U.S. patent application number 13/923045 was filed with the patent office on 2013-12-26 for detector system of slickline irregularities.
The applicant listed for this patent is INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO. Invention is credited to Rodrigo BUERHEND OROZCO, Alberto FLORES ROA, Alberto GONZALEZ CANCINO, Emmanuel ORTEGA LOPEZ, Jose Manuel PERAFAN DEL VALLE, Jose David PEREZ MENDEZ, Leonardo RIVERA ESTRADA, Jose Donato SIMON CASTELLANOS, Ivan VELAZQUEZ OVANDO.
Application Number | 20130341009 13/923045 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49769783 |
Filed Date | 2013-12-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130341009 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GONZALEZ CANCINO; Alberto ;
et al. |
December 26, 2013 |
DETECTOR SYSTEM OF SLICKLINE IRREGULARITIES
Abstract
Detector of Slickline Irregularities (DILA) is a electronic
system to detect and assess irregularities in production wells or
to a new slickline by measuring eddy currents or eddies or Foucault
currents. The system lines can vary in diameter depending on the
operation to be performed on each well. The electronic system
includes an optical encoder, eddy current sensor, eddy current
reader, an electronic module for data acquisition and a computer.
The detector monitors the integrity of the slickline in the well,
interprets and records the data for graphing and reduces failures
in the slickline as a result of rupture caused by excessive stress
or collisions within the producing wells, detects flattening and
bending, lack of nickel coating, porosity and corrosion.
Inventors: |
GONZALEZ CANCINO; Alberto;
(Mexico City, MX) ; BUERHEND OROZCO; Rodrigo;
(Mexico City, MX) ; FLORES ROA; Alberto; (Mexico
City, MX) ; PEREZ MENDEZ; Jose David; (Mexico City,
MX) ; RIVERA ESTRADA; Leonardo; (Mexico City, MX)
; VELAZQUEZ OVANDO; Ivan; (Mexico City, MX) ;
PERAFAN DEL VALLE; Jose Manuel; (Mexico City, MX) ;
ORTEGA LOPEZ; Emmanuel; (Mexico City, MX) ; SIMON
CASTELLANOS; Jose Donato; (Mexico City, MX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO |
Mexico City |
|
MX |
|
|
Family ID: |
49769783 |
Appl. No.: |
13/923045 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/250.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 19/22 20130101;
E21B 47/00 20130101; E21B 17/20 20130101; G01N 27/9026
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
166/250.01 |
International
Class: |
E21B 47/00 20060101
E21B047/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 21, 2012 |
MX |
MX/A/2012/007271 |
Claims
1. A detector system of slickline irregularities to operate in oil
wells, comprising: a) an eddy current sensor, wherein the slickline
passes through said eddy current sensor, b) an eddy current reader,
which detects a change in diameter in such slickline, c) an optical
encoder, which conditions the analog signal, d) an electronic
module for data acquisition, which acquires and conditions the
signals from the sensors and processes the signals to the computer,
and e) a computer, which displays the measurement made.
2. The detector system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the eddy
current sensor measures slickline abnormalities with diameter
between 0.092 inch and 0.125 inch, by appropriately changing the
diameters of the sensor's adapter.
3. The detector system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an
electronic module for data acquisition, acquires and conditions the
signals from the sensors and processes the information sent to the
computer via, an RS232 serial communication cable where the
software shows it to the user and allows to record it on file.
4. The detector system in accordance with claim 1, characterized in
that it detects flattening and folds on the slickline, lack of
nickel coating (darkest zones on slickline), porosity and corrosion
from acid attack, without interfering with the line, or in testing
workshop before the specified service during operation.
5. The detector system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the
depth gauge has a 1.1997 m pulley perimeter with 500 pulses and CCW
direction.
6. The detector system in accordance claim 1, wherein the software
has a recording capacity in a range of 60 to 80 m/min.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit and priority to Mexican
application No. MX/a/2012/007271 with a filing date of Jun. 21,
2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirely.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention named "Detector of Slickline
Irregularities" ("DILA" for its acronym in Spanish) is within the
field of the instruments used to measure or determine abnormalities
in the slickline used to operate oil wells.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Among the many activities that take place in an oil well,
there are those undertaken by Slickline area, which with a Motor
Unit in which a spool is installed with a steel line (wire) with
special tech specs, performs mechanical works such as installation
and removal of tools, bottom inspections, etc.
[0004] Slickline area, belonging to the Operative Base for
Servicing Wells, operates mobile units carrying a slickline spool
of special features in terms of geometry, strength, hardness and
composition. Due to the nature of these operations, the line is at
risk of suffering changes, breakdowns, stretching or deformation
caused either by rubbing the line with the other mechanical
elements such as oilers, blowout preventers, etc., or chemical
attack from sulfhydric gas or carbonic acid. This may cause
abnormalities in the line and increases the likelihood of breaking
it during operation, which entails that the tools being used at
that time are trapped within the well, so it is necessary to
retrieve the tools lost at the bottom when the slickline
breaks.
[0005] The difficulty of a fishing operation will depend on many
factors, of which, one that complicates the most tool recovery is
when rupture occurs in the moment in which the line has been
lowered to a considerable depth, and when rupture occurs and
recovery is to be performed, the presence of a large amount of
tangled wire in the intermediate zone between the surface unit and
the tool complicates the fishing operation. In addition, there is
an economic loss, since the line that was left downhole is
practically unusable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, the Systems and Tools for Information Acquisition
from Wells ("SHAIP" for its acronym in Spanish) group of the
Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (IMP) [Petroleum Mexican Institute]
was given the task of developing a system to detect and assess
changes suffered by the slickline used in field operations, such as
reduced diameter, nicks, severe scratches and pores, that could put
on risk the tools used in well operations.
[0007] This system was named with the initials DILA-IMP (Detector
of Slickline Irregularities of the IMP).
[0008] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide
a device which can adapt to the field units and allows to monitor
the status on the line before, during and after an operation, in
order to allow timely cutting the damaged line sections.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to reduce
failures in the slickline as a result of rupture, deformations for
excessive efforts or collisions in the various elements (centering
roles, mechanical counter, anchor pulley, stuffing box, preventer,
valve shaft and output tubing) by passing the slickline from the
spool to the bottom of the well.
[0010] The features of the invention are provided by a detector
system of slickline irregularities to operate in oil wells,
comprising: a) an eddy current sensor, wherein the slickline passes
through the eddy current sensor; b) an eddy current reader, which
detects a change in diameter in such slickline, c) an optical
encoder, which conditions the analog signal; d) an electronic
module for data acquisition, which acquires and conditions the
signals from the sensors and processes the signals to the computer;
and e) a computer, which displays the measurement made.
[0011] The eddy current sensor measures slickline abnormalities
within diameters of 0.092 to 0.125 inch by changing the diameter of
the sensor's adapter.
[0012] The detector of the invention detects flattening and folds
on the slickline, lack of nickel coating (darkest zones on
slickline), porosity and corrosion from acid attack without
interfering with the line or in testing workshop before the
specified service during operation.
[0013] The depth gauge has a 1.1997 m pulley perimeter with 500
pulses and CCW direction.
[0014] The detector measures anomalies or irregularities such as
pitting, bends or wear areas on the slickline based on the measured
changes in an electromagnetic field generated by eddy currents as
the slickline passes through the eddy current sensor. The anomalies
can be identified, for example, using respective signatures of the
anomalies (e.g., selected characteristics of the electromagnetic
fields that indicate various types of anomalies) that can be
compared with the measured changes in the electromagnetic fields
along the length of the slickline. The location of the anomalies on
the slickline are recorded in a memory integral or external to the
microcontroller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0015] The characteristical details of Detector of Slickline
Irregularities (DILA) systems are clearly shown in the following
description and figures presented.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Detector of Slickline
Irregularities (DILA), the parts of the system comprising: eddy
current sensor (part No. 1), eddy current reader (part No. 2),
optical encoder (part No. 3), electronic module of data acquisition
(part No. 4), computer (part No. 5), slickline spool (part No. 6),
counter pulley (part No. 7).
[0017] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the internal structure of part
No. 4 in FIG. 1, which is the data acquisition module.
[0018] FIGS. 3a-3b show a first case of the irregularity of line
occurred at 164 meters.
[0019] FIGS. 4a-4c illustrate a second case of irregularities of a
line at 2382.3 meters and at 2405.6 meters.
[0020] FIGS. 5a-5d show a third case of irregularities of a line at
3094, 3095 and 3104 meters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Detector of Slickline Irregularities (DILA) is a
comprehensive electronic system that allows detecting and
proactively assessing irregularities present in slickline due to
interventions made in the field (production wells) or to a new
slickline. It is governed by the principle of eddy currents or
eddies, or Foucault currents.
[0022] This comprehensive electronic system allows to detect and
assess irregularities of the slickline used in interventions of oil
wells. It is noteworthy to mention that these lines can vary in
diameter depending on the operation to be performed on each
well.
[0023] In accordance with FIG. 1, the present invention relates to
a system consisting of: an eddy current sensor (part No. 1), eddy
currents reader (part No. 2), optical encoder (part No. 3),
electronic module for data acquisition (part No. 4), a computer
(part No. 5) with a Windows environment software for interpreting
and graphing the results. This system is installed in Slickline
Motor Units to operate in oil wells.
[0024] The object of the present invention is to contribute to
reduce failures in the slickline as a result of rupture due to
deformations for excessive stresses or collisions in the various
elements of the slickline that runs from the slickline spool (part
No. 6, FIG. 1) up to the bottom of the well, passing through:
centering rollers, mechanical counter, anchor pulley, stuffing box,
preventer, valve shaft and output tubing.
[0025] In order to meet the above mentioned object, irregularities
or deformations of slickline are detected by this invention, and
obtained values of deformation and depth shall be graphed to allow
decision making for using or discarding a length or the whole
slickline depending on the risk this represents for execution of
the self activity.
[0026] Principle of operation. In accordance with the present
invention, the detection of irregularities and anomalies in the
slickline is performed using the eddy current principle or eddy
currents. Eddy currents are defined as the alternating current
induced in a conductor when subjected to a time-varying magnetic
field, eddy current then generates its own secondary
electromagnetic field which is used to identify or distinguish
between a wide variety of physical, structural, metallurgical,
ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic conditions and in non-metallic
parts that are not electrically conductive. This method does not
require direct electrical contact with the inspected part.
[0027] In accordance with FIG. 1, the operating principle of the
detector system of slickline irregularities is based on passing the
slickline through the center of eddy current sensor (part No. 1),
the same upon detecting a change in diameter on the slickline
because of deformation, this generates a change in the electrical
field becoming a current variation that is transmitted to the eddy
current reader (part No. 2) for conditioning analog signal sent to
the electronic module for data acquisition (part No. 4) and this
one in turn to a computer (part No. 5) which plots and records data
with software designed for this purpose.
[0028] Slickline irregularities detector is a comprehensive
electronic system to detect and evaluate the irregularities that
occur in the slickline due to field operations in oil wells.
[0029] The optical encoder (part No. 3) is installed on the side of
the counter pulley (part No. 7) of the slickline motor unit, which
signal is converted into units of length per unit time (speed) and
also becomes a longitudinal measure to measure the depth of the
line.
[0030] The optical encoder (part No. 3, FIG. 1) is a transducer
that obtains the depth or displacement of the slickline and
converts the mechanical motion into electrical signals that are
sent to the electronic module for data acquisition (part No. 4) for
processing speed and depth. Being both signals obtained from eddy
currents reader (part No. 2) and the optical encoder (part No. 3),
these are sent to the electronic module for data acquisition (part
No. 4) where they are processed by the general-purpose
microcontroller (FIG. 2) that conditions the sensor signals and
sends them via a serial communication cable to the computer (part
No. 5) containing the visualization software for such
measurements.
[0031] With reference to the FIG. 1, Detector System of Slickline
Irregularities (DILA) of the present invention also consists of
software whose function is to display and plot data acquired from
the optical encoder (part No. 3) and eddy current sensor (part No.
1), as well as an electronic module for data acquisition (part No.
4) which is in charge of acquiring input signals from the sensors,
process them and send them to computer via an RS232 serial
communication cable.
[0032] Part No. 1 in FIG. 1 shows the primary sensor where the
slickline crosses and causes an electrical signal that is sent to
eddy current reader (part No. 2). This sensor varies in dimensions
according to the diameter used in the steel line. The sensor
interprets this signal and transmits it to the electronic module
for data acquisition (part No. 4) as .+-.5 v signals of horizontal
and vertical measurement channels.
[0033] The detection of irregularities or anomalies in the
slickline is performed using the eddy current principle or eddy
currents. Eddy currents allow the detection of surface and
subsurface discontinuities in the material structure, as seams,
overlaps, cracks, porosity and inclusions.
[0034] The eddy current sensor (part No. 1) is placed in front of
the counter pulley (part No. 7) through which the slickline passes,
and the optical encoder (No. 3) is placed on the side of the same
counter pulley. Signal from eddy current sensor (part No. 1) is
connected to the eddy current reader (part No. 2), which generates
two .+-.5 v electrical signals of horizontal and vertical
measurement and together with optical encoder signal (No. 3) are
connected to the electronic module for data acquisition (part No.
4) and these are sent to the computer (part No. 5) via a serial
communication cable (FIG. 2) RS232. It is noteworthy to mention
that the eddy current reader (part No. 2), the electronic module
for data acquisition (part No. 4) and the computer (part No. 5) are
located inside the cab of the motor unit (Slickline Unit).
[0035] Part No. 5 shows a computer containing the visualization
software. This visualization software called DILA-WIN is a program
developed with Windows operating system, so that the user graphic
panels are easy to use and understand. The computer screen shows
the software that displays and plots the speed and depth
information of the slickline operation. The software has a
recording capacity in the range of 60 to 80 m/min.
[0036] Part No. 3 in FIG. 1 shows an optical encoder, which is a
transducer that enables the measurements of depth (displacement of
slickline through the well) and speed of operation of the same
line. These signals are sent to the electronic module of data
acquisition as shown in part No. 4.
[0037] FIG. 2 shows the parts of the electronic module for data
acquisition (part No. 4, FIG. 1), which represents the main part of
the detector system of slickline irregularities, as this acquires,
conditions the signals from the sensors and processes the signals
for subsequent delivery to the computer (part No. 5, FIG. 1), by
means of a RS232 serial communication cable. This system basically
consists of a general purpose microcontroller that performs the
conversion and adaptation of analog to digital signals, processes
them, and sends the information by a communication protocol RS232
to the computer.
[0038] This electronic module has a keyboard for entering
parameters settings such as: the slickline diameter, pulley
diameter and number of optical encoder pulses. These parameters are
shown on a LCD dot matrix character display, which displays
alphanumeric data of 2.times.16 (2 lines, 16 characters).
Similarly, the electronic module contains a battery as a backup
alternative, because if the main power source for any reason is
interrupted, this battery would keep operating DILA system.
[0039] During the data acquisition with the DILA, the following
information channels are obtained: PROF, VEL ANH AND ANHV ANV, PROF
channel refers to the depth in units of meters (m). VEL Channel is
the speed of rising or falling in units of meters per minute
(m/min). ANH channel refers to the measurement performed by the
eddy current sensor in the horizontal orientation. ANV channel
refers to the measurement performed by the eddy current sensor in
the vertical orientation. ANHV channel measurement refers to both
channels ANV and ANH
[0040] DILA-IMP is a system that identifies slickline
irregularities in qualitative form from a threshold 160
pre-established value as a fault indicator. The channel ANALOG ANHV
uses 0-200 scale without units as an indicator of irregularity in
slickline.
[0041] Based on visual inspection and touching the slickline, the
data values above the pre-established fault indicator are
considered noticeable irregularities of the line and need operator
strict review. Table 1 shows the typical configuration parameters
of DILA-IMP system for use in the field.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Configuration Parameters of DlLA-IMP system
For depth gauge Pulley perimeter = 1.1997 meters*. Pulses = 500*
Direction = CCW Eddy current reader Sensor Frequency = 100 kHz
Measurement angle = 0 Horizontal gain = 60.0 dB Vertical Gain =
60.0 dB Filter passes low detection = 150 Hz Filter passes high
detection = 30 Hz Continuous measurement = 1.0 Hz In DilaWin-IMP
Software Record speed = 60 to 80 meters per minute (m/min).
*Depends on the pulley and encoder to be used.
EXAMPLES
[0042] DILA system has been installed and operated in Slickline
Units of Services for oilfield wells. To date the inspection was
made with 0.092'' (92 mils) in diameter slickline in routine well
operations, achieving also work with other slickline diameters up
to 0.125'' if the diameter adapter used in the eddy current sensor
is changed (part No. 1, FIG. 1).
[0043] In these evaluations the steel The irregularities were
detected at different lengths, being 3 cases shown below:
[0044] First case: FIG. 3 shows the irregularity of the line
occurred at 164 meters as can be seen at point A on the graph (FIG.
3a). Also, on the slickline (FIG. 3b), a flattening indicated at
point A is detected, which corresponds to point A on the graph in
FIG. 3a.
[0045] Second case: FIG. 4a, shows irregularities on line at 2382.3
and 2405.6 meters (points A and B, respectively). FIGS. 4b and 4c
show the lack of nickel coating on the slickline (darkest)
corresponding to the irregularities shown in the graph as points A
and B of FIG. 4a, respectively.
[0046] Third Case: FIG. 5 shows irregularities of the line at 3094,
3095 and 3104 meters respectively in sections A, B and C. FIGS. 5b,
5c and 5d show porosity and corrosion due probably to acid attack
on the line which correspond to irregularities shown at points A, B
and C on the graph in FIG. 5a.
* * * * *