1. Field of Invention
The invention is directed to downhole abrading tools utilized in oil and gas wells to abrade objects within the well and, in particular, to tools that are used to abrade, among other objects, stuck tools, bridge plugs, well tubing, and well casing disposed within the well in which wear of the working profile of the tool is monitored by the detection of signals being emitted from identification tags or emitters disposed on or within the working profile.
2. Description of Art
In the drilling, completion, and workover of oil and gas wells, it is common to perform work downhole in the well bore with a tool that has some sort of wearable working profile interfacing with a downhole structure. Examples include milling a downhole metal object with a milling tool, performing a washover operation with a rotary shoe, cutting through a tubular with a cutting or milling tool, or drilling through formation with a drill bit. During the performance of these operations, it is common for the working profile of the tool, such as cutting elements mounted on its lower or outer face, to wear away. As this wear progresses, the effectiveness of the tool decreases.
Generally, the tool is pulled from the well and replaced when the working profile has experienced a given amount of wear. The degree of wear at which it is desirable to replace the tool depends upon the type of tool and the operation being performed. Often, the decision as to when to pull the tool depends substantially on the experience of the operator. That is, the operator must estimate the amount of tool wear based on whatever is known about the time the operation has been underway, the weight on the tool, the type of downhole structure being worked, the cuttings found in the drilling fluid, or a gradual change in work string torque. None of these parameters, however, provides a definitive indication that the wear in the working profile has progressed to a specific degree at which the operator desires to pull the tool from the well. Pulling a tool prematurely adds unnecessary trips out of the well, adding to rig time and increased costs. Pulling the tool too late gradually decreases the effectiveness of the downhole operation, also adding to rig time and increasing the cost of the operation.
Broadly, the inventions are directed to downhole abrading tools utilized in cutting or abrading objects disposed within the well. The term “object” encompasses any physical structure that may be disposed within a well, for example, another tool that is stuck within the well, a bridge plug, the well tubing, the well casing, or the formation itself.
The downhole abrading tools disclosed herein comprise a working profile, a detector, and a relay module. The working profile includes one or more identification tags disposed within the working profile, e.g., the matrix disposed at the cutting end of the tool, or on the outer surface of the working profile. The detector senses or detects one or more signals being emitted by the identification tag(s) and informs the relay module of the condition of the one or more signals. The relay module, in turn, transmits the condition of the one or more signals to the operator of the tool located at the surface of the wellbore.
The detector is calibrated to receive the signal(s) being emitted by the identification tag(s) and to transmit this information to the relay module. The relay module, in turn, transmits the information to the operator. Depending on the condition of the signal(s), the operator is able to monitor the progression of wear on the working profile.
In one particular embodiment, a single signal is emitted by one or more identification tags such that a decrease in the strength or intensity of the single signal indicates to the operator that the working profile is being worn. In general, the decrease in the strength or intensity of the single signal occurs due to the identification tag(s) being destroyed during the cutting process, being removed from the working profile and carried away from the detector during the cutting process, or a combination of these two scenarios.
In other embodiments, one or more identification tags emit different signals that are detected by the detector. The absence of a first signal indicates a first condition of the working profile, and the absence of the a second signal indicates a second condition of the working profile. Thus, in these embodiments, specific areas of wear of the working profile can be monitored by the operator.
While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to
Tool 20 includes mill 19, detector 15, and relay module 17. Identification emitter detector 15 is in close proximity to mill 19. As shown in
Relay module 17 can be any relay module known in the art. For example, relay module 17 can be one or more of the modules disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,591,314 which, by reference herein, is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Detector 15 and relay module 17 can be powered by any power source known in the art, including, but not limited to, Bi-Directional Communication Power Modules available from Baker Hughes Incorporated located in Houston, Tex. such as those disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,086 which, by reference herein, is incorporated herein in its entirety.
As illustrated in
Passage 26 is disposed longitudinally within body 20 to permit drilling fluid to flow through downhole abrading tool 20. Accordingly, drilling fluid (not shown) flows from equipment (not shown) located at surface 11, through drill string 16, through passage 26, and through drilling fluid nozzles 28 (shown in dashed lines) into well environment 18 (
Cutting end 23 includes abrading matrix 29 formed of an abrading material, such as hardfacing or other cutting material known in the art, having one or more identification tags 30 disposed or embedded therein. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more identification tags 30 can be disposed on an outer surface of cutting end 23 such as being placed directly on the outer surface of cutting end 23 or by including identification tag(s) 30 on or as part of a cutting element affixed to the cutting end. Each identification tag 30 may be, for example, a radio-frequency tag, a radioactive material, or other device or material that emits a signal that can be detected by detector 15. Thus, examples of such signals include, but are not limited to radio frequency or radioactivity. As abrading matrix 29 is worn away due to excessive wear on cutting end 23 of downhole abrading tool 20, one or more identification tags 30 is released from abrading matrix 29 into well environment 18 and, thus, into the drilling fluid where it is carried away from detector 15. Alternatively, or in addition, one or more identification tags 30 is destroyed such that the signal(s) previously being emitted by identification tags 30 is/are no longer being emitted and, thus, detected by detector 15.
Removal and/or destruction of identification tag(s) 30 causes a change in the signal(s) being emitted by identification tag(s) 30 and, thus, being detected by detector 15. The removal and/or destruction of identification tag(s) 30 can alter the signal(s) due to a lessening of the intensity of a combined identical signal being emitted by each of identification tags 30, or by no longer detecting a specific signal being emitted by a specific identification tag 30, or a combination of both, or through any other method in which removal or destruction of a previously emitting identification tag 30 causes a change in a signal condition such as from a baseline signal or signals being sensed by detector 15.
Upon detector 15 sensing the change in the signal or signals being emitted by one or more identification tags 30, detector 15 transmits or relays the change of the signal(s) to relay module 17 which, through methods known in the art, transmits or communicates the change in signal condition to the operator at surface location 11. Thus, detector 15 is operatively associated with relay module 17 which, in turn, is operatively associated with equipment located at surface location 11. As a result, detection of the removal and/or destruction of one or more identification tags 30, which indicate to the operator certain characteristics of the wear of cutting end 23, can be relayed to the operator in “real-time,” i.e., within a few minutes of the removal or destruction of the one or more identification tags 30, and well before a released identification tag 30 could flow to surface location 11. Thus, detection of a change in one or more signals being emitted by one or more identification tags 30 provides an indication that downhole abrading tool 20 has experienced wear. Therefore, the operator can decide whether to remove downhole abrading tool 20 from well 10 to replace it with a new downhole abrading tool 20, or replace mill 19 with a new mill, or whether milling operations can proceed.
In one specific embodiment, identification tags 30 may be formed integral with the abrading material that forms abrading matrix 29. In other words, in this embodiment, identification tags 30 are embedded or disposed within abrading matrix 29 during the formation of abrading matrix 29.
As shown in
Various combinations of the different types of identification tags 30 can be used to better educate the operator as to the location of the wear on cutting end 23 as well as the degree of wear occurring at various locations of cutting end 23. For example, identification tags 30 comprising RFID tags emitting a first signal can be released if wear occurs on the outer portions of abrading matrix 29 and identification tags 30 comprising having RFID tags emitting a second signal may be released if wear occurs on the center portion of abrading matrix 29. Similarly, every RFID tag may emit a different signal that corresponds to a specific location within abrading matrix 29 or on cutting end 23. In this specific embodiment, the absence of the specific signal being emitted by the specific RFID tag due to its removal or destruction would indicate to the operator the exact location in abrading matrix 29 or on cutting end 23 that has been worn.
In alternative embodiments, identification tags 30 may comprise one or more radioactive material that emits one or more radioactive signals that are sensed by detector 15. In one particular embodiment, all of the radioactive signals are identical such that removal or destruction of one or more identification tags 30 causes the combined radioactive signal to lessen. As will be recognized by persons skilled in the art, in this particular embodiment, the operator is not informed as to which portion of cutting end 23 is worn away. Therefore, in other embodiments, numerous radioactive materials, each emitting different radioactive signals, can be disposed within abrading matrix 29 or on cutting end 23 such that the absence of the particular radioactive signal due to the identification tag 30 being removed or destroyed would identify to the operator the portion or portions of cutting 23 that has been worn away.
In embodiments in which identification tag(s) 30 comprise radioactive materials, detector 15 senses or detects radioactivity levels and transmits the levels to the relay module which, in turn, transmits the levels to an operator located at surface location 11. Suitable detectors 15 for radioactive materials in downhole environments are known in the art.
In still other embodiments, to better monitor wear at specific location along or within cutting end 23, identification tags 30 can comprise a combination of RFID tags and radioactive tags and, thus, detector 15 is capable of detecting both radio frequency signals and radioactive signals.
Referring now to
As will be understood by persons skilled in the art, downhole abrading tool 20 may abrade objects in numerous different ways utilizing numerous different structurally designed heads 27 and abrading matrixes 29. For example, as shown in
This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/616,161 filed Mar. 27, 2012.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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