Device and method for measuring a property in a downhole apparatus

• US 8,292,005 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Grayson, William R., Rodney, Paul F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harcourt, Brad
• Application Number:
  US12/759,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20100193246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 175/27, 175/40, 175/45
• US Class Current: 175/45
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09

Abstract

A method and device for measuring a property, such as torque, includes a plurality of sensors, and a measuring device. The sensors attach to a downhole apparatus at a distance from one another. The sensors provide signals indicating their positions. A logic circuit may calculate an angle between the sensors. The logic circuit then calculates the property based on the angle, the distance between the sensors, and other known physical properties of the downhole apparatus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using a sensor to measure an orientation A of a first location on a downhole apparatus at a first time and an orientation B of the first location on the downhole apparatus at a second time;

using a sensor to measure an orientation C of a second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time and an orientation D of the second location on the downhole apparatus at the second time; and

computing a moment of force being applied to the downhole apparatus using orientations A, B, C, and D.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein computing the moment of force comprises:

comparing the difference between orientation A and orientation C and the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the moment of force is selected from a group of moments of force consisting of torque, twist, and moment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein orientation A is the same as orientation C and computing the moment of force comprises computing the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first time is before tripping the downhole apparatus into a borehole.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

measuring orientations E1 . . . EN at respective locations between the first location and the second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time;

measuring orientations F1 . . . FN at the respective locations at the second time; and

computing incremental torque applied along the downhole apparatus between the first location and the second location using orientations A, B, C, D, E1 . . . EN, and F1 . . . FN.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the computed moment of force to detect a problem with the downhole apparatus, the problem being selected from the group of problems consisting of inelastic deformation of the downhole apparatus and unscrewing of a joint between the first location and the second location.

8. A computer program, stored in a tangible computer-readable medium, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

measure an orientation A of a first location on a downhole apparatus at a first time and an orientation B of the first location on the downhole apparatus at a second time;

measure an orientation C of a second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time and an orientation D of the second location on the downhole apparatus at the second time; and

compute a moment of force being applied to the downhole apparatus using orientations A, B, C, and D.

9. The computer program of claim 8 wherein, when computing the moment of force, the computer:

compares the difference between orientation A and orientation C and the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

10. The computer program of claim 8 wherein the moment of force is selected from a group of moments of force consisting of torque, twist, and moment.

11. The computer program of claim 8 wherein orientation A is the same as orientation C and computing the moment of force comprises computing the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

12. The computer program of claim 8 wherein the first time is before tripping the downhole apparatus into a borehole.

13. The computer program of claim 8 further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:

measure orientations E1 . . . EN at respective locations between the first location and the second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time;

measure orientations F1 . . . FN at the respective locations at the second time; and

compute incremental torque applied along the downhole apparatus between the first location and the second location using orientations A, B, C, D, E1 . . . EN, and F1 . . . FN.

14. The computer program of claim 8 further comprising executable instructions that cause the computer to:

use the computed moment of force to detect a problem with the downhole apparatus, the problem being selected from the group of problems consisting of inelastic deformation of the downhole apparatus and unscrewing of a joint between the first location and the second location.

15. A system comprising:

a drill string;

a downhole apparatus coupled to the drill string;

a computer;

a first sensor coupled to the downhole apparatus at a first location, the first sensor to measure an orientation A of the first location on the downhole apparatus at a first time and an orientation B of the first location on the downhole apparatus at a second time;

a second sensor coupled to the downhole apparatus at a second location, the second sensor to measure an orientation C of a second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time and an orientation D of the second location on the downhole apparatus at the second time; and

the computer to receive the orientations A, B, C, and D from the first sensor and the second sensor and to compute a moment of force being applied to the downhole apparatus using orientations A, B, C, and D.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein, when computing the moment of force, the computer:

compares the difference between orientation A and orientation C and the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the moment of force is selected from a group of moments of force consisting of torque, twist, and moment.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein orientation A is the same as orientation C and, when computing the moment of force, the computer computes the difference between orientation B and orientation D.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the first time is before tripping the downhole apparatus into a borehole.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the system further comprises:

a first set of additional sensors to measure orientations E1 . . . EN at respective locations between the first location and the second location on the downhole apparatus at the first time;

a second set of additional sensors to measure orientations F1 . . . FN at the respective locations at the second time; and

the computer to compute incremental torque applied along the downhole apparatus between the first location and the second location using orientations A, B, C, D, E1 . . . EN, and F1 . . . FN.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

the computer to use the computed moment of force to detect a problem with the downhole apparatus, the problem being selected from the group of problems consisting of inelastic deformation of the downhole apparatus and unscrewing of a joint between the first location and the second location.