Downhole tool vibration device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9869141-B2
Application number	US-201214414609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2012
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to select a longitudinal axis within a borehole, and to move a down hole housing using at least one set of rollers attached to the housing to contact a surface of the borehole, so that simultaneous movement with two rotational degrees of freedom is enabled within the borehole. The centerline of the housing can be substantially aligned with a selected longitudinal axis while the housing moves along the selected longitudinal axis. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a down hole housing; and
at least one set of rollers attached to the housing and having two rotational degrees of freedom, to enable the housing to move simultaneously along and about a longitudinal axis within a borehole in which the housing is disposed, when the at least one set of rollers contacts a surface of the borehole;
wherein each roller of the at least one set of rollers is compliantly mounted to a frame, each roller having an axle located substantially in line with a substantially circular axis of rotation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of rollers comprises a plurality of individual rollers that all share a primary axis of rotation, and a secondary axis of rotation different from the primary axis of rotation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one extensible arm attached at a first end to the housing, and at a second end to the at least one set of rollers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the at least one set of rollers comprises:
three sets of rollers.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the extensible arm comprises:
a laterally extensible arm that is configured to move along a single linear axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the extensible arm comprises:
a laterally extensible arm that is hingedly attached to the housing at the first end to move within a plane intersecting a center of rotation of the housing, and that is rotationally attached to a center of rotation of the at least one set of rollers at the second end.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of rollers comprises:
individual rollers mounted to rotate about the substantially circular axis forming a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the housing is not disposed within the substantially circular axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a compliant mounting system to permit the at least one set of rollers to move toward a common center of rotation when uneven surfaces in the borehole are encountered as the housing moves along the longitudinal axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the compliant mounting system includes the axle.

11. A system, comprising:
a down hole housing;
at least one set of rollers attached to the housing and having two rotational degrees of freedom to enable the housing to move simultaneously along and about a longitudinal axis within a borehole in which the housing is disposed when the at least one set of rollers contacts a surface of the borehole, rollers of the at least one set of rollers further including a compliant axle mounted to a frame; and
an extension mechanism controlled by feedback to selectably move a centerline of the housing with respect to the longitudinal axis within the borehole.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the extension mechanism comprises:
a drive mechanism; and
at least one extensible arm coupled to the drive mechanism and the at least one set of rollers.

13. The system of claim 11 , comprising:
a remote geosteering controller to operate the extension mechanism.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the housing is disposed within a substantially circular axis about which all individual rollers in the at least one set of rollers can rotate.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the feedback is provided by sensors comprising at least one of ultrasonic sensors, accelerometers, strain gauges, or optical sensors.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the centerline of the housing is substantially perpendicular to an axis of extension associated with the extension mechanism.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises:
one of a wireline tool body, a measurement while drilling down hole tool, or a logging while drilling down hole tool.

18. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a braking mechanism to slow or stop movement of individual rollers in the at least one set of rollers.

19. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a clutch mechanism to selectably couple the extension mechanism to the housing via rotating or fixed attachment.

20. A method, comprising:
selecting a longitudinal axis within a borehole;
moving a down hole housing using at least one set of rollers attached to the housing to contact a surface of the borehole, so that simultaneous movement of the at least one set of rollers with two rotational degrees of freedom is enabled within the borehole as a centerline of the housing is substantially aligned with the selected longitudinal axis while the housing moves along the selected longitudinal axis; and
moving each roller of the at least one set of rollers about an axle, each roller compliantly mounted to a frame and located substantially in line with a substantially circular axis of rotation.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the moving comprises:
moving substantially all of the rollers about the substantially circular axis of rotation to enable the housing to move along the selected longitudinal axis; and
moving substantially all of the rollers along the substantially circular axis of rotation.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the moving comprises:
receiving electrical feedback with respect to the moving; and
adjusting a position of at least one arm attached to a center of rotation for the at least one set of rollers to move the centerline toward the selected longitudinal axis.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical feedback represents one of vibration measurement or location measurement.

Assignees

• Chang Chung
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Chang Chung

Classifications

• E21B17/1014

  Flexible or expansible centering means, e.g. with pistons pressing against the wall of the well (E21B17/1042 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B19/16

  Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints (E21B19/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B47/09

  Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells {, e.g. the position of an extending arm}; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes · CPC title

• E21B17/1057 Primary

  Centralising devices with rollers or with a relatively rotating sleeve (E21B17/1014 takes precedence) · CPC title