Patent EA-003317-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and system for moving equipment into and through a conduit
Inventor: BIJLEVELD AARNOUD FREDERIC
IPC: E21B4/18
Filed: 1999-06-11
Abstract: 1. A method for moving equipment into and through a conduit (2,50), the method comprising: - releasably connecting a piece of equipment (55) to a shuttle device (11,51) which is able to locomote itself as a wireless tractor through a section of the conduit (2,50); - inducing the shuttle device (11,51) to locomote itself and each piece of equipment (55) connected thereto through the conduit (2,50); - releasing each piece of equipment (55) from the shuttle device (11,51) at a downhole location in the conduit (2,50) and - inducing the shuttle device to return through said section of the conduit; characterized in that the method further comprises: - inserting one or more pieces of equipment (55) into an equipment storage and handling unit (4) which is located near an accessible point of the conduit (2,50) and which comprises an equipment storage rack (25,59), a launch conduit (6,56) and a handling mechanism for moving one or more pieces of equipment from the storage rack into the launch conduit which is connectable in fluid in communication with the conduit via at least one gate (12,28); - inducing the handling mechanism to insert one or more pieces of equipment into the launch conduit; - connecting the piece(s) of equipment (55) to the shuttle device (11,51) in the launch conduit (6,56); and - inducing the shuttle device (11,51) to locomote itself as a wireless tractor through both the launch conduit (6,56) and the conduit (2,50). 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the equipment storage and handling unit (4) is equipped with a storage rack formed by a carousel assembly (25,58), in which one or more pieces of equipment are stored such that when the carousel assembly is rotated, one stored piece of equipment can be inserted into the launch conduit (6,56) by the handling mechanism and is then linked to the shuttle device (11,51). 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shuttle device (11,51) moves said piece(s) of equipment (55) to a downhole garage (60) which is equipped with a carousel in which a plurality of pieces of equipment (55) can be stored. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shuttle device (11,51) is equipped with at least one wheel (17,52), with a battery (21) powered motor which rotates at least one wheel (17,52) in such a direction relative to a housing of the shuttle device (11,51) that the wheel rolls along the inner wall of the conduit (2,50) and that the shuttle device locomotes itself in a longitudinal direction through the conduit (2,50), and with an expandable packer (24,54), which is expanded in the conduit (2,50) when the shuttle device (11,51) needs to return to the launch conduit (6,56), such that the shuttle device and packer (24,54) provide a seal within the conduit (2,50) through which fluids flow and the shuttle device is induced to flow with the stream of fluids up to the launch conduit (6,56). 5. A system for moving equipment into and through a conduit (2,50), the system comprising: - a shuttle device (11,51) which is able to locomote itself as a wireless tractor through a section of the conduit (2,50) and which is equipped with a connector (14) to which one or more pieces of equipment (55) can be releasably connected; characterized in that the system further comprises: - an equipment handling unit which is located near an accessible point in the conduit (2,50) and which comprises an equipment storage rack, a launch conduit (6,56) which is connectable in communication with the conduit (2,50) via at least one gate (12,28) and a handling mechanism for moving one or more pieces equipment from the storage rack into the launch conduit (6,56); and that the shuttle device (11,51) is able to locomote itself as a wireless tractor through both the launch conduit (6,56) and the conduit (2,50). 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the equipment storage and handling unit (4) is equipped with a storage rack (25,59) formed by a carousel assembly in which one or more pieces of equipment (55) are stored such that when the carousel assembly is rotated, one stored piece of equipment (55) can be inserted into the launch conduit by the handling mechanism and is then linked to the shuttle device (11,51). 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the shuttle device (11,51) is equipped with at least one wheel (17,52) and with a battery (21) powered motor which rotates at least one wheel (17,52) in such a direction relative to a housing of the shuttle device (11,51) that the wheel rolls along the inner wall of the conduit (2,50) and that the shuttle device (11,51) locomotes itself in a longitudinal direction through the conduit (2,50). 8. The system of claim 7 wherein the conduit (2,50) is a wellbore and the accessible location is at or near the surface of the earth. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the shuttle device (11,51) is equipped with an expandable packer (24,54), which is expanded in the conduit (2,50) when the shuttle device (11,51) is to be returned to the launch conduit (6,56) at or near the earth surface, such that the packer (24,54) provides a seal within the wellbore through which well fluids are produced and the shuttle device is induced to flow with the stream of well fluids up to the earth surface. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the well (50) is equipped with a downhole garage (60) in which a plurality of equipment (55) modules can be stored. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the downhole garage (60) is equipped with a carousel in which equipment modules (55) can be inserted by the shuttle device (51). 12. A shuttle device (11,51) for use in a system for moving equipment through an underground well, the shuttle device comprising: - a motor which is powered by a power source carried by the device; - at least one wheel or arm which can be pressed against the inner wall of the wellbore and which can be rotated and/or axially translated by the motor relative to a housing of the shuttle device such that the shuttle device locomotes itself as a wireless tractor throughout the underground well, characterized in that the shuttle device is further equipped with an expandable packer (24,54) which is in use expanded downhole when the shuttle device (11,51) needs to move in a downstream direction through the well (2,50), such that the packer substantially seals off the wellbore and well fluids produced via the well induce the shuttle device (11,51) to move in a downstream direction through the wellbore. 13. The shuttle device of claim 12, wherein the power source is a rechargeable battery (21). 14. The shuttle device of claim 13, wherein the rechargeable battery (21) is a high temperature ceramic lithium ion battery.