TOOL USING OUTPUTS OF SENSORS RESPONSIVE TO SIGNALING

• US 20100018714A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Merlau, David, Zhan, Lang, Benton, Jim B., Kannan, Dhandayuthapani
• Granted Patent: US 7,775,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/319
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 23/04 operated by fluid means, e.g. actuated by explosion E21B23/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/06 in wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/16 Control means therefor being outside the borehole control systems for submerged well heads E21B33/0355
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/18 through the well fluid , e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry

Abstract

An apparatus for use in a wellbore includes a tool string and a plurality of sensors, which include at least a first sensor to detect pressure signals in an inner conduit of the tool string and at least a second sensor to detect pressure signals in an annulus outside the tool string. A controller actuates a tool in the tool string in response to a logical combination of outputs from the sensors, where the outputs of the sensors are responsive to the respective pressure signals.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:

a tool string,

a plurality of sensors including at least a first sensor to detect pressure signals in an inner conduit of the tool string and at least a second sensor to detect pressure signals in an annulus outside the tool string; and

a controller to actuate a tool in the tool string in response to a logical combination of outputs from the sensors, wherein the outputs of the sensors are responsive to the respective pressure signals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logical combination of outputs is selected from among:

(1) all outputs of the sensors;

(2) one of the outputs of the sensors;

(3) a subset of the outputs of the sensors; and

(4) a predefined sequence of outputs of the sensors.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure signals in the inner conduit and pressure signals in the annulus are communicated from an earth surface location.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a conveyance tubular structure to carry the tool string into the wellbore, wherein an inner conduit of the conveyance tubular structure is in fluid communication with the inner conduit of the tool string.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool string includes an isolation valve that when closed isolates a lower part of the inner conduit of the tool string from an upper part of the inner conduit, and that when a state of the isolation valve is changed causes a cross-section area of a flow passageway through the isolation valve to change, wherein the first sensor is configured to detect pressure signals in the upper part of the inner conduit above the isolation valve, and wherein the plurality of sensors further include a third sensor to detect pressure signals in the lower part of the inner conduit below the isolation valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to actuate the tool in response to:

(1) detecting that pressure signals in the annulus received by the second sensor match a predefined signature; and

(2) confirming that a condition is satisfied by checking pressure signals in the inner conduit received by the first sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to confirm that the condition is satisfied if the pressure signals received by the first sensor are substantially different from pressure signals received by the second sensor.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a valve that when opened enables fluid communication between the annulus and inner conduit, and wherein the valve being open prevents the condition from being satisfied.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tool is an isolation valve, and wherein the controller is configured to not change a state of the isolation valve if the controller determines that the condition is not satisfied.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensors are further configured to detect pressure changes due to fluid flow in the annulus or inner conduit, and wherein the controller is configured to further control actuation of the tool based on the detected pressure changes due to fluid flow.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one storage device to store the outputs of the plurality of sensors to provide historical information to enable troubleshooting of the tool and/or data analysis for formation property estimation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect a state of a tool based on at least one of the outputs of the sensors.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrical link connected to the sensors, wherein the at least one electrical link is to extend from an earth surface above the wellbore to enable communication with the sensors.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller is to actuate the tool further based on one or more commands received over the at least one communications link.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising at least one storage device to store the outputs of the plurality of sensors, wherein the at least one electrical link enables retrieval of data in the at least one storage device by earth surface equipment.

16. A method of controlling actuation of a tool in a tool string deployed in a wellbore, comprising:

providing a plurality of sensors including at least a first sensor to detect pressure signals in an inner conduit of the tool string and at least a second sensor to detect pressure signals in an annulus in the wellbore outside the tool string; and

actuating, by a controller, a tool in the tool string in response to a logical combination of outputs from the sensors, wherein the outputs of the sensors are responsive to the respective pressure signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the logical combination of outputs is selected from among:

(1) all outputs of the sensors;

(2) one of the outputs of the sensors;

(3) a subset of the outputs of the sensors; and

(4) a predefined sequence of outputs of the sensors.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating the pressure signals in the inner conduit and pressure signals in the annulus from an earth surface location.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the tool string includes an isolation valve that when closed isolates a lower part of the inner conduit of the tool string from an upper part of the inner conduit and that when a state of the isolation valve is changed causes a cross-sectional area of a flow passageway through the isolation valve to change, wherein the first sensor detects pressure signals in the upper part of the inner conduit above the isolation valve, the method further comprising:

providing a third sensor in the plurality of sensors to detect pressure signals in the lower part of the inner conduit below the isolation valve.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein actuating the tool is in response to:

(1) detecting that pressure signals in the annulus received by the second sensor match a predefined signature; and

(2) confirming that a condition is satisfied by checking pressure signals in the inner conduit received by the first sensor.

21. The method of claim 20, the condition is confirmed to be satisfied if the pressure signals received by the first sensor are substantially different from pressure signals received by the second sensor.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing at least one storage device to store the outputs of the plurality of sensors to provide historical information to enable troubleshooting of the tool and/or data analysis for formation property estimation.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing at least one electrical link connected to the sensors, wherein the at least one electrical link is to extend from an earth surface above the wellbore to enable communication with the sensors.