Modular Rotary Steerable Control for Shop-Free Field Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary steerable systems are large and require frequent maintenance, necessitating transportation to a shop for disassembly and repair, which is cumbersome and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A modular control system for rotary steerable systems that is field detachable, allowing modules to be easily disconnected using only hand tools without electrical connections, enabling maintenance and replacement at the drilling location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional rotary steerable systems are used, then drilling direction control is achieved, but system length becomes excessive (over 150 inches) requiring frequent maintenance and transportation to shops
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary steerable system is divided into multiple detachable modules including a control module, steering module, and power module. Each module can be independently removed and replaced in the field using only hand tools, eliminating the need to transport the entire 150+ inch system to a shop for maintenance.
2Reliability
If conventional rotary steerable systems are used, then drilling direction control is achieved, but maintenance becomes cumbersome requiring transportation to shop for disassembly and repair
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into modular components that can be independently accessed and maintained. The control module can be detached from the steering and power modules using only hand tools, allowing field maintenance without shop transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables field personnel to perform maintenance and replacement operations directly at the drilling location using only hand tools, eliminating the need for specialized shop equipment and transportation infrastructure.
3Ease of repair
If modular control system with field detachable modules is used, then maintenance ease is improved allowing field replacement, but device complexity increases due to multiple detachable components
Solution Approach 1:
While segmentation into modular components does increase structural complexity, it dramatically improves maintenance ease by allowing individual modules to be detached and replaced in the field using only hand tools, eliminating the need for shop transportation and specialized equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary steerable system including a steering section and a control section. The control section includes a modular control system that is field detachable from a remainder of the control section. The modular control system includes one or more modules that are field detachable from the other modules and a remainder of the modular control system. Examples of the modules of the modular control system include a power module configured to generate electrical power or electromagnetic field rotation from hydraulic power, a control module configured to control actuation of one or more pistons in the steering section, and/or a flow control module configured to selectively allow fluid flow into one or more distribution channels leading to the one or more pistons of the steering unit.