Downhole Tool Diagnostics Using Sensor Performance Histories
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Solution Overview
Problem
Downhole tools in the energy industry face challenges in monitoring and assessing performance due to harsh conditions, leading to inefficiencies and potential tool failures, which can impact energy industry operations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising sensors connected to downhole tools to measure performance parameters, a processing device to collect and generate performance history records, and a database to store and analyze these records, allowing for the assessment of tool performance, prediction of future issues, and optimization of operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If downhole tools are deployed in harsh conditions without monitoring, then operational simplicity is maintained, but tool reliability and performance assessment deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and storing performance data during normal tool operation before failures occur. Sensors continuously monitor parameters and build historical performance records that enable future diagnostics and reliability assessment without requiring complex real-time analysis during critical events.
Solution Approach 2:
A data processing system acts as an intermediary between the harsh downhole environment and the analysis infrastructure. The system collects raw sensor data, processes it into meaningful performance metrics, and stores it in databases, thereby mediating between the complex monitoring requirements and the simplified needs of operators.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If performance data is collected and stored for analysis, then diagnostic capability is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges data collection, processing, storage, and retrieval functions into an integrated data management framework. By combining these separate functions into a unified system, the patent reduces the overall complexity that would arise from managing multiple independent systems while enhancing diagnostic capabilities through comprehensive data availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service diagnostics by automatically collecting, storing, and making performance data accessible for analysis. The structured database and retrieval mechanisms allow users to independently diagnose tool issues without requiring complex external analysis systems, as the data is already organized and ready for interpretation.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring is implemented, then tool performance assessment is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic data collection and processing rather than continuous real-time monitoring. Sensors collect performance data at defined intervals, and the processing system analyzes accumulated data batches, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining effective performance assessment capabilities through regular monitoring cycles.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for tool monitoring includes one or more tools of an energy industry system, the one or more tools configured to be disposed in one or more boreholes in one or more resource bearing formations, and one or more sensors connected to each tool of the one or more tools, each sensor of the one or more sensors configured to measure at least one parameter related to performance of each tool of the one or more tools. The system also includes a processing device configured to collect measurements of the at least one parameter from each sensor, generate an individual performance history record for each tool, and store the individual performance history record for each tool in a database configured to store individual performance history records for a plurality of tools in one or more energy industry systems.