Method and system for monitoring a condition of an elastic element used in a downhole tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746014-B2
Application number	US-201815892912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2018
Priority date	Feb 9, 2018
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A method and a system for monitoring a condition of an elastic element used in a downhole tool are provided. The method comprises acquiring an output signal from a flexible-type sensor installed in the elastic element, the sensor sensing at least one of strain and stress of the elastic element, and estimating a condition of the elastic element based on the output signal from the sensor. The system comprises a flexible-type sensor installed in the elastic element, the sensor sensing at least one of strain and stress of the elastic element and a processor to acquire an output signal from the sensor and estimate a condition of the elastic element based on the output signal from the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a condition of an elastic element used in a downhole tool, the method comprising:
acquiring an output signal from a flexible-type sensor installed in the elastic element, the sensor sensing at least one of strain and stress of the elastic element;
estimating a condition of the elastic element based on the output signal from the sensor;
estimating a condition of a primary seal of dual seals based on the output signal from the sensor; and
foretelling a working time of a secondary seal of the dual seals after the primary seal fails, based on the estimated condition of the primary seal.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a flexible polymer sensor.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible polymer sensor is a fluoropolymers sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic element is a seal in a field joint or bulkhead used in the downhole tool.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is a wireline logging tool, a LWD (logging-while-drilling) or MWD (measurements while drilling) tool.

6. A system for monitoring a condition of an elastic element used in a downhole tool, the system comprising:
a flexible-type sensor installed in the elastic element, the sensor sensing at least one of strain and stress of the elastic element; and
a processor to acquire an output signal from the sensor and estimate a condition of the elastic element based on the output signal from the sensor;
wherein the processor is used to estimate a condition of a primary seal of dual seals based on the output signal from the sensor and foretell a working time of a secondary seal of the dual seals after the primary seal fails, based on the estimated condition of the primary seal.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor is a flexible polymer sensor.

8. The system according to claim 7 , wherein the flexible polymer sensor is a fluoropolymers sensor.

9. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the elastic element is a seal in a field joint or bulkhead used in the downhole tool.

10. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the downhole tool is a wireline logging tool, a LWD (logging-while-drilling) or MWD (measurements while drilling) tool.

11. A method for monitoring a condition of an elastic element used in a downhole tool, the method comprising:
acquiring an output signal from a flexible-type sensor installed in the elastic element, the sensor sensing at least one of strain and stress of the elastic element; and
estimating a condition of the elastic element based on the output signal from the sensor;
wherein the elastic element is an inflatable packer for an MDT (Modular Formation Dynamics Tester) used in a downhole tool and the elastic element comprises at least one of an outer rubber layer of the packer an an inner bladder layer of the packer;
wherein the sensor is a flexible polymer sensor.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the flexible polymer sensor is a fluoropolymers sensor.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
measuring an elongation of the packer based on the output signal; and
optimizing an applied internal pressure on the packer based on the measured elongation.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the downhole tool is a wireline logging tool, a LWD (logging-while-drilling) or MWD (measurements while drilling) tool.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Ito Masaei
• Marya Manuel
• Yamate Tsutomu
• Osawa Osamu

Classifications

• E21B47/00 Primary

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title

• G01B7/22

  using change in capacitance · CPC title

• G01B1/00

  Measuring instruments characterised by the selection of material therefor · CPC title

• E21B33/12

  Packers; Plugs (used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16) · CPC title

• G01M13/005

  Sealing rings · CPC title