Pump Down Pipe Severing Tool with Electronic Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for addressing stuck drill pipes downhole, such as blind back off, wireline free point and back off, and hydraulic severing using pump down darts, are either inaccurate, hazardous, or limited in flexibility, particularly in high-angle wells, necessitating an improved solution for efficient and safe pipe severing.
Innovation Solution
A pump down device with a cutting head, centralizers, and electronic sensors that can be deployed at any drill pipe joint, automatically anchoring and severing the pipe without dedicated subs, wirelines, explosives, or chemicals, allowing for precise depth control and operation in high-angle wells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If blind back off method is used, then the operation is simple and quick, but the cutting location is inaccurate and unpredictable
Solution Approach 1:
The pump down device incorporates electronic sensors that provide real-time feedback on the device's position and the pipe's characteristics. This feedback enables the system to automatically adjust and anchor at the optimal cutting location, resolving the contradiction between quick operation and accurate cutting by using sensor data to determine the precise moment to sever the pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs self-positioning and self-anchoring using its electronic sensors and pre-programmed inputs. The system automatically determines when to release the anchor mechanism and when to sever the pipe based on real-time conditions, eliminating the need for external guidance and ensuring both speed and accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If wireline free point and back off method is used, then the cutting location can be determined more accurately, but the process requires additional runs and uses hazardous explosives or chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hazardous explosives or chemicals used in traditional wireline severing methods with a hydraulic pump down system. The cutting action is achieved through controlled fluid pressure and a mechanical cutting head, eliminating harmful substances while maintaining accurate cutting location through electronic sensor guidance.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump down device acts as an intermediary between the surface control system and the cutting operation. Electronic sensors serve as intermediaries to detect pipe characteristics and determine the optimal cutting point, while hydraulic fluid serves as an intermediary to transmit power to the cutting head, replacing hazardous materials with a safer fluid-based system.
3Ease of manufacture
If hydraulic severing using pump down darts and dedicated subs is used, then the pipe can be severed hydraulically, but the location must be decided before drilling and the fish has large OD
Solution Approach 1:
The pump down device transitions from a static pre-positioned system to a dynamic, adjustable system. The electronic sensors enable real-time determination of the optimal cutting location during the pump down process, allowing the system to adapt to varying well conditions and pipe characteristics without requiring pre-drilling decisions or fixed sub positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device combines multiple functions in a single tool: positioning, sensing, anchoring, and cutting. The electronic sensors serve multiple purposes by detecting both the device's position and the pipe's characteristics, while the hydraulic system handles both power transmission and cutting operations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated subs and improving flexibility.
4Device complexity
If traditional methods are used, then the equipment is simple, but the downtime is costly and the operations are hazardous
Solution Approach 1:
The device is pre-programmed with input parameters before deployment, including sensor thresholds and anchor release criteria. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making during the operation, allowing the system to execute the severing process automatically and quickly, reducing downtime while the added complexity is incurred only during manufacturing, not operation.
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 quick and precise pipe severing at any joint, reducing downtime and environmental risks, as it automatically anchors and severs the pipe based on preprogrammed inputs, ensuring accurate cutting without the need for pre-installed subs or hazardous materials.
Implementation Method 1
a seal that is positioned near an end opposite to the one end of the pump down device
Implementation Method 2
one or more centralizers that are positioned adjacent to the cutting head and configured to provide friction for deployment of the pump down device at the anchor point
Data Source
AI summary
A pump down device is deployed at an anchor point in a pipe to perform a pipe severing operation. The pump down device includes: a cutting head positioned at one end of the pump down device that severs the pipe; one or more centralizers that are positioned adjacent to the cutting head and configured to provide friction for deployment of the pump down device at the anchor point and centralize the cutting head; a seal that is positioned near an end opposite to the one end of the pump down device; and an electronics housing that includes a plurality of electronic sensors. The pump down device releases an anchor mechanism upon reaching the anchor point as determined by the plurality of electronic sensors based on preprogrammed inputs. The seal prevents fluid from moving past the pump down device when in operation.