Downhole tool delivery system

• US 7,814,970 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Tools IP, LLC
• Inventors: Strickland, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay; Jennifer H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ro; Yong-Suk
• Application Number:
  US12/719,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20100155049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 225 Days
• Field of Search: 166/255.2, 166/297, 166/55.1, 166/66, 166/66.6, 166/188, 166/133, 166/135, 166/192, 166/153, 360/97.01, 360/97.02, 367/25, 367/33, 340/854.1
• US Class Current: 166/66.6
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/12 Packers; Plugs used for cementing E21B33/134, E21B33/16
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/116 Gun or shaped-charge perforators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/13 by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency

Abstract

A downhole tool deployment apparatus is disclosed, which preferably includes at least an in-ground well casing, a depth determination device providing a hermetically sealed electronics compartment, tool attachment portions, and a first flow through core. The depth determination device is preferably configured for sliding communication with the well casing. The hermetically sealed electronics compartment secures a processor and a location sensing system, which communicates with the processor while interacting exclusively with features of the well casing to determine the location of the depth determination device within the well casing. A preferred embodiment further includes a well plug affixed to the tool attachment portion, the well plug includes a second flow through core capped with a core plug with a core plug release mechanism, which upon activation provides separation between the second flow through core and the core plug, allowing material to flow through said first and second flow through cores.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a wellbore commencing at a surface and confining a well casing;

a depth determination device in sliding communication with said well casing, said depth determination device providing first and second module attachment portions each configured for direct attachment and detachment of a down hole tool to said depth determination device, and a hermetically sealed electronics compartment;

a processor secured within said hermetically sealed electronics compartment;

an electronic location sensing system integrated within said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, and communicating with said processor, said electronic location sensing system interacting exclusively with features of said well casing to electronically determine a location of said depth determination device within said well casing, in which said depth determination device is physically connected with said surface via at most a fluidic material, and further in which said electronically determined location of said depth determination device within said well casing is data used by said processor and wherein said electronically determined location of said depth determination device within said well casing is available at said surface only upon retrieval of said depth determination device from said well casing to said surface; and

a hermetically sealed communication port provided by each said module attachment portion accommodating a communication of operational commands from said processor to said downhole tool when said downhole tool is attached to said first module attachment portion, or in the alternative, when said downhole tool is to said second module attachment portion.

2. The system of claim 1, in which said down hole tool is a well plug, and further comprising a well plug interface and activation module secured within said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, communicating with said processor and activating said well plug secured to said depth determination device in response to said location sensing system detecting an attainment of a predetermined location within said well casing.

3. The system of claim 2, in which said well plug interface and activation module comprises a well plug communication circuit interacting with a well plug deployment device of said well plug, and wherein said well plug is secured to said depth determination device via said first module attachment portion.

4. The system of claim 3, in which said hermetically sealed communication port preserving said hermetically sealed electronics compartment while accommodating passage of radio frequency signals, and in which said well plug interface and activation module further comprising a radio frequency transmitter responsive to said well plug communication circuit for communicating with said well plug deployment device.

5. The system of claim 4, in which said well plug provides a slip portion, cone portion, and seal portion, and in which said well plug deployment device comprises:

a well plug deployment circuit;

a radio frequency receiver interacting with said well plug deployment circuit, and responsive to said radio frequency transmitter for communicating with said well plug deployment circuit;

a set plug charge responsive to said plug deployment circuit; and

a piston adjacent said set plug charge, interacting with said slip portion and expanding said slip portion relative to said cone portion while compressing and expanding said seal portion in response to an activation of said set plug charge by said plug deployment circuit.

6. The system of claim 3, in which said well plug interface and activation module further comprises:

a hermetically sealed communication port provided by said first module attachment portion;

a plurality of communication pins potted in a potting compound, in which said potting compound is secured to and confined by said hermetically sealed communication port, wherein a first portion of said plurality of communication pins extend into said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, and wherein a second portion of said plurality of communication pins extend from said first module attachment portion; and

a signal cable attached to and interposed between said plurality of communication pins extending into said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, and said well plug communication circuit.

7. The system of claim 6, in which said well plug provides a slip portion, cone portion, and seal portion, and in which said well plug deployment device comprises:

a well plug deployment circuit;

a signal cable attached to and interposed between said second portion of said plurality of communication pins and said well plug deployment circuit;

a set plug charge responsive to said plug deployment circuit; and

a piston adjacent said set plug charge, interacting with said slip portion and expanding said slip portion relative to said cone portion while compressing and expanding said seal portion in response to an activation of said set plug charge by said plug deployment circuit.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a perforating device interface and activation module secured within said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, communicating with said processor and activating a perforation device in response to an activation of said well plug, conformation of said well plug being set in position within said well casing, and said well plug attaining a seal within said well casing, said perforation device attached to said second module attachment portion.

9. The system of claim 8, in which second said module attachment portion provides a second hermetically sealed communication port, said second hermetically sealed communication port preserving said hermetically sealed electronics compartment while providing a second plurality of communication pins potted in a potting compound, in which said potting compound is secured to and confined by said second hermetically sealed communication port, wherein a first portion of said second plurality of communication pins extend into said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, and wherein a second portion of said second plurality of communication pins extend from said first module attachment portion, and said perforating gun interface and activation module further comprises a signal cable attached to and interposed between said second plurality of communication pins extending into said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, and said well plug communication circuit responsive to said charge module communication circuit for communicating with a charge deployment device of said perforation device.

10. The system of claim 9, in which said perforation device further comprises:

a hermetically sealed charge deployment chamber housing said charge deployment device;

a perforation gun attachment member interacting with said second attachment portion, said perforation gun attachment member providing a third hermetically sealed communication port, said third hermetically sealed communication port preserving hermetically sealed charge deployment chamber while providing a second plurality of communication pins potted in a potting compound, in which said potting compound is secured to and confined by said second hermetically sealed communication port, wherein a first portion of said second plurality of communication pins extend into said hermetically sealed charge deployment chamber, and wherein a second portion of said second plurality of communication pins extend toward said second module attachment portion, and said perforating gun interface and activation module further comprises a signal cable attached to and interposed between said second plurality of communication pins extending toward said second module attachment portion for communicating information from said processor to said charge deployment device of said perforation device;

a support member secured to said perforation gun attachment member for confinement of a shape charge; and

said charge deployment device interposed between said shape charge and said charge module attachment portion, said charge deployment device detonating said shape charge in response to an activation of said radio frequency transmitter.

11. The system of claim 10, in which said charge deployment device comprises:

an electronic detonation control circuit configured for receipt of information from said processor;

a detonation circuit communicating with said electronic detonation control circuit; and

a detonator interposed between said shape charge and said detonation circuit, said detonator detonating said shape charge in response to a detonation signal provided by said electronic detonation control circuit.

12. The system of claim 3, in which said well plug comprises a permanent bridge plug enabling a portion of said well casing below said bridge plug to be sealed from that portion of said well casing above said bridge plug.

13. The system of claim 3, in which said well plug comprises a temporary bridge plug temporarily isolating a portion of said well casing below said temporary bridge plug from an upper portion of said well casing.

14. The system of claim 3, in which said well plug comprises a drillable tool, designed to provide isolation between portions of the well casing.

15. The system of claim 3, in which said well plug comprises a flow through frac plug with a check valve to allow unidirectional flow of fluid from within said wellbore.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising a perforating device interface and activation module secured within said hermetically sealed electronics compartment, communicating with said processor and activating a perforation device in response to an activation of said well plug, conformation of said well plug being set in position within said well casing, and said well plug attaining a seal within said well casing, said perforation device attached to said second module attachment portion.

17. The system of claim 16, in which second said module attachment portion provides a second hermetically sealed communication port, said second hermetically sealed communication port preserving said hermetically sealed electronics compartment while accommodating passage of a radio wave, and said perforating gun interface and activation module further comprises a radio frequency transmitter responsive to said charge module communication circuit for communicating with a charge deployment device of said perforation device.

18. The system of claim 17, in which said perforation device further comprises:

a perforation gun attachment member interacting with said second attachment portion;

a support member secured to said perforation gun attachment member for confinement of a shape charge; and

said charge deployment device interposed between said shape charge and said charge module attachment member, said charge deployment device detonating said shape charge in response to an activation of said radio frequency transmitter.

19. The system of claim 18, in which said charge deployment device comprises:

a radio frequency receiver configured for receipt of a radio frequency from said radio frequency transmitter;

a detonation circuit communicating with said radio frequency receiver; and

a detonator interposed between said shape charge and said detonation circuit, said detonator detonating said shape charge in response to a detonation signal provided by said detonation circuit.