Autonomous untethered well object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9650851-B2
Application number	US-201313916657-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2013
Priority date	Jun 18, 2012
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A technique includes deploying an untethered object though a passageway of a string in a well; and sensing a property of an environment of the string, an electromagnetic coupling or a pressure as the object is being communicated through the passageway. The technique includes selectively autonomously operating the untethered object in response to the sensing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
deploying an untethered object through a passageway of a string in a well;
sensing a pressure in the passageway as the object is being communicated through the passageway, wherein sensing a pressure comprises sensing a differential pressure between an uphole end of the untethered object and a downhole end of the untethered object;
determining a position of the object based at least in part on the sensing of the pressure; and
selectively autonomously operating the untethered object in response to the determined position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selectively autonomously operating the untethered object comprises transitioning the object from a first state to a second state.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein transitioning the object comprises transitioning the object from a radially contracted state to a radially expanded state in response to the sensing.

4. A method comprising:
communicating an untethered object though a passageway of a string in a well;
sensing a pressure as the object is being communicated through the passageway, wherein sensing a pressure comprises sensing a differential pressure between an uphole end of the untethered object and a downhole end of the untethered object; and
selectively radially expanding the untethered object in response to the sensing.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising detecting at least one valve of the string based on the sensing, wherein selectively radially expanding the untethered object further comprises selectively radially expanding the untethered object in response to the detecting.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein sensing the pressure comprises sensing a differential pressure across the object.

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Whitsitt John R
• Booker John A
• Macdougall Thomas Daniel
• Rytlewski Gary L

Classifications

• E21B43/14

  Obtaining from a multiple-zone well · CPC title

• E21B23/00 Primary

  Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells (setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10) · CPC title

• E21B34/142

  unsupported or free-falling elements, e.g. balls, plugs, darts or pistons · CPC title

• E21B47/0905

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• E21B34/14

  operated by movement of tools, e.g. sleeve valves operated by pistons or wire line tools {(E21B34/066 takes precedence)} · CPC title