Caliper steerable tool for lateral sensing and accessing

• US 10,683,732 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2018
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Al-Mulhem, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sebesta, Christopher J
• Application Number:
  US15/957,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20180238146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/1021 with articulated arms or arcuate springs
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/14 for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0035 Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/08 Measuring diameters or related dimensions at the borehole

Abstract

Lateral wellbores intersecting a main wellbore are located with calipers on a tool. Each caliper includes first and second segments pinned to one another. Ends of each first segment distal from the pinned connections pivotingly attach to the tool. Ends of each second segment distal from the pinned connections couple with shuttles that slide axially along the tool. Biasing means urge the shuttles toward the pivoting connections of the first elongated segments to urge the pinned connections radially outward. When downhole and away from a lateral wellbore, walls of the main wellbore prevent the calipers from projecting into a radial maximum extension. When adjacent a lateral wellbore, calipers facing the lateral wellbore are extendable to a maximum radial extension. Distances between the pinned connections and tool are estimated with sensors; and openings to lateral wellbores are detectable based on the estimated distances. A steering arm optionally steers the tool downhole.

Claims

1. A downhole tool comprising:

a tool body having a first end and a second end;

a plurality of calipers extending radially from an outer diameter of the tool body, each of the plurality of calipers comprising;

a first segment having an end pivotingly connected to the tool body at a first pivot joint which is outside of the tool body and adjacent an outer surface of the tool body;

a second segment having an end that is axially slideable along a portion of the tool body that is spaced away from the first pivot joint; and

a flexible joint defined where an end of the first segment distal from the first pivot joint pivotingly couples with an end of the second segment that is distal from the end that is axially slideable;

a recess formed through a sidewall of the tool body and that has a length extending axially between the first and second ends of the tool body;

a sensor in the recess and that extends along the length of the recess;

a shuttle in the recess having a radially inward side facing the sensor and a radially outward side pinned to the axially slideable end of the second segment to define a second pivot joint which is outside of the tool body and adjacent an outer surface of the tool body, so that when the flexible joint moves radially with respect to the tool body, the axially slideable end and the shuttle each reciprocate in an axial direction and next to the sensor;

a spring disposed in the recess on a side of the shuttle opposite the first segment and in biasing contact with the shuttle;

a steering arm operably connected to the first end of the tool body; and

a processor in communication with the sensor, that selectively indicates an opening depth at which the tool body is adjacent an opening to a lateral wellbore based on the flexible joint being at a maximum radial extension, so that when a depth at which the tool body is adjacent an opening to a lateral is indicated, the tool body can be strategically positioned at a lesser depth than the opening depth, and then moved to a greater depth and into the opening.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein biasing contact of the spring onto the shuttle and the connections between the shuttle and second segment defines a centralizer that is operable to radially center the tool body in a wellbore.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the steering arm comprises a tip at one end and a positioner at another end, the positioner being operable to change the angle of the steering arm relative to the head along at least two axes.

4. A downhole tool comprising:

an elongated body having an uphole end selectively coupled with a deployment means, and a downhole end opposite the uphole end;

a series of calipers mounted along an outer circumference of the body, each caliper comprising,

an elongated upper segment having a lower end and an upper end that is pivotingly coupled with the body at a location spaced away from the downhole end,

an elongated lower segment having an upper end and a lower end that is pivotingly coupled with the body at a location spaced away from the uphole end, and

a flexible joint, defined where a lower end of the upper segment pivotingly couples with an upper end of the lower segment;

a recess formed in a side of the body;

a slide connector that comprises a shaft mounted in the recess, and a sleeve slidingly mounted onto the shaft that is coupled to a lower end of the lower segment by a pinned connection, and that selectively reciprocates along a length of a position sensor that extends along a length of the body with radial movement of the flexible joint;

the pinned connection on a surface of the shuttle that is radially opposite the position sensor, and the position sensor is selectively responsive to the presence of the shuttle at positions along the length of the position sensor, so that a location of the shuttle is discernable and which reflects a radial distance of the flexible joint from the body; and

a spring disposed in the recess on a side of the shuttle, and from which a biasing force is exerted onto the shuttle that resists radial inward movement of the flexible joint.

5. The tool of claim 4, further comprising a steering arm mounted to the downhole end.

6. The tool of claim 4, wherein the flexible joint comprises a hinge disposed transverse to the upper and lower segments.

7. The tool of claim 4, wherein each caliper is freely moveable with respect to the other calipers.