Self-activating downhole tool

• US 20050241835A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Fripp, Michael L., Hales, John H., Rodgers, John, Towers, Darrin N., Schwendemann, Kenneth L., Burris, Wesley J. II, Starr, Phillip M., Goiffon, John J.
• Application Number:
  US11/120,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20050241835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/381
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/00 Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells setting of casings, screens or liners E21B43/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/10 Tools specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/119 Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level

Abstract

An autonomous downhole tool for use in a well bore is moved along at least a partial length of the well bore via an external force, and the tool is self-operable to perform one or more functions at one or more locations within the well bore.. A method for operating a downhole tool within a well bore comprises deploying the tool along at least a partial length of the well bore via an external force, and self-activating one or more functions of the tool, wherein the tool does not receive command communications from the surface.

Claims

1. An autonomous downhole tool for use in a well bore wherein the tool is moved along at least a partial length of the well bore via an external force.

2. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 1 wherein the autonomous tool is self-operable to perform one or more functions at one or more locations within the well bore.

3. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 2 wherein the autonomous tool is a plug self-operable to set at more than one location within the well bore.

4. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 2 wherein the autonomous tool is a perforating gun self-operable to fire at more than one location within the well bore.

5. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 1, further including:

an activator operable to self-activate one or more functional components of the tool within the well bore without receiving command communications from the surface.

6. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 5 wherein the one or more functional component provides one or more functions comprising:

slowing the tool, stopping the tool, holding the tool in the well bore, perforating a well bore casing, evaluating the formation, evaluating a well bore assembly, isolating a well bore segment, releasing the tool in the well bore, releasing a component of the tool, or a combination thereof.

7. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 5 wherein one of the functional components comprises a brake.

8. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 7 wherein the brake comprises a fluid drag component, a pressure differential component, an eddy current component, a generator component, a rotary component, a mechanical component, a magnetic component, an adhesive component, a suction component, an inflatable component, a variable buoyancy component, or a combination thereof.

9. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 5, further comprising an onboard navigation system operable to estimate a location of the autonomous tool within the well bore.

10. The autonomous downhole tool of claim 10 wherein the tool self-activates the one or more functional components of the tool based on the estimation of the location of the autonomous tool.

11. A method for operating a downhole tool within a well bore comprising:

deploying the tool along at least a partial length of the well bore via an external force; and

self-activating one or more functions of the tool;

wherein the tool does not receive command communications from the surface.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising initializing the downhole tool.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein initializing the tool comprises providing a well bore log to the tool.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein initializing the tool comprises providing a well bore log and a mission program to the tool.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein self-activating one or more functions of the tool comprises following the mission program.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising self-determining the location of the tool by sensing two or more parameters in the well bore via the tool and determining the location of the tool based on the sensed parameters.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining a velocity of the tool based on the sensed parameters.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising returning the tool or a component thereof to the surface.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the returning the tool or a component thereof to the surface is accomplished without mechanical linkage with the surface.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising self-deactivating the one or more functions of the tool.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the self-activating one or more functions of the tool is performed at one or more locations within the well bore.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein self-activating one or more functions of the tool comprises sealing the well bore with the tool.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein self-activating one or more functions of the tool comprises perforating a casing in the well bore.

24. A downhole tool for use in a well bore comprising:

an activator operable to self-activate one or more functional components of the tool within a well bore;

wherein the tool is moved along at least a partial length of the well bore via an external force; and

wherein the tool does not receive command communications from the surface.

25. The downhole tool of claim 24 wherein the tool comprises a frac plug, a bridge plug, a packer, a logging tool, a casing patch, a formation tester, a perforating gun, a whipstock, a marker setting tool, a tool servicing device, or a combination thereof.