Ball Dropping Tool for Drill String Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drill string systems for hydrocarbon operations require significant time for ball-operated tools to receive activation balls, and these balls often cannot pass through obstructions or restrictions in boreholes, limiting their accessibility to downhole tools.
Innovation Solution
A ball dropping tool integrated with a drill string that includes an outer body, an inner body with angled side bores and a bypass passage, and actuators that allow on-demand release of balls downhole, enabling them to reach ball-operated tools positioned below obstructions and restrictions, thereby reducing the time to activation and improving accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If balls are dropped from the surface to activate ball-operated tools, then the tools can be actuated, but the time required for ball transmission is significant and balls cannot pass through obstructions or restrictions in the borehole
Solution Approach 1:
The drill string is segmented into multiple sections with a dedicated ball dropping tool positioned at a specific depth. This allows balls to be released from an intermediate position rather than from the surface, reducing transmission time and enabling access to tools located below obstructions in the borehole.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball dropping tool acts as an intermediary device positioned downhole that stores and releases balls at the required location. This intermediary mechanism eliminates the need for balls to travel the entire length of the drill string from the surface, thereby reducing transmission time and enabling access to previously unreachable tools.
2Productivity
If balls are released from the surface, then ball-operated tools can be activated, but the operational efficiency is reduced due to long activation times
Solution Approach 1:
Balls are pre-positioned in the ball dropping tool at the downhole location before they are needed. When activation is required, the balls are already in position and can be released immediately, eliminating the time delay associated with transmitting balls from the surface and thereby improving operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual or surface-based ball dropping mechanism is replaced with an automated downhole ball dropping tool that can be actuated by a drill string actuator. This substitution eliminates the need for surface operations and significantly reduces the time required for tool activation, thereby improving productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a simple ball dropping mechanism is used, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to release balls below obstructions and control ball release timing is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The ball dropping tool is nested within the drill string structure, utilizing the existing drill string bore. This nesting approach allows the tool to be positioned downhole without requiring separate deployment mechanisms, thereby achieving the capability to release balls below obstructions while minimizing additional device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball dropping tool incorporates a drill string actuator that can dynamically control the release of balls based on operational requirements. This dynamic control mechanism allows for precise timing and location of ball release, enabling access to tools below obstructions while maintaining manageable device complexity through integration with the existing drill string actuation system.
Data Source
AI summary
A ball dropping tool includes an outer and inner body, side bore, ball and an actuator. The outer body has an axial bore extending between a first and second end of the outer body and forming a flow path. The inner body forms a bypass passage extending between a first and second end of the inner body. The side bore is defined by the inner body and is disposed at an angle relative to the axial bore of the outer body. The bypass passage is disposed in a portion of the flow path and is in communication with the side bore. The ball is disposed within the side bore. The actuator, disposed within the outer body, is movable between a retaining position wherein the ball is retained within the side bore and a release position wherein the ball is released from the side bore and into the bypass passage.