Back to results
US 2020/0400013 A1Published application
Autonomous tool
AssigneeHunting Titan, Inc.
InventorsGene McBride, Garrett M. Hohmann, David Dobsky, Faraidoon Pundole
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus for determining the location of a tool traveling down a wellbore by measuring a first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at two known locations on a tool, comparing the time difference between the two measurements, then calculating the velocity of the tool based on the comparison, then further calculating the distance traveled by the tool in the wellbore based on the velocity calculation, then executing a series of commands at a predetermined location in the wellbore.
Claims80
An apparatus for use downhole comprising:
- a top housing with a first end, a second end, and an axis;
- a middle housing with a first end located proximate to the second end of the top housing, and a second end, wherein the middle housing is coaxial with the axis;
- a braking housing with a first end located proximate to the second end of the middle housing, and a second end, wherein the braking housing is coaxial with the axis;
- a bottom housing with a first end located proximate to the second end of the braking housing, and a second end, wherein the bottom housing is coaxial with the axis;
- a first magnetic anomaly sensor located within the top housing;
- a second magnetic anomaly sensor located within the bottom housing and located a fixed axial distance from the first magnetic anomaly sensor;
- a processor located within the middle housing, operatively connected to the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor, wherein the processor calculates the velocity of the apparatus based on comparing measurements taken from the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor;
- and
- at least one radially retractable braking arm located in the braking housing, wherein the processor can command the braking arm to extend against a wellbore and stop the downhole descent of the apparatus at a predetermined location.
6 more elements
An apparatus for use downhole comprising:
- a cylindrical housing with a first end, a second end, an axis;
- a first magnetic anomaly sensor located within the cylindrical housing;
- a second magnetic anomaly sensor located within the cylindrical housing and located a fixed axial distance from the first magnetic anomaly sensor;
- a processor located within the cylindrical housing, operatively connected to the first magnetic anomaly sensor and the second magnetic anomaly sensor, wherein the processor compares the measurements of the first magnetic anomaly sensor, the second magnetic anomaly sensor, the time differential of those measurements, and with the fixed axial distance between the two sensors, calculates the instantaneous velocity of the tool;
- and
- at least one radially retractable braking arm located in the cylindrical housing, wherein the processor can command the braking arm to extend against a wellbore and stop the downhole descent of the apparatus at a predetermined location.
3 more elements
A method for determining the location of a tool in a wellbore comprising:
- measuring a first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at a first location on a tool;
- measuring the first borehole magnetic anomaly with respect to time at a second location on a tool a predetermined distance from first location;
- comparing the time difference between the first magnetic anomaly at the first location with the first magnetic anomaly at the second location;
- calculating the velocity of the tool based on the comparison of the time difference of the first magnetic anomaly at the first location with the first magnetic anomaly at the second location, the time, and the distance between the first location and the second location;
- calculating the distance traveled by the tool based on the velocity calculation;
- deploying at least one braking arm when the location of the tool approaches predetermined location;
- stopping the tool at the predetermined location;
- and
- activating a downhole device at the predetermined location.
6 more elements
A method for locating a downhole tool comprising:
- inserting an autonomous tool into a borehole;
- moving the autonomous tool down the borehole;
- programming the autonomous tool to execute a command at a predetermined location within the borehole;
- detecting a set of borehole magnetic anomalies at a first location on the autonomous tool;
- detecting the set of borehole magnetic anomalies at a second location on the autonomous tool;
- comparing the detection at the first location with the detection at the second location;
- calculating the velocity of the autonomous tool based on the comparison the set of borehole magnetic anomalies measured at the first location and second location;
- calculating the position of the tool based on the calculated velocity;
- automatically braking the autonomous tool as it approaches a predetermined location;
- holding the autonomous tool at a predetermined location;
- and
- activating at least one downhole device at the predetermined location.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.