Method for synchronizing downhole tractor and winch deployment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11454076-B2
Application number	US-202117177078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2021
Priority date	Jun 19, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A method for synchronizing downhole tractor and surface winch deployment includes inserting into a wellbore a tool string connected to a wireline, where the tool string includes a variable speed tractor. The method also includes deploying the tractor, and deploying the wireline from a winch. The method further includes dynamically monitoring, by a device disposed downhole, a wireline tension as an indicator of synchronization of the tractor and winch.

First claim

What is claims is:

1. A method for synchronizing downhole tractor and surface winch deployment comprising:
inserting into a wellbore a tool string connected to a wireline, the tool string comprising a variable speed tractor;
deploying the tractor;
deploying the wireline from a winch;
dynamically monitoring, by a device disposed downhole, a wireline tension as an indicator of synchronization of the tractor and winch;
determining an operator desired speed of the tractor;
determining a reference downhole tension;
determining an actual downhole tension;
determining a modified speed of the tractor based on the operator desired speed of the tractor, the reference downhole tension, and the actual downhole tension; and
adjusting, by the device, the tractor speed in response to a disparity in tension to match the winch speed, wherein the tractor speed is adjusted based on the modified speed.

2. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the modified speed is less than the operator desired speed if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension, and wherein the modified speed is greater than the operator desired speed if the reference downhole tension is greater than the actual downhole tension.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
determining a first error between the reference downhole tension and the actual downhole tension, wherein the first error has a negative value if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension, and wherein the first error has a positive value if the reference downhole tension is greater than the actual downhole tension; and
determining a second error between the operator desired speed and a value based on a result of the first error, wherein the modified speed is based on a result of the second error.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising inputting the result of the first error into a controller, wherein the second error is determined between the operator desired speed and an output of the controller.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the value of the result of the second error is less than the operator desired speed if the actual downhole tension is greater than the reference downhole tension, and wherein the value of the result of the second error is greater than the operator desired speed if the actual downhole tension is less than the reference downhole tension.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the tractor speed comprises:
determining an operator desired torque threshold of the tractor;
determining a reference downhole tension;
determining an actual downhole tension; and
determining a modified torque of the tractor based on the operator desired torque threshold of the tractor, the reference downhole tension, and the actual downhole tension, wherein the modified torque is less than the operator desired torque threshold if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
determining a first error between the reference downhole tension and the actual downhole tension, wherein the first error has a negative value if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension, and wherein the first error has a positive value if the reference downhole tension is greater than the actual downhole tension; and
determining a second error between the operator desired torque threshold and a value based on a result of the first error, wherein the modified torque is based on a result of the second error.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising inputting the result of the first error into a controller, wherein the second error is determined between the operator desired torque threshold and an output of the controller.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising implementing a counter to indicate an amount of slack in the wireline, wherein the counter is zeroed when the wireline tension confirms that adding or removing slack indicates there is no slack in the wireline.

10. A system for synchronizing downhole tractor speed and surface winch deployment comprising:
a winch for deploying a tool string on a wireline;
a variable speed tractor connected to the tool string for deploying the tool string into a wellbore;
a wireline tension sensor; and
a downhole device in communication with the tractor and the wireline tension sensor and having one or more processors configured to:
dynamically monitor wireline tension as an indication of synchronization of the tractor and winch;
determine an operator desired speed of the tractor;
determine a reference downhole tension;
determine an actual downhole tension; and
determine a modified speed of the tractor based on the operator desired speed of the tractor, the reference downhole tension, and the actual downhole tension; and
dynamically adjust the speed of the tractor to match the winch speed wherein the tractor speed is adjusted based on the modified speed.

11. The system of claim 10 ,
wherein the modified speed is less than the operator desired speed if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension, and wherein the modified speed is greater than the operator desired speed if the reference downhole tension is greater than the actual downhole tension.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
determine a first error between the reference downhole tension and the actual downhole tension, wherein the first error has a negative value if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension, and wherein the first error has a positive value if the reference downhole tension is greater than the actual downhole tension; and
determine a second error between the operator desired speed and a value based on a result of the first error, wherein the modified speed is based on a result of the second error, wherein the value of the result of the second error is less than the operator desired speed if the actual downhole tension is greater than the reference downhole tension, and wherein the value of the result of the second error is greater than the operator desired speed if the actual downhole tension is less than the reference downhole tension.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
determine an operator desired torque threshold of the tractor;
determine a reference downhole tension;
determine an actual downhole tension; and
determine a modified torque of the tractor based on the operator desired torque threshold of the tractor, the reference downhole tension, and the actual downhole tension, wherein the modified torque is less than the operator desired torque threshold if the reference downhole tension is less than the actual downhole tension.

14. A method for synchronizing downhole tractor and surface winch deployment comprising:
inserting into a wellbore a tool string connected to a wireline, the tool string comprising a variable speed tractor;
deploying the tractor;
deploying the wireline from a winch;
dynamically monitoring, by a device disposed downhole, a wireline tension as an indicator of synchronization of the tractor and winch;
implementing a counter to indicate an amount of slack in the wireline, wherein the counter is zeroed when the wireline tension confirms that adding or removing slack indicates there is no slack in the wireline; and
adjusting the tractor speed in response to a disparity in tension to match the winch speed.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: incrementally increasing the tractor speed in response to

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Ludwig Wesley N
• Gupta Sudhir K
• Qi Yuan

Classifications

• E21B23/14 Primary

  for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells · CPC title

• B66D1/505

  electrical · CPC title

• E21B17/20

  Flexible or articulated drilling pipes {, e.g. flexible or articulated rods, pipes or cables} · CPC title