Angled Feeding Wheels for Downhole Tool Axial Displacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing downhole tools face challenges in achieving accurate axial feeding, often resulting in tool overload and costly maintenance or replacement, especially in subsea oil and gas production and horizontal wells.
Innovation Solution
A feeding device with radially displaceable wheels that follow a helical line when rotated, allowing axial movement without a push force, and adjustable slant to compensate for varying friction, enabling precise axial displacement of downhole tools within a pipe string.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If axial feeding is achieved by moving the pipe string forwards or withdrawing it, then the downhole tool can be fed axially, but the tool is easily overloaded requiring frequent maintenance or replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding wheels are positioned at an angle relative to the pipe string axis, converting axial rotation into axial displacement. This dimensional transformation allows precise feeding without excessive axial forces on the tool, resolving the contradiction between feeding accuracy and tool overload.
Solution Approach 2:
Feeding wheels act as an intermediary mechanism between the pipe string and the downhole tool. They transfer rotational motion to axial displacement through their angled positioning, eliminating direct axial loading on the tool while maintaining precise feeding control.
2Productivity
If the pipe string is moved forwards for axial feeding, then the tool can advance, but the considerable length of the pipe string causes large costs for maintenance and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces direct axial mechanical movement of the entire pipe string with a rotational mechanism. The feeding wheels convert rotation to axial displacement, allowing the tool to advance without moving the full length of the pipe string, thereby reducing maintenance frequency and time loss.
3Device complexity
If feeding wheels are positioned perpendicular to the pipe axis, then the structure is simple, but they cannot generate axial displacement through rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding wheels are positioned asymmetrically at an angle to the pipe axis rather than perpendicular to it. This asymmetric positioning enables the wheels to generate axial displacement through rotation while maintaining relatively simple structural implementation, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and functional capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and efficient axial feeding of downhole tools, reducing the need for frequent pipe string removal and maintenance, thereby lowering operational costs and improving precision in subsea and horizontal well operations.
Implementation Method 1
When the feeding device is rotated around its own centre axis, the slant of the feeding wheels will make the feeding wheels follow a helical line so that the feeding device is moved in the axial direction
Implementation Method 2
varying frictional properties of the internal wall surface of the surrounding body may be compensated for
Data Source
AI summary
A feeding device is for a rotatable downhole tool. The feeding device is provided with several feeding wheels lying in a plane which is slanted relative to a plane which is perpendicular to the center axis of the downhole tool. A method is for feeding a downhole tool axially by the use of the feeding device, when working a portion of a surrounding pipe body.