines 470 on the outer surface of shuttle 444. This prevents shuttle 470, and hence the forward ends of the flextoes 456, from rotating with respect to mandrel 434. Thus, since both the forward and aft ends of flextoes 456 are prevented from rotating with respect to mandrel 434, the flextoes substantially prevent the tool from rotating or twisting when the packerfoot is engaged with the borehole wall.
In the same manner as described above with regard to mandrel 400 of packerfoot 104, mandrel 434 of flextoe packerfoot 440 has grooves on its internal surface to slidably engage rotation restraints 364 on aft shaft 118. Thus, mandrel 434 can slide longitudinally, but cannot rotate, with respect to shaft 118. Restraints 364 transmit torque from shaft 118 to a borehole wall 42. The components of packerfoot 440 are preferably constructed of a flexible, non-magnetic material such as CuBe. Flextoes 456 may include roughened outer surfaces for improved traction against a borehole wall.
The spacer tube 448 is used as an adapter to allow interchangeability of the Flextoe packerfoot 440 and the previous described packerfoot 104 (
For both the non-flextoe and flextoe embodiments, the packerfeet are preferably positioned near the extreme ends of the EST, to enhance the tool's ability to traverse underground voids. The packerfeet are preferably about 39 inches long. The metallic parts of the packerfeet are preferably made of CuBe alloy, but other non-magnetic materials can be used.
During use, the packerfeet (all of the above-described embodiments, i.e.,
Those in the art will understand that fluid seals are preferably provided throughout the EST, to prevent drilling fluid leakage that could render the tool inoperable. For example, the propulsion cylinders and packerfeet are preferably sealed to prevent leakage to annulus 40. Annular pistons 140, 142, 144, and 146 are preferably sealed to prevent fluid flow between the rear and front chambers of the propulsion cylinders. The interfaces between the various housings of control assembly 102 and the flanges of shafts 118 and 124 are preferably sealed to prevent leakage. Compensation piston 248 is sealed to fluidly separate the oil in electronics housing 130 and motor housing 132 from drilling fluid in annulus 40. Various other seals are also provided throughout the tractor. Suitable seals include rubber O-rings, tee seals, or specialized elastomeric seals. Suitable seal materials include AFLAS™ or NBR rubber.
Sensors
As mentioned above, the control algorithm for controlling motorized valves 154, 156, and 158 is preferably based at least in part upon (1) pressure signals from pressure transducers 182, 184, 186, 188, and 190 (
The pressure transducers measure differential pressure between the various fluid passages and annulus 40. When pressure information from the above-listed pressure transducers is combined with the differential pressure across the differential pressure sub for the downhole motor, the speed can be controlled between 0.25-2000 feet per hour. That is, the tractor can maintain speeds of 0.25 feet per hour, 2000 feet per hour, and intermediate speeds as well. In a preferred embodiment, such speeds can be maintained for as long as required and, essentially, indefinitely so long as the tractor does not encounter an obstruction which will not permit the tractor to move at such speeds. Differential pressure information is especially useful for control of relatively higher speeds such as those used while tripping into and out of a borehole (250-1000 feet per hour), fast controlled drilling (5-150 feet per hour), and short trips (30-1000 feet per hour). The EST can sustain speeds within all of these ranges. Suitable pressure transducers for the EST are Product No. 095A201A, manufactured and sold by Industrial Sensors and Instruments Incorporated, located in Roundrock, Tex. These pressure transducers are rated for 15000 psi operating pressure and 2500 psid differential pressure.
The position of the annular pistons of the propulsion cylinders can be measured using any of a variety of suitable sensors, including Hall Effect transducers, MIDIM (mirror image differential induction-amplitude magnetometer, sold by Dinsmore Instrument Co., Flint, Mich.) devices, conventional magnetometers, Wiegand sensors, and other magnetic and distance-sensitive devices. If magnetic displacement sensors are used, then the components of the EST are preferably constructed of non-magnetic materials which will not interfere with sensor performance. Suitable materials are CuBe and Stabaloy. Magnetic materials can be used if non-magnetic sensors are utilized.
For example, displacement of aft piston 142 can be measured by locating a MIDIM in connector 122 and a small magnetic source in piston 142. The MIDIM transmits an electrical signal to logic component 224 which is inversely proportional to the distance between the MIDIM and the magnetic source. As piston 142 moves toward the MIDIM, the signal increases, thus providing an indication of the relative longitudinal positions of piston 142 and the MIDIM. Of course, this provides an indication of the relative longitudinal positions of aft packerfoot 104 and the tractor body, i.e., the shafts and control assembly 102. In addition, displacement information is easily converted into speed information by measuring displacement at different time intervals.
Another type of displacement sensor which can be used is a Wiegand sensor. In one embodiment, a wheel is provided on one of the annular pistons in a manner such that the wheel rotates as the piston moves axially within one of the propulsion cylinders. The wheel includes two small oppositely charged magnets positioned on opposite sides of the wheel's outer circumference. In other words, the magnets are separated by 180°. The Wiegand sensor senses reversals in polarity of the two magnets, which occurs every time the wheel rotates 180°. For every reversal in polarity, the sensor sends an electric pulse signal to logic component 224. When piston 142 moves axially within cylinder 110, causing the wheel to rotate, the Wiegand sensor transmits a stream of electric pulses for every 180° rotation of the wheel. The position of the piston 142 with respect to the propulsion cylinder can be determined by monitoring the number of pulses and the direction of piston travel. The position can be calculated from the wheel diameter, since each pulse corresponds to one half of the wheel circumference.
FIGS. 77A-C illustrate one embodiment of a Wiegand sensor assembly. As shown, annular piston 142 includes recesses 574 and 576 in its outer surface. Recess 574 is sized and configured to receive a wheel assembly 560, shown in
Those skilled in the art will understand that the relevant displacement information can be obtained by measuring the displacement of any desired location on the EST body (shafts 118, 124, control assembly 102) with respect to each of the packerfeet 104 and 106. A convenient method is to measure the displacement of the annular pistons (which are fixed to shafts 118 and 124) with respect to the propulsion cylinders or connectors (which are fixed with respect to the packerfeet). In one embodiment, the displacement of piston 142 is measured with respect to connector 122. Alternatively, the displacement of piston 142 can be measured with respect to an internal wall of propulsion cylinder 110 or to control assembly 102. The same information is obtained by measuring the displacement of piston 140. Those skilled in the art will understand that it is sufficient to measure the position of only one of pistons 140 and 142, and only one of pistons 144 and 146, relative to packerfeet 104 and 106, respectively.
Electronics Configuration
A pair of wires 508 permits electrical communication between electronics package 224 and the aft displacement sensor, such as a Wiegand sensor as shown. Similarly, a pair of wires 510 permits communication between package 224 and the forward displacement sensor as well. Wires 508 and 510 transmit position signals from the sensors to package 224. Another RS 232 bus 512 extends from package 224 downhole to communicate with the bottom hole assembly. Wire 512 transmits signals from downhole sensors, such as weight on bit and differential pressure across the drill bit, to package 224. Another pair of 30 volt wires 514 extend from package 224 downhole to communicate with and provide power to the bottom hole assembly.
A 29-pin connector 213 is provided for communication between electronics package 224 and the motors and pressure transducers of control assembly 102. The signals from the five pressure transducers may be calibrated by calibration resistors 515. Alternatively, the calibration resistors may be omitted. Wires 516 and 518 and wire pairs 520, 522, 524, 526, and 528 are provided for reading electronic pressure signals from the pressure transducers, in a manner known in the art. Wires 516 and 518 extend to each of the resistors 515, each of which is connected via four wires to one pressure transducer. Wire pairs 520, 522, 524, 526, and 528 extend to the resistors 515 and pressure transducers.
Wire foursomes 530, 532, and 534 extend to motors 164, 162, and 160, respectively, which are controlled in a manner known to those skilled in the art. Three wires 536 and a wire 538 extend to the rotary accelerometers 531 of the motors for transmitting motor feedback to electronics package 224 in a manner known to those skilled in the art. In particular, each wire 536 extends to one accelerometer, for a positive signal. Wire 538 is a common ground and is connected to all of the accelerometers. In an alternative embodiment, potentiometers may be provided in place of the rotary accelerometers. Note that potentiometers measure the rotary displacement of the motor output.
EST Performance
A particular advantage of the EST is that it can sustain both high and low speeds. Thus, the EST can be used for a variety of different activities, such as drilling, milling into a casing, tripping into a hole, and tagging bottom (all described below). The EST can sustain any speed preferably within a range of 0.25-2000 feet per hour, more preferably within a range of 10-750 feet per hour, and even more preferably within a range of 35-700 feet per hour. More importantly, the EST can sustain both fast and slow speeds, desirably less than 0.25 feet per hour and more than 2000 feet per hour. The table below lists pairs of speeds (in feet per hour), wherein a single EST or a “string” of connected ESTs (any number of which may be operating) can desirably sustain speeds less than the smaller speed of the pair and can desirably sustain speeds greater than the larger speed of the pair.
Movement of a tractor into and out of an open hole (non-cased section) at high speeds is referred to in the art as “tripping” into the hole. Tripping speeds tend to have a significant effect on the overall costs of the drill process. Faster speeds result in less operational time and less costs. Tripping speeds generally depend upon the amount of load that the tractor carries. The higher the load, the slower the maximum speed of the tractor. For example, one embodiment of an EST has a diameter of 3.375 inches and, while carrying a 9,000 pound load, can travel up to speeds preferably within a range of 0-180 feet per hour, and more preferably within a range of 120-150 feet per hour. While carrying a 3,700 pound load the same EST can travel up to speeds preferably within a range of 450-575 feet per hour, and more preferably within a range of 500-525 feet per hour. These speeds constitute a significant improvement over prior art tractors.
As mentioned above, a string of multiple tractors can be connected end to end to provide greater overall capability. For example, one tractor may be more suited for tripping, another for drilling, and another for milling. Any number and combination of tractors may be provided. Any number of the tractors may be operating, while others are deactivated. In one embodiment, a set of tractors includes a first tractor configured to move at speeds within 600-2000 feet per hour, a second tractor configured to move at speeds within 10-250 feet per hour, and a third tractor configured to move at speeds within 1-10 feet per hour. On the other hand, by providing multiple processors or a processor capable of processing the motors in parallel, a single tractor of the illustrated EST can move at speeds roughly between 10-750 feet per hour.
The EST is capable of moving continuously, due to having independently controllable propulsion cylinders and independently inflatable packerfeet.
When drilling a hole, it is desirable to drill continuously as opposed to periodically. Continuous drilling increases bit life and maximizes drilling penetration rates, thus lower drilling costs. It is also desirable to maintain a constant load on the bit. However, the physical mechanics of the drilling process make it difficult to maintain a constant load on the bit. The drill string (coiled tubing) behind the tractor tends to get caught against the hole wall in some portions of the well and then suddenly release, causing large fluctuations in load. Also, the bit may encounter variations in the hardness of the formation through which it is drilling. These and other factors may contribute to create a time-varying load on the tractor. Prior art tractors are not equipped to respond effectively to such load variations, often causing the drill bit to become damaged. This is partly because prior art tractors have their control systems located at the surface. Thus, sensor signals must travel from the tool up to the surface to be processed, and control signals must travel from the surface back down to the tool.
For example, suppose a prior art drilling tool is located 15,000 feet underground. While drilling, the tool may encounter a load variation due to a downhole obstruction such as a hard rock. In order to prevent damage to the drill bit, the tool needs to reduce drilling thrust to an acceptable level or perhaps stop entirely. With the tool control system at the surface, the time required for the tool to communicate the load variation to the control system and for the control system to process the load variation and transmit tool command signals back to the tool would likely be too long to prevent damage to the drill bit.
In contrast, the unique design of the EST permits the tractor to respond very quickly to load variations. This is partly because the EST includes electronic logic components on the tool instead of at the surface, reducing communication time between the logic, sensors, and valves. Thus, the feedback control loop is considerably faster than in prior art tools. The EST can respond to a change of weight on the bit of 100 pounds preferably within 2 seconds, more preferably within 1 second, even more preferably within 0.5 seconds, even more preferably within 0.2 seconds, and most preferably within 0.1 seconds. That is, the weight on the drill bit can preferably be changed at a rate of 100 pounds within 0.1 seconds. If that change is insufficient, the EST can continue to change the weight on the bit at a rate of 100 pounds per 0.1 seconds until a desired control setting is achieved (the differential pressure from the drilling motor is reduced, thus preventing a motor stall). For example, if the weight on the drill bit suddenly surges from 2000 lbs to 3000 lbs due to external conditions, the EST can compensate, i.e. reduce the load on the bit from 3000 lbs to 2000 lbs, in one second.
Typically, the drilling process involves placing casings in boreholes. It is often desirable to mill a hole in the casing to initiate a borehole having a horizontal component. It is also desirable to mill at extremely slow speeds, such as 0.25-4 feet per hour, to prevent sharp ends from forming in the milled casing which can damage drill string components or cause the string to get caught in the milled hole. The unique design of propulsion valves 156 and 158 coupled with the use of displacement sensors allows a single EST to mill at speeds less than 1 foot per hour, and more preferably as low as or even less than 0.25 feet per hour. Thus, appropriate milling ranges for an EST are 0.25-25 feet per hour, 0.25-10 feet per hour, and 0.25-6 feet per hour with appropriate non-barite drilling fluids.
After milling a hole in the casing, it is frequently desirable to exit the hole at a high angle turn. The EST is equipped with flexible connectors 120, 122, 126, and 128 between the packerfeet and the propulsion cylinders, and flexible shafts 118 and 124. These components have a smaller diameter than the packerfeet, propulsion cylinders, and control assembly, and are formed from a flexible material such as CuBe. Desirably, the connectors and shafts are formed from a material having a modulus of elasticity of preferably at least 29,000,000 psi, and more preferably at least 19,000,000 psi. This results in higher flexibility regions of the EST that act as hinges to allow the tractor to perform high angle turns. In one embodiment, the EST can turn at an angle up to 600 per 1100 feet of drilled arc, and can then traverse horizontal distances of up 25,000-50,000 feet.
The tractor design balances such flexibility against the desirability of having relatively long propulsion cylinders and packerfeet. It is desirable to have longer propulsion cylinders so that the stroke length of the pistons is greater. The stroke length of pistons of an EST having a diameter of 3.375 inches is preferably at least 10-20 inches, and more preferably at least 12 inches. In other embodiments, the stroke length can be as high as 60 inches. It is also desirable to have packerfeet of an appropriate length so that the tool can more effectively engage the inner surface of the borehole. The length of each packerfoot is preferably at least 15 inches, and more preferably at least 40 inches depending upon design type. As the length of the propulsion cylinders and packerfeet increase, the ability of the tool to turn at high angles decreases. The EST achieves the above-described turning capability in a design in which the total length of the propulsion chambers, control assembly, and packerfeet comprises preferably at least 50% of the total length of the EST and, in other design variations, 50%-80%, and more preferably at least 80% of the total length of the EST. Despite such flexibility, a 3.375 inch diameter EST is sufficiently strong to push or pull longitudinal loads preferably as high as 10,500 pounds.
Advantageously, one aspect of the invention is that a single EST can generate a thrust to push and/or pull various loads. The desired thrust capabilities of various sizes of the EST are summarized in the following table:
Additionally, the EST resists torsional compliance, i.e. twisting, about its longitudinal axis. During drilling, the formation exerts a reaction torque through the drill bit and into the EST body. When the aft packerfoot is engaged with the borehole and the forward packerfoot is retracted, the portion of the body forward of the aft packerfoot twists slightly. Subsequently, when the forward packerfoot becomes engaged with the borehole and the aft packerfoot is deflated, the portion of the body to the aft of the forward packerfoot tends to untwist. This causes the drill string to gradually become twisted. This also causes the body to gradually rotate about its longitudinal axis. The tool direction sensors must continuously account for such rotation. Compared to prior art tractors, the EST body is advantageously configured to significantly limit such twisting. Preferably, the shaft diameter is at least 1.75 inches and the control assembly diameter is at least 3.375 inches, for this configuration. When such an EST is subjected to a torsional load as high as 500 ft-lbs about its longitudinal axis, the shafts and control assembly twist preferably less than 50 per step of the tractor. Advantageously, the above-mentioned problems are substantially prevented or minimized. Further, the EST design includes a non-rotational engagement of the packerfeet and shafts, via rotation restraints 364 (
When initiating further drilling at the bottom of a borehole, it is desirable to “tag bottom,” before drilling. Tagging bottom involves moving at an extremely slow speed when approaching the end of the borehole, and reducing the speed to zero at the moment the drill bit reaches the end of the formation. This facilitates smooth starting of the drill bit, resulting in longer bit life, fewer trips to replace the bit, and hence lower drilling costs. The EST has superior speed control and can reverse direction to allow efficient tagging of the bottom and starting the bit. Typically, the EST will move at near maximum speed up to the last 50 feet before the bottom of the hole. Once within 50 feet, the EST speed is desirably reduced to about 12 feet per hour until within about 10 feet of the bottom. Then the speed is reduced to minimum. The tractor is then reversed and moved backward 1-2 feet, and then slowly moved forward.
When drilling horizontal holes, the cuttings from the bit can settle on the bottom of the hole. Such cuttings must be periodically be swept out by circulating drilling fluid close to the cutting beds. The EST has the capability of reversing direction and walking backward, dragging the bit whose nozzles sweep the cuttings back out.
As fluid moves through a hole, the hole wall tends to deteriorate and become larger. The EST's packerfeet are designed to traverse holes up to 10% larger than the drill bit without losing traction.
Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
This application claims priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 to, and is a continuation of, application Ser. No. 10/858,540, filed May 28, 2004, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/290,069, filed Nov. 5, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,854, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/916,478, filed Jul. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,097, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/453,996, filed Dec. 3, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,674, and under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to abandoned Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/112, 733, filed Dec. 18, 1998, abandoned Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/129,503, filed Apr. 15, 1999, and abandoned Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/168,790, filed Dec. 2, 1999. The full disclosure of each of these applications is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60112733 | Dec 1998 | US | |
| 60129503 | Apr 1999 | US | |
| 60168790 | Dec 1999 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10858540 | May 2004 | US |
| Child | 11184309 | Jul 2005 | US |
| Parent | 10290069 | Nov 2002 | US |
| Child | 10858540 | May 2004 | US |
| Parent | 09916478 | Jul 2001 | US |
| Child | 10290069 | Nov 2002 | US |
| Parent | 09453996 | Dec 1999 | US |
| Child | 09916478 | Jul 2001 | US |
