Wellbore Conveyance Control Using Failure-Based Speed Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyance systems in wellbores are typically controlled manually based on operator intuition, leading to inefficiencies and safety risks due to the lack of empirical guidance on safe operational limits.
Innovation Solution
A conveyance control system that utilizes real-time sensor data, physics models, and failure models to automatically adjust the speed and load of conveyance systems within wellbores, ensuring operation within safe thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conveyance systems are operated at higher speeds to improve efficiency, then productivity increases, but the risk of equipment damage and safety incidents increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors surface load measurements and depth of tool measurements in real-time, compares them against dynamically calculated thresholds based on failure models, and automatically adjusts conveyance speed to maintain safe operation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to operate at optimal speeds while preventing equipment damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters (speed, load) based on real-time measurements and failure model predictions. By continuously adjusting these parameters according to actual well conditions and equipment state, the system maximizes productivity while maintaining safety margins.
2Ease of operation
If manual control based on operator intuition is used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but operational efficiency decreases due to conservative speed limits
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-adjustment of conveyance parameters based on real-time measurements and failure models. The automated control system eliminates the need for conservative manual intervention while maintaining operational flexibility, allowing the equipment to regulate itself within safe parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual operator judgment and intuition with an automated electronic control system that uses sensor measurements, failure models, and algorithmic decision-making. This substitution of human judgment with automated systems eliminates conservative limitations while maintaining safety through scientific modeling.
3Reliability
If conservative speed limits are enforced to ensure safety, then equipment reliability is maintained, but operational time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, pre-defined speed limits to dynamic, real-time speed optimization. By continuously adapting conveyance parameters based on actual measurements and failure model predictions, the system achieves both safety and time efficiency, eliminating the need for uniformly conservative speed limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The failure models predict potential equipment failures in advance based on operational parameters and well conditions. By identifying and addressing potential issues before they occur, the system prevents safety incidents without requiring conservative operational limits, thereby reducing unnecessary operational time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a conveyance system implemented in a wellbore includes receiving surface measurements including surface load measurements, surface speed measurements, and depth of tool measurements for the conveyance system. The method includes, with a failure model, generating a threshold associated with at least one of a maximum run-in-hole speed, a maximum pull-out-of-hole speed, a maximum load, a minimum load, or a maximum depth of tool for the conveyance system. The method further includes adjusting the movement of the conveyance system based on identifying that the surface measurements surpass the threshold.