Untethered Wellbore Drone Control for Autonomous Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wellbore systems rely on tethered control mechanisms, limiting the mobility and accessibility of drones within the wellbore, necessitating an untethered control system for efficient and flexible control of autonomous drones performing operations like perforation and fracturing.
Innovation Solution
A control system that includes hardware and software interfaces for real-time control, monitoring, and deployment of drones, magazines, launchers, and lubricators, enabling autonomous operation and self-testing of drones before and after deployment, with features like simulated location tracking and active transmit status monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tethered control mechanisms are used, then control reliability is improved, but drone mobility and accessibility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical tethered control system with a wireless communication system. Drones are equipped with transmitters and receivers that enable communication with the control system without physical cable connections, thereby maintaining control reliability while significantly improving mobility and accessibility within the wellbore environment.
2Device complexity
If manual control and deployment is used, then system complexity is reduced, but operational efficiency and precision are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements autonomous drones equipped with self-testing capabilities and automated control systems. The drones can independently perform diagnostics, navigate to target locations, and execute wellbore operations without continuous manual intervention, thereby dramatically improving operational efficiency and precision while the control system manages multiple drones simultaneously through automated protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback systems where drones transmit status information, location data, and operational parameters back to the control system. This enables automated monitoring and adjustment of drone operations, improving both efficiency and precision while maintaining manageable system complexity through intelligent automation rather than purely manual control.
3Measurement precision
If real-time control is implemented, then operational precision is improved, but system complexity and communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal control system architecture that can manage multiple drones simultaneously through standardized communication protocols. The control system integrates various functions including real-time tracking, command transmission, status monitoring, and coordinated control into a single multi-functional platform, thereby achieving high operational precision across multiple drones without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for deploying an untethered drone is provided. The system includes a wellbore drone for being deployed into a wellbore, a magazine unit, and a control system. The wellbore drone is configured to perform at least one action based on a control command which is provided from an on-board control system embedded in the wellbore drone. The magazine unit includes one or more chambers. The magazine unit is configured to retain the wellbore drone in a corresponding one of the one or more chambers, prior to deployment of the wellbore drone into the wellbore, and dispense the wellbore drone for being deployed into the wellbore through a launcher unit. The control system includes at least one control interface for controlling at least a part of operations of the wellbore drone and the magazine unit.