Downhole robotic shuttle for performing programed operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530584-B2
Application number	US-202017133846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 24, 2020
Priority date	Dec 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A downhole robotic shuttle includes multiple modules coupled together in series to be conveyed through a cased geologic borehole. One or more of the modules includes: a coupling mechanism to couple one module to an adjacent module, a movement mechanism to enable conveyance of the module having the movement mechanism through the cased borehole; a steering mechanism to steer the module comprising the steering mechanism to achieve a selected orientation within the cased borehole; a motor configured to power the movement mechanism and/or the steering mechanism; an actuator to perform a selected action; a sensor to sense a selected parameter; a memory to receive instructions for performing at least one of the selected action and another action; and a controller to control at least one of the motor, steering mechanism, robotic arm, or sensor in accordance with the instructions received from the memory and sensed data received from the sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole robotic shuttle comprising:
a plurality of modules configured to be coupled together in series wherein the series of modules is configured to be conveyed through a cased borehole penetrating a geologic formation;
one or more of the modules in the plurality of modules comprising:
a coupling mechanism configured to couple one module to an adjacent module, each module in the plurality comprising a first coupling mechanism at one end of the module and a second coupling mechanism at an opposing end of the module for coupling to the adjacent module;
a movement mechanism configured to enable conveyance of the module comprising the movement mechanism through the cased borehole;
a steering mechanism coupled to the movement mechanism and configured to steer the movement mechanism to achieve a selected orientation within the cased borehole;
a motor configured to power the movement mechanism and/or the steering mechanism;
an actuator configured to perform a selected action;
a sensor configured to sense a selected parameter to provide sensed data;
a memory configured to receive instructions for performing at least one of the selected action and another action;
map information stored in the memory;
a controller configured to control at least one of the motor, steering mechanism, actuator, or sensor in accordance with the instructions received from the memory and sensed data received from the sensor, the controller further configured to navigate the downhole robotic shuttle to a selected location based on the map information and the sensed data by controlling the steering mechanism.

2. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the modules comprises a tool configured to be operated by the actuator.

3. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 2 , wherein the tool comprises at least one of a welding device and a cutting device.

4. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a robotic arm and the robotic arm is configured to operate in at least one of a rotary motion or a linear motion.

5. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 4 , wherein one or more modules are configured to carry a payload and the robotic arm is configured to offload the payload.

6. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense at least one of an image, light intensity, electromagnetic energy, acoustic energy, chemical substance, or radiation.

7. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense an identification marker on the cased borehole.

8. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the modules comprises a light source configured to illuminate an interior of the cased borehole.

9. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the modules comprises an extendable brace configured to extend to engage a wall of the cased borehole to anchor the one or more of the modules comprising the extendable brace.

10. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to operate a sliding sleeve in a sliding sleeve valve disposed within the cased borehole.

11. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 10 , wherein the robotic shuttle is coupled to a wireline at one end of the wireline and a surface transceiver at the other end of the wireline.

12. The downhole robotic shuttle according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises at least one of a power bus or a communication bus.

13. A method for performing an operation in a cased geologic borehole penetrating a geologic formation, the method comprising.
downloading instructions into a memory of a robotic shuttle, the robotic shuttle comprising a plurality of modules coupled together in series, one or more of the modules comprising a coupling mechanism configured to couple one module to an adjacent module, each module in the plurality comprising a first coupling mechanism at one end of the module and a second coupling mechanism at an opposing end of the module for coupling to the adjacent module, a movement mechanism configured to enable conveyance of the module comprising the movement mechanism through the cased borehole, a steering mechanism coupled to the movement mechanism and configured to steer the movement mechanism, and a motor configured to power the movement mechanism and/or the steering mechanism;
storing map information in the memory;
conveying the robotic shuttle to a selected orientation at a selected location in the cased borehole in accordance with the instructions using a controller disposed on the robotic shuttle, the controller configured to navigate the robotic shuttle to the selected location based on the map information and sensed data by controlling the steering mechanism;
sensing a selected parameter using a sensor disposed on the robotic shuttle; and
performing the operation with an actuator disposed on the robotic shuttle and controlled by the controller in accordance with the instructions received from the memory and sensed data received from the sensor.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising identifying the location using the sensor to detect a marker disposed on the cased borehole.

15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising extending a brace on one or more of the shuttle modules to engage a wall of the cased borehole to anchor the one or more of the shuttle modules in place.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the actuator comprises a robotic arm.

17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising attaching a tool to the robotic arm and using the tool to perform the operation.

18. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising transporting a payload to a selected location in the borehole using one or more of the shuttle modules.

19. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising sliding a sliding sleeve in a sliding sleeve valve disposed in the cased borehole to a selected position using the actuator.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein sliding comprises engaging an attachment interface on the sliding sleeve.

Assignees

• Fanini Otto
• Cousin Daniel
• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Fanini Otto
• Cousin Daniel

Classifications

• E21B2200/06

  Sleeve valves · CPC title

• E21B34/06

  in wells · CPC title

• E21B17/028 Primary

  Electrical or electro-magnetic connections · CPC title

• E21B23/001 Primary

  Self-propelling systems or apparatus, e.g. for moving tools within the horizontal portion of a borehole · CPC title

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title