System and method for launching and retrieving wireline eat sensors

A system for launching and retrieving wireline electro acoustic technology (EAT) sensors in a downhole well bore in non-pressurized installations comprising:

• a hand held open fixture;
• an EAT sensor assembly for placement in the hand held open fixture comprising:
• a center section comprising sensors;
• two end sections, each with extendable grippers to grip a fiber based wireline cable;
• wherein the extendable grippers comprise eccentric circular cams with contact faces recessed to match the diameter of the fiber based wireline cable, and wherein the eccentric circular cams are connected to spring loaded pins that extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly;
• wherein the center section and both end sections have a V groove that allow the EAT sensor assembly to be centered on the fiber based wireline cable;
• top and bottom plates on the hand held open fixture, each having a V groove that allow the hand held open fixture to be centered on the fiber based wireline cable;
• a handle to place the EAT sensor assembly against the fiber based wireline cable;
• and
• a plunger to push the EAT sensor assembly out of the hand held open fixture, allowing the spring loaded pins to extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly and cause the eccentric circular cams to close onto the fiber based wireline cable.

A method for launching and retrieving wireline electro acoustic technology (EAT) sensors in a downhole hydrocarbon well bore wherein the launching comprises:

• mounting one or more EAT launcher/retriever sections on a wellhead, the EAT launcher/retriever sections comprising;
• an external high pressure housing;
• attachment means at each end of the external high pressure housing;
• a wedge shaped internal retractable launcher plate with an opening on one side to allow a fiber based wireline cable to pass through the one or more EAT launcher sections;
• and
• each one or more EAT launcher/retriever sections having an installed EAT sensor assembly comprising:
• a center section comprising sensors;
• two end sections, each with extendable grippers for gripping the fiber based wireline cable;
• wherein the extendable grippers comprise eccentric circular cams with contact faces recessed to match the diameter of the fiber based wireline cable, and wherein the eccentric circular cams are connected to spring loaded pins that extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly;
• wherein the center section and both end sections have a V groove that allow the EAT sensor assembly to be centered on the fiber based wireline cable.
• unwinding the fiber based wireline cable downhole to a preselected depth;
• retracting the wedge shaped internal retractable launcher plate of the lowest EAT launcher/retriever sections, causing the spring loaded pins to extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly, resulting in allowing the extendable grippers to grip the fiber based wireline cable;
• and
• restarting the unwinding of the fiber based wireline cable, taking the installed EAT sensor assembly from that lowest EAT launcher/retriever section.

A method for launching and retrieving wireline electro acoustic technology (EAT) sensors in a downhole hydrocarbon well bore in a non-pressurized installation, wherein the launching comprises:

• using a hand held open fixture for holding an EAT sensor assembly;
• placing the EAT sensor assembly in the hand held open fixture, the EAT sensor assembly comprising:
• a center section comprising a sensor;
• two end sections, each with extendable grippers for gripping a fiber based wireline cable;
• wherein the extendable grippers comprise eccentric circular cams with contact faces recessed to match the diameter of the fiber based wireline cable, and wherein the eccentric circular cams are connected to spring loaded pins that extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly;
• wherein the center section and both end sections have a V groove that allow the EAT sensor assembly to be centered on the fiber based wireline cable;
• and
• wherein the spring loaded pins are held in a retracted position by so that the extendable grippers are gripping the fiber based wireline cable;
• unwinding the fiber based wireline cable downhole to a preselected depth;
• placing the hand held open fixture and EAT sensor assembly against the fiber based wireline cable so that the fiber based wireline cable is centered in the V groove of the EAT sensor assembly;
• pushing the EAT sensor assembly out of the hand held open fixture to cause the spring loaded pins to extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly, resulting in allowing the extendable grippers to grip the fiber based wireline cable;
• restarting the unwinding of the fiber based wireline cable to move the installed EAT sensor assembly further downhole.

The method of claim 18, further comprising retrieving the EAT sensor assembly and the additional EAT sensor assemblies, wherein the retrieving comprises:

• re-winding the fiber based wireline cable toward the surface until the EAT sensor assembly returns to the surface;
• pushing the hand held open fixture over the EAT sensor assembly to enclose the EAT sensor assembly and to compress the spring loaded pins that extend out of the end sections of the EAT sensor assembly, thus releasing the grip of the extendable grippers on the fiber based wireline cable;
• removing the EAT sensor assembly from the hand held open fixture;
• and
• repeating for each of the additional EAT sensor assemblies.