Ball Drop Tool for Drilling Stabilizer Activation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drilling operations face challenges in remotely activating downhole tools due to obstructions like filter screens and MWD tools that prevent activation balls from reaching the desired tools, hindering the efficient activation of tools such as underreamers.
Innovation Solution
A ball drop tool system that includes a drilling stabilizer with hollow compartments to hold and selectively release activation balls, which can be controlled to drop through the drill string and engage a seat in downhole tools, overcoming obstructions by providing a clear path for ball activation, and utilizing gate valves and circuitry to manage ball release based on commands from surface or downhole control systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ball is dropped to activate downhole tools, then tool activation is achieved, but obstructions like filter screens and MWD tools prevent the ball from reaching the desired tools
Solution Approach 1:
The drill string is divided into multiple drill string sections, with at least one section being removable. This segmentation allows the obstructing MWD tool or filter screen to be removed or bypassed, enabling the activation ball to reach the downhole tool seat that was previously blocked
Solution Approach 2:
A communication system acts as an intermediary between the surface and downhole tools. The system receives commands from the surface, determines which drill string section to remove or which obstruction to bypass, and coordinates the removal operation to clear the path for the activation ball
2Reliability
If drill string sections are removed to clear obstructions, then ball activation reliability improves, but drilling operation continuity is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system identifies and plans for obstruction removal in advance before the ball activation is attempted. By detecting the presence of obstructions and pre-arranging the removal of affected drill string sections, the system prevents activation failures rather than reacting to them after they occur
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system provides feedback between surface commands and downhole conditions. Based on real-time or near-real-time information about obstruction locations and drill string configuration, the system dynamically adjusts the activation plan to minimize operational disruptions while ensuring successful ball delivery
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 reliable and efficient activation of downhole tools by ensuring that activation balls can reach their intended seats, facilitating increased fluid pressure to activate mechanisms like underreamers, thereby improving drilling operations and expanding borehole diameters.
Implementation Method 1
When in use, the ball drop tool may be placed in service downhole above the ball-activated tool... the ball drop tool may have hollow portions to hold one or more activation balls (alternatively referred to simply as balls) for selectively releasing, i.e. dropping, the balls
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed examples include a ball drop tool located in a drill string. The ball drop tool may be a drilling stabilizer that includes a drilling stabilizer housing having an interior passage to be coupled to a drill string. A at least one stabilizing blade is on an external surface of the housing. The stabilizing blade includes a hollow compartment to hold at least one ball. A gate valve couples the hollow compartment of the stabilizing blade to the interior passage. Gate valve circuitry is coupled to the gate valve for controlling operation of the gate valve to controllably release one or more of the balls.