WIRED SLIP JOINT

• US 20100300698A1
• Filed: 06/01/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Quam, Erik, Bedouet, Sylvain
• Granted Patent: US 8,322,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/355
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/003 with electrically conducting or insulating means E21B17/028 and E21B17/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/07 Telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention disclose systems, apparatuses, and methods of measurement performed by pipe conveyed tools. In an embodiment, a system for evaluation of a well bore includes a drill string assembly comprising a plurality of pipe joints, a wired slip joint coupled to the plurality of drill pipe, the slip joint movable from a retracted position to an extended position to compensate for changes in length of the drill string, the extended position having a length greater than the retracted position; a sensor positioned in the slip joint, wherein the sensor detects a change in length of the slip joint and generates a signal representative of a position of the slip joint, and a communication system to transmit the signal from the slip joint to a surface processor.

Claims

1. A system for evaluation of a well bore, comprising:

a drill string assembly comprising a plurality of pipe joints;

a slip joint coupled to the plurality of pipe joints, the slip joint movable from a retracted position to an extended position to compensate for changes in length of the drill string, the extended position having a length greater than the retracted position;

a sensor positioned in the slip joint, wherein the sensor detects a change in length of the slip joint and generates a signal representative of a position of the slip joint; and

a communication system to transmit the signal from the slip joint to a surface processor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication system comprises at least one of a plurality of wired drill pipes and wireline cable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the slip joint further comprises:

a lower slip joint member having a pin end;

an upper slip joint member having a box end, the lower slip joint member telescopically engaged with the upper slip joint such that one of the joint members moves within the other joint member, thereby forming an expandable and contractible inner passage between the box end and the pin end;

a coiled cable coupled with a box end communications element disposed proximate the box end and a pin end communications element disposed proximate the pin end, the box and pin end communications element electrically coupled to the communications system; and

,

wherein the sensor is disposed along the upper slip joint member or the lower slip joint member and is electrically coupled with at least one of the box end and pin end communications elements.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprises a plurality of sensor trips detectable by the sensor to determine a position of the slip joint.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner diameter of the lower slip joint member and the plurality of sensor trips are disposed along an inner diameter of the upper slip joint member at predetermined intervals, such that an amount of extension or retraction of the slip joint is determined.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one flow line traversing the slip joint for transporting formation fluid from a reservoir upward through the slip joint.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the coiled cable traverses the inner passage, such that the coiled cable is immersed in fluid flowing through the inner passage.

8. A slip joint, comprising:

a lower slip joint member having a pin end;

an upper slip joint member having a box end, the lower slip joint member telescopically coupled with the upper slip joint member to form an expandable and contractible inner passage between the box end and the pin end, wherein the lower slip joint member and the upper slip joint member are movable from a retracted position to an extended position, the pin end closer to the box end at the retracted position than at the extended position;

a wire coupled with a box end communication element disposed proximate the box end and a pin end communication element disposed proximate the pin end, the communication elements capable of transmitting data; and

,

a flow line extending within the body of the upper slip joint member and the lower slip joint member, the flow line telescopically formed by the connection of the upper slip joint member and the lower slip joint member, wherein the flow line carries formation fluid upward through the slip joint.

9. The wired slip joint of claim 8, further comprising a sensor positioned on one of the upper slip joint member and the lower slip joint member, the sensor detecting sensor trips moving adjacent to the sensor wherein the sensor trips are positioned on the upper slip joint member or the lower slip joint member not having the sensor positioned thereon.

10. The wired slip joint of claim 9, wherein the sensor is disposed on an inner diameter of the lower slip joint member and the sensor trips are disposed along an inner diameter of the upper slip joint member at predetermined intervals, such that an amount of extension or retraction of the slip joint is determined by the sensor detecting at least one of the sensor trips movement of the slip joint from the retracted position to the extended position.

11. The wired slip joint of claim 8, wherein the wire is coiled and positioned around the flow line.

12. The wired slip joint of claim 8, further comprising a second flow line traversing the inner passage, the second flow line transporting drilling mud downward through the slip joint.

13. The wired slip joint of claim 12, wherein the wire surrounds the outside of the flow line or the second flow line, such that the wire is not exposed to fluid flowing through the slip joint.

14. The wired slip joint of claim 8, wherein the wire traverses the inner passage such that the wire is immersed in fluid flowing through the inner passage.

15. The wired slip joint of claim 8, wherein the communication elements comprise at least one of a wireline connector, an inductive coupler, a direct connect coupler, a flux coupler, and non-toroidal inductive couplers.

16. A method of communicating with a downhole tool, comprising:

deploying a drill string assembly in a well bore, the drill string assembly comprising a plurality of pipe joints, a communications system comprising at least one of a plurality of wired drill pipe and a wireline cable;

positioning a slip joint in the drill string, the slip joint having communication connectors at opposing ends connected by a wire, the communication connectors capable of transmitting data to the communications system, wherein the slip joint is comprised of an upper portion and a lower portion telescopically connected and movable between a range of positions from a retracted position to an extended position, the slip joint having a length at the retracted position less than a length at the extended position;

determining the length of the slip joint; and

transmitting a slip joint position signal through the communications system to the well bore surface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the slip joint has a sensor positioned on one of the upper portion and the lower portion of the slip joint, and further wherein the slip joint has a plurality of sensor trips positioned at predetermined intervals on the other one of the upper portion or the lower portion, the sensor trips detectable by the sensor to determine the length of the slip joint.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising transporting formation fluid upward through the slip joint through a flow line extending within the upper portion and the lower portion and fluidly isolated from the interior of the slip joint.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the communication system comprises a plurality of wired drill pipes and the slip joint has inductive couplers positioned at opposing ends of the upper portion and the lower portion to communicate with the plurality of wired drill pipes, and further wherein the wire extends between and electrically connects the inductive couplers.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the wire is coiled around the flow line.