Non-rotating Drill Pipe Lateral Deployment for Seismic Sensors

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Solution Overview

Problem

Deploying sensors and equipment in abandoned wellbores is challenging due to difficulties in deploying equipment through the final completion pipe and connecting wires to the surface, especially when registering seismic events, as signal attenuation is high and geophones are sensitive to noise from fluids and proppant particles.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a non-rotating drill pipe and cable apparatus is used to create a lateral opening in the formation, allowing the placement of sensors and cables, which can be connected to a drill pipe and isolated from the motherbore using chemical dissolution, swellable packers, or cement to reduce noise interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sensors are deployed in abandoned wellbores through the final completion pipe, then the equipment can be positioned in the formation, but the deployment becomes difficult and signal attenuation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseismic signal detection reliabilityVSAvoidequipment deployment ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the deployment process by using a separate drill pipe as a temporary delivery vehicle for the sensor and cable assembly, distinct from the final completion pipe. This allows the sensor to be delivered through a dedicated borehole path while the completion pipe remains in place for production purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drill pipe acts as an intermediary tool that temporarily carries the sensor and cable to the formation location. After deployment, the drill pipe is removed or abandoned, leaving only the sensor and cable in place, thus eliminating the interference of the completion pipe with signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If geophones are positioned near flowing fluid and proppant particles, then they can detect seismic events, but unwanted noise increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseismic event detection precisionVSAvoidnoise from flowing fluid and proppant particles

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor is extracted from the noisy environment of the completion pipe and positioned directly in the formation through a separate drill pipe pathway. This physical separation removes the sensor from the harmful acoustic environment of flowing fluids and proppant particles while maintaining its ability to detect seismic events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The drill pipe is used as a disposable or temporary delivery mechanism that can be abandoned in the wellbore after deployment. This allows the sensor to be placed in the optimal position without requiring complex retrieval mechanisms, and the temporary drill pipe structure does not interfere with long-term signal quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Reliability

If the drill pipe is chemically dissolved to remove it from the lateral opening, then the cable and sensor can be isolated from the motherbore, but additional chemical processing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal isolation reliabilityVSAvoiddeployment process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical process of drill pipe removal is replaced with a chemical dissolution process. The drill pipe is made of a material that can be chemically dissolved by injecting a reactive solution through the cable conduit, automatically removing the drill pipe without requiring mechanical retrieval equipment or complex disassembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 precise placement and isolation of sensors and cables in the formation, reducing signal interference and noise, thereby improving the accuracy of seismic event detection and data collection.

Implementation Method 1

isolating the drill pipe from the motherbore by use of at least one of a group including swellable elastomeric packer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSwellable elastomeric expansion: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

isolating the drill pipe from the motherbore by use of at least one of a group including swellable elastomeric packer, cement or other settable fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCement setting: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

retrieving the drill pipe and leaving the cable and sensor in the lateral opening. The method may include chemically dissolving the drill pipe from the lateral opening for instance by use of a reactive solution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical dissolution: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS8640781B2Method and device for deploying a cable and an apparatus in the ground

Publication Date: 2014.02.04 FISHBONES

AI summary

A method and device for deploying a cable and an apparatus in a ground formation having a motherbore, wherein the method comprises positioning a non-rotating drill pipe, a cable and an apparatus in a motherbore tubular; and drilling a lateral opening relatively the motherbore by displacing the drill pipe into the formation with the cable and apparatus attached.