CN101908693B - Downhole sensor interface - Google Patents

Abstract

An interface to provide coupling between a downhole sensor and wiring to other electrical equipment. The interface is configured to obtain voltage from a single power line and provide it to the downhole sensor while simultaneously converting sensor data to frequency form for transmission right back over the same power line. In this manner a substantial reduction in downhole wiring may be obtained. This may be particularly beneficial for sensors to be incorporated into downhole equipment where size and space issues are prevalent, particularly in the circumstance of equipment requiring a retrofit in order to accommodate the sensor capacity.

Description

Downhole sensor interface

Technical field

Execution mode described in literary composition relates to the transducer for the down-hole in oil drilling application.Especially, special detailed description is used for the interface electrically connecting this transducer.

Background technology

In oil industry, in DRILLING APPLICATION, usually use the multiple transducer being couple to underground equipment, to provide the information about well or equipment in given process.Such as, monitoring temperature, pressure and other hole condition, read the information relevant with equipment self simultaneously.The information that these equipment reads can comprise load and/or the pressure of the equipment that gives monitored in DRILLING APPLICATION.

Underground equipment can comprise downhole tractor, such as, drives downhole tool to pass the drilling well of level or offsets in height in oil field.In this manner, instrument can be placed on position that drilling well needs and need not comprehend the non-vertical attribute of this kind of well.Such as, reciprocating or " passive type " tractor can be employed, and it may be used for using and drives anchor to be separated adjacent detector, thus exchange couple the borehole wall.Namely, detector is optionally protected the borehole wall with being anchored in boring and passing drilling well with looper state further.Optionally, " active " or " continous way " moving tractor uses the draft arm it having and drives traction element.This driving traction element comprises wheel, cam, pad, guide rail or chain.Use this tractor, drive traction element can comprise interface by continuous moving in the borehole, thus drive tractor through drilling well.

Do not consider selected tractor configuration mode, tractor, together with the equipment of a few kip, drilling well several thousand feet can be drawn into the position implementation and operation of the needs of the well in down-hole.In the whole process of this enforcement, use transducer referred to above to have particular advantage to the state monitoring well and/or equipment.Such as, when the position of equipment in drilling well is more and more darker, the load of retractor device can exceed the level of tractor load capacity close to one.Therefore, monitor load and can play the part of a very important role in the process performing this operation.Therefore, load cell can be incorporated in retractor device.

Whether but load, pressure or other monitored situation, transducer is probably in conventional tension measuring state.Usually, this comprises the use of four wires communicated between transducer and microprocessor.These wires comprise two outlet wires, one for power supply, another root be used for ground connection.There are two output leads equally to carry out transfer of data between transducer and microprocessor.

In downhole tractor, extra-pay is brought in available space.Namely, drilling well may have be less than 12 inches diameter for work.Therefore, the profile of tractor is minimum.As a result, the feature of the individuality of tractor will reduce size too.Same situation may occur on the equipment of association tractor used.In fact, the amount of the wire even used in down-hole all must minimally be worth.Such as, when downhole sensor is as described above by use, down-hole microprocessor can be placed near transducer.In this case, the amount of wire will be maintained at minimum value.When particularly advantageous probably use a large amount of wire at downhole sensor, normally four, as described above.

Unfortunately, though when between microprocessor and transducer distance relatively in short-term, a large amount of wires still may be present in this distance in.Such as, the separation being not more than 4 inches between transducer and microprocessor still brings the wire of minimum 16 inches, because a large amount of wires that transducer is used.As a result, a lot of retractor device cannot use downhole sensor because of shelf space.This situation is present in needs especially and improves to hold in the device of this transducer.

Summary of the invention

A kind of electronic building brick for being used in drilling well down-hole is described.The power line that described assembly comprises processor and sends therefrom.Equally also there is the transducer measured about drilling state.Therefore, be also provided with couple transducer and power line interface to allow to carry out electric power and transfer of data by power line between processor and transducer.

Accompanying drawing explanation

Fig. 1 is the sectional view of the downhole component using downhole sensor interface execution mode;

Fig. 2 is downhole sensor interface display power supply line and the multi-thread perspective view coupled in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 A is the schematically illustrating of downhole hardware in Fig. 1, the electrical characteristic of focus coupling in fig. 2;

Fig. 3 B is the structure chart of the electrical applications program circuit execution mode implemented by downhole interface in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is the overall perspective of the downhole component be used in Fig. 1 in oil drilling;

Fig. 5 is the general block diagram of the execution mode using downhole sensor interface.

Embodiment

The execution mode of downhole sensor interface is described with reference to specific underground equipment.In fact, focus concentrates on the downhole tractor device of the execution mode using sensor interface.Especially, what describe in a lot of accompanying drawings of the application is reciprocating downhole tractor assembly.But very eurypalynous underground equipment can use the transducer of the execution mode being couple to sensor interface, as described here.The execution mode of downhole sensor interface is configured to connect the conventional multi-thread part of downhole sensor and the single power supply line of microprocessor simultaneously.Like this, data and electric power can be transmitted by power line simultaneously, reduce use circuit total amount in assembly with this.As a result, any amount of underground equipment can sensor installation, and mounting means adopts the mode by the advantage of the minimizing electric wire demand herein given by embodiment.Especially, active and/or interference apparatus such as tractor, sleeve pipe offset component and other equipment usually lacking sensor characteristics can pass through the easier adaptation of sensor capability or the transformation of interface embodiment herein.

Referring now to accompanying drawing 1, the execution mode of downhole sensor interface 100 is included in the axle 115 of reciprocating tractor 400, near its downhole detector 175 (see accompanying drawing 4).Transducer 103 interface 100 one end couples the multi-thread joint 102 of transducer, and described multi-thread joint is described in more detail below.The other end of interface 100 couples the power line 101 of down-hole microprocessor 104, and down-hole microprocessor 104 configures the signal being used for instruction and explaining sensor 103.Therefore, downhole sensor interface 100 allows to provide independent overall power line 101 and multi-thread joint 102 interface by this way, allows to carry out effective electric power and data communication between microprocessor 104 and transducer 103.

Described downhole sensor interface 100 is used to allow wire total amount between transducer 103 and microprocessor 104 to keep minimum.That is, all multi-thread joints 102, quantity is approximately 4, not be used in the overall length between transducer 103 and microprocessor 104 and runs.As described below, this is obtained by following technology, and namely voltage transformation is to frequency signal, this frequency signal by power line 101 be transferred to microprocessor 104 simultaneously electric power be transferred to transducer 103 along the same line 101.

As shown in Figure 1, microprocessor 104 is included in axle 115, is positioned at the opposite side of detector 175 relative to transducer 103, about several feet of distances.Therefore, in view of detector 175 as described below machining and and limited amount of available space, especially there is advantage for the single power supply line 101 electrically coupled between transducer and microprocessor 104.But as described below, even if in other execution mode be placed on closer to transducer 103 at microprocessor 104, wiring reduces also will have important value.

In other execution mode, microprocessor 104 and transducer 103 are located more close to each other, are approximately less than 3 inches of distances at first, but are configured to allow relative to each other to change position.This will be favourable, such as, when underground equipment tends to distortion to a certain degree.Same, be, when to a certain extent the pressure sensor of physical responses being produced to pressure change, be also favourable at transducer 103.In any case in this embodiment, the power line 101 between transducer 103 and microprocessor 104 is configured to tensile coiling and allows feature (103,104) relative to each other to change position.This type that couples is found in US Patent No. 6396414.Even if position is adjacent to each other, using multi-threadly provides this communication to be also a significant challenge for above-mentioned coiled configuration.Therefore, the use single power supply line 101 between transducer 103 and microprocessor 104 can more easily allow to adopt effectively coils configuration.

Continue see accompanying drawing 1, the structure of tractor detector 175 and being described in detail with the relation of transducer 103.Namely, as shown in the figure, transducer 103 is configured to monitor the pressure in the chamber 122 that limited by piston 110.Be combined, described feature (103,110,122), as power mechanism for monitoring, can be used for regulating the Physical interaction between detector 175 and the wall portion 185 of drilling well 180.Namely, as shown in the figure, detector 175 is equipped with bow spring 144, and described bow spring comprises crawl saddle 124, to capture wall 185 in the process be actuated at the arm 135 being couple to piston 110.But, the size capturing the power that the joint portion between saddle 124 and wall 185 produces may be affected at the diameter of any position well 180 provided.Therefore, as described below, transducer 103, piston 110 and chamber 122 can use to monitor this power and help to reduce the possibility that bow spring 144 owes expansion and detector 175 slippage.Similar, these features 103,110,122 can use to help to reduce bow spring 144 to destroy the possibility (and comprise avoid by bow spring 144 is sunk to wall 185 and cannot move) of the mode generation overdistension bending spring 144 or wall 185.

Continue see accompanying drawing 1, transducer 103 is a kind of as the pressure sensor of conventional solenoid or transducer.As described in, transducer 103 configuration monitor in chamber 122 pressure change.Such as, when tractor 400 moves through well, in the place that the diameter of well 180 reduces, the power on bow spring 144 increases (see accompanying drawing 4).So, piston 110 is forced to move towards chamber 122 hydraulic coupling that increases wherein.As noted, this situation is can be occurred by the mode that transducer 103 is monitored.Such as, the pressure in chamber can near 20000-40000psi.Finally can be recorded by microprocessor 104 with the information of this pressure correlation and explain the size determined roughly by bending the power that spring 144 transmits.Therefore, the place be suitable for, when the power monitored is greater than or less than predetermined acceptable value, can perform correct action.

As mentioned above, Information Availability is used the size of the power controlled by bending spring 144 transmission thus reduces in distraction procedure the destruction of the borehole wall 185.Such as, once the information instruction power obtained is beyond predetermined amount, then processor 104 can be used to guide fluid to be discharged from chamber 122 by traditional components.By this way, the pressure on piston 110, and eventually through the power that bow spring 144 transmits, can be reduced.

Simultaneously see accompanying drawing 4, downhole detector 175 is parts of large reciprocating retractor device 400, and this draw-gear 400 comprises well detector 475 equally.When being driven by stratum 195, detector 175,475 engage the wall 185 of well 180 together convertibly, draw the apparatus of load of a few kip.When detector 175, when a joined wall 185 in 475 is to do the motion of looper shape, the power of predetermined volume can be adopted, such as, about 5000psi.By this way, at detector 175, in the impulse stroke of 475, enough, but be not destructive quantity power by anchoring bow spring 144 transmit.

In above-mentioned execution mode, once transducer 103 monitors power be greater than predetermined value, about 5000psi, microprocessor 104 can realize excretion or release fluids from chamber 122.Identical, once the power being less than about 5000psi is monitored to, microprocessor 104 can guide and pressurize to chamber 122 or fill.In a word, be that window between about 4800psi to 5200psi or can be kept between joint aging time during the impulse stroke of given detector 175,475 by bending the power of spring 144.

In the above-described embodiments, impulse stroke represents that given detector 175,475 anchors to the time durations on the borehole wall 185 by the power that bow spring 144 transmits.This anchor force finally to be monitored by interface 100 by transducer 103 by microprocessor 104.In tractor 100 back and forth process At All Other Times in, but given detector 175,475 can be allowed to the relative borehole wall 185 wittingly and slide.In this " returning " stroke, acceptable pressure threshold value can be different.But, pressure still can by microprocessor 104 by transducer 103 and interface 100 at this monitoring in time.

Present continuation, see accompanying drawing 2, simultaneously see accompanying drawing 1, which depict the perspective view of downhole sensor interface 100.Interface encapsulation part can be less than about two inches in length, is in height less than about half inch.Therefore, sensor interface 100 is enough little of the position of the detector 157 covering the close tractor 400 in axle 115 (see also accompanying drawing 4).In addition, given subsurface environment, interface 100 can be rated for working temperature and be greater than about 150 DEG C.

Sensor interface 100 is provided with feedthrough connector 275, as shown in the figure.Suppose that transducer 103 can comprise multi-thread lead-in wire 102, common as traditional strain gauge sensors, feedthrough connector 275 can be equipped and multi-threadly to couple for this.As shown in Figure 2, multi-thread lead-in wire 102 can comprise two input leads 205, for power supply another root be used for ground wire.In addition, two output leads 207 can be set for the aboveground data being conveyed through transducer 103 and obtaining.Feedthrough connector is configured to applicable all this lead-in wires 102.

Sensor interface comprises the center housing 250 for holding electric circuit in well 200 equally.Circuit 200 configuration is used for effectively the character of above-mentioned multi-thread lead-in wire 102 being converted into single line scheme (namely by power line 101).So, the amount of the wire of use can reduce, as above.The mode that circuit 200 realizes conversion will be described in detail by reference to accompanying drawing 3A and 3B below.In the embodiment as shown, circuit 200 can be configured to the adaptive voltage from the highest 20V of power line 101.In addition, as circuit 200 control, the frequency signal of the highest 1.5MHz can transmit back aboveground on power line 101.

Continue see accompanying drawing 2, sensor interface comprises power line coupling 225, and this coupling receives power line 101 wherein.Coupling 225 allows power line 101 and circuit 200 to carry out electrical interface, as mentioned above.Therefore, the electric power from power line 101 to downhole transmitted, can exceed circuit 200, through the input lead 205 also last transducer 3 arrived in accompanying drawing 1.Similar, the data obtained from transducer 103 send back aboveground eventually through power line 101.

Referring now to accompanying drawing 3A, which show the schematic diagram of assembly in Fig. 1.Especially, the electronics coupling of sensor interface 100 is described.Namely, as mentioned above, voltage (see arrow 325) is supplied by power line 101 and is directed to transducer 103.According to the amount of voltage of supply, interface 100 can be used for turning down to be supplied by multi-thread lead-in wire 102 and to be sent to the voltage (see arrow 350) of transducer 103.

The transducer 103 powered up can be used in subsurface environment as shown in Figure 1, such as, for monitor force.According to the sensor information now obtained by transducer 103, voltage can be passed back by multi-thread lead-in wire 102 and be processed by interface 100.In this case, this signal based on voltage can be converted into frequency (i.e. the Hz at arrow 300 place) by sensor interface 100.Therefore, although voltage inputs (see arrow 325) along same circuit 101 simultaneously, the information relevant with down-hole state monitored by transducer 103 also transmits by power line 101.Like this, required in assembly use procedure wire amount reduces.

Continue see Fig. 3 B, show the block diagram of the electronic application program of downhole sensor interface 100 in Fig. 3 B.Such as, from " transducer ", regulate in the shop sent to, shown in block diagram " power adjustment ".More particularly, in one embodiment, the voltage exceeding about 10V is turned down to is no more than about 5V (to transducer).The transducer of energising and then can obtain reading, such as pressure.Such as, in traditional strain gauge sensors is arranged, the pressure of 20000-40000PIS can be read as 200-400mV.Along with this information is monitored to, less voltage range can be transformed into, as shown in " operational amplifier variable gain " in block diagrams.

In one embodiment, the range larger mV reading read being converted to 0-2.5V of " operational amplifier variable gain " is adopted.Subsequently, frequency modulation(FM) can be implemented, as shown in block diagram " frequency modulation(FM) ".Such as, the voltage of reading can be converted to frequency.In one embodiment, frequency range used after have employed modulated applications program is approximately from 50KHz to 1.5MHz.In any case once modulation, frequency information can be passed back by power line (as indicated in block diagram " direct-current coupling ").Therefore, these frequencies read and can be obtained by microprocessor and process, and as above describe in detail.

Referring now to the overall perspective of downhole component shown in the Fig. 1 be used in shown in accompanying drawing 4, figure in the well 180 in oil field 490.As shown in the figure, well 180 is through multiple stratum 195,495.The tractor 400 of the assembly in Fig. 1 is used to be laid from the surface in oil field 490 by conventional wirerope 450.Certainly, the well turnover cable of other form can also be adopted.As shown in Figure 4, this wirerope 450 of several thousand feet long can extend from wiring unit 425, arrives tractor 400, as shown in the figure by well head 430.Equipment comprises conventional wiring truck 415, and described wiring truck configuration is used for holding the cylinder 417 therefrom extracting wirerope 450 out.In the execution mode of display, control appliance 419 provides with the form of truck 415 equally, lays and relevant traction to instruct wirerope 450.

Reciprocating tractor 400 uses the downhole detector 175 with transducer described in literary composition and interface, and this reciprocating tractor 400, when to shown location transmission downhole tool 460 such as logging tool, can carry out adaptive especially.Such as, described position may be a position being relatively difficult to arrive, such as, parallel well part under several thousand feet, ground, as shown in the figure.In such a case, the load capacity being pulled device 400 traction may exceed a few kip and continue to increase along with tractor 400 continues to be deep in well 180.Therefore, by above-detailed assemblies monitor stretch and/or pressure have significant benefit to well 180 and tractor 400.Therefore, reduce wiring as mentioned above and can bring significant benefit for continuing downhole operations with the advantage holding transducer and interface.When renovating tractor or miscellaneous equipment adjusts transducer and interface to hold, be exactly this situation just.

Referring now to accompanying drawing 5, describe the flow chart of summarizing the execution mode using downhole sensor interface.Namely, transducer can be a part for larger assembly, and this larger assembly, as Suo Shi 515 and as described in above reference Fig. 4, is laid on down-hole.Represented by 530, electric power can be supplied along a direction by single power line, such as, to send and towards sensor interface from down-hole microprocessor.This electric power can be adjusted to predetermined level and transducer is used for the situation of monitor well or equipment self, as shown in 545 and 560 subsequently.

As noted, transducer can use the situation of monitoring described assembly, represented by 560.This is hereinbefore by very detailed description, in the process of down-hole, wherein use Sensor monitoring to input to the pressure of tractor by bow spring.But transducer equally can the situation of monitor well self.Such as, in another embodiment, transducer can be a part for logging tool.

Present continuation is see accompanying drawing 5, and the information obtained by transducer can be converted to frequency information, represented by 575.Therefore, this information can be sent back to, represented by 590 with the direction inputted in contrast to electric power described above by identical power line.Therefore, enter sensor interface and be maintained at minimum value from the wiring amount that sensor interface sends.

Above-mentioned execution mode allows transducer to be included in the minimum downhole component of free space.This is by using a kind of sensor interface to realize, and this transducer makes to adopt the wiring amount based on needed for the transducer of strain measurement minimum.Therefore such execution mode may cannot need the tractor transformed to have special benefit with other assemblies for sensor function leaving space for using traditionally.

Aforesaid being described through provides with reference to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.Those skilled in the art can change described structure and method of operation when not having a mind to leave purport of the present invention and convert.Such as, the strain gauge sensors outside pressure sensor, such as tension monitor can use sensor interface as above.In any case; aforesaid description can not be interpreted as and be only applicable to ad hoc structure that is described and that be presented in appended accompanying drawing; and be interpreted as consistent with following claims and support following claim, it has the most complete and the most objective protection range.

Claims (10)

1. in drilling well for a sensor interface for down-hole, described interface comprises:

Be configured to the center housing be arranged in the axle of downhole tool;

Be arranged on the circuit in center housing;

The feedthrough connector of center housing, is couple to described circuit by the multi-thread lead-in wire of strain gauge sensors, and this circuit structure becomes effectively the character of multi-thread lead-in wire to be converted into single line scheme, thus the amount of the wire used in sensor interface is reduced; With

The power line of center housing, is couple to described circuit by power line, and described Circnit Layout is used for obtaining electric power and transmission data relative to described power line simultaneously, and wherein, the size of described sensor interface is less than about 0.5 inch and takes advantage of about 2 inches.

2. sensor interface as claimed in claim 1, is characterized in that, is specifiedly exposed to the temperature exceeding about 150 DEG C.

3. sensor interface as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that, described power line provides the electric power up to about 20V.

4. sensor interface as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that, described data are the frequency signal up to about 1.5MHz.

5. sensor interface as claimed in claim 1, it is characterized in that, power line comprises the power line of extensible winding.

6. in drilling well for an electronic building brick for down-hole, described assembly comprises:

For the transducer of Measurement situation;

For providing the power line of the extensible winding of electric power to described transducer;

Be couple to the interface of the multi-thread lead-in wire of described power line and described transducer, for allowing electric power and data simultaneously through described power line; With

Microprocessor, is couple to described power line, in electric power and data while power line transmission, carry out electric power and data communication with described transducer, this microprocessor is arranged in about 3 inches of described transducer.

7. electronic building brick as claimed in claim 6, it is characterized in that, described transducer comprises strain gauge sensors, described transducer configuration be used for monitoring pressure, load and pulling force one of them.

8. electronic building brick as claimed in claim 6, it is characterized in that, described situation is relevant to described assembly and/or drilling well.

9. electronic building brick as claimed in claim 6, it is characterized in that, described multi-thread lead-in wire comprises:

At least two input leads; With

At least two output leads.

10. electronic building brick as claimed in claim 9, it is characterized in that, described at least two input leads comprise:

At least one power line; With

At least one ground wire.