Methods and systems to detect an untethered device at a wellhead
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsHuseyin Rahmi Seren, Max Deffenbaugh
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Abstract
Provided here are methods and system to detect an untethered device in a wellhead. The untethered device includes a housing, a transducer, and one or more sensors configured to measure data along the subterranean well. The transducer emits acoustic signals that are received by microphones on the surface of the wellhead. Based on these acoustic signals, the location of the untethered device is determined and appropriate valves may be opened or closed by an operator.
Claims14
A system for detection of an untethered device in a wellhead, the system comprising:
- the untethered device containing a microprocessor, a transducer, a housing, and a sensor configured to measure data along a subterranean well, the microprocessor operable to control the transducer;
- a plurality of microphones arranged outside of the wellhead on a surface of the wellhead in a vicinity of a plurality of valves controlling flow of a fluid in the wellhead, the plurality of microphones operable to receive acoustic signals from the transducer;
- and
- a receiver electronic circuit operable to process the acoustic signals received by the plurality of microphones and to determine a microphone of the plurality of microphones that is closest to a location of the untethered device within the wellhead.
A method for determining a location of an untethered device in a wellhead of a subterranean well, the method comprising:
- determining, by a microprocessor in the untethered device, a presence of the untethered device inside or close to the wellhead in response to data received by a sensor in the untethered device;
- activating, by the microprocessor, a transducer in the untethered device to produce an acoustic signal;
- receiving, with a microphone array of a receiver unit, the acoustic signal from the transducer, the microphone array comprising a plurality of microphones placed outside the surface of the wellhead at specific locations;
- processing the acoustic signal with a microprocessor of the receiver unit to generate a signal for delivery to a wireless transmitter, the signal identifying a microphone in the microphone array that is closest to the untethered device;
- and
- transmitting the signal with the wireless transmitter to a remote wireless receiver to notify a user of the presence of the untethered device in the wellhead.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.