DOWNHOLE WIRELINE TENSION MEASUREMENT
A downhole string and method of operating where tension in the downhole string is monitored real time so that the tension in the downhole string does not exceed its yield strength. Included with the string is a tension sub for monitoring the tension that includes a sensor in the housing of the tension sub. The sensor can be a strain gauge and can be placed proximate an upper end of the downhole string so that tension in a wireline attached to the string can also be monitored. The portion of the housing having the sensor is narrowed for enhancing sensitivity of monitoring.
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This application claims priority to and the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/859,473, filed Jul. 29, 2013, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
BACKGROUND1. Field of Invention
This invention relates in general to production of hydrocarbon from a subterranean wellbore, and in particular to a tension measurement device on a wireline.
2. Description of Prior Art
Some wellbore operations downhole involve deploying a downhole tool on a wireline, or other conveyance means. Typical downhole tools include perforating guns, logging tools, mechanical devices and downhole sensors. Logging tools generally measure the formation properties surrounding the wellbore, and often employ nuclear magnetic resonance devices or radioactive sources. Acoustic, radioactive, temperature, mechanical, electrical, dielectric, salintysensors are also sometimes used for measuring formation properties, but also have application for interrogating wellbore completion efforts, such as assessing integrity of cement that adheres casing to a wellbore wall.
Wireline is generally weaker than tubing or drill pipe, and susceptible to tensile separation tangling or snagging in a wellbore. Moreover, deeper wellbores pose additional difficulty as the wireline can stretch under its own weight, thereby further limiting the amount of tension that can be exerted onto the wireline from the downhole tool. Accordingly, care must be taken when deploying downhole tools on wireline so that tension applied to the wireline does not exceed its yield strength. Further, components of a downhole string, such as the cable head, connector subs in the string, or other elements of the string, can also be damaged if applied tension exceeds their yield strength.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONDisclosed herein are examples of a tension sub and method for controlling tension in a conveyance means used for deploying a downhole tool string. An example of a tension sub for use in a downhole string includes a housing, a box end on an end of the housing that is coupled to a wireline, a pin end on an end of the housing that is distal from the box end and that is coupled to a downhole tool, and a sensor coupled with the housing that is responsive to tension in the housing. In this example, when the downhole tool string is deployed downhole and the wireline is put into tension, the tension is transmitted to the housing and sensed by the sensor. In one example the sensor is a strain gage, yet further optionally, the sensor is disposed on a reduced diameter portion of the housing. Electronics may optionally be provided in the housing for communicating what is sensed by the sensor to surface so that tension in the wireline can be monitored real time. The tension sub can include a switch for selectively providing communication between the sensor and surface and the downhole tool and surface. This example further includes electronics that are in a communication path between the sensor and the switch. Communication with surface and the downhole tool can be through the housing. In an embodiment, an upper end of the housing connects to a cable head, wherein the cable head attaches to the wireline.
Another example of a tension sub for use in a downhole string includes a housing having a box end that couples with a conveyance means for conveying the downhole string in a wellbore and a pin end that couples with a downhole tool, and a sensor engaged with the housing and that selectively communicates a signal to the surface that corresponds to a tension in the housing that is sensed by the sensor. Electronics may be included in the housing for communicating the signal to the surface. The tension in the housing can be dependent on a tension in the conveyance means. The conveyance means may be a wireline, coiled tubing, a slickline, or combinations thereof. In this example the sensor can be a strain gauge and placed on a portion of the housing having a reduced outer periphery.
An example of a method of downhole operations includes providing a tension sub having a housing, a box end, a pin end opposite the box end, and a sensor coupled with the housing, coupling the box end with a wireline and coupling the pin end to a downhole tool to define a downhole string, deploying the downhole string in a wellbore, and monitoring tension in the housing with the sensor and estimating tension in the wireline based on the tension monitored in the housing. An amount of tension exerted onto the wireline can be adjusted based on the step of monitoring tension in the housing. Adjusting an amount of tension exerted onto the wireline can include controlling pressure in the wellbore by pressurizing fluid and pumping the fluid into the wellbore. Alternatively, adjusting an amount of tension exerted onto the wireline may involve controlling a pulling force exerted onto the wireline at surface.
Some of the features and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTIONThe method and system of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments are shown. The method and system of the present disclosure may be in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In an embodiment, usage of the term about includes +/−5% of the cited magnitude.
It is to be further understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described, as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed illustrative embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation.
An example of the tension sub 26 is shown in an elevational view in
A pin end 44 is shown on an end of the sensor section 38 opposite its connection to the electronics section 34, and on an end of the sub opposite the box end 32. A connector pin 46 is shown axially projecting from the pin end 44 for providing electrical and signal connectivity through the tension sub 26 so the rest of the tool string 10 (
In one example where the sensor 39 is a strain gauge 40, electronics in the electronics section 34 selectively measure resistance of the strain gauge 40, where measured values of the resistance can reflect tension in the strain gauge 40, and thus tension in the wireline cable 16. Additional electronics may be included (not shown) that transmit signals representing the measurements recorded in the strain gauge 40, where the transmitted signals can be sent to surface 20 via the wireline 16 real time. In one example, included is a means to protect the mechanical sensor from damage from bending during lifting of the tool string prior to entering the well bore. The example means is a protective sleeve (not shown), which also provides a connection point for additional weight bars that slip over the wireline cable typically used in pump down operations.
In an example, fluid (not shown) is pressurized with a pressure source 58 and then pumped into the wellbore 12 for urging the tool string 10 deeper into the wellbore 12 (
The present invention described herein, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. For example, instead of wireline 16, coiled tubing or slickline can be used as a conveyance means for deploying the downhole string 10 within the wellbore 12. Moreover, as embodiments of the disclosed tension sub are sufficiently robust, the associated downhole string 10 can be run with explosive devices including plugs, packers, severing tools and perforating guns. These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A tension sub for use in a downhole string comprising:
- a housing;
- a box end on an end of the housing that is coupled to a wireline;
- a pin end on an end of the housing that is distal from the box end and that is coupled to a downhole tool; and
- a sensor coupled with the housing that is responsive to tension in the housing, so that when the downhole string is deployed downhole and the wireline is put into tension, the tension is transmitted to the housing and sensed by the sensor.
2. The tension sub of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a strain gage.
3. The tension sub of claim 1, wherein the sensor is disposed on a reduced diameter portion of the housing.
4. The tension sub of claim 1, further comprising electronics in the housing for communicating what is sensed by the sensor to surface so that tension in the wireline can be monitored real time.
5. The tension sub of claim 1, further comprising a switch for selectively providing communication between the sensor and surface and the downhole tool and surface.
6. The tension sub of claim 5, further comprising electronics in a communication path between the sensor and the switch.
7. The tension sub of claim 1, wherein communication with surface and the downhole tool is through the housing.
8. The tension sub of claim 1, wherein an upper end of the housing connects to a cable head, wherein the cable head attaches to the wireline.
9. A tension sub for use in a downhole string comprising:
- a housing having a box end that couples with a conveyance means for conveying the downhole string in a wellbore and a pin end that couples with a downhole tool; and
- a sensor engaged with the housing and that selectively communicates a signal to the surface that corresponds to a tension in the housing that is sensed by the sensor.
10. The tension sub of claim 9, further comprising electronics in the housing for communicating the signal to the surface.
11. The tension sub of claim 9, wherein the tension in the housing is dependent on a tension in the conveyance means.
12. The tension sub of claim 9, wherein the conveyance means comprises an element selected from the group consisting of a wireline, coiled tubing, a slickline, and combinations thereof.
13. The tension sub of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a strain gauge and wherein the strain gauge is placed on a portion of the housing having a reduced outer periphery.
14. A method of downhole operations comprising:
- providing a tension sub having a housing, a box end, a pin end opposite the box end, and a sensor coupled with the housing;
- coupling the box end with a wireline and coupling the pin end to a downhole tool to define a downhole string;
- deploying the downhole string in a wellbore; and
- monitoring tension in the housing with the sensor and estimating tension in the wireline based on the tension monitored in the housing.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting an amount of tension exerted onto the wireline based on the step of monitoring tension in the housing.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of adjusting an amount of tension exerted onto the wireline comprises controlling pressure in the wellbore by pressurizing fluid and pumping the fluid into the wellbore.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of adjusting an amount of tension exerted onto the wireline comprises controlling a pulling force exerted onto the wireline at surface.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 31, 2013
Publication Date: Jan 29, 2015
Applicant: GE OIL & GAS LOGGING SERVICES, INC. (Houston, TX)
Inventors: John Edward SMAARDYK (Houston, TX), John Paul JONES (Houston, TX), Robert WALLER (Rosharon, TX), Peter FONTENOT (Rosharon, TX), Christopher BROWN (Houston, TX)
Application Number: 14/145,251
International Classification: E21B 19/08 (20060101);