U.S. patent application number 10/261187 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-01 for system and method for monitoring packer conditions.
Invention is credited to Beck, Harold K., Schultz, Roger L., Streich, Steven G..
Application Number | 20040060696 10/261187 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32029900 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040060696 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schultz, Roger L. ; et
al. |
April 1, 2004 |
System and method for monitoring packer conditions
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring a device in a well, according
to which a sensor is embedded in the device for sensing a condition
of the device, and outputting a signal in response to the
condition.
Inventors: |
Schultz, Roger L.; (Aubrey,
TX) ; Streich, Steven G.; (Duncan, OK) ; Beck,
Harold K.; (Lewisville, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN W. WUSTENBERG
P.O. BOX 1431
2600 SOUTH 2ND STREET
DUNCAN
OK
73536
US
|
Family ID: |
32029900 |
Appl. No.: |
10/261187 |
Filed: |
September 30, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/250.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 47/00 20130101;
E21B 33/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/250.01 |
International
Class: |
E21B 047/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for monitoring a device in a well, the system
comprising a sensor embedded in the device for sensing a condition
of the device and for outputting a signal in response to the
condition.
2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a transceiver for
receiving the signal from the sensor and processing the signal.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition is selected from the
group consisting of pressure at at least one area in the device,
local strain in the device, shear forces in the device, creep in
the device, and chemical conditions in the device.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition is such that it is
measured more effectively from within the device when compared to
measurements taken outside the device.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is fabricated according
to an insulated, bulk complementary metal-oxide-silicon process,
using high-temperature silicon-on-insulator technologies.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is a packer.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein the packer comprises an
elastomeric packer element, and wherein the sensor is embedded in
the elastomeric packer element.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is fabricated using a
silicon-on-sapphire fabrication process.
9. A method for monitoring a device in a well, the method
comprising the steps of: embedding a sensor in the device for
sensing a condition of the device; and outputting a signal from the
sensor in response to the condition.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of
transmitting the output signal from the sensor to a transceiver for
processing.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the condition is selected from
the group consisting of pressure at at least one area in the
device, local strain in the device, shear forces in the device,
creep in the device, and chemical conditions in the device.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the condition is such that it is
measured more effectively from within the device when compared to
measurements taken outside the device.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensor is fabricated
according to an insulated, bulk complementary metal-oxide-silicon
process, using high-temperature silicon-on-insulator
technologies.
14. The method of claim 9 wherein the device is a packer.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the packer comprises an
elastomeric packer element, and wherein the sensor is embedded in
the elastomeric packer element.
16. The method of claim 9 wherein the sensor is fabricated using a
silicon-on-sapphire fabrication process.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Downhole packers are commonly used in many oilfield
applications for the purpose of sealing against the flow of fluid
to isolate one or more portions of a wellbore for the purposes of
testing, treating, or producing the well. The packers are suspended
from a tubing string, or the like, in the wellbore, or in a casing
in the wellbore, and are activated, or set, so that one or more
packer elements engage the inner surface of the wellbore or casing.
In these arrangements, it is desirable to know how the packer
elements react to the packer setting operation and, after the
packer is installed, how the various downhole conditions affect the
packer.
[0002] Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for
monitoring the packer conditions under the above circumstances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] The drawing is a diagrammatic view of a packer and a
monitoring system according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0004] Referring to FIG. 1, a downhole tool is referred to, in
general, by the reference numeral 10 and is shown installed in a
casing 12 disposed in a well. The well can be either a cased
completion as shown in the drawing or an openhole completion. The
tool 10 is lowered to a predetermined depth in the casing 12 as
part of a workstring, or the like, (not shown) which often includes
other tools used to perform various oil recovery and completion
operations. Since the tool 10 is conventional, it will not be
described in detail.
[0005] The tool 10 includes a packer that consists of an annular
packer element 14 and an annular slip 16 located downstream and
slightly spaced from the packer element 14. The packer element 14
is located at a predetermined axial location in the casing 12 and
is set, or activated, in a conventional manner which causes it to
engage the inner surface of the casing 12 to seal against the flow
of fluids and thus permit the isolation of certain zones in the
well. Also, the slip 16 is set, or activated, so as to "bite" into
the inner surface of the casing 12 to anchor the packer to the
casing 12. Since both the packer element 14 and the slip 16 are
conventional, they will not be described in further detail.
[0006] A plurality of sensors 20, four of which are shown in the
drawing, are embedded in the packer element 14. If the packer
element 14 is injection molded, the sensors 20 can be formed into
the packer element 14 by suspending the sensors 20 in a packer
element mold with a mechanical holding device, such as a small
diameter rod, or wire, which can be withdrawn after the mold is
filled with an elastomeric material, but before the elastomeric
material has set. If the packer element 14 is formed by an
elastomeric component, such as is the case with inflatable packer
elements which are formed in a "lay-up" process, the sensors 20 can
be placed into the layered-up structure at the appropriate depth
between layers as the construction process progresses.
[0007] As shown in the drawing, the sensors 20 can be placed at
various locations in the packer element 14 and can be both axially
spaced and radially spaced relative to the packer element 14.
[0008] The sensors 20 can be fabricated according to one of several
high temperature fabrication processes similar to those used in
fabricating integrated circuits. For example, a conventional
insulated, bulk, complementary metal-oxide-silicon process, using
silicon-on-insulator fabrication technologies, can be used. Also,
the embedded sensors 20 and their associated circuits can be
constructed using known silicon-on-sapphire fabrications
processes.
[0009] The sensors 20 can be designed to sense one or more of
several parameters, or conditions, associated with the packer
element 14, including, but not limited to, pressure at different
areas in the packer element 14, local strain in the packer element
14, shear forces in the packer element 14, creep in the packer
element 14, chemical conditions in the packer element 14, as well
as any measurement which can be taken more effectively from within
the packer element 14 when compared to measurements taken outside
the packer element 14.
[0010] An electronics package is shown, in general, by the
reference numeral 24 and includes a transceiver 26 and appropriate
electrical conductors and associated electronics (not shown)
electrically connecting the sensors 20 and the transceiver 26, and
extending from the transceiver 26 to the earth's surface for
connection to appropriate electronics, which can include a
computing device, and the like (not shown). It is understood that
the transceiver 26 may be, for example, a power and data
transceiver, and may contain built-in processing capability that
can be used to process the signals from the sensors 20 downhole to
determine specific packer element 14 parameters. The transceiver 26
can also be used to transmit processed or raw signals, via a
telemetry system, to the earth's surface or to another location
within the well. The telemetry system can be, but is not limited
to, hardwire, acoustic, EM or mud pulse systems.
[0011] In operation, signals from the sensors 20, which correspond
to one or more of the parameters set forth above, are inputted to
the transceiver 26 which processes the signals as discussed above
and outputs the signals, or corresponding signals, to the
above-mentioned computing device and its associated electronics at
the earth's surface. The computing device can then initiate
corrective measures to compensate for any predetermined deviation
from a standard value set for the particular parameter.
Variations and Equivalents
[0012] It is understood that several variations may be made in the
foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention. For
example, the present invention is not limited to sensing one or
more or the above-specified conditions, or parameters, but is
equally applicable to other parameters consistent with the
operation of the packer. Also, the sensors can be embedded in other
downhole components utilized in subsurface oil and gas recovery
operations, including, but not limited to, packer slips, bridge
plugs, etc. Further, the number of packer elements, slips, and
sensors can be varied within the scope of the invention. Also, it
is understood that spatial references, such as "axially",
"radially", "downstream", etc. are for the purpose of illustration
only and do not limit the specific spatial orientation or location
of the components described above.
[0013] Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention
have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will
readily appreciate that many other modifications are possible in
the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the
novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all
such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of
this invention as defined in the following claims.
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