Wired casing

• US 7,303,022 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2004
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb Incorporated (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Brunnert, David J., Tilton, Frederick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson; Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephenson; Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US10/832,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 166/380, 166/381, 166/65.1, 166/242.1, 166/242.6, 175/320, 175/322, 175/171, 340/853.7, 340/854.9, 340/855.2, 340/853.2
• US Class Current: 166/380
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/025 Side entry subs
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/026 Arrangements for fixing cables or wirelines to the outside of downhole devices
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/085 Underbalanced techniques, i.e. where borehole fluid pressure is below formation pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/02 Fluid rotary type drives
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes

Abstract

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for monitoring conditions downhole and/or manipulating downhole tools by placing electrical wire on a casing string while drilling with casing. Wire is inserted into a groove within the casing string while drilling with the casing string into a formation. The wire connects downhole equipment to surface equipment. Multiple casing strings may be drilled into the formation while wire is simultaneously inserted into a groove therein.

Claims

1. A method of wiring casing while drilling with casing, comprising:

lowering a first casing string with an earth removal member operatively connected to its lower end into an earth formation;

placing wire on the first casing string while lowering the first casing string, thereby creating a wired casing string, wherein the wired casing string includes a conductive path that is at least partially sub-flushed across a connection between a casing section and a coupling;

connecting a second casing string to the first casing string, wherein connecting the second casing string to the first casing string comprises substantially aligning a groove in the second casing string with a groove in the first casing string such that an enlarged portion of the groove in the first casing string is substantially aligned with an enlarged portion of the groove in the second casing string;

lowering the first casing string into the earth formation; and

placing the wire on the second casing string while lowering the first casing string.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the first casing string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire electrically connects surface equipment to downhole equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire is sub-flushed to a surface of the first casing string and the second casing string.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially aligning the groove in the second casing string with the groove in the first casing string comprises substantially aligning timing marks.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first casing string and second casing string are pre-machined to substantially align the timing marks at a predetermined torque.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein placing wire on the first casing string comprises dispensing the wire from a spool located below a rig floor while lowering the first casing string.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wire is placed on the first casing string above the rig floor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring conditions within the earth formation through the wire while lowering the first casing string.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising manipulating one or more downhole tools through the wire while lowering the first casing string.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the wire to sense a geophysical parameter while lowering the first casing string.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a sensing device is located at a lower end of the wire.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

lowering the first casing string to a first depth within the earth formation; and

operating one or more downhole tools through signals sent through the wire.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more downhole tools comprises a cementing apparatus.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more downhole tools comprises one or more packers.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more downhole tools comprises one or more valves.

17. A method of wiring casing while drilling with casing, comprising:

lowering a first casing string with an earth removal member operatively connected to its lower end into an earth formation;

placing a first wire on the first casing string thereby creating a first wired casing string while lowering the first casing string to a first depth within the formation, wherein the first wired casing string includes a conductive path that is at least partially sub-flushed across a connection between a casing section and a coupling;

lowering a second casing string with an earth removal member operatively connected to its lower end into the formation; and

placing a second wire on the second casing string while lowering the second casing string to a second depth within the formation.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising inductively coupling the first wire to the second wire.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wire is substantially sub-flushed to a surface of the first casing string.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first wire and the second wire electrically connect surface equipment to downhole equipment.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein surface equipment is connected to the first wire and downhole equipment is connected to the second wire.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the first wire is dispensed from a first spool and the second wire is dispensed from a second spool.

23. A method for monitoring conditions within a wellbore by wiring casing, comprising:

lowering a first casing section to a first depth within a formation; and

placing wire on the first casing section while lowering the first casing section, wherein the wire is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the first casing section and across a connection between a casing section and a coupling.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the wire electrically connects surface equipment to downhole equipment.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

connecting the first casing section to a second casing section;

lowering a second casing section to a second depth within the formation; and

placing the wire on the second casing section while lowering the second casing section, wherein the wire is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the second casing section.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the wire is continuous across the connection of the first casing section to the second casing section.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the wire is continuously sub-flushed across the connection of the first casing section to the second casing section.

28. An apparatus for use in transmitting signals from within a wellbore to a surface of the wellbore, comprising:

downhole equipment for sensing information from within the wellbore;

surface equipment for processing the information;

a wire for transmitting the information from the downhole equipment to the surface equipment;

a first tubular comprising a groove therein for at least partially subflushing the wire to a surface of the first tubular; and

a second tubular comprising a groove therein for at least partially subflushing the wire to a surface of the second tubular,

wherein the first tubular is connected to the second tubular via a coupling and a conductive path is formed between the tubulars, the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed across the coupling between the tubulars.

29. A method for monitoring conditions within a wellbore while lowering tubulars into the wellbore, comprising:

lowering a first tubular into the wellbore;

placing wire on the first tubular while lowering the first tubular, wherein the wire is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the first tubular;

connecting the first tubular to a second tubular via a coupling;

lowering the second tubular into the wellbore; and

placing wire on the second tubular while lowering the second tubular, wherein the wire is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the second tubular,

wherein a conductive path is formed between the tubulars and the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed across the coupling between the first tubular to the second tubular.

30. A method of drilling with casing, comprising:

providing a string of wired casing having an earth removal member operatively attached to its lower end, at least a portion of the string of wired casing having a conductive path therethrough, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed across a connection between a casing section and a coupling; and

operating the earth removal member while lowering the string of wired casing into a formation.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein operating the earth removal member while lowering the string of wired casing into the wellbore comprises drilling with the string of wired casing into a formation.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the string of wired casing.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein forming the string of wired casing comprises connecting a first casing section to a second casing section to form a conductive path through the casing sections.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein connecting the first casing section to the second casing section comprises substantially aligning a groove in the first casing section to a groove in the second casing section, the grooves having conductive paths therein.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein substantially aligning the grooves comprises substantially aligning an enlarged portion of the groove in the first casing section with an enlarged portion of the groove in the second casing section.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein substantially aligning the grooves comprises substantially aligning corresponding timing marks in the first and second casing sections, the timing marks pre-machined to substantially align at a predetermined torque of the first casing section relative to the second casing section.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising sending a geophysical parameter through the conductive path.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising sending a signal through the conductive path.

39. The method of claim 30, wherein the conductive path is formed by inductively coupling a first conductive path through the first casing section to a second conductive path through the second casing section.

40. An apparatus for transmitting one or more signals through a wellbore, comprising:

a string of wired casing having a conductive path through at least a portion thereof, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed across a connection between a casing section and a coupling, wherein the string of wired casing comprises a first casing section connected to a second casing section via the coupling and wherein the conductive path is continuous through the first and second casing sections and the coupling and wherein the conductive oath is housed in a continuous groove formed within the first and second casing sections and the coupling and wherein the continuous groove is enlarged at the connection of the coupling and the second casing section; and

an earth removal member operatively attached to a lower end of the string of wired casing, wherein the string of wired casing is disposed within the wellbore.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the conductive path runs therethrough at least partially within a surface of the string of wired casing.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed to the surface continuously across the casing sections and the casing coupling.

43. An apparatus for use in transmitting signals from within a wellbore to a surface of the wellbore, comprising:

downhole equipment for sensing information from within the wellbore;

surface equipment for processing the information;

a wire for transmitting the information from the downhole equipment to the surface equipment, wherein the wire is housed in a continuous groove formed within the first casing string and the first casing coupling and the continuous groove comprises an enlarged groove portion of the first casing string substantially aligned with an enlarged groove portion of a first casing coupling; and

a first casing string with an earth removal member operatively connected to its lower end, wherein the first casing string houses the wire.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the downhole equipment comprises a sensor.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the surface equipment comprises a processing unit.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the first casing coupling connected to an upper end of the first casing string and the first casing coupling houses a portion of the wire above the first casing string.

47. An apparatus for use in transmitting signals from within a wellbore to a surface of the wellbore, comprising:

downhole equipment for sensing information from within the wellbore;

surface equipment for processing the information;

a wire for transmitting the information from the downhole equipment to the surface equipment;

a first casing section comprising a groove therein for at least partially sub-flushing the wire to the surface of the first casing section; and

a second casing section comprising a groove therein for at least partially sub-flushing the wire to the surface of the second casing section, wherein the second casing section is connected to the first casing section and the wire is continuously sub-flushed across the connection of the first casing section to the second casing section, whereby the groove of the first casing section comprises an enlarged portion which connects to an enlarged portion of the groove of the second casing section.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the wire is continuously sub-flushed across the connection of the first casing section to the second casing section.

49. A method of drilling with casing, comprising:

providing a string of wired casing having an earth removal member operatively attached to its lower end, at least a portion of the string of wired casing having a conductive path therethrough, wherein forming the string of wired casing comprises connecting a first casing section to a second casing section by substantially aligning a groove in the first casing section to a groove in the second casing section, the grooves have conductive paths therein, whereby substantially aligning the grooves comprises substantially aligning an enlarged portion of the groove in the first casing section with an enlarged portion of the groove in the second casing section; and

operating the earth removal member while lowering the string of wired casing into a formation.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein operating the earth removal member while lowering the string of wired casing into the wellbore comprises drilling with the string of wired casing into a formation.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed to a surface of the string of wired casing.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein substantially aligning the grooves comprises substantially aligning corresponding timing marks in the first and second casing sections, the timing marks pre-machined to substantially align at a predetermined torque of the first casing section relative to the second casing section.

53. The method of claim 49, further comprising sending a geophysical parameter through the conductive path.

54. The method of claim 49, further comprising sending a signal through the conductive path.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the conductive path is formed by inductively coupling a first conductive path through the first casing section to a second conductive path through the second casing section.

56. An apparatus for use in transmitting signals from within a wellbore to a surface of the wellbore, comprising:

at least one sensor member for sensing information from within the wellbore;

a wire for transmitting the information from the sensor member to the surface;

a first casing section comprising a groove therein;

a second casing section comprising a groove therein, wherein the groove of the first casing section comprises an enlarged portion which at least partially overlaps with an enlarged portion of the groove of the second casing section upon connection of the casing sections, whereby the wire is disposable in the grooves.

57. An apparatus for transmitting one or more signals through a wellbore, comprising:

a string of wired casing having a conductive path through at least a portion thereof, wherein the conductive path is at least partially sub-flushed across a connection between a casing section and a coupling wherein the string of wired casing comprises a first casing section connected to a second casing section and wherein the conductive path is continuous through the first and second casing sections wherein the first casing section and the second casing section comprise grooves therein for at least partially sub-flushing the conductive path into a surface of the string of wired casing, wherein the conductive path is continuously sub-flushed across the connected first and second casing sections, wherein the first casing section comprises an enlarged portion of the groove at an end and the second casing section comprises an enlarged portion of the groove at an end, and wherein the ends of the casing sections are connected; and

an earth removal member operatively attached to a lower end of the string of wired casing,

wherein the string of wired casing is disposed within the wellbore.