Seal pocket detection assembly
AssigneeFMC Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJames Cook, Chad Vrla, Rajeev Pillai, Pablito Derayunan, Thiago Machado, Corey Massey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and at least one seal pocket detection assembly configured to be placed within a pressure cavity of a well tubing system. The seal pocket detection assembly includes a selectively removable insert body supporting one or more seals and one or more coils that produce an electromagnetic field extending into the bore of tubing sections of the well tubing system. The seal pocket detection assembly is configured to detect a ferrous object passing through the bore.
Claims20
A method of detecting an object within a tubing bore of a well system using a seal pocket detection assembly, the method comprising:
- providing the seal pocket detection assembly including:
- a pair of electrical coils including a first electrical coil and a second electrical coil positioned in a series along the tubing bore;
- generating a first electromagnetic field that extends at least partially into the tubing bore of the well system using the first electrical coil of the pair of electrical coils;
- generating a second electromagnetic field that extends at least partially into the tubing bore using the second electrical coil of the pair of electrical coils;
- detecting at least one change in the first electromagnetic field associated with the object passing through the first electromagnetic field;
- detecting at least one change in the second electromagnetic field associated with the object passing through the second electromagnetic field;
- identifying a position and direction of the object within the tubing bore based on the at least one change in the first electromagnetic field and the at least one change in the second electromagnetic field,
- wherein the direction is identified by comparing the at least one change in the first electromagnetic field and the at least one change in the second electromagnetic field.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media that store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor perform a method of operation for a seal pocket detection assembly of a well system, the seal pocket detection assembly comprising at least an insert body, a sealing portion, and a detection portion, the method comprising:
- generating a first electromagnetic field that extends at least partially into a tubing bore of the well system using a first electrical coil of the detection portion,
- wherein a pressure is maintained at a tubing joint of the well system using one or more sealing elements of the sealing portion disposed on an inner surface of the insert body;
- generating a second electromagnetic field that extends at least partially into the tubing bore of the well system using a second electrical coil of the detection portion, the second electrical coil positioned in a series with the first electrical coil along the tubing bore;
- detecting at least one change in the first electromagnetic field associated with an object passing through the first electromagnetic field using the first electrical coil of the detection portion;
- detecting at least one change in the second electromagnetic field associated with the object passing through the second electromagnetic field using the second electrical coil of the detection portion;
- identifying a position of the object within the tubing bore based on the at least one change in the first electromagnetic field or the second electromagnetic field;
- determining a direction of the object within the tubing bore based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one change in the first electromagnetic field and the at least one change in the second electromagnetic field;
- and
- adjusting at least one operation of the well system based on identification of the object within the tubing bore.
A method for sensing one or more objects within a tubing bore of a well system, the method comprising:
- providing a seal pocket detection assembly comprising:
- at least one insert body comprising a groove on an inner surface thereof and a cutaway portion on an outer surface thereof;
- a sealing portion including one or more sealing elements disposed proximate to a tubing joint of the well system within the groove on the inner surface of the at least one insert body;
- and
- a detection portion including at least one coil disposed within the cutaway portion on the outer surface of the at least one insert body;
- maintaining a pressure at the tubing joint of the well system using the one or more sealing elements of the sealing portion;
- generating an electromagnetic field that extends at least partially into the tubing bore of the well system using the at least one coil of the detection portion;
- detecting at least one change in the electromagnetic field associated with the one or more objects passing through the electromagnetic field using the detection portion;
- and
- identifying a position of the one or more objects within the tubing bore based on the at least one change in the electromagnetic field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.