WIRELESS SHEAVE WHEEL FOR WIRELINE OPERATIONS

• US 20200131862A1
• Filed: 04/22/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Inventors: PHELPS, Phillip, WALLACE, Rick
• Granted Patent: US 10,988,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/008 Winding units, specially adapted for drilling operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/084 with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/043 for measuring length
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/047 Specific indicating or recording arrangements, e.g. for remote indication, for indicating overload or underload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/102 using sensors located at a non-interrupted part of the flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/108 for measuring a reaction force applied on a single support, e.g. a glider

Abstract

A sheave wheel includes a housing; a wheel attached to the housing and configured to rotate relative to the housing; a depth and tension measurement system attached to the housing and configured to measure a parameter associated with the wheel; and a local control system attached to the housing and configured to exchange information associated with the measured parameter in a wireless manner with a ground control system.

Claims

1. A sheave wheel comprising:

a housing;

a wheel attached to the housing and configured to rotate relative to the housing;

a depth and tension measurement system attached to the housing and configured to measure a parameter associated with the wheel; and

a local control system attached to the housing and configured to exchange information associated with the measured parameter in a wireless manner with a ground control system.

2. The sheave wheel of claim 1, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel.

3. The sheave wheel of claim 2, wherein the parameter is the rotation of the wheel.

4. The sheave wheel of claim 2, wherein the local control system includes a processor that translates the rotation of the wheel into a length traveled by a line located over the wheel.

5. The sheave wheel of claim 4, wherein the line is a wireline that is lowered into a well and the wireline is attached to a gun.

6. The sheave wheel of claim 1, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a tension measurement device that measures a tension in the wheel.

7. The sheave wheel of claim 6, wherein the measured tension in the wheel is double of a tension in the line.

8. The sheave wheel of claim 1, wherein the depth and tension measurement system comprises:

a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel; and

a tension measurement device that measures a tension in the wheel.

9. The sheave wheel of claim 1, wherein the local control system comprises:

a processor that is electrically connected to the depth and control measurement system;

a memory that stores the measured parameter; and

a transceiver that is controlled by the processor and is configured to transmit the measured parameter, in a wireless manner, to the ground control system.

10. The sheave wheel of claim 1, further comprising:

a power generator attached to the housing and electrically connected to the local control system and configured to generate electrical energy from the rotation of the wheel to power the local control system.

11. A wireline system for well exploration, the system comprising:

a wireline to be lowered into the well;

a top sheave wheel configured to hold the wireline aligned and above a head of the well;

a bottom sheave wheel configured to hold the wireline aligned with a wireline truck; and

a ground control system configured to receive, in a wireless manner, a measured parameter from the top sheave wheel,

wherein the top sheave wheel includes a depth and tension measurement system that is configured to measure the parameter.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the top sheave wheel comprises:

a housing;

a wheel attached to the housing and configured to rotate relative to the housing;

the depth and tension measurement system is attached to the housing; and

a local control system attached to the housing and configured to exchange information associated with the measured parameter in a wireless manner with the ground control system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the local control system includes a processor that translates a rotation of the wheel into a length traveled by the wireline around the wheel of the top sheave wheel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the wireline is attached to a gun.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a tension measurement device that measures a tension in a wheel of the top sheave wheel.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the depth and tension measurement system comprises:

a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel; and

a tension measurement device that measures a tension in the wheel.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the top sheave wheel comprises:

a processor that is electrically connected to the depth and control measurement system;

a memory that stores the measured parameter; and

a transceiver that is controlled by the processor and is configured to transmit the measured parameter, in a wireless manner, to the ground control system.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a power generator attached to the top sheave wheel and electrically connected to the depth and tension measurement system and configured to generate electrical energy from a rotation of a wheel of the top sheave wheel to power the depth and tension measurement system.

20. A method for lowering a wireline into a well, the method comprising:

attaching a top sheave wheel to a crane;

placing the wireline over the top sheave wheel;

lowering the wireline into the well;

measuring with a depth and tension measurement system, which is attached to the top sheave wheel, a parameter associated with the wireline; and

transmitting in a wireless manner the measured parameter, from the top sheave wheel to a ground control system.