Current feed-through wireline release tool and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12038264-B2
Application number	US-202217740952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2022
Priority date	Mar 19, 2018
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

A wireline release tool for downhole intervention, the tool including a housing having an electrical input and an electrical output; a pass-through switch located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output; and a current limiter device located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output. The pass-through switch is connected in parallel to the current limiter device, between the electrical input and the electrical output.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wireline release tool for downhole intervention, the tool comprising:
a housing having an electrical input and an electrical output;
a pass-through switch located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output; and
a current limiter device located inside the housing and electrically connected between the electrical input and the electrical output,
wherein the pass-through switch is connected in parallel to the current limiter device, between the electrical input and the electrical output.

2. The wireline release tool of claim 1 , wherein the current limiter device allows a test electrical current, smaller than a threshold current, to pass while the pass-through switch does not allow the test electrical current to pass.

3. The wireline release tool of claim 2 , wherein the current limiter device limits a current from increasing past the threshold current.

4. The wireline release tool of claim 2 , wherein the pass-through switch is open while the test electrical current passes through the current limiter device.

5. The wireline release tool of claim 4 , wherein the threshold current is 20 mA and the test electrical current is smaller than 3 mA.

6. The wireline release tool of claim 2 , wherein the threshold current times a resistance of the current limiter device equals a voltage that is smaller than a voltage that closes the pass-through circuit.

7. The wireline release tool of claim 1 , wherein the current limiter device comprises:
two depletion mode transistors and a resistor.

8. The wireline release tool of claim 7 , wherein the two transistors are N-channel mosfet transistors.

9. The wireline release tool of claim 7 , wherein the resistor is the only resistor in the device.

10. The wireline release tool of claim 7 , wherein there are no other electrical components of the current limiter device.

11. The wireline release tool of claim 7 , wherein a drain of the first transistor is connected to the electrical input, a source of the first transistor is connected to a first side of the resistor, and a gate of the first transistor is connected to a second side of the resistor.

12. The wireline release tool of claim 11 , wherein a drain of the second transistor is connected to ground, a source of the second transistor is connected to the second side of the resistor, and a gate of the second transistor is connected to the first side of the resistor.

13. The wireline release tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a first end that is attached to a wireline and a second end that is attached to a casing locator.

14. A method for ohmic testing a gun string assembly in a well, the method comprising:
connecting a wireline release tool to a gun string;
lowering the assembly into the well;
applying with a current source a test current to the wireline release tool, the test current being smaller than a threshold current, so that the test current passes a current limiter device, but does not pass a pass-through switch, which is electrically connected in parallel to the current limiter device;
measuring a test voltage associated with the test current; and
determining a status of the gun string.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
applying with a voltage source a voltage larger than a threshold voltage to close the pass-through switch.

Assignees

• Geodynamics Inc

Inventors

• Perry Brad
• Archibald Roger

Classifications

• H02H9/025

  Current limitation using field effect transistors · CPC title

• G01V11/002

  Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant (means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B) · CPC title

• F42C15/42

  from a remote location, e.g. for controlled mines or mine fields · CPC title

• H02H3/202

  for DC systems · CPC title

• E21B43/119

  Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction · CPC title