Downhole system having a wireless unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957789-B2
Application number	US-201113989265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2011
Priority date	Nov 24, 2010
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to a downhole system ( 200 ) comprising a casing ( 3 ) having an inner wall. Furthermore, the downhole system comprises a wireless unit ( 1 ) which is movable within the casing, comprising driving means ( 7 ) in the form of wheels and at least one battery pack ( 8 ) comprising at least one battery for powering an electrical motor ( 5 ) driving a pump ( 6 ) driving the wheels to rotate along the inner wall of the casing, wherein the downhole system further comprises a well head ( 110 ) having a sound detection device ( 16 ) for detecting vibrations in the casing, e.g. caused by the driving means or an operation performed by the wireless unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A downhole well system comprising:
a well casing having an inner wall;
a well head coupled to the well casing:
a sound detection device arranged proximate to the well head and comprising a transducer or sensor abutting an outer wall of the well head or abutting a wall above the well head;
a wireless unit comprising a drive unit in the form of wheels and at least one battery pack, the at least one battery pack comprising at least one battery configured to power an electrical motor, the electrical motor driving a pump configured to drive the wheels, the wireless unit being configured to move within the well casing due to rotation of the wheels along the inner wall of the well casing; and
a processor;
wherein the sound detection device is configured to, based on signals received from the transducer or the sensor abutting the outer wall of the well head or abutting the wall above the well head, monitor sounds originating within the well casing caused by operation of the wireless unit within the well casing; and
the processor is configured to determine a location of the wireless unit within the well casing by interpreting the sounds originating within the well casing caused by movement of the wireless unit within the well casing due to the rotation of the wheels along the inner wall of the well casing and perform a second operation based on the determined location of the wireless unit within the well casing.

2. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the sound detection device comprises a display showing the sounds monitored by the sound detecting device.

3. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a distance from the well head to the wireless unit.

4. The downhole system according to claim 1 , further comprising a downhole safety valve arranged in the well casing.

5. The downhole system according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with the downhole safety valve and instruct the downhole safety valve to open when the wireless unit is within a predetermined distance from the well head.

6. The downhole system according to claim 1 , further comprising a docking station enabling the wireless unit to connect thereto in order to be charged or recharged, or to upload or download information or signals to and from the wireless unit.

7. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the wireless unit further comprises a wireless connection to transfer electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit.

8. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the well head comprises a recharge connection to recharge and/or transfer electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit.

9. The downhole system according to claim 8 , wherein the well head further comprises a tubular section having a first wall, around which the recharge connection is arranged, enabling recharging and/or transfer of electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit through the first wall of the tubular section.

10. The downhole system according to claim 8 , wherein the well head further comprises a tubular section having an end which has an inner face and an outer face, and wherein the recharge connection is arranged at the outer face of the end, enabling recharging and/or transfer of electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit through the end of the tubular section.

11. The downhole system according to claim 1 , further comprising a recharge tool which is submergible in the well casing.

12. The downhole system according to claim 11 , wherein the recharge tool is further submerged via a wireline or a powerline.

13. The downhole system according to claim 11 , wherein the recharge tool comprises a recharge connection to recharge and/or transfer electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit.

14. The downhole system according to claim 13 , wherein the recharge connection comprises an inductive coupling to recharge and/or transfer electricity and/or data to and from the wireless unit.

15. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that a specific operation performed by the wireless unit is performed correctly when monitored sounds originating within the well casing caused by operation of the sounds of the wireless unit according to a predefined sound specification corresponding to the specific operation.

16. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the second operation performed by the processor is instructing a downhole safety valve arranged in the well casing to open when the processor determines that the location of the wireless unit is in a predetermined location within the well casing.

17. The downhole system according to claim 1 , wherein the received signals from the transducer or the sensor correspond to vibrations in the outer wall of the well head or the wall above the well head detected by the transducer or the sensor.

Assignees

• Hallundbaek Jorgen
• Welltec As

Inventors

• Hallundbaek Jorgen

Classifications

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B44/02 Primary

  Automatic control of the tool feed ({E21B44/005,} E21B44/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B34/14

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

• E21B23/04 Primary

  operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion (E21B23/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B23/001

  Self-propelling systems or apparatus, e.g. for moving tools within the horizontal portion of a borehole · CPC title