Patent Application
20140367168
Systems for monitoring borehole operations have become increasingly pervasive in the downhole drilling and completions industry. Parameters such as temperature, pressure, acoustics, or others can provide insight into various borehole activities in order to enable operators at surface to identify and respond to potential issues, perform an operation more effectively or efficiently, etc. While current systems work sufficiently in many scenarios, the industry always well receives new and alternate monitoring systems.
A monitoring assembly, including a sleeve; a sensor for monitoring one or more selected parameters; a plurality of modules in communication with the sensor and removably disposed with the sleeve, the plurality of modules including a first module in an active state and a second module in an inactive state; and a detector that determines when the first module has been removed from the assembly, the second module transitioning to the active state when the first module is removed from the assembly.
A method of using a monitoring assembly, including monitoring one or more parameters with a sensor of the monitoring assembly, the monitoring assembly including a plurality of modules, the plurality of modules including a first module in an active state and a second module in an inactive state; communicating between the sensor and the first module of the plurality of modules; detecting when the first module is removed from the monitoring assembly; and transitioning the second module from the inactive state to the active state.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.
A purpose of the modules 12, regardless of whether the sensing device is included by individually by the modules or collectively by the assembly 10, is to communicate with the sensor or sensing device in order to assist in or facilitate the aforementioned monitoring. The communication can be the communication of power, e.g., via one or more batteries or power sources 16. In one embodiment, the communication between the sensor 14 (where included individually on the modules 12 or generally with the assembly 10) and the modules 12 is data communication, and the modules 12 accordingly include a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, or other communication device 18 (e.g., to enable wired or wireless communication between the sensor, components of the module 12, different ones of the modules 12, etc.), a memory or storage media 20 for electronically storing measurements or other monitored information (e.g., in communication with the sensor 14 via the communication device 18 or in an other wired or wireless manner), or other components. Each of the modules 12 may also include a detector 22 for determining when each of the modules 12 is to transition between an inactive status or mode and an active status or mode, as discussed in more detail below.
In the illustrated embodiment, the modules 12 are located in a cavity 24 formed in a sleeve or other tubular member 25. The modules 12 are retained within the cavity 24 via an insert 26.
The insert 26 includes a slot or opening 28 and is movable with respect to the sleeve 25 in order to enable access to selected ones of the modules 12 via the opening 28. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the insert 26 is arranged such that axial movement of the insert 26 also results in rotation of the insert 26. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the insert 26 includes an engagement profile 30 that enables a corresponding shifting tool (one example embodiment is discussed below with respect to
In addition to rotating the insert 26 when moved axially, the rotational movement caused by the indexing mechanism 32 is incrementally set in order to sequentially align the opening 28 properly with each of the modules 12 as a result of cycle of axial movement of the insert 26. Specifically, the indexing mechanism 32 includes a pin 34, e.g., extending radially between the sleeve 25 and the insert 26, that traverses a so-called J-slot pattern 36. The pattern 36 is illustrated “flattened” although it is to be understood that the pattern 36 would be formed circumferentially within or about the insert 26, the sleeve 25, or another insert or component coupled therewith or therebetween. The pin 34 can be coupled or attached to the sleeve 25 and/or the insert 26.
Back and forth axial movement of the pin 34 within the pattern 36 will cause the pin 34 to encounter tapered shoulders 37, resulting in rotation of the insert 26. As noted above, the axial movement of the insert 26 can be caused with a corresponding shifting tool that engages with the insert 26, e.g., at the profile 30. This repeated axial movement of the insert 26 will cycle the pin 34 between a plurality of positions 38. The positions 38 can be rotationally spaced from each other in an amount that corresponds to the spacing between adjacent ones of the modules 12. For this reason, as noted above, it may be desirous to equally space the modules 12 from each other, i.e., to ensure proper alignment of the opening 28 sequentially with the modules 12 via the mechanism 32. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other indexing and/or counting mechanisms that can be used in lieu of the mechanism 32 in order to accurately align the opening 28 of the insert 26 sequentially with each of the modules 12.
As depicted schematically in
In general, the modules 12 are arranged such that a selected one (or ones) of the modules 12 are in an active mode or status, while the others of the modules 12 are in an inactive mode or status. By active mode or status, it is meant that the corresponding module is fully operational, or actively monitoring, sensing, measuring, recording, communicating, and/or performing other functions or operations in furtherance of monitoring the system 40, the casing string 42, the borehole 44, etc., or conditions or parameters related thereto. By inactive it is meant that the corresponding modules are turned off, hibernated, put in a standby or power saving mode, or otherwise deactivated or restricted to at most a limited subset of functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the inactive modules are searching or waiting for a preprogrammed trigger or signal to transition the inactive modules to the active status, thereby using a negligible amount of power prior to activation. In this way, at any given time only one (or selected ones) of the modules 12 can be set to the active mode in order to perform desired monitoring, while the others of the modules 12 can assume the inactive status and advantageously conserve battery power.
For example, referring back to
As briefly noted above, the detector 22 can be used to determine when one of the inactive modules, e.g., one of the modules 12b, is to be activated. For example, this determination in one embodiment is the result of the detector 22 detecting that the active module 12a has been removed or disconnected from the assembly 10, e.g., exiting the cavity 24 via the opening 28 in the insert 26. This results in a signal being sent to one (or more) of the inactive modules 12b to activate that module. The modules 12 can be arranged in a sequential order such that as each of the active modules is removed or disconnected from the assembly 10, this removal or disconnection is detected by the detector 22 and a signal communicated to activate a next subsequent one of the modules in the sequential order. Once this newly activated module becomes exhausted or is otherwise removed or disconnected from the assembly 10, the detector 22 will detect this event and signal the next subsequent module 12 to activate. This process can be repeated until all of the modules 12 are retrieved from the assembly 10. It is additionally noted that multiple instances of the assembly 10 could be included, e.g., stacked together or positioned along the length of the casing string 42 or other string. In this way, a secondary one of the assemblies can become activated when a last module of a primary assembly is retrieved.
A tool 50 is illustrated in
The tool 50 also includes a basket 56 for receiving the module in an open end 58 when the module is released from the cavity 24 via the opening 28 in the insert 26. Ejection of the modules 12 from the cavity 24 can be assisted if desired. For example, as shown in
The detector 22 can take a variety of forms, several of which are described below. For example, in one embodiment the detector 22 includes a contact, sensor, or switch that is triggered when the corresponding module is removed. For example, the detector 22 can include a component that completes an electric circuit as long as the corresponding one of the modules 12 remains in the cavity 24. The detector 22 can detect the removal of an active module when the circuit is severed or broken due to the module 12 being retrieved from the cavity 24. The contact, sensor, switch, or other component can be electric, mechanical, magnetic, etc. In one embodiment, the detector 22 detects the spring elements 60 being relatively extended, indicating absence of the corresponding module. In one embodiment, the detector 22 includes one or more RFID tags, e.g., with a corresponding reader in the assembly 10 detecting when the modules 12 are moved out of communication with the reader. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate other devices that can be used to detect the presence and/or absence of ones of the modules 22 to enable the assembly 10 to transition one (or more) of the inactive modules into the active status when the previously active module is retrieved.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
