RU2742922C1 - Lever device for delivery of instruments and equipment to horizontal wells and its fixation unit - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mining.SUBSTANCE: lever device is proposed for delivery of instruments and equipment to horizontal wells. Lever device is equipped with two centralisers, electronic unit, cable tension sensor, wherein the traction links of the device are provided with pressure force measurement sensors, opening diameter sensors and position sensors of fixation units, and the front centraliser is equipped with a sensor of opening diameter and a displacement sensor. Electronic unit is equipped with controller with motion control programs, telemetry system for communication with ground-based logging system, high-speed telemetry system for control of traction link electric motors and readout of said sensors, as well as sensors for monitoring displacement and measuring diameter of front centerer well. Traction links are equipped with electronic units with controllers for control of electric motors, processing of readings of sensors and high-speed telemetry system for communication with electronic unit controller. Movable levers of each lever device fixation unit are made in the form of three serially connected levers, besides, the middle lever is connected to the rest levers by at least one flexible element.EFFECT: ensuring accident-free passage of the device in a horizontal well with observance of uniform movement.6 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The group of inventions relates to the oil and gas industry and can be used to deliver instruments and equipment to horizontal sections of cased and uncased wells in conditions of complicated geometry of the inner section and the need to conduct logging operations, requiring uniform, without jerks and stops, movement of passenger geophysical instruments using a lever device ...

Known devices for delivering tools and equipment to horizontal sections of wells are mainly divided into two categories, wheeled and lever. Wheeled, due to objective disadvantages inherent in wheeled propellers, leading to the impossibility of movement in cavernous and loose openings of open wells, are practically not used in them. Unlike poorly passable wheeled ones, lever devices are devoid of these drawbacks and have proven themselves well for solving these problems, although they have their own characteristics and limitations.

Known is a lever device for delivering instruments into a horizontal well (RF patent No. 2175374, IPC E21B 23/14, publ. 27.10.2001), containing a cylindrical body, articulated wedging supports, guide rods and a propeller made in the form of four bushings connected in pairs wedging supports, and in each pair the movable bushing has a running nut and is installed with the ability to move, and the other bushing is fixedly fixed on the corresponding guides in the rods installed in the corresponding housings, in each of which there is an electric motor with a reduction gear, a lead screw with a pitch that excludes its self-braking. During operation, the proposed device is connected to the descent tool and the logging cable is connected to the ground control panel with which the operation is controlled. The operation of the device is carried out by alternately switching on the motors and changing the directions of their rotation.

The disadvantage of the device lies in its low productivity, since in the process of movement constant stops are inevitable at the end of the movement cycles, increased accident rate and low reliability, due to the use of a complex structure consisting of a large number of lever elements and rubbing in an aggressive environment, as well as the impossibility of predicting future traffic complications ... The impossibility of realizing a uniform motion for carrying out logging operations.

The closest analogue of the claimed lever device is a device for delivering instruments into a horizontal well on a cable (RF patent No. 2515141, IPC Е21В 23/14, publ. 05/10/2014), containing a hollow cylindrical body, a movement unit equipped with an electric motor, a screw pair and a traction element, and a fixation unit equipped with fixing platforms and hinged levers, the body is made in the form of links connected in series with each other, with the possibility of ensuring their rigid connection to each other in the direction of their axial movement and mutual rotation in two orthogonal planes and in the direction of mutual twisting, in In the cavity of each link, a link movement unit and a link fixation unit are located, while the movement unit of each link is made in the form of electric motors located at the two ends of the link, the output shafts of each of which are kinematically connected to a screw pair, the nut of which is rigidly connected to a traction element made in the form rod, other the other end of which is rigidly connected to the attachment points of the ball levers of the fixation unit.

The device is delivered to the horizontal section of the well in a transport position with folded fixing units of all links. The device is controlled from ground equipment through a logging cable connected to the device to ensure its delivery to the horizontal interval. Subsequently, the device moves, alternately pressing and moving the fixing units with the help of electric motors, providing the necessary pulling force to move the passenger geophysical instruments and cable.

The disadvantages of this device are: impossibility of uniform movement to ensure high-quality logging. Increased accident rate of movement in complicated sections of horizontal wells due to the lack of special sensors to predict situations during movement and, in this regard, the impossibility of automating the movement process. Low reliability due to the use of complex and bulky mechanisms with movable levers of fixation units to ensure the movement process. Low speed of movement, due to forced stops in movement cycles.

There is also known a unit for fixing a lever device for moving on even and uneven surfaces of a well (RF patent No. 2287058, IPC E21B 23/14, publ. 20.11.2004). The device is designed to move logging tools or other equipment through oil and gas wellbores. The mechanism consists of six main levers, five of which are movable. One of the levers is central, connected to four others in four different hinges, three of these four levers can pivot about their pivot connections with the central lever and, in addition, can move along the central lever. One of the four arms can only pivot around its articulation with the center arm, but cannot move along it. The remaining intermediate arm is connected to four arms, which are also connected to the central arm. The intermediate arm is connected to these four arms in different ways. Two of the four arms are connected to the intermediate arm at two different points that are located near the ends of the intermediate arm. These two arms, called front arms, can pivot around their pivot joints with the intermediate arm. The other two levers, of the other four levers previously mentioned, are connected to the intermediate lever at a common point. These two levers are called centering levers. One of the centering levers can only pivot around its articulation with the central lever, in the other the lever can not only pivot, but can also move in its articulated connection with the central lever. All of these elements or major parts of the six-link linkage are combined to form a linkage that automatically adjusts to the overall configuration of the inner surface of the wellbore and thus facilitates efficient passage through the wellbore.

The closest analogue is a lever device fixation unit (RF patent No. 2515141, IPC Е21В 23/14, publ. 05/10/2014), made in the form of hinged levers, some ends of which are fixed on the outer surfaces of the coaxial bushings, and the other ends on fixing platforms ... In this case, a spring is fixed between the bushings , which ensures the return of the fixing platforms to the initial folded position when the electric motor is turned off.

The disadvantage of the known devices is the complexity and bulkiness of the structure, low reliability of the device, due to the presence in it of a large number of movable levers, hinges and rubbing, contacting surfaces, between which pieces of rock or proppant can lead to jamming of the mechanism, and the movement is aggressive, with inclusions of abrasive particles, the medium will inevitably lead to large friction losses, that is, the efficiency of the device will be low, and the accident rate will be increased.

The problem to which the invention is directed is to improve the reliability, durability and operational safety of the device.

The technical result consists in ensuring trouble-free passage of the device in a horizontal well in compliance with the uniformity (without jerks and stops) of movement.

The specified technical result is achieved in that the lever device for delivering tools and equipment to horizontal wells includes at least two connected traction links, each of which contains a housing, a fixation unit with mechanisms containing movable levers with traction and clamping motors providing movement body and wedging of movable arms, and at least two centralizers, while, according to the invention, the device is equipped with an electronic unit, a cable tension sensor, and the front centralizer is equipped with a borehole diameter measurement sensor and a movement control sensor, and the traction links are made with measurement sensors clamping forces, opening diameter sensors and position sensors of fixation units, the electronic unit is equipped with a controller with motion control programs, a low-speed telemetry system for communication via a geophysical cable with an on-board computer of a ground-based logging system, high-speed telemetry a system for real-time control of traction link electric motors and reading the readings of pressure measurement sensors, sensors for opening diameters and the position of fixation units, as well as sensors for displacement control and measurement of the borehole diameter of the front centralizer, while the traction links are equipped with electronic units with controllers for electric motors control , processing the readings of the said sensors and a high-speed telemetry system for communication with the controller of the electronic unit.

In this case, according to the invention , the cable head contains a low-melting clamp, made with the possibility of releasing the cable in an emergency when current is applied to its thermoelement.

In this case, according to the invention , the electronic unit contains a voltage converter with an autonomous power source, while the controller of the electronic unit contains a program based on the emergency folding algorithm of the lever system.

The specified technical result is achieved in that the unit for fixing the lever device, including mechanisms containing movable levers with traction and clamping electric motors, ensuring the movement of the body and wedging of the movable levers, according to the invention, the movable levers are made in the form of three series-connected levers, the middle lever the rest of the levers, at least one elastic element.

In this case, according to the invention , the elastic element is made in the form of a strip spring.

In this case, according to the invention , the middle lever has a corrugated or coated with carbide teeth surface.

A feature of the claimed invention is that an electronic control unit is used in the design of the lever device, capable of reading and processing signals from sensors for measuring the clamping force, sensors of the opening diameter and position sensors of the fixation units to monitor the states and predict the reaction of the lever system of the fixation unit to change factors interfering with movement. For this, the traction links are equipped with electronic circuits with controllers for controlling engines, processing sensor readings and high-speed telemetry for communication with the controller of the electronic unit. In this case, the controller of the electronic unit contains programs based on algorithms for controlling the movement of electric motors of traction links and lever systems, based on data obtained using a high-speed telemetric system, as well as information exchange using a low-speed telemetric communication system via a geophysical cable with an onboard computer with a ground logging system.

In addition, the device uses rolling centralizers with a low friction coefficient, which provides significantly lower energy losses for movement. In order to make it possible to predict movement complications (to detect slippage of the fixation units in case of insufficient compression during wedging) and to automate the movement process, sensors for measuring the diameter of the well and a wheel sensor for monitoring the movement of the device are installed on the centralizers. The mentioned sensors are made with the possibility of transmitting a signal to the electronic control unit.

In addition, the device is equipped with a cable tension sensor to monitor the load on the lever device.

Also, to reduce the accident rate while maintaining the uniformity of movement in the device, a fixation unit is used, made in the form of three series-connected levers. Moreover, to ensure the stability of the fixation unit on the surface of the well during operation, the middle lever is connected to the rest of the levers by at least one elastic element.Thus, the proposed design of the fixation unit with a small number of movable levers ensures high-quality fixation of the device in the well. And the use of an elastic element ensures stable compression and folding of the lever system of the fixation unit. In addition, due to the simplification of the kinematics design and the decrease in the number of movable levers of the fixation unit, its operational reliability has increased, which also reduces the accident rate in the device.

Thus, the non-stop movement of the device is realized, the accident rate is reduced. The smooth, non-stop movement of the passenger logging tool ensures quality logging material. In addition, the elimination of stops in motion cycles allows the device to move faster.

In addition, to minimize possible complications and costs associated with the inevitable risk when retrieving failed devices in the event of power failure or communication with the surface logging system, as well as when the device is jammed in the well, a device was introduced to automatically fold the levers of the fixing nodes in an emergency situation associated with loss device control or power failure. In addition, the cable head of the device contains a low-melting clamp, made with the possibility of releasing the cable in an emergency when current is applied to its thermoelement for unimpeded fishing operations, which will significantly simplify the process of such operations, reduce the cost of fishing operations and allow, in most cases, keep your device intact.

The inventions are explained by the description of a specific example of implementation and the attached graphic materials, where:

fig. 1 schematically shows the proposed lever device for delivering tools and equipment to horizontal wells;

fig. 2 schematically shows the traction link of the device;

fig. 3 - arrangement of the elements of the lever system in the plane of the well section.

The lever device includes at least two rigidly connected traction links 1, each of which contains a cylindrical body 2, a displacement unit 3.1 (for the upper link), 3.2 (for the lower link) and a fixation unit 4.1 (for the upper link), 4.2 (for the lower link) with a lever system 5 containing movable levers, as well as an electronic control unit 6.

Each displacement unit 3.1, 3.2 contains an electric drive, including a power motor 7, on the shaft of which a position sensor (encoder) 8 of the fixing unit 4.1, 4.2 is placed, a gearbox and a screw pair 9, which are connected to the lever system 5 of each fixing unit 4.1, 4.2, ensuring the possibility of its movement. In addition, each displacement unit 3.1, 3.2 contains a controller with a high-speed telemetry modem for receiving commands from the electronic unit 6 and processing the data of the position sensor 8 for their subsequent transmission to the electronic unit 6, a temperature sensor for monitoring engine overheating, and a motor current consumption sensor for excluding emergency mode, as well as a power driver to control the engine operating modes.

Each fixing unit 4.1, 4.2 contains an electric drive, including a power motor 10 with an opening diameter sensor (encoder) 11 of the lever system 5 and a pressure sensor 12 (motor power supply current sensor) of the lever system 5, a gearbox, a telescopic connection 13 made with the possibility of providing freedom of movement of each fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 relative to the housing 2 of the traction link 1 when the screw pair 14 rotates by the electric motor 10. Free movement of each fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 relative to the housing 2 ensures the preloading and folding of the lever system 5. Additionally, the fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 contains a controller with a high-speed telemetry modem for receiving and processing data from sensors 11 and 12 and subsequent transmission to the controller of the electronic unit 6; a power driver for controlling the engine operating modes.

Electronic unit 6 includes a controller and telemetry modems of a communication system of low-speed 21kBaud for communication via a cable with an on-board computer of a ground-based logging system and a high-speed 1.2MBaud for real-time control of the motors of traction links 1 and real-time readings of the readings of sensors 8, 11, 12 ...

Thus, the controller of the electronic unit 6 contains programs based on real-time control algorithms for the motors of traction links 1 and lever systems 5, based on signals received from sensors 8, 11, 12 and recording the readings of all available sensors.

The device is equipped with a cable tension sensor 15 to monitor the load on the device. The cable tension sensor 15 is a device with an elastic element equipped with a Hall sensor or strain gauge sensor, which serves to measure the amount of its deformation proportional to the cable tension force.

In this case, the cable head 16 of the device is equipped with a low-melting retainer 17, which in an emergency situation melts when, for example, a reverse polarity current is supplied to it through one of the cable cores from a ground source, and releases the cable from the device. Releasing the cable from the device will allow you to put the funnel of the fishing system on the device without complications.

The lever device is equipped with at least two centralizers 18, 19 to reduce friction forces when passing through the borehole 22. At the same time, the front centralizer 19 is equipped with rotary Hall sensors 20 for measuring the diameter of the borehole 22 and a displacement control sensor 21 located on one of the centralizer wheels 19, to detect cases of slippage of fixation units 4.1, 4.2 in case of insufficient compression during wedging. In this case, the wheel of the front centralizer 19, on which the displacement control sensor 21 is located, is additionally spring-loaded, and its rolling surface is corrugated for better adhesion to the borehole wall 22.

The electronic unit 6 contains system power supplies and a device for automatically folding the levers of the locking assemblies in an emergency, for example, when the control system fails. Telemetry systems: low-speed for communication via a geophysical cable with an on-board computer of the ground-based logging system, and high-speed for real-time control of traction link motors and reading sensor readings, namely, sensors for measuring clamping forces, opening diameters and position sensors of fixation nodes. The device for automatic folding of the lever system includes a voltage converter with an autonomous power source, for example, a rechargeable battery, and a controller with a program based on the emergency folding of the lever system after a sufficient time after the power supply of the device is lost. The system is activated by the command of the electronic unit 6 before starting work.

The fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 of the lever device (Figs. 1, 2) includes mechanisms containing movable levers 23, 24 with traction and clamping motors 7 and 10, providing movement of the housing 2 and wedging of the movable levers. The fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 is made in the form of three sequentially connected levers, and the middle lever 23 is connected to the remaining levers 24 by at least one elastic element 25. The middle lever 23 has a corrugated or coated surface with carbide teeth facing the wall of the borehole 22 to increase coupling with the borehole 22. Movable pivot joints connect it with the remaining levers 24, which in turn, through the hinges and screw pairs 9 and 14 are connected to the corresponding electric motors 7 and 10. The elastic element 25, which can be made in the form of a flexible ribbon spring, creates efforts on the levers 24 and seeks to straighten the lever system 5 of the fixation unit 4.1, 4.2, thereby ensuring the stability of the lever system 5 and helping to open the system from the folded (transport) position to the working position. The arrangement of the elements of the lever system 5 in the sectional plane of the well 22 is shown in Fig. 3.

Due to the use of an elastic element 25 in each fixation unit 4.1, 4.2, the central lever 23 can be disposed at an angle relative to the axis of the device. Thus, the simple design of the lever system 5 of the fixation unit 4.1, 4.2 allows you to adapt to the unevenness of the well, for example, an open hole, which ensures high-quality fixation of the lever device in the well, trouble-free passage of the device while observing the uniformity of movement, and also expands the possibilities of using the device.

The device works as follows

On the day surface of the soil there is a high-voltage power source of the device, a ground-based recording system with an on-board computer for communication and control of the device, and a logging winch with a geophysical cable.

After the device is connected to the passenger geophysical device through a geophysical cable with a ground-based recording system, it is tested for operability, it is transferred to the initial position for movement. The linkage system 5 of the device is folded. With the help of a logging winch, it is lowered into the well. As a rule, before movement complications, usually it is before entering the horizontal section, which begins with the transition to a column with a smaller diameter.

Motion control is carried out using sensors in the electronic unit 6: acceleration sensors (accelerometers), a collar locator, as well as a cable tension sensor and a depth gauge on a logging winch, a displacement control sensor 21, a cable tension sensor 15 on the device and a sensor for measuring the diameter 20 of well 22 on front centralizer 19 (Fig. 1).

When moving in a highly inclined or horizontal part of the well on command from the on-board computer of the ground recording complex, the movement of the device is provided as follows. First, a test mode is started, in which the parameters of the movement of each node are measured, and one cycle of movement is performed. On the basis of these measurements, control intervals of the beginning and end of movement are formed, which should be at least 20% of the range of movement of the traction links 1, measured by the number of revolutions of the electric motors. The specified value was determined empirically during the tests. Control intervals are measured by the number of engine revolutions. The beginning and end of the movement is determined by the increase in the current consumption of the electric motors 7 and 10. The fixation units 4.1, 4.2 are set to the initial positions for the movement, while, depending on the complicating situations, they are completely folded or open to the permissible value of the internal diameter of the well 22. In the traction links 1 set fixing units 4.1 and 4.2 to the lowest position along the axis of the device. On command, the fixing unit 4.2 of the lower traction link 1 is pressed against the wall of the borehole 22 and its movement unit 3.2 at this time starts to move, moving the device forward, the electric motors 7 and 10 of the upper traction link 3.1 are in standby mode at this time, until until the lower link 1 moves the fixing node 4.2 to the final control interval. When the fixation unit 4.2 enters the control interval, the controller of the electronic unit 6 simultaneously sends a signal to the clamp and forward movement of the upper fixation unit 4.1. After controlling the motor current 10 of the fixing unit 4.1 of the upper link 1, the controller of the electronic unit 6 sends a signal to spin and reverse the fixation unit 4.2 of the lower link 1, which, during the movement of the unit 4.1 of the upper link 1, will have time to return to its original position, since the idle speed will be significantly higher. In order to ensure the uniform movement of the device, the controllers of the driven electric motors 7 and 10 of each link 1 are equipped with an automatic control program, which ensures smooth uniform movement at a given speed. The controller of the electronic unit 6 provides the specified cyclicity until the end of the movement interval. In the process of movement, the readings of sensors 8, 11, 12, sensors 20, 21 of the front centralizer 19, cable tension sensor 15 are analyzed and the optimal parameters of movement and clamping are automatically selected. The device is reversed by repeating the cycle in reverse order. The use of the elastic element 25 in the lever system 5, consisting of three series-connected levers 23, 24, ensures stable compression and folding of the lever system 5 of each fixing unit 4.1, 4.2.

The uniform motion mode is necessary to ensure high-quality logging, for example, thermometry, which is necessarily carried out when moving along a horizontal section forward, using a delivery device, while the well fluid is not yet mixed by the passage of the equipment. In the event of an emergency related to the loss of communication with the movement device or power failure, after a time set in the program, for example, 5-10 minutes, the emergency device for folding the fixing units 4.1, 4.2 into the transport position is triggered, the levers 23, 24 are folded and the device with by a passenger tool, it is easily pulled out to the surface for repair using a logging winch. In the event of jamming of the device in the borehole 22, the logging cable is detached from the device by feeding one of the cores of the current cable, which melts the fusible retainer 17, the cable is removed from the borehole 22 with a logging winch, and thus it becomes possible for unhindered fishing operations with special common devices with funnels, which are put on the head 16 of the device or completely on the bundle, then everything is safely removed to the surface.

The development of a lever device for the delivery of instruments and equipment to horizontal wells, Ø54 mm in diameter, about 9 meters long, equipped with all the described assemblies and sensors, has been completed. Bench tests were carried out, where all the inherent characteristics were confirmed, traction force up to 400 kg, movement speed up to 400 meters per hour. Well tests are planned at the Surgut fields.

Thus, in comparison with the known analogs, the design of the device has the ability to move in complicated sections of cased or uncased wells. The dynamic loads on the elements of the device are reduced, the accident rate decreases, the speed increases, and the possibility of uniform, jerk-free movement ensures high-quality logging.

Claims (6)

1. A lever device for delivering tools and equipment to horizontal wells, including at least two connected traction links, each of which contains a housing, a fixation unit with mechanisms containing movable levers with traction and clamping motors, which ensure the movement of the housing and wedging of the movable arms, and at least two centralizers, characterized in that the device is equipped with an electronic unit, a cable tension sensor, and the front centralizer is equipped with a borehole diameter measurement sensor and a displacement control sensor, and the traction links are made with pressure measurement sensors, opening diameter sensors and fixation unit position sensors, the electronic unit is equipped with a controller with motion control programs, a telemetry system for communication via a geophysical cable with an on-board computer of a ground-based logging system, a high-speed telemetry system for real-time control of traction link electric motors and readings of clamping force measurement sensors, sensors for opening diameters and position of fixation units, as well as movement control sensors and measuring the borehole diameter of the front centralizer, while the traction links are equipped with electronic units with controllers for controlling electric motors, processing the readings of the said sensors and high-speed telemetry the electronic system for communication with the controller of the electronic unit. 2. Lever device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cable head comprises a low-melting retainer made with the possibility of releasing the cable in an emergency situation when current is applied to its thermoelement. 3. Lever device according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic unit contains a voltage converter with an autonomous power source, and the controller of the electronic unit contains a program based on an algorithm for emergency folding of the lever system. 4. The unit for fixing the lever device, including mechanisms containing movable levers with traction and clamping electric motors, ensuring the movement of the body and wedging of the movable levers, characterized in that the movable levers are made in the form of three series-connected levers, and the middle lever is connected to the remaining levers at at least one elastic element. 5. The unit for fixing the lever device according to claim 4, characterized in that the elastic element is made in the form of a strip spring. 6. The unit for fixing the lever device according to claim 4, characterized in that the middle lever has a corrugated or coated surface with carbide teeth.

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