1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to methods and devices for detecting wellbore and tool operating conditions while engaged in fishing or other downhole manipulation operations to remove a wellbore obstruction or in other non-drilling applications, especially in very deep and/or deviated wellbores.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices are known for measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) wherein certain borehole conditions are measured and either recorded within storage media within the wellbore or transmitted to the surface using encoded transmission techniques, such a frequency shift keying (FSK). Transmission may be accomplished via radio waves or fluid pulsing within drilling mud. The conditions measured typically include temperature, annulus pressure, drilling parameters, such as weight-on-bit (WOB), rotational speed of the drill bit and/or the drill string (RPMs), and the drilling fluid flow rate. An MWD or LWD sub is incorporated into the drill string above the bottom hole assembly and then operated during drilling operations. Examples of drilling systems that utilize MWD/LWD technology are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,233,524 and 6,021,377, both of which are owned by the assignee of the present invention and are incorporated herein by reference.
Aside from typical drilling operations, there are other situations where it is helpful to have certain information relating to operation of the tool that is operating downhole and its environment. In very deep and/or high angle wellbores, it is difficult to verify details concerning the operation of the downhole tools through surface indications alone. For example, if one were attempting to remove a stuck section of casing in a deep and/or deviated wellbore using a rotary milling device, it would be very helpful to be able to measure the amount of torque induced proximate the milling device. Without an indication of the amount of torque induced proximate the milling device, the milling string can be overtorqued at the surface and the string between the milling tool and the surface will absorb the torque forces without effectively transmitting them to the milling tool. Overtorquing the tool string in this situation may lead to a shearing of the tool string below the surface, thereby creating an obstruction that is even more difficult to remove.
To the inventors' knowledge, there are no known, acceptable devices for providing useful downhole operating condition information, including torque, weight, compression, tension, speed of rotation, and direction of rotation, in non-drilling situations. Further, the use of standard MWD tools for such non-drilling applications is quite expensive. Current MWD tools are designed to obtain significant amounts of borehole information, much of which is not relevant outside of a drilling scenario. The devices for collecting this drilling specific information includes nuclear sensors, such as gamma ray tools for determining formation density, nuclear porosity and certain rock characteristics; resistivity sensors for determining formation resistivity, dielectric constant and the presence or absence of hydrocarbons; acoustic sensors for determining the acoustic porosity of the formation and the bed boundary in formation; and nuclear magnetic resonance sensors for determining the porosity and other petrophysical characteristics of the formation. To the inventors' knowledge, there is no known and acceptable “fit-for-purpose” tool wherein the sensor portion of the tool may be customized to detect those data that are important to the job at hand while not detecting irrelevant or less relevant information.
There is a need for improved devices and methods that are capable of providing operating condition information to the surface in non-drilling situations. There is also a need for improved methods and devices for accomplishing fishing and retrieval-type operations. Additionally, there is a need for improved methods and devices for accomplishing other non-drilling applications, such as underreaming, in-hole casing cutting and the like. The present invention addresses the problems of the prior art.
The invention provides methods and devices for sensing operating conditions associated with downhole, non-drilling operations, including, fishing, but also with retrieval operations as well as underreaming or casing cutting operations and the like. In currently preferred embodiments, a condition sensing device is used to measure downhole operating parameters, including, for example, torque, tension, compression, direction of rotation and rate of rotation. The operating parameter information is then used to perform the downhole operation more effectively.
In one embodiment, a memory storage medium is contained within the tool proximate the sensors. The detected information is recorded and then downloaded after the tool has been removed from the borehole. In a further embodiment, the detected information is encoded and transmitted to the surface in the form of a coded signal. A receiver, or data acquisition system, at the surface receives the encoded signal and decodes it for use. Means for transmitting the information to the surface-based receiver include mud-pulse telemetry and other techniques that are useful for transmitting MWD/LWD information to the surface. In a further aspect of the invention, a controller is provided for adjusting the downhole operation in response to one or more detected operating conditions.
The invention provides for an inexpensive condition sensing tool that is useful in a wide variety of situations. The invention also provides a “fit-for-purpose” tool that may be easily customized to collect and provide desired operating condition information without collecting undesired information. In related aspects, the invention also provides for improved method of conducting non-drilling operations within a borehole, including fishing operations, wherein measured downhole operating condition information is used to improve the non-drilling operation and make it more effective.
The advantages and further aspects of the invention will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or similar elements throughout the several figures of the drawing and wherein:
It is noted that the borehole 12 may extend rather deeply below the surface (i.e., 30,000 feet or more) and, while shown in
Referring now to
In a currently preferred embodiment, the condition sensing tool 18 may comprise portions of a CoPilot® MWD tool, which is available commercially from the INTEQ division of Baker Hughes, Incorporated, Houston, Tex., the assignee of the present application. It is noted that the condition sensing tool 18 does not require, and typically will not include, those components and assemblies that are useful primarily or only in a drilling situation. These would include, for example, gamma count devices and directional sensors used to orient the tool with respect to the surrounding formation. This greatly reduces the cost and complexity of the tool 18 in comparison to traditional MWD or LWD tools. It is intended that the tool 18 be a “fit-for-purpose” tool that is constructed to have those sensors that are desired for a given job but not others that are not required. As a result, the cost and complexity of the tool 18 is minimized.
The tool 18 also includes a processing section 50 and a power section 52. The processing section 50 is operable to receive data concerning the operating conditions sensed by the sensor section 36 and to store and/or transmit the data to a remote receiver, such as the receiver or data acquisition system 22 located at the surface 14. The processing section 50 preferably includes a digital signal processor 53 and storage medium, shown at 54, which are operably interconnected with the sensor section 36 to store data obtained from the sensor section 36. The processor 53 (also referred to as the “control unit” or a “processing unit”) includes one or more microprocessor-based circuits to process measurements made by the sensors in the drilling assembly at least in part, downhole during drilling of the wellbore.
The processor section 50 also includes a data transmitter, schematically depicted at 56. The data transmitter 56 may comprise a mud pulse transmitter, of a type known in the art, for transmitting encoded data signals to the surface 14 using mud pulse telemetry. The data transmitter 56 may also comprise other transmission means known in the art for transmitting such data to the surface.
The power section 52 houses a power source 58 for operation of the components within the processor section 50 and the sensor section 36. In a currently preferred embodiment, the power source 58 is a “mud motor” mechanism that is actuated by the flow of drilling fluid or another fluid downward through the tool string 16 and through the bore 32 of the tool 18. Such mechanisms utilize a turbine that is rotated by a flow of fluid, such as drilling mud, to generate electrical power. An example of a suitable mechanism of this type is the power source assembly within the 4¾″ CoPilot® tool that is sold commercially by Baker Hughes INTEQ. Other acceptable power sources may also be employed, such as batteries where, for example, fluid in not flowed during the particular downhole operation being performed.
A number of exemplary methods and arrangements for implementing the present invention will now be described in order to illustrate the systems and method of the invention.
A tool string 16, which in this instance may comprise a string of production tubing or coiled tubing, is then lowered into the borehole 12 as shown in
In operation, the weight sensor 38 of the tool 18 detects the amount of upward force exerted upon the engagement device 68 from upward pull on the tool string 16. If rotation of the tool string 16 is applied in an attempt to remove the tubing string section 60 and packer 62, then the torque gauge 40 will detect the amount of torque from this rotation that is actually felt at the engagement tool 68. Alternatively, if the tool string 16 is pressured up in order to help release the tubing string section 60 and packer 62, detection of bore pressure and annulus pressure would be desirable. This data is then either stored or transmitted to the surface 14 so that an operator can detect whether there is a significant discrepancy between the upward or rotational force being applied at the surface and the forces being received proximate the workpiece 20. A significant difference may be indicative of a problem that prevents full transmission of such forces, such as an obstruction in the annulus or the tool string 16 being grounded against the borehole 12 in a deviated and/or extremely deep portion of the borehole 12.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Turning now to
In milling operations such as the one shown in
Secured to the lower end of the tool string 16 is the condition sensing tool 18 and a washover tool 124, which serves as the workpiece 20. The washover tool 124 includes a rotary shoe 126 with annular cutting edge 128 that is designed for cutting away the formation around the stuck BHA 118. In this way the stuck component 118 is washed over and easier to remove. In this operation, it is desirable to know, in particular, the torque forces experienced proximate the washover tool 124. Thus, the condition sensing tool 18 should be configured to sense at least torque forces. Preferably, the tool 18 is also configured to sense RPM and direction of rotation in order to help prevent inadvertent twisting off of or damage to the washover tool 124 or to the stuck component.
It is noted that the data acquisition system 22 preferably includes a graphical display, 23 in
It is further noted that the display and data acquisition system 22 may comprise a suitably programmed personal computer, as opposed to the “rigfloor” displays that are associated with MWD and LWD systems. Because there are fewer and less complex parameters to measure and monitor than with a typical MWD or LWD system, a less complex and expensive display and acquisition system is required.
In a further aspect of the invention, automated or semi-automated control of the non-drilling processes is possible utilizing a closed loop system. The processor 53 processes measurements made by the sensors in the condition sensing tool 18, at least in part, downhole during operations within the wellbore 12. The processed signals or the computed results are transmitted to the surface 14 by the transmitter 56 of the condition-sensing tool 18. These signals or results are received at the surface 14 by the data acquisition system 22 and provided to the controller 24. The controller 24 then controls downhole operations in response to the signals or results provided to it.
The processor 53 may also control the operation of the sensors and other devices in the tool string 16. The processor 53 within the tool 18 may also process signals from the various sensors in the condition sensing tool 18 and also control their operation. The processor 53 also can control other devices associated with the tool 18, such as the devices casing cutter 80 or the underreamer 90. A separate processor may be used for each sensor or device. Each sensor may also have additional circuitry for its unique operations. The processor 53 preferably contains one or more microprocessors or micro-controllers for processing signals and data and for performing control functions, solid state memory units for storing programmed instructions, models (which may be interactive models) and data, and other necessary control circuits. The microprocessors control the operations of the various sensors, provide communication among the downhole sensors and may provide two-way data and signal communication between the tool 18 and the surface 14 equipment via two-way mud pulse telemetry.
The surface controller 24 receives signals from the downhole sensors and devices and processes such signals according to programmed instructions provided to the controller 24. The controller 24 displays desired drilling parameters and other information on a display/monitor 23 that is utilized by an operator to control the drilling operations. The controller 24 preferably contains a computer, memory for storing data, recorder for recording data and other necessary peripherals. The controller 24 may also include a simulation model and processes data according to programmed instructions. The controller 24 may also be adapted to activate alarms when certain unsafe or undesirable operating conditions occur.
While, in the described embodiments, the condition sensing tool 18 is shown to be directly connected to the workpiece 20, this may not always be so. It is possible that a cross-over tool or some other component may be secured intermediately between the workpiece 20 and the tool 18.
The foregoing description is directed to particular embodiments of the present invention for the purpose of illustration and explanation. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that many modifications and changes to the embodiment set forth above are possible without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention.
This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/447,771 filed Feb. 14, 2003.
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