System and method for measuring depth and velocity of instrumentation within a wellbore using a bendable tool

• US 8,433,517 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gyrodata Incorporated (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Gyrodata Incorporated (SLB)
• Inventors: Ekseth, Roger, Mullin, Stephen Victor, Weston, John Lionel
• Primary Examiner(s): Teixeira Moffat, Jonathan C
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENSON, MISCHITA L
• Application Number:
  US13/245,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20120089334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/9, 702/10, 702/12
• US Class Current: 702/6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 9/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods not provided for in groups G01V1/00 - G01V8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for measuring depth, velocity, or both depth and velocity of instrumentation within a wellbore is provided. The apparatus includes a downhole portion movable within the wellbore in a direction generally parallel to the wellbore. The apparatus further includes a first acceleration sensor mounted at a first position within the downhole portion. The first acceleration sensor generates a first signal indicative of a first acceleration in a first direction generally parallel to the wellbore at the first position. The apparatus further includes a second acceleration sensor mounted at a second position within the downhole portion. The second acceleration sensor generates a second signal indicative of a second acceleration in a second direction generally parallel to the wellbore at the second position. The apparatus further includes a bend sensor generating a third signal indicative of an amount of bend of at least a portion of the downhole portion.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a wellbore, the apparatus comprising:

a downhole portion configured to move within the wellbore in a direction generally parallel to the wellbore, the downhole portion comprising;

a first acceleration sensor configured to generate at least one first signal indicative of a first acceleration in a first direction generally parallel to the wellbore;

a second acceleration sensor spaced from the first acceleration sensor, the second acceleration sensor configured to generate at least one second signal indicative of a second acceleration in a second direction generally parallel to the wellbore; and

a sensor configured to generate at least one third signal indicative of a bend between the first direction and the second direction; and

the apparatus further comprising a controller configured to calculate a depth along the wellbore, a velocity along the wellbore, or both a depth and a velocity along the wellbore of the downhole portion in response to the at least one first signal, the at least one second signal, and the at least one third signal, and independently of errors from surface measurements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the downhole portion independently of measurements from any surface measurement devices.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the downhole portion based entirely on the use of down-hole sensors.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the downhole portion independently from wire-line depth, wire-line velocity, or pipe tally depth measurements.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bend corresponds to a non-zero angle between the first direction and the second direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second acceleration sensors are spaced apart from one another by a distance larger than approximately 10 meters.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is mounted between the first and second acceleration sensors.

8. A method for generating information indicative of a depth along a wellbore or a velocity along a wellbore, or both a depth and a velocity along a wellbore, of a tool configured to move within a wellbore, the method comprising:

using a first acceleration sensor of the tool to generate at least one first signal indicative of a first acceleration generally parallel to the wellbore;

using a second acceleration sensor of the tool to generate at least one second signal indicative of a second acceleration generally parallel to the wellbore;

using a sensor to generate at least one third signal indicative of a bend of the tool;

calculating a depth along the wellbore, or a velocity along the wellbore, or both a depth along the wellbore and a velocity along the wellbore of the tool in response to the at least one first signal, the at least one second signal, and the at least one third signal, and independent of errors from surface measurements.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing at least a portion of the at least one first signal, the at least one second signal, and the at least one third signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool are calculated independently of any surface measurement devices.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool are calculated based entirely on the use of down-hole sensors.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool are calculated independently from wire-line depth, wire-line velocity, or pipe tally depth measurements.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating a depth along the wellbore, or a velocity along the wellbore, or both a depth along the wellbore and a velocity along the wellbore of the tool comprises using a recursive algorithm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the recursive algorithm employs measurements obtained at multiple locations to update estimates of the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth along the wellbore and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool.

15. A controller configured to receive signals from a tool configured to move within a wellbore, the controller comprising:

one or more processors configured to calculate a depth of a wellbore, or a velocity along the wellbore, or both a depth along the wellbore and a velocity along the wellbore of the tool, the one or more processors performing the calculation in response to at least one first signal, at least one second signal, and at least one third signal and independently of errors from surface measurements, wherein the at least one first signal is indicative of a first acceleration generally parallel to the wellbore, the at least one second signal is indicative of a second acceleration generally parallel to the wellbore, and the at least one third signal is indicative of a bend of the tool.

16. The controller of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the controller is located in a portion of the tool within the wellbore.

17. The controller of claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the controller is located outside the wellbore and is operationally coupled to the tool within the wellbore.

18. The controller of claim 15, wherein the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool are calculated independently of any surface measurement devices.

19. The controller of claim 15, wherein the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool are calculated based entirely on the use of down-hole sensors.

20. The controller of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the depth along the wellbore, the velocity along the wellbore, or both the depth and the velocity along the wellbore of the tool independently from wire-line depth, wire-line velocity, or pipe tally depth measurements.