Downhole valve position monitor
AssigneeBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
InventorJason Edwards
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for detecting a position of a moveable component of a valve disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth includes a radioactive marker disposed on the moveable component and a radiation detector configured to detect radiation emitted by the radioactive marker. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to receive radiation detection information from the radiation detector and to correlate the radiation detection information to the position of the moveable component.
Claims19
An apparatus for detecting a position of a moveable component of a valve disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the apparatus comprising:
- a radioactive marker secured to the moveable component;
- a radiation detector configured to detect radiation emitted by the radioactive marker, wherein the radiation detector is disposed on a downhole tool configured to be lowered into the borehole and land on the valve at a predefined reference location;
- and
- a controller configured to receive radiation detection information from the radiation detector and to correlate the radiation detection information to the position of the moveable component.
A method for detecting a position of a moveable component of a valve disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth, the method comprising:
- landing a downhole tool on the valve;
- emitting radiation from a radioactive marker secured to the moveable component of the valve;
- detecting the radiation emitted by the radioactive marker using a radiation detector disposed on the downhole tool;
- and
- correlating at least one of detected radiation and non-detected radiation with the position of the moveable component using a controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.