U.S. patent application number 12/201284 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-04 for method and system for monitoring downhole completion operations.
This patent application is currently assigned to Baker Hughes Incorporated. Invention is credited to Darrin L. Willauer.
Application Number | 20100051264 12/201284 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41723610 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100051264 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Willauer; Darrin L. |
March 4, 2010 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING DOWNHOLE COMPLETION OPERATIONS
Abstract
A method of sensing matter introduced to a well in a completion
operation. The method includes, sensing the introduced matter with
at least one transducer, and communicating the sensing of the
introduced matter to surface via a wired pipe.
Inventors: |
Willauer; Darrin L.; (The
Woodlands, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN, LLP
20 Church Street, 22nd Floor
Hartford
CT
06103
US
|
Assignee: |
Baker Hughes Incorporated
Houston
TX
|
Family ID: |
41723610 |
Appl. No.: |
12/201284 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/250.01 ;
175/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 33/129 20130101;
E21B 47/09 20130101; E21B 23/00 20130101; E21B 47/12 20130101; E21B
33/13 20130101; E21B 47/005 20200501; E21B 17/003 20130101; E21B
49/006 20130101; E21B 23/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/250.01 ;
175/40 |
International
Class: |
E21B 47/00 20060101
E21B047/00 |
Claims
1. A method of sensing matter introduced to a well in a completion
operation comprising: sensing the introduced matter with at least
one transducer; and communicating the sensing of the introduced
matter to surface via a wired pipe.
2. The method of sensing matter introduced to a well in a
completion operation of claim 1, wherein the sensing of the
introduced matter includes detecting a presence of the introduced
matter.
3. The method of sensing matter introduced to a well in a
completion operation of claim 1, wherein the sensing of the
introduced matter includes sensing cement pumped into the well.
4. The method of sensing matter introduced to a well in a
completion operation of claim 1, wherein the sensing of the
introduced matter includes sensing a change in at least one of
resistivity, gamma, neutron, magnetism, pressure, temperature,
chemical composition, acceleration, density and strain.
5. A method of monitoring axial or radial displacement of a member
during a downhole completion operation, comprising: sensing axial
or radial displacement of the member during the downhole completion
operation with the at least one transducer; and communicating the
sensing of the axial or the radial displacement to surface via the
wired pipe.
6. The method of monitoring axial or radial displacement of a
member during a downhole completion operation of claim 5, wherein
the member is a portion of a setting tool.
7. The method of monitoring axial or radial displacement of a
member during a downhole completion operation of claim 5, wherein
the member is one of a slip and a packing element.
8. The method of monitoring axial or radial displacement of a
member during a downhole completion operation of claim 5, wherein
the member is one of a plug and a tubular.
9. A downhole well completion operation monitoring system,
comprising: at least one transducer positionable downhole and
configured to sense an effect or event caused by presence of matter
introduced to the well during the downhole well completion
operation; a wired pipe in operable communication with the at least
one transducer; and a monitoring device in operable communication
with the at least one transducer via the wired pipe.
10. The downhole well completion operation monitoring system of
claim 9, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to sense
the presence of at least one of cement, plug and a tubular.
11. The downhole well completion operation monitoring system of
claim 9, wherein the effect sensed is a change in at least one of
resistivity, gamma, neutron, magnetism, pressure, temperature,
chemical composition, acceleration, density and strain.
12. The downhole well completion operation monitoring system of
claim 9, further comprising at least one transducer in operable
communication with the wired pipe configured to at least initiate
actuation of a downhole completion operation in response to receipt
of an electrical signal via the wired pipe.
13. The downhole well completion operation monitoring system of
claim 12, wherein the at least one transducer configured to at
least initiate actuation is one of, a solenoid and an electric
motor.
14. A downhole well completion displacement monitoring system,
comprising: at least one transducer, positionable downhole and
configured to sense axial or radial displacement of a member during
a completion operation; a wired pipe in operable communication with
the at least one transducer; and a monitoring device in operable
communication with the at least one transducer via the wired
pipe.
15. The downhole well completion displacement monitoring system of
claim 14, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to
sense axial or radial displacement of at least one of a tubular, a
packing element and a slip.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Operators in the hydrocarbon recovery industry typically
rely on estimations to determine when a particular well completion
operation is finished. One example of a well completion operation
where estimation is employed is a cementing operation. An operator
may estimate a volume of cement needed based upon his best
information of the length and annular area that is to be cemented.
A poor estimation leading to the pumping of a lesser volume than
accurately needed or the pumping of a greater volume than
accurately needed tends to be costly and therefore undesirable. An
insufficient volume of cement may, for example, cause portions of
casings or liners to be inadequately cemented while excess volumes
of cement may cause cementing of downhole tools that were never
intended to be cemented. Actions to correct the effects of over and
under cementing inevitably cause delay and as noted are generally
costly. Operators will likely look positively on systems and
methods that remove some of the inaccuracies heretofore inherent in
the process of completing wells.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Disclosed herein is a method of sensing matter introduced to
a well in a completion operation. The method includes, sensing the
introduced matter with at least one transducer, and communicating
the sensing of the introduced matter to surface via a wired
pipe.
[0003] Further disclosed herein is a method of monitoring axial or
radial displacement of a member during a downhole completion
operation. The method includes, sensing axial or radial
displacement of the member during the downhole completion operation
with the at least one transducer, and communicating the sensing of
the axial or the radial displacement to surface via the wired
pipe.
[0004] Further disclosed herein is a downhole well completion
operation monitoring system. The system includes, at least one
transducer positionable downhole and configured to sense an effect
or event caused by presence of matter introduced to the well during
the downhole well completion operation, a wired pipe in operable
communication with the at least one transducer, and a monitoring
device in operable communication with the at least one transducer
via the wired pipe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The following descriptions should not be considered limiting
in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like
elements are numbered alike:
[0006] FIG. 1 depicts a partial quarter sectional view of a
downhole well completion employing embodiments disclosed herein;
and
[0007] FIGS. 2A-2D depict a cross sectional view of a well at four
levels of completion regarding a cement pumping operation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the
disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of
exemplification and not limitation with reference to the
Figures.
[0009] Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a downhole well
completion operation monitoring system 10 disclosed herein is
illustrated. The monitoring system 10, among other things includes,
a wired pipe 14, a monitoring device 18, shown herein as a
computer, and one or more transducer(s) 22, for monitoring a
downhole operation associated with completion of the well or
initiating actuation of a completion operation. The wired pipe 14
has a wire 26 capable of carrying electrical signals and power
therethrough. The wire 26, at a minimum, electrically connects the
monitoring device 18 with the transducer(s) 22 to permit at least
one-way, and often two-way, electrical communication between the
monitoring device 18 and the transducer(s) 22. Such electrical
communication allows the monitoring device 18 to monitor downhole
completion operations sensed by the transducer(s) 22 as well as to
actuate the transducer(s) 22 when desired.
[0010] In one embodiment the monitoring system 10, as illustrated,
is positioned within a casing 34 of a wellbore 38 in an earth
formation 42. The wired pipe 14 includes a setting tool 50, with a
liner hanger 58 through which the wire 26 extends. Although the
complete routing of the wire 26 is not shown, it electrically
connects with each transducer(s) 22. The setting tool 50, when
actuated, has two functions, first it sets slips 54 to anchor a
liner 56 to the casing 34, and second, it sets a pack-off 60 to
seal the annular opening 62 between the casing 34 and the liner
hanger 58. The first transducer 22A electrically actuates the
setting of the setting tool 50 by such means as a solenoid that is
used to open a valve to allow wellbore fluid, under hydrostatic
pressure, to enter a chamber containing a piston at atmospheric
pressure. The hydrostatic pressure moves the piston against the
ambient pressure to actuate the setting tool 50. Alternately, the
first transducer 22A could be a pump that pumps fluid to
hydraulically actuate the setting tool. The first transducer 22A
could be in the form of still other actuating devices while
remaining within the scope of embodiments disclosed herein. The
first transducer 22A can be configured to actuate both the pack-off
60 and the slips 54 or only one of the two leaving a second
transducer 22B to actuate the other of the pack-off 60 and the
slips 54 not actuated by the first transducer 22A.
[0011] In addition to driving actuation, the first and second
transducers 22A and 22B may be configured to monitor the status of
the actuation as well. Such monitoring can be of an axial or a
radial displacement of the pack-off 60 or slips 54, for example. In
this case the transducers 22A, 22B provide feedback to the
monitoring device 18. Alternately, an embodiment may incorporate a
third transducer 22C to monitor either or both actuations.
Regardless of which transducer 22A-22C provides the feedback, the
feedback can communicate the level of actuation that has taken
place. Such information can be helpful to an operator to prevent
over actuation and problems than can result therefrom. For example,
an operator may use the feedback to decide when to halt the
actuation of a hydraulic pump transducer.
[0012] Other transducers can be used to aid in the accurate
placement of well tools relative to the formation 42, as well as
relative to each other. For example, a proximity transducer 22D
installed in a liner hanger 58 could be used to detect an end 66 of
the casing 34. Such information would be helpful in accurately
positioning the liner hanger 58 in a desired position with respect
to the end 66. Similarly, a plug proximity transducer 22E could be
used to determine when a pump down plug 70 has reached a specific
location within the wired pipe 14, thereby taking some of the
guesswork out of the process that is currently employed. Similarly,
cement detection transducers 22F and 22G can provide feedback as to
when cement being pumped downhole has reached a specific location
relative to the wired pipe 14, thereby providing feedback to aid
the operator in preventing under pumping and over pumping of cement
and the problems associated therewith. The use of transducers 22E,
22F and 22G will be described in greater detail with reference to
FIGS. 2A-2D below.
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, a well 74 undergoing a cementing
operation is illustrated. An embodiment disclosed herein includes a
liner 80, attached to the lower end of a wired pipe 84. The liner
80 and the wired pipe 84 assembly is lowered into a casing 88
cemented into a wellbore 92 in an earth formation 96. The liner 80
will be cemented to the formation 96 and optionally to the casing
88 to fix it in place and to seal the liner 80 to the formation 96
and to the casing 88. As described above, the proximity transducer
22D can be used to position the liner 80 in a desired position
relative to an end 100 of the casing 88. Similarly, the cement
detector 22F can detect when cement 104, being pumped downhole,
reaches the cement detector 22F. This information can provide an
operator with information to accurately calculate the amount of
cement 104 that has been pumped thus far. A pump down plug 108 can
then be pumped at the end of the cement 104 thereby separating the
cement 104 from mud 112 pumped behind the plug 108. The plug
proximity transducer 22E positioned near the top of the liner 80
can detect when the plug 108 has reached the top of the liner
80.
[0014] In this embodiment, a plug carrier 116, positioned at the
top of the liner 80, sealingly receives the plug 108 and is pumped
down the liner 80 with the plug 108. The carrier 116 sealingly
engages with the inner diameter 120 of the liner 80 that is greater
than the inner diameter 124 of the wired pipe 84 through which the
plug 108 is pumped from surface. As the plug 108 and carrier 116
are pumped down the liner 80 (FIG. 2C), the cement 104 is pumped
down the liner 80 and back up an annular space 128, outside of the
liner 80 and inside of the wellbore 92, and into an annular space
132 between the casing 88 and the liner 80 and into an annular
space 134 between the casing 88 and the formation 96. One or more
cement detector transducers 22G positioned along the liner 80
detect when the cement 104 has reached each transducer 22G
providing the operator with precise knowledge as to the location of
the pumped cement 104.
[0015] One or more carrier proximity transducer(s) 22H positioned
near the bottom of the liner 80 can provide accurate feedback as to
when the carrier 116 has reached precise positions near the bottom
of the liner 80. This knowledge, coupled with the knowledge of how
much total cement 104 was pumped can help an operator understand
more about the formation 96 and insure a good cement job.
[0016] Although the embodiments disclosed herein have the wire 26
within the wired pipes 14, 84, the casing 34 and the liner 80, in
alternate embodiments the casing 88 could include the wire 26
therewithin also. In such an embodiment, one or more of the
transducer(s) 22 could be placed along the casing 88 to provide
feedback or actuations at locations along the casing 88 as opposed
to along the wired pipes 14, 84 casing 34 or liner 80.
[0017] The monitoring transducers 22C-22H disclosed herein can use
a variety of mechanical, chemical and electrical processes in the
monitoring that they perform. For example, the transducers may
detect a change in at least one of resistivity, gamma, neutron,
magnetism, pressure, temperature, chemical composition,
acceleration, density and strain. Such a change can be correlated
with the presence of one of the end 100, the cement 104, the plug
108 or the carrier 116, for example.
[0018] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents
may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the
scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made
to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the
invention without departing from the essential scope thereof.
Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the
particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for
carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include
all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in
the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed
exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms
may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a
generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of
limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so
limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not
denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second,
etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore,
the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of
quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the
referenced item.
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