Downhole tool with sensor set(s) sensitive to circumferential, axial, or radial forces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732571-B2
Application number	US-202217815795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

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

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole tool, comprising:
a tool body;
a pad coupled to the tool body and configured to contact a downhole formation, the pad including an exterior portion coupled to one or more connecting portions, the one or more connecting portions extending radially inwardly from the exterior portion; and
a plurality of sensors coupled to the one or more connecting portions, the plurality of sensors including:
two first sensors; and
two second sensors,
wherein the two first sensors are electrically coupled to the two second sensors, and the two first sensors and the two second sensors are oriented in a manner causing the plurality of sensors to collectively be sensitive to exactly one of circumferential force, axial force, or radial force.

2. The downhole tool of claim 1 , the plurality of sensors being located in a cavity at least partially covered by the exterior portion.

3. The downhole tool of claim 1 , the one or more connecting portions being more flexible than the at least one exterior portion.

4. The downhole tool of claim 1 , the pad further including at least one side wall extending between the exterior portion and an attachment portion to at least partially enclose the one or more connecting portions.

5. The downhole tool of claim 1 , the plurality of sensors further including:
two third sensors; and
two fourth sensors,
wherein the two third sensors are electrically coupled to the two fourth sensors, and the two third sensors and the two fourth sensors are oriented in a manner causing the two third sensors and the two fourth sensors to collectively be sensitive to exactly one of circumferential force, axial force, or radial force, but with a different sensitivity to the two first sensors and the two second sensors.

6. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the two first sensors and the two second sensors are selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, a magnetometer, an inclinometer, or a temperature sensor.

7. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the two first sensors and the two second sensors are each strain gauges.

8. The downhole tool of claim 1 , further comprising at least one transmitter electrically coupled to the plurality of sensors.

9. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool body is a drill bit body, and the pad is a gauge pad.

10. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool body is a reamer or underreamer body, and the pad is a reamer or underreamer block or blade.

11. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool body is a section mill body, and the pad is a section mill knife or blade.

12. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool body is a stabilizer body, and the pad is a stabilizer block.

13. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool body is a rotary steerable tool, and the pad is a directional steering pad.

14. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the pad is selectively extendible and retractable.

15. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the pad has a fixed radial position.

16. The downhole tool of claim 1 , wherein the two first sensors are coupled to at least one first connecting portion of the one or more connecting portions and the two second sensors are coupled to at least one second connecting portion of the one or more connecting portions, the at least one first connecting portion being oriented perpendicular to the at least one second connecting portion.

17. A method of measuring downhole data, comprising:
positioning a downhole tool within a wellbore, the downhole tool including:
a tool body;
a pad coupled to the tool body, the pad including an exterior portion coupled to one or more connecting portions, the one or more connecting portions extending radially inwardly from the exterior portion; and
a plurality of sensors coupled to the one or more connecting portions, the plurality of sensors including two first sensors and two second sensors electrically coupled and oriented in a manner causing the two first sensors and the two second sensors to collectively be sensitive to exactly one of circumferential force, axial force, or radial force;

operating the downhole tool, which includes engaging the pad with a formation, casing, or liner around the wellbore; and
measuring data from the plurality of sensors while operating the downhole tool.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising at least one of recording the measured data on the downhole tool or transmitting the measured data to another downhole tool or to a surface location.

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

20. The method of claim 17 , the two first sensors being coupled to at least one first connecting portion of the one or more connecting portions and the two second sensors being coupled to at least one second connecting portion of the one or more connecting portions, the at least one first connecting portion being oriented perpendicular to the at least one second connecting portion.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

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

Classifications

• E21B47/013 Primary

  Devices specially adapted for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits · CPC title

• E21B47/007

  Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing (for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09) · 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

• E21B47/024

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