Autonomous downhole conveyance system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9617829-B2
Application number	US-201113989728-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2011
Priority date	Dec 17, 2010
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A tool assembly is provided that includes an actuatable tool such as a valve or a setting tool. And includes a location device that senses the location of the tool assembly within a tubular body based on a physical signature. The tool assembly also includes an on-board controller configured to send an activation signal to the actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the tool based on the physical signature. The actuatable tool, the location device, and the on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the wellbore as an autonomous unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A delivery assembly for performing an autonomous tubular operation, comprising:
an elongated canister;
at least one actuatable tool;
a location device for sensing the location of the at least one actuatable tool within a tubular body based on a physical signature provided along the tubular body; and
an on-board controller configured to send an actuation signal to at least one of the at least one actuatable tool when the location device has recognized a selected location of the actuatable tool based on the physical signature;
wherein:
the canister, the location device, and the on-board controller are together dimensioned and arranged to be deployed in the tubular body as an autonomous unit;
the delivery assembly is designed to release a material from the canister in response to a release signal; and
the entire delivery assembly is constructed to self-destruct in response to a self-destruct signal, wherein the on-board controller controls a determined time interval between the actuation signal and the self-destruct signal.

2. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein the tubular body is (i) a wellbore constructed to produce hydrocarbon fluids, (ii) a wellbore constructed to inject fluids into a subsurface formation, or (iii) a pipeline containing fluids.

3. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the location device is a radio frequency antenna; and
the signature is formed by the spacing of identification tags along the tubular body, with the identification tags being sensed by the radio frequency antenna.

4. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the tubular body is a wellbore;
the location device is a casing collar locator; and
the signature is formed by the spacing of collars along the tubular body, with the collars being sensed by the collar locator.

5. The delivery assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the location device comprises a pair of sensing devices spaced apart along the delivery assembly as lower and upper sensing devices;
the controller comprises a clock that determines time that elapses between sensing by the lower sensing device and sensing by the upper sensing device as the delivery assembly traverses across a collar; and
the delivery assembly is programmed to determine delivery assembly velocity at a given time based on the distance between the lower and upper sensing devices, divided by the elapsed time between sensing.

6. The delivery assembly of claim 5 , wherein a position of the actuatable tool at the selected location along the wellbore is confirmed by a combination of (i) location of the delivery assembly relative to the collars as sensed by either the lower or the upper sensing device, and (ii) velocity of the delivery assembly as computed by the controller as a function of time.

7. The delivery assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the delivery assembly further comprises a set of slips for holding the location of the delivery assembly proximate the selected location; and
one of the at least one actuatable tool comprises the set of slips, such that the set of slips is activated at the selected location in response to the actuation signal.

8. The delivery assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the delivery assembly further comprises an elastomeric sealing element for sealing the tubular body; and
the actuatable tool further comprises the sealing element, such that the sealing element is also activated at the selected location in response to the actuation signal.

9. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the elongated canister is a fluid container; and
the delivery assembly is designed to release fluid from the fluid container in response to a release signal.

10. The delivery assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the fluid container contains a fluid; and
the fluid comprises (i) air loaded into the chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure, (ii) a resin, (iii) an acid, (iv) a surfactant, (v) a hydrate inhibitor, (vi) oxygen, or (vi) a fluid selected to expedite the swelling of a swellable packer.

11. The delivery assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the actuatable tool comprises a detonator, such that activation of the detonator causes a release of fluid from the fluid container at the selected location;
the fluid delivery assembly is fabricated from a friable material;
the fluid delivery assembly is designed to self-destruct in response to a detonation signal sent to the detonator; and
the detonation signal is also the release signal.

12. The delivery assembly of claim 10 , wherein:
the fluid container comprises a valve having at least one port;
one of the at least one actuatable tool comprises the valve; and
the valve is configured to open the at least one port in response to the release signal sent from the on-board controller.

13. The delivery assembly of claim 12 , wherein:
the fluid container is fabricated from a friable material.

14. The delivery assembly of claim 13 , wherein the controller is programmed to send the release signal before the actuation signal.

15. The delivery assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
destruction of the canister causes a release of the fluid such that the actuation signal and the release signal are the same signal.

16. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the material in the elongated canister comprises substantially solid material; and
the delivery assembly is designed to release the solid from the canister in response to the release signal.

17. The delivery assembly of claim 16 , wherein:
the canister is fabricated from a friable material.

18. The delivery assembly of claim 17 , wherein destruction of the canister causes a release of the solid material such that the actuation signal and the release signal are the same signal.

19. The delivery assembly of claim 16 , wherein the controller is programmed to send the release signal before the actuation signal.

20. The delivery assembly of claim 19 , wherein:
the delivery assembly further comprises a perforation gun for perforating a string of casing proximate the selected location;
one of the at least one actuatable tool comprises the perforating gun, such that perforating charges are fired at the selected location in response to the actuation signal; and
the controller is programmed to send the release signal before the actuation signal.

21. The delivery assembly of claim 19 , wherein the solid material comprises ball sealers that are dimensioned to seal perforations.

22. The delivery assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery pack; and
a multi-gate safety system for preventing premature activation of the at least one actuatable tool, the safety system comprising control circuitry having one or more electrical switches that are independently operated in response to separate conditions before permitting the actuation signal to reach the tool.

23. The delivery assembly of claim 22 , wherein the multi-gate safety system comprises at least one of:
(i) a selectively removable battery pack, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate an electrical switch when the battery pack is installed into the assembly;
(ii) a mechanical pull-tab, wherein the control circuitry is configured to operate an electrical switch upon removal of the tab from the fluid delivery assembly;
(iii) a pressure-sensitive switch that is configured to operate an electrical switch only when a designated hydraulic pressure on the fluid delivery assembly is exceeded;
(iv) an elect

Assignees

• Dale Bruce A
• Tolman Randy C
• Entchev Pavlin B
• Angeles Boza Renzo Moises
• Shuchart Chris E
• Grueschow Eric R
• Yeh Charles S
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Dale Bruce A
• Tolman Randy C
• Entchev Pavlin B
• Angeles Boza Renzo Moises
• Shuchart Chris E
• Grueschow Eric R
• Yeh Charles S

Classifications

• E21B43/119 Primary

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

• E21B29/06

  Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations ({E21B29/005 and} E21B29/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B41/00 Primary

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

• E21B27/02

  Dump bailers, i.e. containers for depositing substances, e.g. cement or acids · CPC title

• Y10T137/1842

  Ambient condition change responsive · CPC title