Apparatus and method for downhole well equipment and process management, identification, and actuation
First Claim
1. A method for actuating or installing downhole equipment in a wellbore, comprising the steps off:
- (a) providing, a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits an RF signal corresponding to the identification code;
(b) providing a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is moveable in the wellbore;
(c) placing the second downhole structure in close enough proximity to the first downhole structure so that the RF receiver unit can receive the RF signal transmitted by the RF identification transmitter unit;
(d) comparing the identification code determined by the RF receiver unit to the target identification code; and
(e) if the determined identification code matches the target identification code, actuating or installing one of the first downhole structure or second downhole structure in physical proximity to the other.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for actuating or installing downhole equipment in a wellbore employs non-acoustic signals (e.g., radio frequency signals) to locate, inventory, install, or actuate one downhole structure in relation to another downhole structure. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a first downhole structure that comprises a non-acoustic (e.g., radio frequency) identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; (b) providing a second downhole structure that comprises a non-acoustic receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the non-acoustic identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code; wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore; (c) placing the second downhole structure in close enough proximity to the first downhole structure so that the non-acoustic receiver unit can receive the signal transmitted by the non-acoustic identification transmitter unit; (d) comparing the identification code determined by the non-acoustic receiver unit to the target identification code; and (e) if the determined identification code matches the target identification code, actuating or installing one of the first downhole structure or second downhole structure in physical proximity to the other.
175 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method for actuating or installing downhole equipment in a wellbore, comprising the steps off:
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(a) providing, a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits an RF signal corresponding to the identification code;
(b) providing a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is moveable in the wellbore;
(c) placing the second downhole structure in close enough proximity to the first downhole structure so that the RF receiver unit can receive the RF signal transmitted by the RF identification transmitter unit;
(d) comparing the identification code determined by the RF receiver unit to the target identification code; and
(e) if the determined identification code matches the target identification code, actuating or installing one of the first downhole structure or second downhole structure in physical proximity to the other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A downhole assembly comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore; and
wherein the assembly comprises apparatus for determining if the determined identification code matches the target identification code, and for actuating or installing one of the first downhole structure or second downhole structure in physical proximity to the other. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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33. A downhole assembly, comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore;
wherein the first downhole structure is selected from the group consisting of landing nipples, gas lift mandrels, packers, casing, external casing packers, slotted liners, multi-laterals, slips, sleeves, and guns.
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39. A downhole assembly, comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding, to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of thefirst downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore;
wherein the second downhole structure is a downhole tool that is actuated in response to a match between the determined identification code and the target identification code, and wherein the actuation comprises locking the second downhole structure in a fixed position relative to the first downhole structure. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A downhole assembly, comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore;
wherein the first downhole structure comprises a tubular member having an axial bore therethrough, the bore having a generally circular inner diameter which is defined by the inner surface of the tubular member, and wherein the tubular comprises a plurality of RF identification transmitter units spaced about its inner diameter;
wherein each RF identification transmitter transmits a signal corresponding to a different identification code; and
wherein the identification codes can be used to determine the orientation of one of the first downhole structure and second downhole structure.
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44. A downhole assembly, comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore;
wherein the first downhole structure comprises a movable sleeve or valve closure member which has a first position and a second position;
wherein the movable sleeve or valve closure member exposes a first RF identification transmitter unit and occludes a second RF identification transmitter unit when the movable sleeve or valve closure member is in the first position; and
wherein the movable sleeve or valve closure, member occludes the first RF identification transmitter unit and exposes the second RF identification transmitter unit when the movable sleeve or valve closure member is in the second position.- View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A downhole assembly, comprising:
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a first downhole structure that comprises an RF identification transmitter unit that stores an identification code and transmits a signal corresponding to the identification code; and
a second downhole structure that comprises an RF receiver unit that can receive the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter unit, decode the signal to determine, the identification code corresponding thereto, and compare the identification code to a preset target identification code;
wherein one of the first downhole structure and the second downhole structure is secured at a given location in a subterranean wellbore, and the other is movable in the wellbore;
wherein the first downhole structure is a downhole tool that comprises a fishing neck, and wherein the RF identification transmitter unit is secured to the fishing neck; and
wherein the second downhole structure is a fishing tool having secured thereto the RF receiver unit.
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48. A method of inventorying a plurality of downhole structures in a subterranean well, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing in a wellbore a plurality of first downhole structures having RF identification transmitter units therein;
(b) passing at least one second downhole structure through at least a part of the wellbore in proximity to a plurality of the RF identification transmitter units, wherein the second downhole structure comprises a RF receiver unit that receives the signal transmitted by the identification transmitter units, decodes the signals to determine the identification codes corresponding thereto, and stores the identification codes in memory;
(c) using the identification codes read from the database to perform at least one operation selected from the group consisting of actuating, activating, and deactivating with at least one downhole structure in the well.
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Specification