Differential velocity sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293277-B2
Application number	US-201716079395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2017
Priority date	Feb 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for determining the location of a tool traveling down a wellbore by measuring a first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at two known locations on a tool, comparing the time difference between the two measurements, then calculating the velocity of the tool based on the comparison and then further calculating the distance traveled by the tool in the wellbore based on the velocity calculation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for use downhole comprising:
a disposable plugging tool having a cylindrical housing, a first end, a distal end, an axis, and a packer;
an autonomous tool adapted to travel down a wellbore without a physical connection to the surface and further comprising a first end, a second end, located coaxial with the axis, wherein the second end of the autonomous tool is coupled to the first end of the plugging tool, the autonomous tool further comprising:
a top housing with a first end, a second end, and a first centralizer, located coaxial with the axis;
a bottom housing with a first end located proximate to the second end of the top housing, and a second end, and a second centralizer, wherein the bottom housing is coaxial with the axis;
a first plurality of magnetic anomaly sensors located within the top housing;
a first electromagnetic field generator located within the top housing;
a second plurality of magnetic anomaly sensors located within the bottom housing;
a second electromagnetic field generator located within the bottom housing; and
a processor located within the top housing, operatively connected to the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor, wherein the processor compares data from the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor to determine the velocity of the autonomous tool and then calculating the distance the autonomous tool has traveled downhole using the calculated velocity.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils disposed within the top housing.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a first electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to generate an electromagnetic field.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a second electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to contribute to generating the electromagnetic field.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a third electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to detect the electromagnetic field.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a fourth electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to detect the electromagnetic field.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a fifth electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to detect the electromagnetic field.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the first electromagnetic field generator comprises a sixth electromagnetic coil disposed within the top housing adapted to detect the electromagnetic field.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a first sub coupled to the first end of the top housing.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a second sub coupled to the second end of the top housing and coupled to the first end of the bottom housing.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a third sub coupled to the second end of the bottom housing.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a cylindrical core located coaxial with the axis and passing through the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electromagnetic coil.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises a seventh electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing adapted to generate an electromagnetic field.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises an eighth electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing adapted to generate an electromagnetic field.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises a ninth electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing adapted to detect an electromagnetic field.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises a tenth electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing adapted to detect an electromagnetic field.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises an eleventh electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing adapted to detect an electromagnetic field.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the second electromagnetic field generator comprises a twelfth electromagnetic coil disposed within the bottom housing to detect an electromagnetic field.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a cylindrical core located coaxial with the axis and passing through the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electromagnetic coils.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the first centralizer is a hollow cylindrical shape.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the second centralizer is a substantially hollow cylindrical shape.

22. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils disposed within the second magnetic anomaly sensor.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor includes a data logger.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor includes a plurality of processors.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor computes the velocity by comparing measurements taken from the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor.

26. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first centralizer surrounding a portion of the first end of the top housing.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising a second centralizer surrounding a portion of the second end of the top housing and a portion of the second end of the bottom housing.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein the top housing is composed of a frangible material.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the top housing is composed of a ceramic material.

30. The system of claim 1 wherein the top housing is composed of steel.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom housing is composed of a frangible material.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom housing is composed of a ceramic material.

33. The system of claim 1 wherein the bottom housing is composed of steel.

34. The system of claim 1 wherein the packer is composed of metal.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein the packer is composed of a hard rubber.

36. The system of claim 1 further comprising a braking assembly coupled to the first end of the top housing.

37. The system of claim 36 further comprising a jet cutter coupled to the braking assembly.

38. The system of claim 1 further comprising a jet cutter coupled to autonomous tool.

39. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor calculates the distance traveled by the tool based on a calculated instantaneous velocity.

40. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor calculates the distance traveled by the tool by integrating the calculated velocity with respect to time.

41. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor calculates the distance traveled by the tool using summation of the calculated velocity with respect to time.

42. The method of cla

Assignees

• Hunting Titan Inc

Inventors

• Mcbride Gene

Classifications

• E21B47/092 Primary

  by detecting magnetic anomalies · CPC title

• E21B47/0228

  using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor · CPC title

• E21B43/114

  Perforators using direct fluid action {on the wall to be perforated}, e.g. abrasive jets · CPC title

• E21B47/024

  of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022) · CPC title

• G01V3/28

  using induction coils · CPC title