When performing oilfield services, e.g. well interventions, well services, completion related services, or wireline services, dropped objects may be used to perform a desired operation or operations. For example, a steel ball or a metal dart may be dropped and/or pushed through a conduit, such as coiled tubing or treating irons, to activate perforating guns, to open a downhole valve, to disconnect a downhole tool, or to perform other operations. Due to the non-transparent nature of well conduits, the steel ball or metal dart typically is invisible from outside the conduit. The steel ball or metal dart does not tend to generate sufficient acoustic and/or vibration signals for such objects to be detected during launching and/or passing of specific conduit locations. Additionally, sometimes the ball can move so fast that there is no pressure indication of the ball being seated and thus no indication that the ball or object actually went down hole. This can cause doubt during the ball drop operation as to whether the operation went as intended. Certain systems have been designed to detect passage of a bottom hole assembly, but such systems are not able to detect passage of balls or other objects through tubing.
In general, a methodology and system are provided for detecting an object passing along an interior passage of a conduit, such as a wellbore conduit. The object is released into the conduit, and the conduit is monitored at a given location or locations along the conduit. Movement of the object past the location or locations is detected by a sensor, e.g. a sensor positioned externally with respect to the interior passage of the conduit. Passage of the object is monitored via detection of a unique electro-magnetic signature as the object moves along the interior passage and past the location.
However, many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein, and:
In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible.
The present disclosure generally relates to a methodology and system to detect an object as that object moves along an interior passage of a conduit, such as a wellbore conduit. In some applications, the object may be a released ball or dart which moves through coiled tubing or another type of wellbore conduit. The object is released into the conduit, and the conduit is monitored at a given location or locations along the conduit. As the object moves past the location or locations, the object is detected by a sensor, such as a sensor positioned externally with respect to the interior passage of the conduit. Passage of the object is monitored via detection of a unique electro-magnetic signature, e.g. changes in magnetic flux leakage, as the object moves along the interior passage and past a location, e.g. past the sensor. Within this document, “conduit” may represent a variety of conduit types. In well applications, for example, conduit may include “coiled tubing” and “wellbore tubing” which may be used interchangeably to define an oilfield tubing string that has an internal bore to allow movement of materials (fluid, gas, and/or solids) through the internal bore. The conduit can be a fixed installation (not moving) in the wellbore, or it can move relative to the wellbore during an operation.
In some embodiments, the system is designed to output data which provides a timely and accurate record of the passing of objects through locations of interest along the conduit. The sensors may comprise a variety of sensors able to detect a unique, electro-magnetic signature which effectively make the objects visible to the sensor. For example, some sensors are designed to detect the electro-magnetic signature by detecting changes in magnetic flux leakage as the object passes the sensor. One embodiment of such a sensor is a Hall effect sensor able to detect a magnetic field. The sensor systems generally comprise a component that generates an electro-magnetic signature, e.g. a magnetic field, and another component that detects the electro-magnetic signature, e.g. the magnetic field. A variety of magnetic sensors and other types of sensors may be employed to detect the unique, electro-magnetic signature of the passing object. In some applications, the passing object may contain the sensor for detecting the unique electro-magnetic signature, e.g. magnetic field, generated at a location external to the conduit. The sensor systems may be designed to detect a variety of object sizes and to differentiate between objects of different sizes and/or different configurations.
In a variety of applications, the system and methodology employ wellbore conduits which are disposed along vertical and/or deviated wellbores. Objects are released downhole to perform desired functions, e.g. activating perforating guns, actuating downhole valves, disconnecting downhole tools, and/or a variety of other downhole operations. The object may be in the form of a ball, dart, or other suitable object which is released into the wellbore conduit, e.g. coiled tubing, production tubing, or other types of wellbore metallic or non-metallic conduits. In these applications, the object is a metallic object in that it contains metal able to induce the unique, electro-magnetic signature detectable by the sensor or sensors placed along the exterior of the wellbore conduit. In some applications, the objects may be formed of other types of materials able to provide a suitable electro-magnetic signature detectable by the sensor or sensors.
Referring generally to
In the example illustrated, conduit 22/coiled tubing 26 is deployed in a wellbore 28 which extends to a subterranean region 30, such as a subterranean formation. The wellbore 28 extends to the subterranean region 30 from a surface location 32. In some applications, the conduit 22/coiled tubing 26 extends from a wellhead 34 or other structure located at surface 32. Depending on the application, surface location 32 may be an earth surface or a subsea surface, e.g. a seabed.
Referring again to
The sensor system 36 further comprises a communication line 46 which communicates data from sensor 38 to a processing system 48. Communication line 46 may be in the form of a hard wired or wireless communication line. For example, communication line 46 may comprise a conductor or conductors routed along an exterior surface of the conduit, within the internal passage of the conduit, or through the wall of the conduit 22. In other applications, communication line 46 may be a wireless communication line and sensor system 36 may comprise appropriate components for sending wireless signals, e.g. pressure pulses, electromagnetic signals, or other suitable signals. In some applications, communication line 46 also may be used to carry signals from processing system 48 to the at least one sensor 38 to enable control over operation of the sensor 38. In this latter example, sensor 38 may be an intelligent sensor which enables selective powering of the sensor, adjusting of sensing parameters, and/or selecting other sensor adjustments.
In the example illustrated, sensor 38 is designed to detect a unique electro-magnetic signature as object 40 passes the sensor 38 along internal passage 24. For example, sensor 38 may comprise a magnetic sensor and object 40 may comprise a suitable metal or other magnetic material which provides the unique electro-magnetic signature detected by sensor 38 as object 40 passes magnetic field component 39, e.g. a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic coil. In some applications, sensor 38 is a magnetic flux leakage detection sensor which detects the unique electro-magnetic signature in the form of changes to the magnetic flux leakage as object 40 moves past the sensor 38. A specific example of a suitable sensor 38 is a magnetic sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor. However, a variety of other magnetic sensors and other types of sensors may be employed to detect the unique electro-magnetic signature of the passing object 40. The unique electro-magnetic signature may vary according to the structure, size, material composition, and/or other parameters of object 40. Accordingly, the sensor 38 may be used to detect an electro-magnetic signature which uniquely corresponds to specific types of objects 40 passing along internal passage 24. Generally, the sensor system 36 is designed to generate an electro-magnetic signature, e.g. magnetic field, and to detect the electro-magnetic signature, e.g. electromagnetic field. In some applications, the magnetic field is generated by the object 40 and detected by sensor 38 located externally of internal passage 24. In other applications, the sensor 38 can be located on object 40 for detection of an electro-magnetic signature, e.g. magnetic field, generated at a specific location externally of the internal passage 24.
The object 40 may be constructed in several forms and from a variety of materials, including composite materials. For example, object 40 may be in the form of a ball, a dart, or another suitable form designed to move freely along internal passage 24. The illustrated object 40 is representative of such balls, darts, or other suitable constructions. When magnetic sensors 38 are employed, the object 40 may be formed of a metal material or a composite material containing metal. For example, object 40 may be a steel ball or a metal dart. However, object 40 also may carry the magnetic field component 39 which may be in the form of, for example, a permanent magnet. This latter approach allows the object 40 to be made from many types of materials. In a first scenario, for example, the object 40 does not contain an active magnetic source (i.e. does not contain magnetic field component 39) and the detection relies on a passive magnet source, e.g. magnetic field component 39 clamped or otherwise mounted along conduit 22. In this embodiment, the object 40 comprises a ferromagnetic material, such as iron, nickel, cobalt, or other suitable ferromagnetic material. In a second scenario, object 40 may be designed to include magnetic field component 39 such that the object 40 becomes an active magnet source. In this latter example, the object 40 can be constructed from other types of materials, e.g. non-ferromagnetic materials, and the unique electro-magnetic signature is still detectable by sensor 38 as the object 40 moves past sensor 38. If object 40 includes magnetic field component 39, the object 40 may be formed from many types of metallic and nonmetallic materials, including aluminum, copper, composites, and/or other suitable materials.
During an operation, object 40 is released into conduit 22, e.g. coiled tubing 26, to perform a desired operation or operations, e.g. activating perforating guns, opening or closing a downhole valve, disconnecting a downhole tool, and/or performing other suitable operations. In such well related applications, the object or objects 40 may be released and moved through conduit 22 for a variety of well intervention applications, well service applications, completion applications, wireline applications, and/or other well related applications. The object 40 may be pumped along internal passage 24 once the object 40 is released into the conduit 22, e.g. coiled tubing 26. In other applications, however, the object 40 also may be dropped and moved via gravity or otherwise pushed along internal passage 24 to the desired mechanism actuated by object 40. The sensor or sensors 38 provide a timely and accurate indication of the passing of each object 40 through the selected location monitored by the corresponding sensor 38. The sensor data regarding passage of object 40 is then relayed to processing system 48.
Referring generally to
In wellbore applications, the plurality of sensors 38 may be positioned along wellbore tubing 26. By way of example, the sensors 38 may comprise magnetic sensors as described above for detecting the unique electro-magnetic signature caused by passage of each object 40. By placing the sensors 38 along the conduit 22, e.g. wellbore tubing 26, at specific locations, the movement of each object 40 along internal passage 24 may be tracked. Each sensor 38 provides a timely and accurate indication of the passing of each object 40 via the electro-magnetic signature, and this data is relayed via communication line(s) 46 to processing system 48. As illustrated, the sensors 38 may be placed along a vertical wellbore section 50 and/or a horizontal wellbore section 52. Some well systems may utilize a plurality of vertical wellbore sections 50 and/or horizontal wellbore sections 52.
Depending on the specific application, processing system 48 may have a variety of features and configurations. For example, the processing system 48 may be located at a surface location 32, within wellbore 28, partially within the wellbore 28 and at surface location 32, and/or at other suitable locations. Referring generally to
The processor 54 also may be operatively coupled with a memory 56, an input device 58, and an output device 60. In some applications, processor 54 is used to run software 62, such as signature matching software which compares data obtained from sensors 38 with data characteristics of the predetermined electro-magnetic signature associated with passage of each object 40. Software 62 may comprise models, algorithms, programs, and/or a variety of other suitable software depending on the types of sensors 38 employed, types of signatures evaluated, the environments in which system 20 is employed, and/or other operational parameters.
By way of example, input device 58 may comprise a variety of devices, such as a keyboard, mouse, voice recognition unit, touchscreen, other input devices, or combinations of such devices. Output device 60 may comprise a visual and/or audio output device, such as a computer display, monitor, or other display medium having a graphical user interface. Additionally, the processing may be performed on a single device or multiple devices on location, away from the sensing location, or with some devices disposed on location and other devices located remotely. The software 62 (in the form of a suitable algorithm, model, or other programming) may be used to evaluate data from sensors 38 in real time to provide real-time indications of the position of object 40 along the internal passage 24 of conduit 22. Processing system 48 also may be employed to evaluate historical electro-magnetic signatures and/or other data stored in memory 56 or at another suitable storage location.
In some applications, processing system 48 and output device 60 may be used to indicate movement of objects 40 past specific sensors 38 (as well as a variety of other possible data) via a graphical user interface 64, as illustrated in
In the specific example of
Detection of the passing object 40 also may be used to generate outputs on graphical user interface 64 that provide additional information about the object 40. As described above, the electro-magnetic signatures captured by processing system 48 and software 62 may be used to detect the real time passing of balls or other objects 40 and the amplitude of those signatures can be used as an indicator of the size of the passing object 40. However, the sensor system 36 also may be employed to detect and differentiate ball types, balls of different sizes, objects of different configurations, and/or other unique parameters of the objects 40 based on the unique electro-magnetic signature provided by the specific objects 40.
It should be noted that use of the sensor or sensors 38 and overall system 20 is not limited to the detection of steel balls but may be used to detect a variety of other types of objects 40 made of a variety of materials including metal objects, composite objects, or other objects capable of providing an electro-magnetic signature. The objects 40 also may be detected regardless of the direction of movement past each sensor 38. In a wellbore application, for example, movement of the object 40 may be detected in different directions during either pumping down or flow back. Furthermore, many types of conduits 22 may be utilized in many types of applications. For example, conduit 22 may comprise tubing in the form of coiled tubing, treating irons, pipe lines, metal pipes, non-metal pipes, and/or a variety of other types of conduits to which the sensors 38, e.g. magnetic sensors, are mounted externally of the internal passageway 24. In many applications, conduit 22 is stationary during movement of objects 40 along the internal passage 24. However, some applications may utilize sensors 38 to detect movement of internal objects 40 while the conduit 22 is in motion, e.g. while coiled tubing is deployed through the sensor or sensors 38.
Referring generally to
In the embodiment illustrated in
Data obtained by each sensor 38 is transmitted via communication line(s) 46 to processing system 48. Communication line(s) may again be in the form of a wired or wireless communication line designed to carry signals from each sensor 38 to processing system 48 for evaluation and processing. In some applications, however, the communication line(s) 46 also may be used to carry signals from processing system 48 to the sensor or sensors 38. In this example, processing system 48 may be located proximate mounting fixture 86 or it may be located in whole or in part at a remote location. For example, a first portion or portions 92 of processing system 48 may be located proximate fixture 86 while another portion or portions 94 of the processing system 48 may reside at a remote location. In some applications, the data from the sensor or sensors 38 may be processed at least partially at both the proximate location and the remote location. However, in other applications the first component 92 may be used to transmit data for processing at the remote location on remote processing component 94. These split types of processing systems 48 may be employed with the other embodiments also described herein.
Results obtained via the processing of data from sensors 38 can be displayed or otherwise output to an operator at the proximate and/or remote locations. Communication between the proximate location and the remote location or locations, e.g. between proximate portion 92 and remote portion 94 of processing system 48, may be implemented via a suitable communication system 96. In some applications, the communication system 96 is designed to incorporate the Internet, thus allowing transfer raw data, processed data, analyses, recommendations, instructions, evaluation adjustments, and/or other types of communications between desired locations and between components of the overall system 10.
Additionally, the processing system 48 may reside at one location or at a plurality of locations to process data, and the results may be distributed to two or more locations, e.g. two or more other locations. The sensing system 36 in cooperation with processing system 48 provides an effective way of detecting and recording the passing of objects 40, e.g metallic objects, using electro-magnetic tools. Examples of such electro-magnetic tools comprise sensors 38 in the form of magnetic sensors, e.g Hall effect sensors or other types of magnetic sensors, combinations of sensors, and/or other sensors able to detect the unique electro-magnetic signature, e.g magnetic flux leakage signatures, through a conduit wall.
As described herein, the overall system 10, including sensor system 36 and processing system 48, may be used in a variety of operations, including many types of wellbore related operations. Depending on the specifics of a given application, a variety of sensor systems 36, processing systems 48, software 62, and/or other components may be utilized to monitor the passage of objects 40. In some applications, the system may be designed to indicate the specific type of object 40 passing each sensor 38 along internal passage 24. For example, the system may be designed to indicate objects 40 having different diameters or sizes, different material compositions, different configurations, or other attributes differentiating one object 40 from another.
Additionally, many types of sensors 38 and different numbers of sensors 38 may be employed for a given application. Depending on the specific type of sensors 38/magnetic field components 39 employed in a given system 10, adjustments may be made to the system structure and/or data processing to accommodate the characteristics of the specific sensors 38 and sensor system 36. Similarly, many types/numbers of magnetic field components 39, e.g. permanent magnets or electromagnetic coils, may be employed for the given application.
Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in detail above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
The present document is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/052230 filed on Jul. 26, 2013 and entitled “Object Detection System and Methodology”, which was based on and claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/676,814, filed Jul. 27, 2012, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61676814 | Jul 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/US2013/052230 | Jul 2013 | US |
Child | 14335031 | US |