Extendable Canopy for Horizontal Wellbore Advancement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireline logging tools face challenges in advancing through inclined or horizontal portions of a wellbore due to the lack of sufficient stiffness in the wireline, leading to inefficiencies and unreliability when using tractors or crawlers.
Innovation Solution
A wellbore logging system that includes a wireline with a sonde and a selectively extendable canopy. The canopy, comprising a central shaft, pivotally coupled ribs, flexible panels, and an actuator, is extended to allow a carrier fluid to impinge on it, thereby advancing the logging tool along inclined or horizontal wellbore sections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a wireline logging tool uses gravity to carry the sonde downhole through vertical portions of the wellbore, then the logging operation is simple and efficient, but the tool cannot advance through inclined or horizontal portions of the wellbore
Solution Approach 1:
The canopy is designed to be dynamically extendable and retractable. It extends radially outward to engage with the wellbore wall during inclined or horizontal sections, providing necessary propulsion, and retracts during vertical sections to minimize interference. This dynamic adaptation allows the same tool to efficiently handle both vertical and non-vertical wellbore configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a fluid-driven actuator (pneumatic or hydraulic) to control the canopy's extension and retraction. Fluid pressure is used to move the canopy between its retracted and extended configurations, enabling reliable advancement through inclined or horizontal portions without complex mechanical winches or crawlers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If tractors or crawlers are used to drag or push the sonde through inclined or horizontal portions, then the tool can advance, but the operation becomes slow and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The canopy is actuated using fluid pressure (pneumatic or hydraulic) transmitted through the wireline from the surface. This allows reliable and rapid extension and retraction of the canopy without complex mechanical winches or crawlers, improving both speed and reliability of tool advancement through inclined or horizontal sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The canopy acts as an intermediary between the wireline and the wellbore wall. Instead of the wireline directly pushing the sonde (which lacks sufficient stiffness), the canopy transfers force from the fluid actuator to the wellbore wall, enabling reliable advancement through non-vertical portions.
3Ease of operation
If the wireline lacks sufficient stiffness to push the sonde along inclined portions, then the wireline remains flexible and easy to deploy, but an additional mechanism is required to drive the sonde through inclined or horizontal portions
Solution Approach 1:
The propulsion system is segmented into two functional parts: the wireline handles deployment and control signal transmission, while the separately deployable canopy provides propulsion. This segmentation allows the wireline to remain simple and flexible while the canopy adds the necessary propulsion capability for inclined or horizontal sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The canopy is deployed in advance when needed (detected by inclination sensors or operator command) to provide propulsion through inclined or horizontal sections, then retracted when entering vertical sections. This preliminary deployment of the propulsion mechanism only when needed minimizes overall system complexity while ensuring capability when required.
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
The system enables efficient and reliable advancement of the logging tool through challenging wellbore geometries by utilizing the carrier fluid to push the tool, while also providing means to monitor wellbore conditions and detect potential obstructions.
Implementation Method 1
pumping a carrier fluid into the wellbore to impinge on the canopy and thereby advance the logging tool along an inclined or horizontal portion of the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
an actuator operably coupled to the wireline and the plurality of ribs, the actuator responsive to a signal transmitted through the wireline to move the plurality of ribs from a retracted configuration to a radially extended configuration with respect to the central shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A wellbore logging system includes a wireline extending into a wellbore, a sonde including at least one logging instrument, a canopy coupled to the sonde and an actuator operable to move the canopy from a retracted configuration to a radially extended configuration. The canopy includes a central shaft, a plurality of ribs pivotally coupled to the central shaft, and a plurality of flexible panels extending between each of the plurality of ribs to circumscribe the central shaft. A carrier fluid may be pumped against the canopy in the radially extended configuration to advance the sonde along inclined and horizontal portions of a wellbore.