Measurement while drilling pulser with turbine power generation unit

• US 8,138,943 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledrill Inc.
• Original Assignee: Teledrill Inc.
• Inventors: Kusko, David John, Vecseri, Gabor, Lerner, Daniel Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benlagsir, Amine
• Application Number:
  US11/657,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 340/854.3, 340/855.4, 340/853.1, 367/85, 367/83
• US Class Current: 340/855.4
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/22 by negative mud pulses using a pressure relieve valve between drill pipe and annulus
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/24 by positive mud pulses using a flow restricting valve within the drill pipe

Abstract

Disclosed are a system, device, and method for generating pulse signals that correlate to geological information in a wellbore. The system and method comprises a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that the drilling fluid flows through the annular drill collar flow channel and the drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein the connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and the annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein the annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling devices thereby transmitting signals. The device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes the turbine blades and the turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid, flowing within a drill string, comprising:

a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that said drilling fluid flows through said annular drill collar flow channel and said drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein said connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and said annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein said annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling device(s) thereby transmitting signals and generating pulses via a pilot actuator assembly including a pilot, a pilot bellows, a pilot seat, a pilot seat orifice, flow throttling device(s), a sliding pressure chamber, and a pulser guide pole, wherein said upper and lower inner flow connecting channels provide for reversal of flow and wherein said pilot seals a middle inner flow channel from said lower inner flow channel and such that said flow throttling device(s) and said pilot are capable of bi-directional axial movement along or within said guide pole and said device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly wherein said coil assembly that generates electrical power for operating a motor and other operating equipment wherein said motor comprises a drive shaft centrally located between said motor and a magnetic pressure coupling wherein said motor and said coupling are mechanically coupled such that said motor rotates said magnetic pressure coupling outer magnets and moves said pilot actuator assembly wherein said magnetic coupling is formed by a location external and internal to a magnetic pressure cup where outer magnets are placed in proper relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and said outer magnets into linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly by linearly moving said pilot into said pilot seat, closing said pilot seat orifice, lifting said flow throttling device(s) into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft and said outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device(s) to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby ending the positive pulse.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said motor is connected to a drive shaft through a mechanical device including a worm gear, barrel cam face cam, or other mechanical means for converting the rotational motion of said motor into linear motion to propel said pilot actuator assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a pulser guide pole capable of providing a path for said pilot and said flow throttling device(s) for operation in a bi-directional axial movement.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pilot actuator assembly is also comprised of a rear pilot shaft, front pilot shaft, as well as a pilot.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the differential pressure created is minimal in that a slight force acting on a small cross-sectional area of a pilot seat defines a pressure that is required to either engage or disengage said pilot.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said motor may be synchronous, asynchronous or stepper and is activated to fully rotate or to rotate incrementally in various degrees depending on wellbore conditions or the observed signal intensity and/or duration of drilling.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly and wherein said turbine resides within said annular flow channel of a flow guide and wherein said annular flow channel has diverting vanes that direct flow of drilling mud through and around a surface of said turbine.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turbine includes a turbine shroud comprising turbine magnets that rotate with the motion of said turbine around said coil assembly causing electrical power to be generated and allowing for decreased battery requirements, a decrease in cost of said battery, decreased operational downtime, and subsequently decreased cost of said apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein energy consumption may also be further reduced by prefilling the bellows chamber with a lubricating fluid, gel or paste.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said turbine blades outside diameters around a pulser housing is smaller than a flow guide extension inner diameter, thereby allowing said turbine to be removed concurrently with said pulser housing.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes allowing a bellows to move linearly, concurrent with said pilot actuator assembly, wherein the design of said bellows interacts with said pilot actuator assembly and a bellows chamber allowing said bellows to conform to the space constraints of said bellows chamber providing flexible sealing without said bellows being displaced by the pressure differential created by the drilling fluid.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bellows includes a double loop configuration designed for said flexible sealing thereby requiring less energy consumption during displacement of said bellows.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pulse in said drilling mud is sensed by said instrumentation located uphole and wherein said pulse is communicated optionally with wireless devices, to a computer with a programmable controller for interpretation.

14. A method for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid, flowing within a drill string, comprising:

a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that said drilling fluid flows through said annular drill collar flow channel and said drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein said connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and said annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein said annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling devices thereby transmitting signals, and generating pulses via a pilot actuator assembly including a pilot, a pilot bellows, a pilot seat, a pilot seat orifice, flow throttling device(s), a sliding pressure chamber, and a pulser guide pole, wherein said upper and lower inner flow connecting channels provide for reversal of flow and wherein said pilot seals a middle inner flow channel from said lower inner flow channel and such that said flow throttling device(s) and said pilot are capable of bi-directional axial movement along or within said guide pole and said device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly wherein said coil assembly that generates electrical power for operating a motor and other operating equipment wherein said motor comprises a drive shaft centrally located between said motor and a magnetic pressure coupling wherein said motor and said coupling are mechanically coupled such that said motor rotates said magnetic pressure coupling outer magnets and moves said pilot actuator assembly wherein said magnetic coupling is formed by a location external and internal to a magnetic pressure cup where outer magnets are placed in proper relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and said outer magnets into linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly by linearly moving said pilot into said pilot seat, closing said pilot seat orifice, lifting said flow throttling device(s) into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft and said outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device(s) to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby generating another pulse.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said motor is connected to a drive shaft through a mechanical device including a worm gear, barrel cam face cam, or other mechanical means for converting the rotational motion of said motor into linear motion to propel said pilot actuator assembly.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said apparatus includes a pulser guide pole capable of providing a path for said pilot and said flow throttling device(s) for operation in a bi-directional axial movement.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said pilot actuator assembly is also comprised of a rear pilot shaft, front pilot shaft, as well as a pilot.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the differential pressure created is minimal in that a slight force acting on a small cross-sectional area of a pilot seat defines a pressure that is required to either engage or disengage said pilot.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said motor may be synchronous, asynchronous, or stepper and is activated to fully rotate or to rotate incrementally in various degrees depending on wellbore conditions or the observed signal intensity and/or duration of drilling.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said method utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly and wherein said turbine resides within said annular flow channel of a flow guide and wherein said annular flow channel has diverting vanes that direct flow of drilling mud through and around a surface of said turbine.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said turbine includes a turbine shroud comprising turbine magnets that rotate with the motion of said turbine around said coil assembly causing electrical power to be generated and allowing for decreased battery requirements, a decrease in cost of said battery, decreased operational downtime, and subsequently decreased cost of said apparatus.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein energy consumption is further reduced by prefilling a bellows chamber with a lubricating fluid, gel or paste.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said turbine blades outside diameters around a pulser housing is smaller than a flow guide extension inner diameter, thereby allowing said turbine to be removed concurrently with said pulser housing.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes allowing a bellows to move linearly, concurrent with said pilot actuator assembly, wherein the design of said bellows interacts with said pilot actuator assembly and a bellows chamber allowing said bellows to conform to the space constraints of said bellows chamber providing flexible sealing without said bellows being displaced by the pressure differential created by the drilling fluid.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein said bellows includes a double loop configuration designed for said flexible sealing thereby requiring less energy consumption during displacement of said bellows.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein said pulse in said drilling mud is sensed by said instrumentation located within an uphole device and wherein said pulse is communicated optionally with wireless devices, to a computer with a programmable controller for interpretation.

27. A system for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid, flowing within a drill string, comprising:

a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that said drilling fluid flows through said annular drill collar flow channel and said drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein said connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and said annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein said annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling devices thereby transmitting signals, and generating pulses via a pilot actuator assembly including a pilot, a pilot bellows, a pilot seat, a pilot seat orifice, flow throttling devices, a sliding pressure chamber, and a pulser guide pole, wherein said upper and lower inner flow connecting channels provide for reversal of flow and wherein said pilot seals a middle inner flow channel from said lower inner flow channel and such that said flow throttling devices and said pilot are capable of bi-directional axial movement along or within said guide pole and said device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly wherein said coil assembly that generates electrical power for operating a motor and other operating equipment wherein said motor comprises a drive shaft centrally located between said motor and a magnetic pressure coupling wherein said motor and said coupling are mechanically coupled such that said motor rotates said magnetic pressure coupling outer magnets and moves said pilot actuator assembly wherein said magnetic coupling is formed by a location external and internal to a magnetic pressure cup where outer magnets are placed in proper relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and said outer magnets into linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly by linearly moving said pilot into said pilot seat, closing said pilot seat orifice, lifting said flow throttling devices into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft and said outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device(s) to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby ending the positive pulse.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device to move into said flow throttling orifice, thereby generating a negative pulse.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein said motor is connected to a drive shaft through a mechanical device including a worm gear, barrel cam face cam, or other mechanical means for converting the rotational motion of said motor into linear motion to propel said pilot actuator assembly.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein said apparatus includes a pulser guide pole capable of providing a path for said pilot and said flow throttling device for operation in a bi-directional axial movement.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein said pilot actuator assembly is also comprised of a rear pilot shaft, front pilot shaft, as well as a pilot.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the differential pressure created is minimal in that a slight force acting on a small cross-sectional area of a pilot seat defines a pressure that is required to either engage or disengage said pilot.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein said motor may be synchronous, asynchronous, or stepper and is activated to fully rotate or to rotate incrementally in various degrees depending on wellbore conditions or the observed signal intensity and/or duration of drilling.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein said method utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly and wherein said turbine resides within said annular flow channel of a flow guide and wherein said annular flow channel has diverting vanes that direct flow of drilling mud through and around a surface of said turbine.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein said turbine includes a turbine shroud comprising turbine magnets that rotate with the motion of said turbine around said coil assembly causing electrical power to be generated and allowing for decreased battery requirements, a decrease in cost of said battery, decreased operational downtime, and subsequently decreased cost of said apparatus.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein energy consumption is further reduced by prefilling a bellows chamber with a lubricating fluid, gel or paste.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein said turbine blades outside diameters round a pulser housing is smaller than a flow guide extension inner diameter, thereby allowing said turbine to be removed concurrently with said pulser housing.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein said apparatus for generating pulses includes allowing a bellows to move linearly, concurrent with said pilot actuator assembly, wherein the design of said bellows interacts with said pilot actuator assembly and a bellows chamber allowing said bellows to conform to the space constraints of said bellows chamber providing flexible sealing without said bellows being displaced by the pressure differential created by the drilling fluid.

39. The system of claim 27, wherein said bellows includes a double loop configuration designed for said flexible sealing thereby requiring less energy consumption during displacement of said bellows.

40. The system of claim 27, wherein said pulse in said drilling mud is sensed by said instrumentation located uphole and wherein said pulse is communicated optionally with wireless devices, to a computer with a programmable controller for interpretation.

41. The system of claim 27, wherein said higher pressure creates a more discernable pulse with a flow throttling device when a pilot moves away from said pilot seat thereby permitting flow of drilling fluid through said pilot orifice or moving said pilot toward said pilot seat thereby closing said pilot orifice, wherein said pressure differential between the drilling fluid pressure and an orifice chamber moves said flow throttling device rapidly, thereby enabling forceful restriction of said flow throttling device orifice and little or no noise in a signal-to-noise ratio and wherein said pulses are extremely reproducible with corresponding signals that are readily defined uphole.

42. Two or more apparatuses for generating pressure pulses in a drilling fluid, flowing within a drill string, comprising:

a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that said drilling fluid flows through said annular drill collar flow channel and said drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein said connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and said annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein said annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling devices thereby transmitting signals, and generating pulses via a pilot actuator assembly including a pilot, a pilot bellows, a pilot seat, a pilot seat orifice, flow throttling devices, a sliding pressure chamber, and a pulser guide pole, wherein said upper and lower inner flow connecting channels provide for reversal of flow and wherein said pilot seals a middle inner flow channel from said lower inner flow channel and such that said flow throttling devices and said pilot are capable of bi-directional axial movement along or within said guide pole and said device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud in said annular flow channel into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes said turbine blades and said turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly wherein said coil assembly that generates electrical power for operating a motor and other operating equipment wherein said motor comprises a drive shaft centrally located between said motor and a magnetic pressure coupling wherein said motor and said coupling are mechanically coupled such that said motor rotates said magnetic pressure coupling outer magnets and moves said pilot actuator assembly wherein said magnetic coupling is formed by a location external and internal to a magnetic pressure cup where outer magnets are placed in proper relation to inner magnets, said inner magnets located in a position inside said magnetic pressure cup, said coupling allowing for translating rotational motion of said motor and said outer magnets into linear motion of said inner magnets via a magnetic polar interaction, wherein linear motion of said inner magnets move said pilot actuator assembly by linearly moving said pilot into said pilot seat, closing said pilot seat orifice, lifting said flow throttling devices into a flow throttling orifice and thereby generating a pulse wherein further rotation of said motor drive shaft and said outer magnets move said pilot actuator assembly and said pilot away from said pilot seat causing said flow throttling device(s) to move away from said flow throttling orifice, thereby ending the positive pulse.