Co-pilot measurement-while-fishing tool devices and methods

• US 20040251027A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Heisig, Gerald, Pizzolato, Blake C., Hicks, Johnny C., Sonnier, James A., Anderson, James W., Colbert, Robbie B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,591,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/297
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 31/00 Fishing for or freeing objects in boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/18 through the well fluid , e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry

Abstract

Methods and devices for sensing operating conditions associated with downhole, non-drilling operations, including, fishing and retrieval operations as well as underreaming or casing cutting operations and the like. A condition sensing device is used to measure downhole operating parameters, including, for example, torque, tension, compression, direction of rotation and rate of rotation. The operating parameter information is then used to perform the downhole operation more effectively.

Claims

1. A system for detecting a downhole condition in a wellbore during a non-drilling wellbore operation, the system comprising:

a tool string to be disposed within a wellbore;

a workpiece within the tool string for performing a non-drilling wellbore operation within the wellbore; and

a condition sensing tool within the tool string for sensing a downhole condition.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the workpiece comprises a fishing device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the workpiece comprises a cutting tool.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the cutting tool comprises an underreamer.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the cutting tool comprises a casing cutter.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the downhole condition is a condition from the set consisting essentially of torque, weight, tool string compression, tool string tension, speed of tool string rotation, vibration, and direction of tool string rotation.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the condition sensing tool of the system comprises:

an outer housing defining a sensor section therein; and

at least one sensor retained within the sensor section for detection of a downhole condition.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the condition sensing tool further comprises a processing section for receiving data relating to the downhole condition and transmitting the data to a remote receiver.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the condition sensing tool further comprises a processing section for receiving data relating to the downhole condition and storing the data.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power section.

11. A condition sensing tool for use within a wellbore during a non-drilling operation to detect at least one downhole condition within the wellbore, the condition sensing tool comprising:

an outer housing defining an axial fluid flowbore therethrough;

a sensor section defined within the housing; and

at least one sensor for detecting at least one non-drilling downhole condition from the set of conditions consisting essentially of torque, weight, tool string compression, tool string tension, speed of tool string rotation, vibration, and direction of tool string rotation.

12. The condition sensing tool of claim 11 further comprising a power section within the housing for supplying power to the sensor section.

13. The condition sensing tool of claim 11 further comprising a processing section for receiving data relating to the downhole condition and transmitting the data to a remote receiver.

14. A method of performing a non-drilling downhole wellbore operation comprising:

integrating a workpiece and a condition sensing tool into a tool string;

disposing the tool string into a wellbore;

actuating the workpiece to conduct a non-drilling downhole operation; and

detecting at least one downhole condition with the condition sensing tool.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of transmitting information indicative of the downhole condition to a remote location.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of storing information indicative of the downhole condition within a processing section of the condition sensing tool.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein

a) the workpiece comprises a fishing tool for engaging a stuck member within a wellbore;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises a fishing operation to remove a stuck member from the wellbore; and

c) the condition sensing tool detects weight and torque.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises an anchor latch;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises unthreading of a threaded connection within the wellbore; and

c) the condition sensing tool detects tool string compression and tool string tension.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises a casing cutter;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises a casing cutting operation, and

c) the condition sensing tool detects speed and direction of rotation of the tool string.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises an underreamer;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises an underreaming operation, and

c) the condition-sensing tool detects torque.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the condition sensing tool also detects weight, speed of rotation, and direction of rotation.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises a packer;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises retrieval of the packer from a set position within the wellbore; and

c) the condition-sensing tool detects torque and weight.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises a pilot mill;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises milling away by the pilot mill of a portion of a tubular member within the wellbore; and

c) the condition sensing tool detects at least some of the downhole conditions from the set of conditions consisting essentially of torque, direction of rotation, speed of rotation, weight, tool string compression, and tool string tension.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein:

a) the workpiece comprises a washover tool;

b) the non-drilling downhole operation comprises a washover operation for cutting away portions of a formation surrounding a stuck object within the wellbore; and

c) the condition sensing tool detects torque.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the condition sensing tool further detects speed and direction of rotation.