Autonomous tractor using counter flow-driven propulsion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wellbore interventions face challenges with coiled tubing costs, limited injection lengths, slow jointed tubing operations, and weight limitations of wireline tractors, while autonomous robotic tractors are hindered by battery weight and system costs.
Innovation Solution
A wellbore tractor powered by wellbore fluid flow, eliminating the need for electricity or batteries, which uses the energy of wellbore fluid to propel itself and perform tasks such as logging, communication, and wellbore evaluation, with optional battery or wireline assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional wireline tractors are used, then the tractor can pull wireline tools through the wellbore, but the weight of the wireline and cost of the tractor limit effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical wireline tractor system with a fluid-driven propulsion system. The wellbore tractor uses fluid flow from the wellbore itself to generate thrust through turbines or impellers, eliminating the need for heavy wireline-based mechanical tractors. This substitution of mechanical propulsion with fluid dynamics-based propulsion directly addresses the weight limitation while maintaining intervention capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs hydraulic principles by utilizing wellbore fluid flow to drive the propulsion system. Turbines or impellers are rotated by the flowing fluid, converting hydraulic energy into mechanical propulsion. This hydraulic approach enables the tractor to move through the wellbore without requiring heavy mechanical drive systems, thus reducing weight while maintaining reliability.
2Extent of automation
If autonomous robotic tractors with batteries are used, then automation is improved, but battery weight and system cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the wellbore tractor to harvest energy directly from the wellbore fluid flow through onboard turbines or impellers. This self-powered approach eliminates the need for heavy battery systems, as the tractor generates its own propulsion energy from the environment it operates in. The autonomous operation is maintained through this self-sustaining energy source rather than stored energy in batteries.
3Ease of operation
If coiled tubing is used for intervention, then the tractor can be deployed, but the injection lengths are limited by the size of the coil and expensive equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tractor from the traditional coiled tubing deployment system and enables it to operate independently using wellbore fluid flow for propulsion. By removing the dependency on coiled tubing for both deployment and operation, the system eliminates the length limitations imposed by coil size and the need for expensive coiled tubing rigs. The tractor can traverse longer distances limited only by wellbore conditions rather than equipment constraints.
4Ease of operation
If jointed tubing is used for intervention, then the tractor can be deployed, but the operation is slow and requires a rig to be moved into place
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the slow mechanical jointed tubing assembly and disassembly process with a fluid-driven propulsion system that can be deployed more efficiently. The wellbore tractor uses continuous fluid flow for propulsion rather than incremental mechanical advancement through jointed sections, significantly increasing operation speed and eliminating the need to move heavy rigs into position for each intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a wellbore tractor and method for operating a well system. The wellbore tractor, in one aspect, includes a base member, and one or more turbines fixed to the base member for rotating the base member in a first rotational direction based upon a first direction of fluid flow. The wellbore tractor, according to this aspect, further includes one or more wellbore engaging devices radially extending from the base member, the one or more wellbore engaging devices contactable with a surface of a wellbore for displacing the base member and one or more turbines axially downhole as the one or more turbines rotate in the first rotational direction.