IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0858540
(2004-05-28)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Bloom, Duane
- Moore, Norman Bruce
- Beaufort, Ronald E.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Knobbe Martens Olson &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
29 인용 특허 :
41 |
초록
▼
A downhole drilling tractor for moving within a borehole comprises a tractor body, two packerfeet, two aft propulsion cylinders, and two forward propulsion cylinders. The body comprises aft and forward shafts and a central control assembly. The packerfeet and propulsion cylinders are slidably engage
A downhole drilling tractor for moving within a borehole comprises a tractor body, two packerfeet, two aft propulsion cylinders, and two forward propulsion cylinders. The body comprises aft and forward shafts and a central control assembly. The packerfeet and propulsion cylinders are slidably engaged with the tractor body. Drilling fluid can be delivered to the packerfeet to cause the packerfeet to grip onto the borehole wall. Drilling fluid can be delivered to the propulsion cylinders to selectively provide downhole or uphole hydraulic thrust to the tractor body. The tractor receives drilling fluid from a drill string extending to the surface. A system of spool valves in the control assembly controls the distribution of drilling fluid to the packerfeet and cylinders. The valve positions are controlled by motors. A programmable electronic logic component on the tractor receives control signals from the surface and feedback signals from various sensors on the tool. The feedback signals may include pressure, position, and load signals. The logic component also generates and transmits command signals to the motors, to electronically sequence the valves. Advantageously, the logic component operates according to a control algorithm for intelligently sequencing the valves to control the speed, thrust, and direction of the tractor.
대표청구항
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1. A tractor for moving within a passage, comprising:an elongated body; a propulsion cylinder engaged with and longitudinally movable with respect to the body, the propulsion cylinder having an elongated interior volume defined between ends of the propulsion cylinder; a thrust-receiving portion long
1. A tractor for moving within a passage, comprising:an elongated body; a propulsion cylinder engaged with and longitudinally movable with respect to the body, the propulsion cylinder having an elongated interior volume defined between ends of the propulsion cylinder; a thrust-receiving portion longitudinally fixed with respect to the body, the thrust-receiving portion residing within and being longitudinally movable between the ends of the propulsion cylinder, the thrust-receiving portion fluidly dividing the interior volume of the propulsion cylinder into an aft chamber on an aft end of the thrust-receiving portion and a forward chamber on a forward end of the thrust-receiving portion; a first gripper assembly longitudinally movably engaged with the body, the first gripper assembly having an actuated position in which the first gripper assembly limits movement of the first gripper assembly relative to an inner surface of the passage and a retracted position in which the first gripper assembly permits substantially free relative movement of the first gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage, the first gripper assembly having a first actuation chamber configured so that the first gripper assembly moves to its actuated position when pressurized fluid flows into the first actuation chamber, and so that the first gripper assembly moves to its retracted position when pressurized fluid flows out of the first actuation chamber; a second gripper assembly longitudinally movably engaged with the body, the second gripper assembly having an actuated position in which the second gripper assembly limits movement of the second gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage and a retracted position in which the second gripper assembly permits substantially free relative movement of the second gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage, the second gripper assembly having a second actuation chamber configured so that the second gripper assembly moves to its actuated position when pressurized fluid flows into the second actuation chamber, and so that the second gripper assembly moves to its retracted position when pressurized fluid flows out of the second actuation chamber; a high pressure chamber configured to receive pressurized fluid from a source external to the tractor; a propulsion control valve having a first position in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the propulsion control valve into the aft chamber of the propulsion cylinder, and in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid in the forward chamber of the propulsion cylinder to flow through the propulsion control valve into an annulus between the tractor and the inner surface of the passage, the propulsion control valve having a second position in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the propulsion control valve into the forward chamber of the propulsion cylinder, and in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid in the aft chamber of the propulsion cylinder to flow through the propulsion control valve into the annulus; a gripper control valve having a first position in which the gripper control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the gripper control valve into the first actuation chamber to cause the first gripper assembly to move to its actuated position, and in which the gripper control valve permits fluid in the second actuation chamber of the second gripper assembly to flow through the gripper control valve into the annulus so that the second gripper assembly moves to its retracted position, the gripper control valve having a second position in which the gripper control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the gripper control valve into the second actuation chamber to cause the second gripper assembly to move to its actuated position, and in which the gripper control valve permits fluid in the first actuation chamber of the first gripper assembly to flow through the gripper control valve into the annulus so that the first gripper assembly moves to its retracted position; a sensor configured to sense when the thrust-receiving portion reaches an end of the interior volume of the propulsion cylinder; and a control assembly configured to be activated by the sensor, the control assembly configured to switch the gripper control valve between its first and second positions and also to switch the propulsion control valve between its first and second positions. 2. The tractor of claim 1, wherein the control assembly comprises electronic components.3. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising a pressure relief valve configured to limit the pressure of the fluid in the high pressure chamber.4. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising a first motor controlling the position of the propulsion control valve and a second motor controlling the position of the gripper control valve.5. The tractor of claim 1, wherein the propulsion cylinder surroundingly engages the body, the interior volume of the propulsion cylinder being defined as an annulus between an outer surface of the body and an inner surface of the propulsion cylinder, the thrust-receiving portion comprising an annular piston surrounding the body.6. The tractor of claim 1, further comprising a bottom hole assembly secured with respect to a distal end of the elongated body, the tractor configured to move the bottom hole assembly within the passage.7. The tractor of claim 6, wherein the bottom hole assembly includes well completion equipment.8. The tractor of claim 6, wherein the bottom hole assembly includes logging equipment.9. The tractor of claim 8, wherein the logging equipment includes logging sensors.10. The tractor of claim 8, wherein the logging equipment includes tools for measuring formation dip and borehole geometry.11. The tractor of claim 8, wherein the logging equipment includes formation sampling tools.12. The tractor of claim 8, wherein the logging equipment includes production logging tools.13. The tractor of claim 6, wherein the bottom hole assembly includes tools for washing sand, hydrocarbon debris, and other solids from the passage.14. The tractor of claim 13, wherein the tools for washing include acid washing tools.15. The tractor of claim 6, wherein the bottom hole assembly includes retrieval tools for retrieving objects within the passage.16. A tractor for moving within a passage, comprising:an elongated body; a propulsion cylinder engaged with and longitudinally movable with respect to the body, the propulsion cylinder having an elongated interior volume defined between ends of the propulsion cylinder; a thrust-receiving portion longitudinally fixed with respect to the body, the thrust-receiving portion residing within and being longitudinally movable between the ends of the propulsion cylinder, the thrust-receiving portion fluidly dividing the interior volume of the propulsion cylinder into an aft chamber on an aft end of the thrust-receiving portion and a forward chamber on a forward end of the thrust-receiving portion; a first gripper assembly longitudinally movably engaged with the body, the first gripper assembly having an actuated position in which the first gripper assembly limits movement of the first gripper assembly relative to an inner surface of the passage and a retracted position in which the first gripper assembly permits substantially free relative movement of the first gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage, the first gripper assembly having a first actuation chamber configured so that the first gripper assembly moves to its actuated position when pressurized fluid flows into the first actuation chamber, and so that the first gripper assembly moves to its retracted position when pressurized fluid flows out of the first actuation chamber; a second gripper assembly longitudinally movably engaged with the body, the second gripper assembly having an actuated position in which the second gripper assembly limits movement of the second gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage and a retracted position in which the second gripper assembly permits substantially free relative movement of the second gripper assembly relative to the inner surface of the passage, the second gripper assembly having a second actuation chamber configured so that the second gripper assembly moves to its actuated position when pressurized fluid flows into the second actuation chamber, and so that the second gripper assembly moves to its retracted position when pressurized fluid flows out of the second actuation chamber; a high pressure chamber configured to receive pressurized fluid from a source external to the tractor; a propulsion control valve having a first position in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the propulsion control valve into the aft chamber of the propulsion cylinder, and in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid in the forward chamber of the propulsion cylinder to flow through the propulsion control valve into an annulus between the tractor and the inner surface of the passage, the propulsion control valve having a second position in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the propulsion control valve into the forward chamber of the propulsion cylinder, and in which the propulsion control valve permits fluid in the aft chamber of the propulsion cylinder to flow through the propulsion control valve into the annulus; a gripper control valve having a first position in which the gripper control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the gripper control valve into the first actuation chamber to cause the first gripper assembly to move to its actuated position, and in which the gripper control valve permits fluid in the second actuation chamber of the second gripper assembly to flow through the gripper control valve into the annulus so that the second gripper assembly moves to its retracted position, the gripper control valve having a second position in which the gripper control valve permits fluid to flow from the high pressure chamber through the gripper control valve into the second actuation chamber to cause the second gripper assembly to move to its actuated position, and in which the gripper control valve permits fluid in the first actuation chamber of the first gripper assembly to flow through the gripper control valve into the annulus so that the first gripper assembly moves to its retracted position; a control assembly configured to sense when the thrust-receiving portion reaches an end of the interior volume of the propulsion cylinder, switch the gripper control valve between its first and second positions, and switch the propulsion control valve between its first and second positions.
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