Autonomous tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11598201-B2
Application number	US-202017064416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2020
Priority date	Feb 23, 2018
Publication date	Mar 7, 2023
Grant date	Mar 7, 2023

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, then further calculating the distance traveled by the tool in the wellbore based on the velocity calculation, then executing a series of commands at a predetermined location in the wellbore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for locating a downhole tool comprising:
inserting an autonomous tool into a borehole;
activating the autonomous tool by removing a safely clip attached to a lanyard when the autonomous tools is released into the borehole;
moving the autonomous tool down the borehole;
centralizing the autonomous tool in the borehole;
programming the autonomous tool to execute a command at a predetermined location within the borehole;
detecting a set of borehole magnetic anomalies at a first location on the autonomous tool;
detecting the set of borehole magnetic anomalies at a second location on the autonomous tool;
comparing the detection at the first location with the detection at the second location;
calculating the velocity of the autonomous tool based on the comparison the set of borehole magnetic anomalies measured at the first location and second location;
calculating the position of the tool based on the calculated velocity;

automatically braking the autonomous tool as it approaches a predetermined location;
arming an explosive device using a plurality of safety switches;
holding the autonomous tool at a predetermined location; and
autonomously activating at least one downhole device at the predetermined location.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the autonomous tool generating an electromagnetic field at a first location in the autonomous tool.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the autonomous tool generating an electromagnetic field at a second location in the autonomous tool.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting casing collars based on the detected borehole magnetic anomalies.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the executed command is to fire a perforating gun.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the executed command is to deploy a brake assembly.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the executed command is to fire a pipe severing tool.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the executed command is to expand a plug within the borehole.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the autonomous tool includes dropping it down a wellbore.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the autonomous tool includes pumping it down a wellbore.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating the position includes integrating the calculated velocity with respect to time.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating the position includes summation of the calculated velocity with respect to time.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating the position includes averaging the calculated velocity over a plurality of measurements and multiplying by time.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the calculating the position includes a piecewise summation with respect to time.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein activating a downhole device includes explosively perforating a wellbore.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein activating a downhole device includes setting a bridge plug.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein activating a downhole device includes cutting a tubular.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising releasing the autonomous tool from the first predetermined location, traveling to a second predetermined location, and holding the autonomous tool at the second predetermined location.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising activating a plurality of downhole devices at a plurality of corresponding predetermined locations.

Assignees

• Hunting Titan Inc

Inventors

• Mcbride Gene
• Hohmann Garrett M
• Dobsky David
• Pundole Faraidoon

Classifications

• G01V3/26

  operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified either by the surrounding earth formation or by the detecting device (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/30) · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title

• E21B47/092 Primary

  by detecting magnetic anomalies · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title

• E21B23/01

  for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18) · CPC title