Sensor on a Drilling Apparatus

• US 20120111633A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Kumar, Sunil
• Granted Patent: US 9,121,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/50
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09

Abstract

In an aspect, a drilling apparatus is provided, wherein the apparatus includes a drill string to be disposed in a borehole. The drill string includes a tubular, a borehole assembly coupled to the tubular and a drill bit disposed at an end of the borehole assembly. Further, the apparatus includes a strain gauge directly deposited on the drill string.

Claims

1. A drilling apparatus comprising:

a drill string to be disposed in a borehole, the drill string comprising;

a tubular;

a borehole assembly coupled to the tubular; and

a drill bit disposed at an end of the borehole assembly;

a strain gauge directly deposited on the drill string.

2. The drilling apparatus of claim 1, comprising a protective device positioned on the strain gauge.

3. The drilling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the protective device comprises one selected from the group of a protective coating and a cover piece.

4. The drilling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge comprises a sensor layer on an electrically insulating layer, the electrically insulating layer being formed directly on a metallic substrate of the drill string.

5. The drilling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the metallic substrate comprises one selected from the group of:

a body of the tubular, a body of the bit and a body of the borehole assembly.

6. The drilling apparatus of claim 4, wherein a groove is formed in the metallic substrate and the strain gauge is placed in the groove.

7. The drilling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sensor layer comprises a thin film electrode.

8. The drilling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the thin film electrode is formed on the insulating layer by one selected from the group consisting of:

sputter deposition, chemical vapor deposition, laser machining, lithographic patterning, evaporation, shadow masking, screen printing, ink printing and any combination thereof.

9. The drilling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the thin film electrode comprises a strain sensitive material and the electrically insulating layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of metallic oxide, silicone oxide, diamond like coating, ceramic and a polymer.

10. The drilling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the strain gauge comprises one of a piezoelectric material embedded in a cavity formed in the drill string.

11. A drilling apparatus comprising:

a drill string to be disposed in a borehole; and

a strain gauge directly deposited on the drill string, the strain gauge comprising a sensor layer on an electrically insulating layer, the electrically insulating layer being directly deposited on a metallic substrate of the drill string.

12. The drilling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the metallic substrate comprises one selected from the group of:

a body of a tubular, a body of a bit and a body of a borehole assembly.

13. The drilling apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor layer comprises a thin film electrode.

14. The drilling apparatus of claim 12, comprising a protective device positioned on the strain gauge.

15. The drilling apparatus of claim 14, wherein the protective device comprises one selected from the group of a protective coating or a cover piece.

16. A drilling apparatus comprising:

a drill string to be disposed in a wellbore; and

a strain gauge directly deposited on an amplification structure coupled to the drill string, the strain gauge comprising a sensor layer on an electrically insulating layer, the electrically insulating layer being directly deposited on a metallic substrate of the amplification structure.

17. The drilling apparatus of claim 16, comprising a protective device positioned on the strain gauge.

18. The drilling apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor layer comprises a thin film electrode.

19. The drilling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the thin film electrode is formed on the insulating layer by one selected from the group consisting of:

sputter deposition, chemical vapor deposition, laser machining, and lithographic patterning.

20. The drilling apparatus of claim 18, wherein the thin film electrode comprises a strain sensitive material and the electrically insulating layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of metallic oxide, silicone oxide, diamond like coating, ceramic layer and a polymer.