U.S. patent application number 15/517065 was filed with the patent office on 2017-08-31 for magnetic sensor assembly for actuating a wellbore valve.
The applicant listed for this patent is Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kevin Dwain Fink, Craig William Godfrey, Donald G. Kyle.
Application Number | 20170247960 15/517065 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55909563 |
Filed Date | 2017-08-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170247960 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kyle; Donald G. ; et
al. |
August 31, 2017 |
MAGNETIC SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR ACTUATING A WELLBORE VALVE
Abstract
A sensor assembly for actuating a valve comprising: a magnet;
and a sensor for the magnet, wherein a tool that is positioned
adjacent to the magnet alters the magnetic field of the magnet,
wherein the sensor detects the alteration of the magnetic field,
and when the sensor detects the alteration, then the sensor
actuates a valve to open or close. A method of actuating a valve in
a wellbore comprising: positioning the sensor assembly within the
wellbore; and running the tool into the wellbore. A system for
actuating a valve, the system comprising: a wellbore; the valve; a
tool positioned within the casing; and the sensor assembly, wherein
the sensor assembly detects the presence or absence of the tool at
the location of the magnet, and wherein the sensor assembly
actuates the valve to open or close based on the location of the
tool.
Inventors: |
Kyle; Donald G.; (Plano,
TX) ; Fink; Kevin Dwain; (Frisco, TX) ;
Godfrey; Craig William; (Dallas, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
55909563 |
Appl. No.: |
15/517065 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
November 7, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US14/64653 |
371 Date: |
April 5, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 47/092 20200501;
E21B 34/10 20130101; E21B 47/12 20130101; E21B 21/10 20130101; E21B
2200/05 20200501; E21B 34/06 20130101; E21B 34/066 20130101; E21B
34/14 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 21/10 20060101
E21B021/10; E21B 34/06 20060101 E21B034/06 |
Claims
1. A system for actuating a valve, the system comprising: a
wellbore; the valve located within a casing of the wellbore; a tool
positioned at or near the bottom of a tubing string within the
casing; and a sensor assembly comprising a magnet and a sensor for
the magnet, wherein the sensor assembly detects the presence or
absence of the tool at the location of the magnet, and wherein the
sensor assembly actuates the valve to open or close based on the
location of the tool.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the tool is a drilling
tool, completion tool, or testing tool.
3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the valve is a flapper
valve, a ball valve, or a sliding sleeve.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein when the valve is in a
closed position, fluids are prevented from flowing in any direction
past the valve through the casing, and when the valve is in an open
position, fluid flow past the valve can occur.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly
detects the presence of the tool at the location of the magnet due
to an alteration of the magnetic field caused by the tool.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the alteration of the
magnetic field is caused by: at least a portion of the tool having
a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the tubing
string or the tubing string and the rest of the tool; at least a
portion of the tool having a different type of metal or metal alloy
than the tubing string or the tubing string and the rest of the
tool; at least a portion of the tool having a higher concentration
of a certain type of metal or metal alloy than the tubing string or
the tubing string and the rest of the tool; and combinations
thereof.
7. The system according to claim 6, wherein when the tool is
positioned adjacent to the magnet, then the tool alters the
magnetic field of the magnet.
8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the sensor is selected
from a Hall effect sensor, magneto-diode, magneto-transistor,
anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) magnetometer, giant
magnetoresistance (GMR) magnetometer, magnetic tunnel junction
magnetometer, magneto-optical sensor, Lorentz force-based
micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensor, electron
tunneling-based MEMS sensor, MEMS compass, optically pumped
magnetic field sensor, fluxgate magnetometer, search coil magnetic
field sensor, or superconducting quantum interference devices
(SQUID) magnetometer.
9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the magnet or the
magnet and the sensor are partially surrounded by a shield, wherein
the shield at least partially prevents or minimizes interferences
with the magnetic field from the casing or other metallic wellbore
equipment other than the tool.
10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly
further comprises a transmitter to transmit information from the
sensor to the valve about the location of the tool to cause the
valve to open or close.
11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is
programmed to actuate the valve based on a specific sequence of
detecting the presence and absence of the tool more than one
time.
12. A method of actuating a valve in a wellbore comprising:
positioning a sensor assembly within the wellbore, the sensor
assembly comprising a magnet and a sensor for the magnet; and
running a tool into the wellbore, wherein the sensor assembly
detects the presence of the tool when the tool is located adjacent
to the magnet, wherein when the sensor assembly detects the
presence of the tool one or more times, then the sensor assembly
actuates the valve to open, and wherein the valve is located within
a casing of the wellbore.
13. The method according to claim 13, wherein when the valve is in
a closed position, fluids are prevented from flowing in any
direction past the valve through the casing, and when the valve is
in an open position, fluid flow past the valve can occur.
14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sensor assembly
detects the presence of the tool at the location of the magnet due
to an alteration of the magnetic field caused by the tool.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the alteration of the
magnetic field is caused by: at least a portion of the tool having
a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the tubing
string or the tubing string and the rest of the tool; at least a
portion of the tool having a different type of metal or metal alloy
than the tubing string or the tubing string and the rest of the
tool; at least a portion of the tool having a higher concentration
of a certain type of metal or metal alloy than the tubing string or
the tubing string and the rest of the tool; and combinations
thereof.
16. The method according to claim 15, wherein when the tool is
positioned adjacent to the magnet, then the tool alters the
magnetic field of the magnet.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is
selected from a Hall effect sensor, magneto-diode,
magneto-transistor, anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR)
magnetometer, giant magnetoresistance (GMR) magnetometer, magnetic
tunnel junction magnetometer, magneto-optical sensor, Lorentz
force-based micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensor,
electron tunneling-based MEMS sensor, MEMS compass, optically
pumped magnetic field sensor, fluxgate magnetometer, search coil
magnetic field sensor, or superconducting quantum interference
devices (SQUID) magnetometer.
18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sensor assembly
further comprises a transmitter to transmit information from the
sensor to the valve about the location of the tool to cause the
valve to open or close.
19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the sensor is
programmed to actuate the valve based on a specific sequence of
detecting the presence and absence of the tool more than one
time.
20. The method according to claim 13, wherein after the valve is
actuated to open, the tubing string and the tool can be run further
into the wellbore to perform the operation.
21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the tubing string and
tool can be retrieved from the wellbore before or after the
operation is performed.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein when the tubing
string and tool are retrieved from the wellbore, the sensor
assembly detects the presence of the tool a second time.
23. The method according to claim 23, wherein the sensor assembly
is programmed to actuate the valve to close when the presence of
the tool is detected the second time.
24. A sensor assembly for actuating a valve comprising: a magnet;
and a sensor for the magnet, wherein a tool that is positioned
adjacent to the magnet alters the magnetic field of the magnet,
wherein the sensor detects the alteration of the magnetic field,
and when the sensor detects the alteration, then the sensor
actuates a valve to open or close.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] A valve can be used to close off or allow fluid flow through
a casing of a wellbore. The valve can be actuated to open or close.
The valve can be actuated via a magnetic sensor assembly that can
detect the presence or absence of a downhole tool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0002] The features and advantages of certain embodiments will be
more readily appreciated when considered in conjunction with the
accompanying figures. The figures are not to be construed as
limiting any of the preferred embodiments.
[0003] FIG. 1 is cross-sectional view of a well system showing a
tool located above a magnetic sensor assembly and a valve in a
closed position.
[0004] FIG. 1A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve and
sensor assembly.
[0005] FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of the well system showing
the tool located adjacent to the sensor assembly and the valve in a
closed position.
[0006] FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve and
sensor assembly.
[0007] FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the well system showing
the tool located below the sensor assembly and the valve in an open
position.
[0008] FIGS. 4A-4E are cross-sectional views of the well system
showing how a sequence of moving the tool above and adjacent to the
sensor assemblies can be used to open the valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Oil and gas hydrocarbons are naturally occurring in some
subterranean formations. In the oil and gas industry, a
subterranean formation containing oil and/or gas is referred to as
a reservoir. A reservoir can be located under land or off shore.
Reservoirs are typically located in the range of a few hundred feet
(shallow reservoirs) to a few tens of thousands of feet (ultra-deep
reservoirs). In order to produce oil or gas, a wellbore is drilled
into a reservoir or adjacent to a reservoir. The oil, gas, or water
produced from a reservoir is called a reservoir fluid.
[0010] As used herein, a "fluid" is a substance having a continuous
phase that tends to flow and to conform to the outline of its
container when the substance is tested at a temperature of
71.degree. F. (22.degree. C.) and a pressure of one atmosphere
"atm" (0.1 megapascals "MPa"). A fluid can be a liquid or gas.
[0011] A well can include, without limitation, an oil, gas, or
water production well, or an injection well. As used herein, a
"well" includes at least one wellbore. A wellbore can include
vertical, inclined, and horizontal portions, and it can be
straight, curved, or branched. As used herein, the term "wellbore"
includes any cased, and any uncased, open-hole portion of the
wellbore. A near-wellbore region is the subterranean material and
rock of the subterranean formation surrounding the wellbore. As
used herein, a "well" also includes the near-wellbore region. The
near-wellbore region is generally considered to be the region
within approximately 100 feet radially of the wellbore. As used
herein, "into a well" means and includes into any portion of the
well, including into the wellbore or into the near-wellbore region
via the wellbore.
[0012] A portion of a wellbore can be an open hole or cased hole.
In an open-hole wellbore portion, a tubing string can be placed
into the wellbore. The tubing string allows fluids to be introduced
into or flowed from a remote portion of the wellbore. In a
cased-hole wellbore portion, a casing is placed into the wellbore
that can also contain a tubing string. A wellbore can contain an
annulus. Examples of an annulus include, but are not limited to:
the space between the wellbore and the outside of a tubing string
in an open-hole wellbore; the space between the wellbore and the
outside of a casing in a cased-hole wellbore; and the space between
the inside of a casing and the outside of a tubing string in a
cased-hole wellbore.
[0013] There are a variety of wellbore operations that can be
performed on a well. A wellbore is formed using a tool called a
drill bit. A tubing string, called a drill string for drilling
operations, can be used to aid the drill bit in drilling through a
subterranean formation to form the wellbore. The drill string can
include a drilling pipe. During drilling operations, a drilling
fluid, sometimes referred to as a drilling mud, is circulated
downwardly through the drilling pipe, and back up the annulus
between the wall of the wellbore and the outside of the drilling
pipe. The drilling fluid performs various functions, such as
cooling the drill bit, maintaining the desired pressure in the
well, and carrying drill cuttings upwardly through the annulus
between the wellbore and the drilling pipe.
[0014] Moreover, a variety of testing and completion operations can
be performed on the well. Common testing operations include, but
are not limited to, logging while drilling, reservoir fluid
sampling, and drill stem testing. Completion operations can
include, but are not limited to, gravel-packing and cementing
operations. During testing and completion operations, a tool is run
into the wellbore on a tubing string or coiled tubing.
[0015] Wellbore operations are not always a continuous process. For
example, it may be necessary or desirable to remove a tubing string
before the wellbore operation is complete. This may occur for
example in adverse weather or other situations in which the
wellbore operation has to be suspended for a period of time. In
these situations, a valve can be used to help seal off the wellbore
such that fluids are prevented from flowing from the wellbore or
the subterranean formation into the wellhead. The valve can
generally be positioned below one or more blow-out preventers and
can function to seal off the inner diameter of a casing when the
valve is in a closed position. The closed valve prevents fluids
from flowing into the wellhead.
[0016] It is desirable for the valve to open as a tool is being
introduced into the wellbore on a tubing string. It is then
desirable for the valve to close when the tool is being removed
from the wellbore. Obviously the valve should be fully opened prior
to the tool reaching the valve's location so the valve and tool are
not damaged by the contact. The valve should also remain open when
a tubing string is located at the valve's position. In this manner,
the valve would not try to close on an object, such as the tubing
string. The valve should also close as soon as possible after the
tool is located above the valve so fluids are prevented from
flowing into the wellhead. As used herein, the relative term
"above" means at a location closer to the wellhead, and the
relative term "below" means at a location farther away from the
wellhead.
[0017] The valve can be opened or closed by a variety of
mechanisms. For example, the tool can push the valve and swing it
into an open position as the tool comes in contact with the valve
and then prop open the flapper valve on the way into the wellbore.
When the tool is then pulled out of the wellbore, the tool pulls a
sleeve out of the way allowing the flapper valve to close. However,
dragging of the tool may damage the flapper valve and compromise
the integrity of the valve.
[0018] By way of another example, the valve can be hydraulically
activated with control lines from the surface. This method can be
problematic because running control lines through a wellhead can
lead to a more complicated system and can lead to damage of the
control lines due to casing pinching.
[0019] By way of yet another example, pressure pulses, whereby the
valve is actuated by pulsing pressure changes in a column of
wellbore fluid, can be used to open and close the valve. However,
pressure variations in the wellbore may not be able to signal as
clearly in all situations when the valve should open or close while
drilling or circulating a wellbore fluid within the wellbore.
[0020] Therefore, there is a need for improved ways to actuate the
opening and closing of a valve for preventing fluid flow into a
wellhead of a wellbore, while overcoming the challenges currently
faced in the industry.
[0021] It has been discovered that a magnetic sensor assembly can
be used to actuate the opening and closing of a valve. The sensor
assembly can be used to detect the presence or absence of a
downhole tool and/or tubing string and the valve can be actuated
based on the location of the tool. One of the advantages to the
sensor assembly is that it is autonomous and no external
intervention from an operator at the surface needs to occur.
[0022] According to an embodiment, a system for actuating a valve,
the system comprises: a wellbore; the valve located within a casing
of the wellbore; a tool positioned at or near the bottom of a
tubing string within the casing; and a sensor assembly comprising a
magnet and a sensor for the magnet, wherein the sensor assembly
detects the presence or absence of the tool at the location of the
magnet, and wherein the sensor assembly actuates the valve to open
or close based on the location of the tool.
[0023] According to another embodiment, a sensor assembly for
actuating a valve comprises: the magnet; and the sensor for the
magnet, wherein a tool that is positioned adjacent to the magnet
alters the magnetic field of the magnet, wherein the sensor detects
the alteration of the magnetic field, and when the sensor detects
the alteration, then the sensor actuates a valve to open or
close.
[0024] According to yet another embodiment, a method of actuating a
valve in a wellbore comprises: positioning the sensor assembly
within the wellbore; and running a tool into the wellbore, wherein
the sensor assembly detects the presence of the tool when the tool
is located adjacent to the magnet, wherein when the sensor assembly
detects the presence of the tool one or more times, then the sensor
assembly actuates the valve to open, and wherein the valve is
located within a casing.
[0025] Any discussion of the embodiments regarding the well system
or any component related to the well system is intended to apply to
all of the apparatus, system, and method embodiments.
[0026] Turning to the Figures, FIG. 1 depicts a well system 10. The
well system 10 can include at least one wellbore 11. The wellbore
11 can penetrate a subterranean formation 20. The subterranean
formation 20 can be a portion of a reservoir or adjacent to a
reservoir. The wellbore 11 can include a casing 12. The wellbore 11
can have a generally vertical uncased section extending downwardly
from the casing 12, as well as a generally horizontal uncased
section extending through the subterranean formation 20. The
wellbore 11 can alternatively include only a generally vertical
wellbore section, or can alternatively include only a generally
horizontal wellbore section. The wellbore 11 can include a heel and
a toe (not shown).
[0027] A tubing string 101 can be introduced into the wellbore 11,
for example inside of the casing 12. The tubing string 101 can
include a flow passage for the flow of fluids. It is to be
understood that as used herein, a "tubing string" includes any
sections of pipe that are jointed together, and can include, for
example, a drill string. The well system 10 also includes the tool
102. The tool 102 can be run into the wellbore 11 via the tubing
string 101. The tool 102 can be positioned at or near the bottom of
the tubing string 101. The tubing string 101 and the tool 102 can
both be run into the wellbore and located within the casing 12 of
the wellbore 11. The tool 102 can be a drilling tool, completion
tool, or testing tool. For example, as a drilling tool, the tool
can be, without limitation, a drill bit or mill bit for milling
through the casing to form a window of a lateral wellbore. For a
completion tool, the tool can be, without limitation, a gravel
packing tool or a sand screen assembly. For a testing tool, the
tool can be, without limitation, measurement while drilling "MWD"
tools, logging while drilling "LWD" tools, packers, flow control
valves, tester valves, etc. Although reference is made to a tubing
string 101, it is to be understood that a coiled tubing can also be
used to run the tool 102 into the wellbore 11.
[0028] The well system 10 also includes the valve 300. The valve
300 can be a flapper valve, a ball valve, or a sliding sleeve. The
valve 300 can be located inside of the casing 12. When the valve
300 is in a closed position (as depicted in FIG. 1), fluids are
prevented from flowing in any direction past the valve. By
contrast, when the valve 300 is in an open position (as depicted in
FIG. 3), then fluid flow past the valve can occur. The valve 300
can be located above one or more blow-out preventers (not shown)
and a desired distance from a wellhead of the wellbore. The valve
300 can function as a safety device to temporarily prevent fluid
flow into the wellhead should Oil and Gas operations be temporarily
halted. The valve 300 can be particularly useful in underbalanced
operations in which the hydrostatic pressure of a column of
wellbore fluid is less than the pressure of the subterranean
formation 20. The valve 300 can withstand a desired pressure
differential across the valve. For example, the pressure
differential can come from an area above the valve or an area below
the valve. The desired pressure differential can be the amount of
pressure exerted from wellbore fluids located above and/or below
the valve. When the valve 300 is in the closed position, a locking
mechanism can be used on one or more locations around the valve to
lock the valve in the closed position to be able to withstand the
desired pressure differential. In this manner, fluid flow is
substantially inhibited or prevented from flowing past the valve.
When the valve 300 is actuated to open or close, a mechanism can
cause the valve to move into the open or closed position, via, for
example release or actuation of the locking mechanism(s). An
operator at the surface of the wellbore can determine whether the
valve has opened or closed due to pressure changes that can be
observed at the surface.
[0029] The well system 10 also includes the sensor assembly 200.
The sensor assembly 200 can be positioned on the casing 12 (shown
in the Figures), drill pipe, or as part of a bottomhole assembly
(not shown) of the tool 102. The sensor assembly 200 includes a
magnet 201. The magnet 201 can be a permanent magnet,
electromagnets, and any other type of magnet with a magnetic
polarity. The magnet 201 can produce a magnetic field.
[0030] The sensor assembly 200 also includes a sensor for the
magnet 202. The sensor 202 can detect the magnetic field from the
magnet 201. The sensor 202 can be positioned at a location that is
close enough to the magnet 201 for the sensor 202 to be able to
detect the magnetic field from the magnet 201. The sensor 202 can
be any sensor that detects the magnetic field from the magnet,
including, but not limited to, Hall effect sensor, magneto-diode,
magneto-transistor, anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR)
magnetometer, giant magnetoresistance (GMR) magnetometer, magnetic
tunnel junction magnetometer, magneto-optical sensor, Lorentz
force-based micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensor,
electron tunneling-based MEMS sensor, MEMS compass, optically
pumped magnetic field sensor, fluxgate magnetometer, search coil
magnetic field sensor, and superconducting quantum interference
devices (SQUID) magnetometer.
[0031] The magnet 201 and optionally the sensor 202 can be
partially surrounded by a shield (not shown) to help prevent or
minimize any interferences with the magnetic field from the casing
12 or other metallic wellbore equipment. In this manner, the sensor
can detect changes in the magnetic field from the magnet due to the
desired wellbore equipment, such as the tool. The location of the
shield, the material the shield is made from, and the thickness of
the shield can all be selected to provide the desired shielding to
prevent undesirable alterations to the magnetic field of the
magnet.
[0032] The sensor 202 and any other components, such as a
transmitter or actuator for the valve, can be powered by one or
more batteries. Batteries are useful because they prevent power
lines from having to be run into the wellbore to supply power, in
which power lines can be problematic.
[0033] The methods include running the tool 102 into the wellbore
11. Turning to FIG. 1A, when the tool 102 is located above the
sensor assembly 200, for example as the tool is being run into the
wellbore, then the valve 300 is closed and the magnetic field from
the magnet 201 is not altered. However, as can be seen in FIG. 2A,
when the tool 102 is positioned adjacent to the magnet 201, then
the tool 102 alters the magnetic field of the magnet 201. The
alteration of the magnetic field can be caused by: at least a
portion of the tool 102 having a larger outer diameter than the
outer diameter of the tubing string 101; at least a portion of the
tool having a different type of metal or metal alloy than the rest
of the tool and the tubing string; at least a portion of the tool
having a much higher concentration of a certain type of metal or
metal alloy than the rest of the tool and the tubing string, and
combinations thereof. Of course, the entire tool can have a larger
outer diameter, different metal or metal alloy, or concentration of
metal or metal alloy than the tubing string. A piece of metal or
metal alloy that has a larger outer diameter than the rest of the
tool and/or the tubing string can also be added to the tool in
order to provide the larger outer diameter. According to certain
embodiments, the bottom portion of the tool has the larger outer
diameter, different metal or metal alloy, or higher concentration
of the metal or metal alloy. In this manner, it is the bottom part
of the tool that alters the magnetic field. The sensor assembly 200
can detect the presence or absence of the tool at the location of
the magnet based on the alteration of the magnetic field.
[0034] The sensor 202 detects the alteration of the magnetic field.
The sensor 202 can be programmed to detect the alteration in the
magnetic field based on the type of causation of the magnetic field
alteration. The sensor assembly 200 can also include a data
acquisition system (not shown). The data acquisition system can be
used to collect information from the sensor about alterations to
the magnetic field. The sensor assembly 200 can also include a
transmitter (not shown) to transmit the information to the valve
300. The transmitter can transmit the information to an actuator,
for example, to actuate the opening or closing of the valve. The
sensor assembly 200 is autonomous in that in order to actuate
opening or closing of the valve 300, there is no human interaction
that is required. Rather, the sensor assembly 200 functions to
autonomously open or close the valve 300 based on the location of
the tool 102.
[0035] As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the tool 102 is
located adjacent to the magnet 201, the magnetic field is altered
and the sensor 202 detects the presence of the tool 102. The
actuator for the valve 300 can then be signaled to open the valve
and allow the undeterred passage of the tool 102 and the tubing
string 101. According to certain embodiments, the sensor also
detects the presence of the tubing string or other wellbore
components after the valve has been actuated to open. In this
manner, the valve does not try to close when an object, such as the
tubing string is located within the wellbore. This can prevent
damage to the valve and the object.
[0036] Turning to FIGS. 4A-4E, the sensor 202 can be programmed to
actuate the valve 300 based on a specific sequence of detecting the
presence and absence of the tool 102 more than one time. For
example, FIGS. 1-3 depict the actuation of the valve 300 due to the
sensor assembly 200 detecting the presence of the tool 102 one
time. By contrast, FIGS. 4A-4E depict the actuation of the valve
due to the sensor assembly detecting the presence of the tool more
than one time. By way of example, the sequence depicted in FIGS.
4A-4D is as follows: presence, absence, presence, absence. This
sequence can be performed by lowering, raising, lowering, and then
raising the tubing string 101 and the tool 102. When the
pre-programmed sensor assembly 200 detects this specific sequence,
then the transmitter transmits the information to the actuator to
cause the valve 300 to open, as shown in FIG. 4E. Of course the
actual sequence used could be any of a variety of sequences and
combinations.
[0037] There can also be more than one sensor assembly 200
positioned within the wellbore. For example, there could be two or
more sensor assemblies 200 positioned circumferentially around the
casing 12. Additionally, there could also be two or more sensor
assemblies 200 positioned along a longitudinal axis of the casing
12. There can also be sensor assemblies 200 positioned in both a
longitudinal direction and circumferentially around the casing 12.
These embodiments can be useful when it is desirable to provide
some assurance that at least one sensor assembly 200 will be able
to detect the presence of the tool 102. By way of example, it may
not be possible to know exactly how far within the wellbore 11 the
tool 102 is lowered, and if the tool is not lowered far enough,
then the sensor assembly 200 will not detect the presence of the
tool. Therefore, longitudinally-spaced sensor assemblies 200 can
help ensure that even if the lowering of the tool 102 is not exact,
then at least one of the sensor assemblies 200 will detect the
presence so long as the tool is lowered some distance into the
wellbore.
[0038] After the valve 300 is actuated to open, the tubing string
101 and the tool 102 can be run further into the wellbore 11 to
perform the operation, such as drilling, milling, completion
operations, or testing operations. In the event that the tool 102
needs to be removed from the wellbore 11, then the tubing string
101 and tool can be retrieved from the wellbore. Upon removal of
the tool 102, the sensor assembly 200 can detect the presence of
the tool again. The sensor assembly 200 can be programmed to
actuate the valve 300 to close when the presence of the tool 102 is
detected again. The sensor assembly 200 can also be programmed to
close the valve 300 when the same sequence (as discussed with
reference to FIGS. 4A-4D) or even a different sequence is detected
by the sensor assembly 200. With the valve 300 now in a closed
position, wellbore fluids are prevented from flowing to the
wellhead and the integrity of the wellbore is maintained.
[0039] The valve 300 can be actuated opened or closed any of a
number of times based on the location of the tool 102 in relation
to the magnet 201. In this manner, the tool 102 can be tripped in
and out of the wellbore 11 as often as needed based on the
conditions at the well site. Of course the tool 102 does not have
to be the same for each trip. For example, a drill bit can be
introduced and then removed from the wellbore, wherein the valve is
opened then closed, and then a completion tool can then be
introduced and possibly removed from the wellbore.
[0040] It should be noted that the well system 10 is illustrated in
the drawings and is described herein as merely one example of a
wide variety of well systems in which the principles of this
disclosure can be utilized. It should be clearly understood that
the principles of this disclosure are not limited to any of the
details of the well system 10, or components thereof, depicted in
the drawings or described herein. Furthermore, the well system 10
can include other components not depicted in the drawing.
[0041] Therefore, the present system is well adapted to attain the
ends and advantages mentioned as well as those that are inherent
therein. The particular embodiments disclosed above are
illustrative only, as the principles of the present disclosure can
be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners
apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the
teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the
details of construction or design herein shown, other than as
described in the claims below. It is, therefore, evident that the
particular illustrative embodiments disclosed above can be altered
or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope
and spirit of the principles of the present disclosure.
[0042] As used herein, the words "comprise," "have," "include," and
all grammatical variations thereof are each intended to have an
open, non-limiting meaning that does not exclude additional
elements or steps. While compositions and methods are described in
terms of "comprising," "containing," or "including" various
components or steps, the compositions and methods also can "consist
essentially of" or "consist of" the various components and steps.
Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is
disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the
range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of
values (of the form, "from about a to about b," or, equivalently,
"from approximately a to b") disclosed herein is to be understood
to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader
range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain,
ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by
the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles "a" or "an," as
used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one
of the element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the
usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more
patent(s) or other documents that can be incorporated herein by
reference, the definitions that are consistent with this
specification should be adopted.
* * * * *