Back up directional and inclination sensors and method of operating same

• US 10,066,475 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc .
• Original Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc .
• Inventors: Switzer, David A., Logan, Aaron W., Liu, Jili, Miraki, Mojtaba Kazemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kidanu, Gedeon M
• Application Number:
  US15/588,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 7315254
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/12 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 Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions

Abstract

The embodiments described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for providing a back up system of Directional and Inclination (D&I) information to be gathered and transmitted in addition to primary D&I sensors currently employed in industry. A downhole probe assembly including primary sensors, back up sensors and a controller is disclosed. The primary sensors comprise primary accelerometers and primary magnetometers configured to gather information relating to each of orthogonal axes X, Y and Z. The back up sensors comprise back up accelerometers configured to gather information relating to each of orthogonal axes X, Y and Z, the back up accelerometers being solid state accelerometers. The controller is in electrical communication with the primary sensors and the back up sensors. The controller is configured to receive and process information from the primary sensors and the back up sensors so that information from the back up accelerometers can be used when one or more of the primary accelerometers fail, which may allow drilling operations to continue despite such failure.

Claims

1. A downhole probe assembly comprising:

(a) primary sensors comprising primary accelerometers and primary magnetometers configured to gather information relating to each of orthogonal axes X, Y and Z;

(b) back up sensors comprising back up solid state accelerometers configured to gather information relating to each of orthogonal axes X, Y and Z; and

(c) a controller in electrical communication with the primary sensors and the back up sensors, the controller configured to receive and process information from the primary sensors and the back up sensors so that information from the back up accelerometers can be used when one or more of the primary accelerometers fails,

wherein;

the primary accelerometers are a different type of accelerometer than the back up solid state accelerometers;

at least one of the back up solid state accelerometers is less accurate than the primary accelerometers; and

at least one of the back up solid state accelerometers is less prone to failure than the primary accelerometers.

2. The downhole probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to surface to alert an operator that one or more of the primary sensors has failed and that information is being provided by the back up sensors.

3. The downhole probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the back up sensors further comprise back up magnetometers configured to gather information relating to each of orthogonal axes X, Y and Z, wherein the controller is in electronic communication with the back up magnetometers and is configured to receive and process information from the back up magnetometers so that information from the back up magnetometers can be used when one or more of the primary magnetometers fails.

4. The downhole probe assembly of claim 3, wherein at least one of the back up magnetometers is less accurate than the primary magnetometers.

5. The downhole probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the back up sensors are incorporated in a back up sensor module and the back up sensor module is configured for interconnection with a longitudinally adjacent module of the downhole probe assembly.

6. The downhole probe assembly of claim 5, wherein the back up sensor module comprises a longitudinally extending housing enclosing a body, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the body.

7. The downhole probe assembly of claim 6, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the body in each of the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

8. The downhole probe assembly of claim 6, wherein one or more of the back up sensors is attached to the body of the back up sensor module at an offset position to the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

9. The downhole probe assembly of claim 1, including a downhole probe assembly module comprising a longitudinally extending housing enclosing a body, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the body.

10. The downhole probe assembly of claim 9, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the body in each of the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

11. The downhole probe assembly of claim 9, wherein one or more of the back up sensors is attached to the body at an offset position to the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

12. The downhole probe assembly of claim 9, wherein the back up sensors are fixed to printed circuit boards and the printed circuit boards are attached to the body.

13. The downhole probe assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary sensors and the back up sensors are incorporated in a sensor module.

14. The downhole probe assembly of claim 13, wherein the sensor module comprises a body and the primary sensors and the back up sensors are attached to the body.

15. The downhole probe assembly of claim 13, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the body in each of the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z, or one or more of the back up sensors is attached to the body at an offset position to the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z, or wherein at least one of the back up sensors is attached to the body on the back side of at least one of the primary sensors so that the at least one back up sensor and at least one primary sensor are in the same orthogonal axis.

16. The downhole probe assembly of claim 13, wherein the sensor module comprises a body and the primary sensors are attached to the body and at least one of the back up sensors is attached to at least one of the primary sensors.

17. The downhole probe assembly of claim 16, wherein the back up sensors are attached to the primary sensors in each of the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

18. The downhole probe assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the back up sensors is attached to at least one of the primary sensors at an offset position to the orthogonal axes X, Y and Z.

19. The downhole probe assembly of claim 16, wherein the back up sensors are fixed to printed circuit boards and the printed circuit boards are attached to the primary sensors.