Downhole Microchip Release via Hydraulic Piston and Dissolvable Ball

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Solution Overview

Problem

Drilling microchips used in the oil and gas industry often run out of battery or clog internal components before reaching the desired downhole location, leading to inaccurate data collection due to harsh drilling conditions and long well depths.

Innovation Solution

A microchip system featuring a sliding sleeve with a ball landing seat and hydraulic piston, allowing microchips to be released and charged downhole, using a dissolvable ball and catcher to prevent clogging, and a charging ring to extend battery life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If drilling microchips are pumped downhole using drilling mud, then real-time data collection is enabled, but the microchips run out of battery before reaching the observation section

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection accuracyVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The microchips are pre-charged with battery power before being pumped downhole, and a charging ring is positioned at the observed depth to provide additional charging during the microchips' passage through that section, ensuring sufficient energy for the entire journey and data collection mission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A charging ring with electromagnetic charging coils is introduced as an intermediary energy source at the observed depth section, which wirelessly transfers energy to the microchips during their passage, extending their operational range without requiring larger batteries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If drilling microchips are pumped through the drill string, then downhole data can be collected, but the microchips clog internal components including drill bit nozzles and rotor/stator interface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection capabilityVSAvoidsystem clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The microchips are extracted from the drilling mud stream at the observed depth section using a dedicated release mechanism, allowing them to be deployed into the annulus rather than being forced through the entire drill string internal flow path, thereby eliminating clogging of drill bit nozzles and rotor/stator interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A hydraulic piston system is used to push the microchips out of the drill string through a release mechanism at the observed depth, providing controlled deployment without requiring the microchips to traverse the entire internal drill string flow path where clogging occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Productivity

If indirect calculations are used to estimate temperature and pressure, then planning can proceed without downhole measurements, but accuracy is reduced due to multiple sources of error

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplanning efficiencyVSAvoidtemperature and pressure accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Physical downhole measurement devices (microchips with sensors) replace indirect calculation methods, directly measuring temperature, pressure, and trajectory parameters at the observed depth to provide accurate real-time data for well planning and execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The microchips autonomously collect, store, and transmit their own measurement data through the drilling mud flow, eliminating the need for separate survey operations and providing self-contained accurate measurements for well planning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 real-time data collection of temperature, pressure, and wellbore trajectory without battery depletion or clogging, improving drilling operations by ensuring continuous data gathering and reducing errors.

Implementation Method 1

The ball reduces a cross sectional area of a flow path while in the ball landing seat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The ball catcher and the ball are made of a dissolvable material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS11898436B2Method and apparatus for downhole charging, initiation, and release of drilling micro sensing systems (microchips)

Publication Date: 2024.02.13 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A system includes a sliding sleeve, a ball landing seat, a plurality of microchips, a hydraulic piston, and a ball catcher. The sliding sleeve is installed within a tubular body having an exit groove. The ball landing seat is formed by the sliding sleeve. The plurality of microchips are housed in a microchip ring installed within the sliding sleeve. The hydraulic piston is installed within the microchip ring and triggered by reception of a ball in the ball landing seat. The ball reduces a cross sectional area of a flow path while in the ball landing seat. The hydraulic piston releases the plurality of microchips through the exit groove and into the well to gather data. The ball catcher is configured to receive and hold the ball after the plurality of microchips are released into the well. The ball catcher and the ball are made of a dissolvable material.