The present invention relates to a well tool for inductive connection to a well pipe and a well tool for inductive connection to a well tool. Moreover, the invention relates to a system for providing inductive connection between a well pipe and a well tool.
There are several known systems for communication between the topside of an oil and/or gas well and tools located further down in the oil and/or gas well. Moreover, it is known to supply such tools with electric energy from the topside.
US 2004094303 describes an inductively coupled method and apparatus for communication with wellbore equipment. Here it is shown a well pipe comprising inductive elements near or in the inner surface. The inductive elements of the well pipe are connected by means of a wire etc to the topside of the well.
A well tool comprising inductive elements in its outer surface may be lowered into the well pipe and positioned so that there is an inductive connection between the inductive elements of the tool and the inductive elements of the well pipe. Hence, signals can be transferred between the tool and the well pipe. However, both the inductive element of the well pipe and the inductive element of the well tool comprise a radial electrical winding. Consequently, the magnetic flux that is generated by a current flowing in the electrical windings of the inductive elements has a direction circumferentially around the well pipe.
The disadvantage of this technology is that since the inductive elements are provided in or near the inner surface of the well pipe, they are exposed to wear and damages due to friction and impacts from equipment lowered into and elevated out from the well. Moreover, the inductive coupling between the induction elements of the well pipe and the tool is rather poor, resulting in a low bandwidth.
NO 324328 describes another system for transferring power and signals between a well pipe and a tool lowered into the well. Here, the signal is induced into the well pipe by means of inductive elements provided radially around the well pipe.
US 2002057210 describes a method and system for subsurface logging utilizing a modified metallic tubular having an elongated body with tubular walls and a central bore adapted to receive a support member. The tubular including slotted stations to provide through-tubular signal transmission and/or reception. Pressure barrier means provide hydraulic isolation at the slotted stations. The support member is equipped with various sources and sensors, including an antenna adapted to generate a magnetic dipole moment with a transverse or controllable orientation, and adapted for engagement within the tubular.
US 20040056663 describes a method and apparatus for a downhole antenna comprising a housing having an outer surface and a longitudinally bored inner cavity, the outer surface having a first slot and a corresponding second slot extending from the outer surface to the longitudinally bored inner cavity; a first removable downhole antenna segment disposed in the first slot in a first transverse cross section of the housing, the first removable downhole antenna segment comprising at least one coil to inductively couple a signal from the longitudinally bored inner cavity to the earth formation.
The object of the present invention is to provide a well tool and a well pipe where the inductive elements are less vulnerable for wear and damages. Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide a well tool and a well pipe where the electromagnetic communication between the inductive elements of the well tool and the well pipe is improved.
The present invention relates to a well pipe for inductive connection to a well tool, comprising:
In one aspect, the inductive pipe element comprises a primary core body and a primary winding wound around the primary core body.
In one aspect, the primary winding is wound around the primary core body along a primary winding axis, where the primary winding axis is parallel to the central axis of the well pipe.
In one aspect, the primary core body comprises a top leg element, a primary leg element and a bottom leg element, where the primary winding is wound around the primary leg element.
In one aspect, the primary core body has a shape that resembles the capital letter I in a Serif font.
In one aspect, the inductive pipe element is separated from the longitudinal opening by means of a protective sheet made of a protective material.
In one aspect, the well pipe comprises a wire channel, where the inductive pipe element is connected to the electric pipe circuit by means of wires provided in the wire channel.
In one aspect, a plurality of inductive pipe elements are provided in the well pipe.
In one aspect, the plurality of inductive pipe elements are evenly distributed along circumferences of said well pipe.
The present invention also relates to a well tool for inductive connection to a well pipe, comprising:
In one aspect, the connection device comprises:
In one aspect, the least one of the first connection element and the second connection element is movable in an axial direction in relation to the tool body.
In one aspect, the inductive tool element is connected to an electric tool circuit by means of a conductor provided within the first or second pivotable arm.
In one aspect, the inductive well element comprises a secondary core body and a secondary winding wound around the secondary core body.
In one aspect, the secondary winding is wound around the secondary core body along a secondary winding axis, where the secondary winding axis is parallel to the central axis of the well tool.
In one aspect, the secondary core body comprises a top leg element, a secondary leg element and a bottom leg element, where the secondary winding is wound around the secondary leg element.
In one aspect, the secondary core body has a shape that resembles the capital letter I in a Serif font.
In one aspect, the inductive tool element comprises an outer protective sheet made of a protective material.
The present invention also relates to a system for providing inductive connection between a well pipe as defined above and a well tool defined above, where the inductive tool element is protruding radially out from the groove of the well tool and into the groove of the well pipe in the set state; and where the inductive well element and the inductive tool element are longitudinally and rotationally aligned in a communication position in the set state.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, where:
a illustrates a longitudinal cross section of well tool in a run state inserted into a well pipe;
b is a cross sectional view along line A in
c is a cross sectional view along line B in
a illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the well tool in the run state positioned correctly with respect to a compartment in the well pipe;
b is an enlarged view of the circle in
a illustrates a longitudinal cross section of the well tool in the set state in the well pipe;
b is an enlarged view of the circle in
c is an cross sectional view of
In the drawings, reference number 1 refers to a system for providing inductive connection between a well pipe 2 and a well tool 3. It should be noted that a setting and retrieval tool is used to set and retrieve the well tool 3 from the well pipe 2. The setting and retrieval tool is considered known for a person skilled in the art.
First, the well pipe 2 will be described with reference to
A compartment 13 is provided radially in the inner pipe wall 11, more specifically, the compartment 13 is provided in a radial groove 14 of the inner pipe wall 11. Hence, the groove 14 is forming a radial expansion of the longitudinal opening 12, i.e. the inner diameter D14 of the groove 14 is larger than the inner diameter D12 of longitudinal opening 12, as shown in
An inductive pipe element 20 is provided in the compartment 13. The compartment 13 adapted to receive the inductive pipe element 20. The compartment 13 may have an opening into the longitudinal opening so that that one side of the inductive pipe element is facing radially inwards. The compartment 13 may also be a closed compartment with respect the groove 14, i.e. there is no opening from the compartment 13 into the radial groove 14.
By providing the inductive pipe element 20 in the compartment 13 of the radial groove 14, the inductive pipe element 20 is less vulnerable for wear and damages.
As shown in
The well pipe comprises a wire channel 18. In
The electric pipe circuit may be located on the top side of the well, for example in the wellhead of a subsea well. The electric pipe circuit may send signals to and receive signals from the inductive pipe element 20, and it may also transfer electric power to the inductive pipe element 20. The electric pipe circuit may also comprise communication means which provides communication with a control central on a vessel or onshore, for transferring real-time signals from the inductive pipe element 20 to the control central. The inductive pipe element 20 will now be described with reference to
The inductive pipe element 20 comprises a primary core body 21 and a primary winding 22 wound around the primary core body 21. In
The primary core body 21 is made of a transformer core material, such as sheet metal.
The inductive pipe element 20 may be separated from the longitudinal opening 12 by means of a protective sheet 23 made of a protective material. The protective sheet 23 may be a wall separating the compartment 13 from the longitudinal opening 12 as described above. Alternatively, the protective sheet 23 may comprise a protective sleeve around the inductive pipe element. Alternatively, the protective sheet 23 may comprise a thin metal layer provided around the inductive pipe element 20. Alternatively, the protective sheet 23 may comprise a protective coating, such as paint.
In
The plurality of inductive pipe elements 20 are evenly distributed along circumferences of said well pipe.
The well tool 3 for inductive connection to the well pipe 2 will now be described. The well tool 3 comprises a tool body 30, as shown in
A groove 31 is provided radially on the outside of the tool body 30, i.e. the groove 31 is provided circumferentially around the outer surface of the tool body 30. An inductive tool element 40 is provided in the groove 31 of the tool body 30. The inductive tool element 40 is connected to the tool body 30 by means of a connection device 32.
The connection device 32 is providing that the inductive tool element 40 is movable between a run state and a set state, where the inductive tool element 40 is provided in the groove 31 in the run state and where the inductive tool element 40 is radially protruding from the groove 31 in the set state.
Hence, in the run state the inductive tool element 40 is protected in the groove 31. In
It is now referred to
It is now referred to
The secondary core body 21 comprises a top leg element 41a, a secondary leg element 41b and a bottom leg element 41c, where the secondary winding 42 is wound around the secondary leg element 41b. The secondary core body 41 has a shape that resembles the capital letter I in a Serif font. As described above, the inductive tool element 40 may comprise an outer protective sheet 43 made of a protective material, as described above for the inductive pipe element 20.
The secondary core body 41 is made of a transformer core material, such as sheet metal.
The well tool 3 may comprise a plurality of inductive tool elements 40. In
The inductive tool element 40 is connected to an electric tool circuit (not shown) by means of a conductor provided within the first or second pivotable arm 33, 34. The electric tool circuit may for example be a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an electric sliding sleeve, an insert down hole safety valve, an electrically adjustable choke, a seismic instruments, a flow meter, a multiphase flow meter, a battery accumulator etc.
Hence, the system 1 comprising the well pipe 2 and the well tool 3 is providing an inductive connection where electric signals and/or electric power can be transferred between the electric tool circuit and the electric pipe circuit.
In the system 1, the inductive tool element 40 is protruding radially out from the groove 31 of the well tool 3 and into the groove 14 of the well pipe 2 in the set state, and the inductive well element 20 and the inductive tool element 40 are longitudinally and rotationally aligned in a communication position in the set state as shown in
This may require that only one specific orientation of the well tool 3 with respect to the well pipe 2 is possible.
It should be noted that the well tool 3 may comprise anchoring devices (not shown) for anchoring the well tool 3 to the inner surface 11 of the well pipe. This is considered known for a skilled person.
It should also be noted that the well tool 3 may comprise a longitudinal central opening 36 allowing fluid to pass through the well tool 3. Hence, normal operation of the well is allowed when the well tool 3 is set in the well pipe. The electric tool circuit of the well tool 3 is now continuously connected to the electric pipe circuit of the wellhead, or is even continuously connected to the control central on a vessel or onshore. Hence, data can be transferred in real time from the electric tool circuit of the well tool, and the operating time of the electric tool circuit is very long since electric power can be transferred continuously from the electric pipe circuit to the electric tool circuit.
It is now referred to
It is now referred to
Here, the well tool 3 comprises a tool centering element 60. The tool centering element 60 is provided in a groove 61 provided circumferentially on the outside of the tool body 30. The tool centering element 60 comprises a first connection arm 62 and a second arm 63 with their respective first ends pivotably connected to each other. The first end of the second connection arm 63 is pivotably connected an lower centering body 64. The first end of the first connection arm 62 is pivotably connected to a upper centering body 65, where the upper centering body 65 is connected to a lower end 66 of the tool body 30 by means of a spring 67.
The tool centering element 60 is movable between a set state and a run state, where the tool centering element 60 is provided in the groove 31 in the run state and is radially protruding from the groove 61 in the set state. The tool centering element 60 is located below the inductive tool element 40.
The lower centering body 64 is connected to a control mandrel 68 by means of a rod 69. The control mandrel 68 may be connected to the setting and retrieval tool.
Moreover, the well tool 3 comprises a shoulder 70 radially protruding from the tool body 30. The shoulder 70 provides the well tool 3 a larger diameter in a circumferential area, as shown in
In
The second embodiment of the well pipe 2 comprises the same elements as the first embodiment described above, and the description of these elements will not be repeated here.
The second embodiment of the well pipe 2 comprises a stop 71, adapted to receive the shoulder 70.
The well pipe 3 comprises a tool centering track 80. The tool centering track 80 is provided in an radially extended area 81 of the longitudinal opening 12 of the pipe, and comprises substantially V-shaped guides 82 protruding radially inwards from the extended area 81, as shown in
The operation of the second embodiment of the well pipe 2 and the well tool 3 will now be described. In a first step, the well tool 3 is in its run state and is inserted down into the longitudinal opening 12 of the well pipe, to the position showed in
Then, the tool centering element 60 is brought from its run position to its set position by means of the setting and retrieval tool pulling the rod 69 upwardly (i.e. to the left in
Consequently, the tool centering element 60 and the tool centering track 80 provides correct rotational alignment of the inductive elements 20, 40. Moreover, the shoulder 70 and the stop 71 provide a correct longitudinal alignment of the inductive elements 20, 40.
In the second embodiment, there are the same numbers of tool centering elements 60 and tool centering track 80 as inductive tool elements 40. However, other alternatives are possible.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20110982 | Jul 2011 | NO | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2012/061641 | 6/19/2012 | WO | 00 | 2/13/2014 |