Instrumented rotary tool with sensor in cavity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11434748-B2
Application number	US-202016833719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2020
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A rotary tool for operation within an underground borehole or within tubing in a borehole has a tool body and at least one sensor-containing unit attached to the tool body and positioned to contact the conduit wall. The sensor-containing unit includes an exterior portion to contact the borehole or tubing wall and one or more sensors is located in a cavity between the exterior portion and the tool body. The sensor-containing unit may be formed from the exterior portion, an attachment portion for attachment to the tool body, and one or more connecting portions extending between the attachment and exterior portions, with the sensor-containing cavity between the attachment and exterior portions. Possible rotary tools include drill bits, reamers, mills, stabilizers, and rotary steerable systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotary tool for operation within an underground conduit, comprising:
a tool body rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the tool body; and
a sensor housing, including:
an attachment portion connectable to the tool body;
an exterior portion opposite the attachment portion, the exterior portion and the attachment portion forming a cavity therebetween, wherein, when the attachment portion is connected to the tool body, the exterior portion being extended radially away from the tool body; and
one or more connecting portions joining the exterior portion to the attachment portion and extending radially between the attachment portion and the exterior portion; and

at least one carrier that includes a plurality of sensors located in the cavity between the exterior portion and the attachment portion, the plurality of sensors including at least:
two sensors attached to a first surface of the one or more connecting portion; and
two sensors attached to a second surface of the one or more connecting portions, the first and second surfaces being oriented to face different directions, and wherein the two sensors attached to the first surface are electrically coupled to the two sensors attached to the second surface and are oriented in a manner causing the plurality of sensors on the carrier to collectively be sensitive to exactly one of circumferential force, axial force, or radial force.

2. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion covers the carrier.

3. The rotary tool of claim 1 , the one or more connecting portions having a total cross-sectional area that is less than an area of an outer surface of the exterior portion which faces radially outwards towards the wall of the conduit.

4. The rotary tool of claim 1 , the one or more connecting portions being more flexible than the at least one exterior portion and the tool body.

5. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion and the one or more connecting portions are part of a unit that also includes a side wall extending between the exterior portion and the attachment portion to partially enclose the cavity.

6. The rotary tool of claim 5 , further comprising:
a shield enclosing the cavity and extending across more than half a distance between the exterior portion and the attachment portion.

7. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a first carrier, and the rotary tool further comprises:
a second carrier including two sensors attached to a third surface of the one or more connecting portions and two sensors attached to a fourth surface of the one or more connecting portions, the third and fourth surfaces being perpendicular to the first and second surfaces,
wherein the two sensors of the second carrier are collectively sensitive to exactly one of circumferential force, axial force, or radial force, but with a sensitivity different than the plurality of sensors of the first carrier.

8. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the two sensors attached to the first surface and the two sensors attached to the second surface are selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, an inclinometer, a temperature sensor, and a strain gauge.

9. The rotary tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
electronic circuitry connected to the carrier and located in the cavity.

10. The rotary tool of claim 9 , the electronic circuitry including a transmission unit configured to transmit data from the carrier to a tool located above the rotary tool in a BHA.

11. The rotary tool of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrically insulating material filling the cavity.

12. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion and the carrier sensor are removably attached to the tool body.

13. A method of obtaining data by operating a rotary tool, comprising:
connecting an attachment portion of a sensor housing to a tool body, the sensor housing including at least one sensor attached to one or more connecting portions and located between the attachment portion and an exterior portion, the exterior portion covering the at least one sensor, and the at least one sensor including:
first and second strain gauges attached to a first surface of the one or more connecting portions; and
third and fourth strain gauges attached to a second surface of a second surface of the one or more connecting portions, the first and second surfaces facing in opposing directions;

positioning the rotary tool within a wellbore; and
observing or recording data from the at least one sensor while operating the rotary tool within the wellbore, wherein the data is produced by the first, second, third, and fourth strain gauges which are collectively sensitive to exactly one of circumferential, axial, or radial force.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein observing or recording data includes recording data to an electronics unit in the cavity.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein observing or recording data includes recording data to a device separate from the rotary tool and positioned in a BHA in the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein observing or recording data includes transmitting raw or processed data from the at least one sensor to a surface location.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotary tool is a drill bit, an underreamer, a section mill, a stabilizer, or a rotary steerable tool.

18. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion extends across an entirety of a length of the attachment portion.

19. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the exterior portion, the attachment portion, and the one or more connecting portions are made as a one-piece article.

20. The rotary tool of claim 1 , wherein the two sensors attached to the first surface form a chevron strain gauge.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Hird Jonathan Robert
• Johnson Ashley Bernard
• Barrett Michael Paul
• Aldred Walter David
• Rosinski Tomas
• Rosinski Jarek

Classifications

• E21B10/42

  Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits (characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62) · CPC title

• E21B7/062

  the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft (E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/01

  Devices for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits, pipes, rods or wirelines; Protecting measuring instruments in boreholes against heat, shock, pressure or the like · CPC title

• E21B47/017

  Protecting measuring instruments · CPC title

• E21B7/067

  with means for locking sections of a pipe or of a guide for a shaft in angular relation, e.g. adjustable bent sub · CPC title