Wireless sheave wheel for wireline operations

• US 10,988,992 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2019
• Issued: 04/27/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Phelps, Phillip, Wallace, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Carroll, David
• Application Number:
  US16/390,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20200131862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/008 Winding units, specially adapted for drilling operations
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 19/084 with flexible drawing means, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/043 for measuring length
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/047 Specific indicating or recording arrangements, e.g. for remote indication, for indicating overload or underload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/102 using sensors located at a non-interrupted part of the flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/108 for measuring a reaction force applied on a single support, e.g. a glider

Abstract

A sheave wheel includes a housing; a wheel attached to the housing and configured to rotate relative to the housing; a depth and tension measurement system attached to the housing and configured to measure a parameter associated with the wheel; and a local control system attached to the housing and configured to exchange information associated with the measured parameter in a wireless manner with a ground control system.

Claims

1. A wireline system for well exploration, the system comprising:

a wireline to be lowered into the well;

a top sheave wheel configured to hold the wireline aligned and above a head of the well;

a bottom sheave wheel configured to hold the wireline aligned with a wireline truck; and

a ground control system configured to receive, in a wireless manner, a measured parameter from the top sheave wheel,

wherein the top sheave wheel includes,

a depth and tension measurement system that is configured to measure the parameter,

a processor that is electrically connected to the depth and control measurement system,

a memory that stores the measured parameter, and

a transceiver that is controlled by the processor and is configured to transmit the measured parameter, in a wireless manner, to the ground control system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the top sheave wheel comprises:

a housing;

a wheel attached to the housing and configured to rotate relative to the housing; and

the depth and tension measurement system is attached to the housing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor translates a rotation of the wheel into a length traveled by the wireline around the wheel of the top sheave wheel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireline is attached to a gun.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the depth and tension measurement system includes a tension measurement device that measures a tension in a wheel of the top sheave wheel.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the depth and tension measurement system comprises:

a rotation measurement device that measures a rotation of the wheel; and

a tension measurement device that measures a tension in the wheel.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power generator attached to the top sheave wheel and electrically connected to the depth and tension measurement system and configured to generate electrical energy from a rotation of a wheel of the top sheave wheel to power the depth and tension measurement system.

9. A method for lowering a wireline into a well, the method comprising:

attaching a top sheave wheel to a crane;

placing the wireline over the top sheave wheel;

lowering the wireline into the well;

measuring with a depth and tension measurement system, which is attached to the top sheave wheel, a parameter associated with the wireline; and

transmitting in a wireless manner the measured parameter, from the top sheave wheel to a ground control system,

wherein the top sheave wheel comprises;

a processor that is electrically connected to the depth and control measurement system;

a memory that stores the measured parameter; and

a transceiver that is controlled by the processor and is configured to transmit the measured parameter, in a wireless manner, to the ground control system.