Shielded Core Gripper for Deep-Water Coring Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coring tools in deep-water environments face challenges such as accidental core cutting operations due to vessel movement and unknown lithology, leading to reduced success rates in forming core columns.
Innovation Solution
A coring tool with a differential device and core gripping mechanism that includes a retractable gripper and a slip-collar type gripper, along with a shielding mechanism, allows for selective core cutting operations in different formations by transitioning through multiple states to avoid accidental cutting and ensure successful core formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a floating drilling rig is used for deep-water coring, then access to deep-water reservoirs is enabled, but the vessel moves up and down with waves causing accidental core cutting operations
Solution Approach 1:
The core gripping device is designed with dynamic shielding capability that can switch between shielded and exposed states. The shielding mechanism dynamically protects the core gripper during coring operations and selectively exposes it during core cutting operations, adapting to different operational phases to prevent accidental cutting while enabling intentional cutting when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding mechanism acts as an intermediary between the core gripper and the core column. It mediates the interaction by blocking the core gripper from contacting the core during normal coring operations, and selectively allowing contact during controlled core cutting operations, thus preventing harmful accidental cutting while enabling useful intentional cutting.
2Device complexity
If a single-type coring tool is used, then device complexity is reduced, but it cannot adapt to different lithology types (soft and hard formations)
Solution Approach 1:
The coring tool incorporates a universal core gripping device with dual-mode operation capability. The device can function in both shielded mode for soft formations and exposed mode for hard formations, allowing a single tool design to handle multiple lithology types without requiring separate specialized tools for each formation type.
Solution Approach 2:
The core gripping device transitions between different operational states (shielded and exposed) to adapt to different lithology conditions. This dynamic state change allows the same physical device to optimize its performance for both soft and hard formations, providing versatility without increasing fundamental device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the core gripper is always exposed, then core cutting operations can be performed at any time, but accidental core cutting occurs during coring operations
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding mechanism provides preliminary protection by keeping the core gripper in a shielded state during coring operations, preventing accidental core cutting before it can occur. The shielding is removed only when intentional core cutting is required, thus preemptively avoiding harmful actions while enabling useful ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The core gripping device dynamically adjusts its state between shielded and exposed based on operational requirements. During coring operations, it remains shielded to prevent accidental cutting; during controlled core cutting operations, it transitions to an exposed state to enable cutting, thus balancing accessibility with protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A coring tool, a coring method, and use thereof are provided. The coring tool has a differential device for selective force transmission and a core gripping device for core cutting operations arranged within the housing. The core gripping device has a retractable core gripper, a slip-collar type core gripper and a shielding mechanism. The shielding mechanism is configured to be actuated by the differential device, so that the slip-collar type core gripper is shielded during coring operation and a first core cutting operation to avoid accidental core cutting operation, and to be exposed during a second core cutting operation to complete the whole core cutting operation.