Variable valve axial oscillation tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305188-A1
Application number	US-201415038080-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 21, 2014
Priority date	Jan 21, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method for creating axial movement of a drill string using a variable valve and a controller. In some embodiments, the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for creating localized axial movement of a drill string that is located downhole, the apparatus comprising:
a lower sleeve coupled to the drill string and defining a passage to accommodate a fluid flowing through the drill string; an upper sleeve coupled to the drill string and concentrically disposed about the lower sleeve; a variable valve within the passage; and a controller operatively connected to the variable valve for controlling the flow of the fluid flowing through the lower sleeve to cause the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve to create localized axial movement of the drill string.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the lower sleeve moves relative to the upper sleeve by a stroke length to create a stroke frequency;
wherein the stroke length is a degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller; and wherein the stroke frequency is another degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a communication device operatively connected to the controller for receiving feedback data relating to a downhole condition that is affected by the flow of the fluid through the lower sleeve; and
wherein the controller, in response to the receipt of the feedback data, changes the flow of the fluid through the lower sleeve to affect the downhole condition.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor that is operatively connected to the controller for monitoring a downhole condition that is affected by the flow of the fluid through the lower sleeve; and
wherein the controller, in response to the monitored downhole condition, changes the flow of the fluid flowing through the lower sleeve to affect the downhole condition.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a proximity sensor that is located on the lower sleeve and is operatively connected to the controller and that detects to movement of the lower sleeve relative to the upper sleeve.

7 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the downhole condition is an amount of force exerted upon the drill string and the feedback data is received from a surface system or a tool located downhole.

8 . A method for creating localized axial movement of a drill string, the method comprising:
coupling a tool to the drill string, the tool comprising:
a lower sleeve coupled to the drill string and defining a passage to accommodate a fluid flowing through the drill string;
an upper sleeve coupled to the drill string and concentrically disposed about the lower sleeve;
a variable valve within the passage that is positionable between a selected closed position and a selected open position, wherein the selected closed position creates a selected pressure differential across the variable valve and in the fluid flowing through the lower sleeve to cause the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve to create localized axial movement of the drill string; and
a controller operatively connected to the variable valve for controlling the variable valve; and
creating a first selected fluid pressure differential across the variable valve, using the controller and the variable valve, to move the lower sleeve relative to the upper sleeve to create a first localized axial movement of the drill string.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the selected pressure differential across the variable valve causes the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve by a stroke length to create a stroke frequency;
wherein the stroke length is a degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller; and wherein the stroke frequency is another degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving feedback data relating to a downhole condition that is a function of the first selected pressure differential across the variable valve using a communication device that is operatively connected to the controller; and creating a second selected fluid pressure differential across the variable valve, in response to the receipt of the feedback data, to move the lower sleeve relative to the upper sleeve to create a second localized axial movement of the drill string.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
monitoring a downhole condition that is a function of the first selected pressure differential across the variable valve using a sensor operatively connected to the controller; and creating a second selected fluid pressure differential across the variable valve, in response to the receipt of the feedback data, to move the lower sleeve relative to the upper sleeve to create a second localized axial movement of the drill string.

13 . The method of claim 8 ,
wherein the first selected pressure differential across the variable valve causes the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve by a first stroke length; and which further comprises measuring the first stroke length using a proximity sensor that is operatively connected to the controller; and creating, in response to the measured first stroke length, a second selected fluid pressure differential across the variable valve, using the controller and the variable valve, to cause the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve by a second stroke length.

14 . A tool for oscillating a portion of a drill string that is located downhole comprising:
a lower sleeve coupled to the drill string and defining a passage to accommodate a fluid flowing through the drill string; an upper sleeve coupled to the drill string and concentrically disposed about the lower sleeve; a variable valve within the passage that is positionable between a selected open position and a selected closed position, wherein the selected closed position creates a selected pressure differential across the variable valve and in the fluid flowing through the lower sleeve to cause the lower sleeve to move relative to the upper sleeve by a stroke length at a stroke frequency thereby oscillating the portion of the drill string; and a controller operatively connected to the variable valve for identifying a first selected open position and a first selected closed position of the variable valve and for storing a predetermined value of a downhole condition that is a function of at least one of the selected open position and the selected closed position.

15 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller and the predetermined value of the downhole condition is a setpoint of the proportional-integral-derivative controller.

16 . The tool of claim 15 , wherein the stroke length is a degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller; and
wherein the stroke frequency is another degree of freedom for the proportional-integral-derivative controller.

17 . The tool of claim 14 , wherein the controller receives a measured value of the downhole condition, calculates the difference between the measured value and the predetermined value, and, in response to the difference, identifies a second selected open position of the variable valve and a second selected closed position of the variable valve.

18 . The tool of claim 17 , further comprising a sensor operative

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Hay Charles Richard Thomas

Classifications

• E21B7/24 Primary

  Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses (percussion drilling E21B1/00) · CPC title

• E21B34/066

  electrically actuated · CPC title

• E21B44/00

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title

• E21B21/10

  Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems · CPC title

• E21B2034/002

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic