Downhole pressure compensating device

• US 9,458,695 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welltec A/S
• Original Assignee: Welltec A/S
• Inventors: Hallundbk, Jrgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Yong-Suk (Philip)
• Application Number:
  US14/007,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20140014352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/08 responsive to flow or pressure of the fluid obtained E21B34/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/1195 Replacement of drilling mud; decrease of undesirable shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments

Abstract

A downhole pressure compensating device includes a housing with a chamber and an internal hollow section, a first piston dividing the chamber into a first section and a second section, the first section being in fluid communication with a first fluid port, the second section being in fluid communication with a borehole through a second fluid port, and a first spring disposed within the second section to exert a pressure on the first piston to enable the conservation of an overpressure in the first section. Furthermore, the device includes second piston, a second spring disposed between the first piston and the second piston, and an overpressure channel arranged in the first or the second piston, which overpressure channel, when the second spring is in a compressed condition, provides fluid communication between said first and second sections.

Claims

1. A downhole pressure compensating device for use in combination with a downhole tool, comprising:

a housing with a chamber and an internal hollow section,

a first piston dividing the chamber into a first section and a second section, the first section being in fluid communication with a first fluid port, the second section being in fluid communication with a borehole through a second fluid port, and

a first spring disposed within the second section to exert a pressure on the first piston to enable conservation of an overpressure in the first section, wherein the device further comprises;

a second piston,

a second spring disposed between the first piston and the second piston, and

an overpressure channel arranged in the first or the second piston, and in a compressed condition of the second spring, the overpressure channel, provides fluid communication between said first and second sections.

2. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1 comprising at least a pressure connection to a mating tool in a tool string.

3. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 2 wherein the mating tool is a driving unit.

4. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1 wherein the second section of the compensating device is in fluid communication with the inside of an electrical motor unit.

5. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the first spring, the second spring, the first piston and the second piston are arranged coaxially with the longitudinal centre axis of the compensating device.

6. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first spring, the second spring, the first piston and the second piston has been arranged non-coaxially with the longitudinal centre axis of the compensating device non-circumscribing the internal hollow section.

7. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 6, wherein the compensating device is arranged non-coaxially with a longitudinal centre axis of the tool.

8. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the second piston is partly arranged inside the first piston.

9. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the first piston is partly arranged inside the second piston.

10. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the first section of the chamber is filled with a pressurized hydraulic fluid.

11. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, further comprising electrical sensors for monitoring a temperature inside the device.

12. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, further comprising at least a switch wherein the compensating device can be controlled by the at least a switch connected to a control system to adapt to changes in environmental conditions based on a feedback signal.

13. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a plurality of first springs.

14. The downhole system comprising:

a wireline,

a mating tool, and

the downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1.

15. The downhole system according to claim 14, wherein the mating tool is a driving unit or an operational tool.

16. A downhole tool system comprising:

at least a mating tool, and

the downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1.

17. The downhole tool system according to claim 16, wherein the mating tool is a driving unit or an operational tool.

18. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, wherein the second section of the compensating device is in fluid communication with the inside of a hydraulic pump unit.

19. The downhole pressure compensating device according to claim 1, further comprising electrical sensors to monitor pressures in the first and second sections or positions of the first and second pistons for producing a feedback signal to a control system.