SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING USE OF A DOWNHOLE ASSET

• US 20130063277A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Christiansen, Ted Louis
• Application Number:
  US13/695,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/854.6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/006 Accessories for drilling pipes, e.g. cleaners wear protectors E21B17/10; handling drilling pipes E21B19/00; thread protectors B65D59/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00

Abstract

A system and method for managing use of a downhole asset. In one embodiment, a system includes a rig interface, a tag reader, and FIG. 1 a remote datacenter. The rig interface is disposed proximate to a borehole being drilled, and configured to process information related to use and physical condition of the downhole asset while drilling the borehole. The tag reader is configured to transfer a measurement of an attribute of the downhole asset to the rig interface. The remote datacenter is disposed remote from the borehole and is configured to assess the condition of the downhole asset based on information received from the rig interface and additional information related to use of the downhole asset received by the remote datacenter over the life of the downhole asset.

Claims

1. A system for managing use of a downhole asset, the system comprising:

a rig interface disposed proximate to a borehole being drilled, and configured to process information related to use and physical condition of the downhole asset while drilling the borehole;

a tag reader configured to transfer a measurement of an attribute of the downhole asset to the rig interface;

a remote datacenter disposed remote from the borehole and configured to assess the condition of the downhole asset based on information received from the rig interface and additional information related to use of the downhole asset received by the remote datacenter over the life of the downhole asset.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote database coupled to the remote datacenter, and configured to store information related to use and physical condition of the downhole asset over the life of the downhole asset.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the rig interface is configured to transfer the measurement and the information related to the use and the physical condition of the downhole asset to the remote datacenter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote datacenter is configured to store asset information for all downhole assets provided by a given manufacturer and for all assets for which information is received from the rig interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote datacenter is configured to store asset information for a plurality of downhole assets provided by a plurality rig interfaces associated with different rigs over the life of each asset.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote datacenter is configured to transfer as assessment of the condition of the downhole asset to the rig interface, the assessment based on information of asset use and condition received of the life of the asset.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote datacenter is configured to provide a display showing cumulative usage of the downhole asset, the display comprising an indication of cumulative fatigue damage to the asset.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the measurement comprises at least one of tool use measurements acquired during tool operation by a downhole tag attached to the tool and a measurement of tool physical parameters measure by and wirelessly transferred to the tag reader by a measurement device.

9. A method for managing use of a downhole asset, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a rig computer, first information regarding use and physical parameters of a downhole asset to an asset management computer remote from a drilling operation associated with the rig computer;

analyzing, by the asset management computer, the first information in conjunction with second information regarding use and physical parameters of a downhole asset acquired by the asset management computer over the life of the downhole asset;

planning use of the downhole asset in the drilling operation to extend the life of the downhole asset based on the analyzing.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the analyzing comprising determining cumulative fatigue damage to the downhole asset.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

acquiring use information, by a downhole tag attached to the downhole asset, during operation of the downhole asset;

extracting the use information wirelessly from the tag; and

providing the use information to the rig computer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the use information comprises at least one of temperature, pressure, torque, and number of rotations.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

measuring a physical parameter of the downhole asset;

transmitting a value produced by the measuring to a tag reader via wireless network;

associating, by the tag reader, the value with downhole asset identification wirelessly retrieved from a tag attached to the downhole asset; and

transmitting, by the tag reader, the value and the identification to the rig computer.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting, by the asset management computer, third information indicative of the cumulative effects of use over the life of the downhole asset to the rig computer; and

displaying, by the rig computer, the third information on display device.

15. A system for acquiring data related to a downhole asset, the system comprising:

an instrument configured to measure a physical attribute of the downhole asset, the instrument comprising a wireless transceiver;

an identification tag affixed to the downhole asset, the tag configured to wirelessly communicate information regarding the downhole asset; and

a tag reader comprising;

a first wireless transceiver configured wirelessly communicate with the instrument; and

a second wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the identification tag;

wherein the instrument is configured to wirelessly transfer a measurement value corresponding to a physical measurement of the downhole asset made by the instrument to the tag reader; and

wherein the tag reader is configured wirelessly retrieve an identification value from the tag and to associate the measurement value with the identification value.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instrument is one of an inside diameter gauge, thread taper gauge, thread depth gauge, thread stretch gauge, and a caliper.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instrument and the tag reader are configured to communicate via one of a wireless personal area network and a wireless local area network.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second wireless transceiver of the tag reader and the identification tag are configured to communicate via long wavelength wireless communication.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the tag reader is configured to wirelessly transfer the identification value and the measurement value to a system that estimate the life of the downhole asset based on the measurement value.