A hollow screw circulation valve based on RFID and its working method

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of drilling and completion technology, and in particular to an RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve and working method. The circulation valve includes: an upper joint, an outer tube, a lower joint, a screw assembly and a drive unit, wherein the upper joint and the lower joint are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer tube, the upper end of the upper joint is connected to the oil suction pipeline, and the lower joint is provided with an oil suction hole; the screw assembly includes a hollow screw shaft and a screw nut, the two ends of the screw shaft are slidably connected to the upper joint and the lower joint, and the two ends of the screw nut are respectively rotatably connected to the upper joint and the lower joint; the drive unit includes a hollow large gear arranged outside the upper joint, and the large gear is fixedly connected to the screw nut. The circulation valve of the present invention solves the problems of occupying space in the well and uneven force on the circulation valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of well drilling and completion, and in particular to an RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve and a working method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The information disclosed in this background technology section is only intended to enhance understanding of the overall background of the invention and should not necessarily be regarded as an admission or any form of suggestion that the information constitutes the prior art already known to those skilled in the art.

[0003] As a valuable non-renewable resource, petroleum is crucial to my country's development. With the development of oil fields and the exploitation of petroleum energy, newly discovered reserves are decreasing. Furthermore, the vast majority of remaining oil in oil and gas fields is distributed in thin, poorly-produced layers characterized by poor reservoir properties, low permeability, thin oil layers, severe interference between injected layers, and low recovery rates. Conventional water injection and oil recovery schemes are no longer able to recover this crude oil and improve the ultimate recovery rate of the oil field. Separate layer water injection and oil recovery allow for detailed reservoir description and fine stratification, thereby improving the ultimate recovery rate of the oil field.

[0004] Control is achieved at the surface using multiple hydraulic and / or electrical control lines. These lines must be routed through the wellhead into the completion annulus, along the length of the completion, past any packers, and into the reservoir section where monitoring and control equipment are located. While this technology has been successfully used in low-complexity wells, several limitations exist when using control lines. These include compatibility with complex well structures, potential well integrity issues caused by feed-through connections, and the need for extensive hardware, which can make it uneconomical in marginal fields.

[0005] An RFID-based continuous circulation valve for drilling has been publicly proposed by Jin Haoyuan, Guan Feng, Zhang Pengcheng and others from Yangtze University. It can effectively reduce the difficulty and timeliness of drilling operations. However, the underground space is limited, and the screw is located in the chamber, and is driven by a single side, resulting in uneven force on the circulation valve. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide an RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve to solve the problems of occupying space in the well and uneven force on the circulation valve.

[0007] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0008] An RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve comprises: an upper joint, an outer tube, a lower joint, a screw assembly and a drive unit, wherein the upper joint and the lower joint are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer tube, the upper end of the upper joint is connected to the oil suction pipeline, and the lower joint is provided with an oil suction hole; the screw assembly comprises a hollow screw shaft and a screw nut, the two ends of the screw shaft are slidingly connected to the upper joint and the lower joint, and the two ends of the screw nut are respectively rotatably connected to the upper joint and the lower joint; the drive unit comprises a hollow large gear arranged outside the upper joint, and the large gear is fixedly connected to the screw nut.

[0009] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit further comprises a small gear meshing with the large gear, and the small gear is located inside the large gear.

[0010] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit further comprises a fixing frame, the upper joint comprises a joint body, a second groove is formed on a side wall of the joint body, the fixing frame is connected to the second groove, and the pinion is rotatably connected to the fixing frame.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the driving unit further comprises a motor for driving the pinion to rotate, the motor is mounted on the fixing frame, a first groove is formed on the side wall of the joint body, and the motor is located in the first groove.

[0012] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a balancing valve is further included, wherein the upper joint, outer tube, lower joint and screw shaft form a screw outer cavity, and the balancing valve includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline, wherein the first pipeline is connected to the oil suction pipeline, and the second pipeline is connected to the screw outer cavity.

[0013] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the balancing valve has a valve cavity, in which a valve core and an elastic member are arranged, one end of the valve cavity is connected to the first pipeline, and the other end is connected to the second pipeline; the valve core moves in the valve cavity under the action of the pressure difference on both sides to balance the pressure of the oil suction pipeline and the outer cavity of the screw rod.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a receiver is provided on the outside of the screw shaft, and the receiver includes a reader and an antenna.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower joint has a joint cylinder wall, and two annular grooves for installing a travel switch are provided on the inner side of the joint cylinder wall, and the two annular grooves are respectively located on the upper side and the lower side of the oil suction hole.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper end of the screw nut is connected to the upper joint via a thrust bearing, and the lower end of the screw nut is connected to the lower joint via a thrust bearing.

[0017] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a working method of the above-mentioned RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve belt, wherein the rotation of the large gear drives the rotation of the screw nut, and the screw nut drives the screw shaft to move axially to open or close the oil suction hole.

[0018] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention have at least the following technical effects or advantages:

[0019] 1. The circulation valve of the present invention is equipped with a hollow large gear that is sleeved on the outside of the upper joint. The large gear is connected to the screw nut via a connecting rod. Because the screw nut is axially fixed by the upper and lower joints, the screw nut rotates under the rotation of the large gear, and the screw shaft moves axially under the rotation of the screw nut, thereby opening or closing the oil suction hole. Compared with existing circulation valves, the entire device does not occupy the downhole oil suction pipeline. The coordination of the large gear and the screw assembly distributes the applied force throughout the circumference, avoiding the problem of uneven force, ensuring smooth opening and closing of the circulation valve, making the circulation valve evenly stressed and reducing wear, thereby extending its service life.

[0020] 2. The circulation valve of the present invention is provided with a balancing valve. The first pipeline is connected to the inner cavity of the screw rod, and the second pipeline is connected to the outer cavity of the screw rod. When the pressure in the inner cavity of the screw rod is relatively high, the oil pressure in the inner cavity pushes the valve core to move downward. Since the volume of the outer cavity of the screw rod is relatively small, the pressure in the outer cavity of the screw rod will increase when the valve core moves downward, thereby balancing the pressure inside and outside the screw rod shaft, avoiding the problem of deformation of the screw rod shaft causing jamming of the movement, ensuring the smooth operation of the circulation valve, and being able to realize stratified injection and production for oil wells with different geological conditions. It can work normally under various pressures underground, expanding the application range of the device.

[0021] 3. On the one hand, the present invention sets a hollow large gear to achieve circumferential uniform drive of the screw assembly, and at the same time balances the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the screw shaft through the balancing valve. The coordinated cooperation of the above-mentioned driving structure and the balancing valve avoids the jamming of the circulation valve, realizes the smooth opening and closing of the circulation valve, and extends the service life of the circulation valve.

[0022] 4. The prior art also discloses a sliding sleeve electric actuator, which belongs to the sliding sleeve fracturing tool. This electric actuator uses a spiral transmission method, which can generate large axial thrust with small torque. However, it requires high processing precision and has poor operating speed. In addition, due to the relative sliding between the threads during movement, sliding friction is generated, resulting in high wear, low efficiency, short life, and possible creep. The present invention uses a gear transmission, which is smooth and does not cause relative sliding, thereby extending the service life. The transmission ratio is precise, which improves the reliability and efficiency of the gear transmission. It can be used in a wide range of power, speed, and size, with high selectivity. It generates huge torque, which can reduce the system size while ensuring sufficient power. Moreover, it can still provide a large thrust in a small downhole effective space, ensuring the opening and closing of the sliding valve, thereby improving the ultimate recovery rate of the oil field.

[0023] Additional advantages of the present invention will be given in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned through practice of the present invention.

[0024] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of the present invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute improper limitations on the present invention.

[0026] Figure 1 This is an example diagram of a working scenario of a circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cooperation between the upper connector and the drive unit of the circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Remove the schematic diagram of the large gear;

[0030] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the coordination of the large gear and the small gear of the circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the upper joint of the circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the lower connector of the circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of a screw assembly of a circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 9 yes Figure 2 Upper enlarged schematic diagram;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the modulation methods commonly used in radio frequency identification systems;

[0036] Figure 11 1 is a schematic diagram of the electrical control of a circulation valve according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] In the picture: 01, offshore drilling platform; 02, robotic arm; 03, radio frequency tag; 04, circulation valve;

[0038] 1. Upper connector; 11. Connector body; 12. First groove; 13. Second groove; 2. Receiver; 21. Reader; 22. Antenna; 3. Outer cylinder; 4. Drive unit; 41. Motor; 42. Fixing bracket; 43. Small gear; 44. Large gear; 5. Connecting rod; 6. Lower connector; 61. Connector cylinder wall; 62. Oil suction hole; 63. Annular groove; 7. Balancing valve; 71. First pipeline; 72. Valve chamber; 73. Valve core; 74. Elastic member; 75. Second pipeline; 8. Screw shaft; 9. Screw nut

[0039] In order to more clearly show the positions of various parts, the distances, sizes or proportions between them are exaggerated or reduced. The schematic diagram is for illustrative purposes only. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and is intended to provide further explanation of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in the present invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0041] Explanation of terms: The terms "install", "connect", "connect", "fix" and the like in the present invention should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral whole; it can be a mechanical connection, a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can be an internal connection between two elements, or an interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meaning of the terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or to implicitly specify the quantity of the technical features indicated. Thus, a feature designated "first," "second," etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0043] As described in the background technology, the existing circulation valve occupies too much space in the well, and the circulation valve is unevenly stressed. In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention proposes a hollow screw circulation valve based on RFID, such as Figure 2-9 As shown, it includes: an upper joint 1, an outer tube 3, a lower joint 6, a screw assembly and a drive unit 4, the upper joint 1 and the lower joint 6 are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer tube 3, the upper end of the upper joint 1 is connected to the oil suction pipeline 05, and the lower joint 6 is provided with an oil suction hole 62; the screw assembly includes a hollow screw shaft 8 and a screw nut 9, the two ends of the screw shaft 8 are slidingly connected to the upper joint 1 and the lower joint 6, and the two ends of the screw nut 9 are respectively rotatably connected to the upper joint 1 and the lower joint 6; the drive unit 4 includes a hollow large gear 44 arranged outside the upper joint 1, and the large gear 44 is fixedly connected to the screw nut 9.

[0044] The outer cylinder is coated with a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coating. Sealing rings are installed at the connections between the screw shaft and the upper and lower joints. The surfaces where the upper and lower joints meet the sealing rings are treated for wear and erosion resistance. The sealing scheme utilizes a vacuum seal. Sealing rings are primarily made of synthetic materials such as rubber, polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyurethane, as well as metal seals. These materials can be selected and configured by skilled artisans based on the downhole environment.

[0045] The upper end of the screw nut 9 is connected to the upper joint 1 via a thrust bearing, and the lower end of the screw nut 9 is connected to the lower joint 6 via a thrust bearing. The thrust bearing connection reduces the resistance of the screw nut during rotation. The end side of the large gear and the screw nut are connected by multiple connecting rods 5. The rotation of the large gear 44 drives the screw nut 9, which in turn drives the screw shaft 8 to move axially, thereby opening or closing the oil suction hole 62.

[0046] like Figure 4 、 Figure 5 As shown, the drive unit 4 further includes a pinion 43 meshing with a large gear 44 and a fixing bracket 42, with the pinion 43 located inside the large gear 44. The upper joint 1 comprises a joint body 11, a second groove 13 being defined in a sidewall of the joint body 11, the fixing bracket 42 being connected to the second groove 13, and the pinion 43 being rotatably connected to the fixing bracket 42. The drive unit 4 further includes a motor 41 for rotating the pinion 43, the motor 41 being mounted on the fixing bracket 42, and a first groove 12 being defined in a sidewall of the joint body 11, with the motor 41 located in the first groove 12.

[0047] The motor 41 and the pinion 43 are connected together by welding, bolt connection, socket connection, key connection, etc. Those skilled in the art can select and set them according to the type of the motor.

[0048] like Figure 2 、 Figure 9 As shown, the hollow screw circulation valve also includes a balancing valve 7. The upper connector 1, outer tube 3, lower connector 6, and screw shaft 8 form a screw outer cavity. The balancing valve 7 includes a first pipeline 71 and a second pipeline 75. The first pipeline 71 is connected to the oil suction pipeline (i.e., the screw inner cavity), and the second pipeline 75 is connected to the screw outer cavity. The balancing valve 7 has a valve cavity 72, in which a valve core 73 and an elastic member 74 are disposed. One end of the valve cavity 72 is connected to the first pipeline 71, and the other end is connected to the second pipeline 75. The valve core 73 moves within the valve cavity 72 under the action of the pressure difference between the two sides to balance the pressure in the oil suction pipeline and the screw outer cavity. The elastic member can be a spring.

[0049] Due to the different environments, layers, depths, etc. of the circulation valve in different scenarios, the pressure in the inner cavity of the screw rod is different. Since the screw rod shaft is a hollow structure, when the pressure in the inner cavity of the screw rod is relatively high, the screw rod will be squeezed and deformed, causing the circulation valve to be stuck. The circulation valve of the present invention is provided with a balancing valve, the first pipeline is connected to the inner cavity of the screw rod, and the second pipeline is connected to the outer cavity of the screw rod. When the pressure in the inner cavity of the screw rod is relatively high, the oil pressure in the inner cavity pushes the valve core to move downward. Since the volume of the outer cavity of the screw rod is relatively small, the pressure in the outer cavity of the screw rod will increase when the valve core moves downward, thereby balancing the pressure inside and outside the screw rod shaft, avoiding the problem of deformation of the screw rod shaft causing the action to be stuck, ensuring the smooth operation of the circulation valve, and being able to realize stratified injection and production for oil wells with different geological conditions. It can work normally under various pressures underground, expanding the application range of the device.

[0050] like Figure 2 、 Figure 9 As shown, a valve control system is provided in the circulation valve, and the valve control system is located at the upper joint. The valve control system includes a battery, an antenna, an RFID reader, a motor controller, a motor, a travel switch, etc. A receiver 2 is provided outside the screw shaft 8, and the receiver 2 includes a reader 21 and an antenna 22. Figure 7 As shown, the lower joint 6 has a joint cylinder wall 61 , and two annular grooves 63 for installing a travel switch are provided on the inner side of the joint cylinder wall 61 . The two annular grooves 63 are respectively located on the upper side and the lower side of the oil suction hole 62 .

[0051] The motor controller is electrically connected to the travel switch. It is understood that the travel switch can be a mechanical travel switch that triggers a signal and sends it to the motor controller when it contacts the sealing retaining ring. A non-contact travel switch can also be implemented using a magnetic switch, infrared photoelectric switch, or the like. Those skilled in the art can select and configure this switch based on the type of sealing retaining ring.

[0052] like Figure 1 As shown, the circulation valve disclosed in this embodiment is applicable to an offshore drilling platform 01, and the robotic arm 02 drops the radio frequency tag 03 into the oil suction pipeline at the wellhead, and the radio frequency tag 03 enters the circulation valve 04 by means of deadweight, pumping, etc. When the radio frequency tag 03 passes through the antenna 22, inductive coupling occurs, and the RFID reader 21 receives the signal through the antenna 22; it can be understood that the RFID reader transmits energy in the form of electromagnetic waves and electromagnetic fields to the surrounding space through the antenna, and by changing the amplitude, frequency, and phase parameters of the electromagnetic wave signal, or affecting the electromagnetic field strength, the encoded data can be transmitted from the radio frequency tag to the RFID reader. The process of data affecting the electromagnetic wave and electromagnetic field is the signal modulation process. Figure 10As shown in Figures (a), (b), and (c), there are three common modulation methods used in RFID systems: amplitude-shift keying (ASK), frequency-shift keying (FSK), and phase-shift keying (PSK). The reader reads the data in the RFID tag 03 to control the opening and closing of the circulation valve.

[0053] like Figure 11 As shown, the battery provides power for the RFID reader, the motor controller, and the motor; further, the RFID reader processes the signal and transmits it to the motor controller, which receives instructions through the control circuit and drives the motor;

[0054] Working process of circulation valve:

[0055] On an offshore drilling platform, a robotic arm drops a radio frequency tag carrying instruction data to the wellhead. The tag descends along the wellbore's suction line due to its own weight and the pumping of drilling fluid. Upon reaching the RFID reader, the RFID reader reads the signal within the tag, sending a command to the motor controller. The motor controller then controls the motor's rotation, which in turn drives the pinion, which in turn drives the gear through a gear transmission. The gear drives the lead screw nut, which converts circumferential motion into axial motion, causing the lead screw shaft to move up and down along its axis. At this point, the position of the sealing ring changes, triggering the travel switch. The travel switch then feeds back a command to the motor controller, which then controls the motor's operation until it reaches the designated position, at which point it stops.

[0056] Technical effects of the present invention:

[0057] 1. The present invention, through its RFID-based design, guarantees a 100% transmission success rate after installation. This reduces external intervention during installation and production stimulation, lowering operational costs, shortening operation cycles and operating costs, ensuring wellbore cleaning and minimizing formation damage during each operation, and enabling selective downhole intelligent valve opening and closing, all of which are beneficial for deepwater completion operations. The addition of real-time data allows for informed decision-making and immediate action without intervention, resulting in an optimal production environment.

[0058] 2. This disclosure utilizes a hollow screw-driven, fully electrically driven intelligent circulation valve. The motor drives the gear transmission, generating enormous torque, which can reduce system size while ensuring sufficient power. The hollow screw design enables intelligent switching of the circulation valve, resulting in a simple and reusable structure and reduced operating costs.

[0059] 3. The present invention adopts a unique pressure balance design, which can work normally under various pressures in the well, expanding the application range of the device;

[0060] 4. The disclosed structure is simple, and the driving power is sufficient, the operation is easier, and it can work for a long time after installation. There is no need to frequently replace accessories, which reduces the number of maintenance times and improves underground work efficiency.

[0061] Although the above describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the technical solution of the present invention without any creative work are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hollow screw circulation valve based on RFID, characterized in that: include: An upper joint, an outer tube, a lower joint, a screw assembly and a drive unit, wherein the upper joint and the lower joint are respectively connected to the two ends of the outer tube, the upper end of the upper joint is connected to the oil suction pipeline, and the lower joint is provided with an oil suction hole; The screw assembly includes a hollow screw shaft and a screw nut, wherein both ends of the screw shaft are slidably connected to the upper joint and the lower joint, and both ends of the screw nut are rotatably connected to the upper joint and the lower joint respectively; The drive unit includes a hollow large gear arranged outside the upper joint, and the large gear is fixedly connected to the screw nut; the drive unit also includes a small gear meshing with the large gear, and the small gear is located inside the large gear; the drive unit also includes a fixed frame, the upper joint has a joint body, and the side wall of the joint body is provided with a second groove, the fixed frame is connected to the second groove, and the small gear is rotatably connected to the fixed frame; The entire device does not occupy the underground oil suction pipeline. The cooperation of the hollow large gear and the screw assembly distributes the force over the entire circumference, avoiding uneven force, ensuring the smooth opening and closing of the circulation valve, making the circulation valve evenly stressed and reducing wear, thereby extending its service life.

2. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving unit further comprises a motor for driving the pinion to rotate. The motor is mounted on the fixing frame. A first groove is formed on the side wall of the joint body, and the motor is located in the first groove.

3. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a balancing valve, the upper joint, outer tube, lower joint and screw shaft form a screw outer cavity, the balancing valve includes a first pipeline and a second pipeline, the first pipeline is connected to the oil suction pipeline, and the second pipeline is connected to the screw outer cavity.

4. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 3, characterized in that: The balancing valve has a valve cavity, in which a valve core and an elastic member are arranged. One end of the valve cavity is connected to the first pipeline, and the other end is connected to the second pipeline. The valve core moves in the valve cavity under the action of the pressure difference on both sides to balance the pressure of the oil suction pipeline and the outer cavity of the screw rod.

5. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: A receiver is arranged outside the screw shaft, and the receiver includes a reader and an antenna.

6. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower joint has a joint cylinder wall, and two annular grooves for installing a travel switch are arranged on the inner side of the joint cylinder wall. The two annular grooves are respectively located on the upper side and the lower side of the oil suction hole.

7. The RFID-based hollow screw circulation valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the screw nut is connected to the upper joint through a thrust bearing, and the lower end of the screw nut is connected to the lower joint through a thrust bearing.

8. The operating method of the hollow screw circulation valve belt based on RFID according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The rotation of the large gear drives the screw nut to rotate, and the screw nut drives the screw shaft to move axially to open or close the oil suction hole.

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