Subterranean well completion incorporating downhole-parkable robot therein
First Claim
1. A subterranean well completion comprising:
- a tubular structure extending through the earth; and
a remote controlled robot disposed in the tubular structure and being capable of performing downhole well tasks, the robot being operable to utilize power from a source thereof to propel itself along the interior of the tubular structure, perform a predetermined downhole well task; and
then park within the tubular structure until another well task is to be performed by the robot, the source of power including a power structure carried by the robot.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A subterranean well completion has a tubular structure in which a remote controlled robot is permanently disposed. The robot is self-propelled, programmable, receives instructions from and communicates data to the surface, and is adapted to receive power from a downhole source and perform a variety of well tasks such as, for example, positioning valves and other well tools and sensing the values of predetermined downhole parameters and relaying the sensed information to the surface. The robot, which is operable without physical intervention through the tubular structure to the robot, propels itself to a location in the tubular structure at which a desired well task is to be performed, performs the task and then parks itself in the tubular structure until another well task is to be performed by the robot.
63 Citations
163 Claims
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1. A subterranean well completion comprising:
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a tubular structure extending through the earth; and
a remote controlled robot disposed in the tubular structure and being capable of performing downhole well tasks, the robot being operable to utilize power from a source thereof to propel itself along the interior of the tubular structure, perform a predetermined downhole well task; and
then park within the tubular structure until another well task is to be performed by the robot, the source of power including a power structure carried by the robot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 87)
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37. A subterranean well completion comprising:
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a tubular structure extending through the earth; and
a remote controlled robot disposed in the tubular structure and having a work structure, the robot being operable to utilize power from a source thereof to propel itself along the interior of the tubular structure to a location therein at which a predetermined well task is to be performed, activate the work structure to perform the predetermined well task, and then park in the tubular structure until needed to perform another well task. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 163)
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85. A subterranean well completion comprising:
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a tubular structure extending through the earth, the tubular structure having a powering structure adapted to receive electrical power from the surface;
a remote controlled, self-propelled, work-performing robot disposed in the tubular structure and being powered by an onboard rechargeable battery, the robot having a power receiving portion positionable relative to the powering structure to receive electrical power therefrom to recharge the battery; and
communication apparatus operative to provide information communication between the earth and the robot. - View Dependent Claims (86, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108)
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109. A method of operating a subterranean well completion having a tubular structure extending through the earth, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a remote controlled, self-propelled robot;
disposing the robot within the tubular structure;
utilizing the robot to perform a first predetermined well task in the tubular structure at a predetermined location therein;
parking the robot within the tubular structure; and
thencausing the robot to perform a second predetermined well task in the tubular structure. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162)
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Specification