Patent Publication Number: US-11643919-B2

Title: Wellbore observation system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/140,242, filed on Sep. 24, 2018, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/562,169, filed on Sep. 22, 2017, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for making observations down a wellbore, specifically, telescoping cameras that make observations from a tubular structure down a wellbore. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention can include a wireline adaptable mandrel designed to house a telescoping camera. Within the mandrel are four distinct features or functions: the reservoir, the expandable bladder, the telescoping track, and the camera track. 
     First, the reservoir is a fluid compartment within the system that houses a fluid such as a clear oil-based fluid capable of maintaining water-like clarity at temperatures between 30° F. and 300° F. The reservoir can include an electric pump and sensors to move fluid from the reservoir to the expandable bladder. The system can also include several servo motors to telescope the tracks and to push and retract the provided camera relative to the camera track such that the camera may traverse the expandable bladder once the bladder is inflated. Once images are captured and the camera has been retracted, the reservoir then accepts the returning fluid from the expandable bladder and returns to a pre-deployment state. 
     Second, the expandable bladder can be a transparent, elastic and highly abrasion resistant polymer that is resistant to puncture. The bladder can be designed to expand and to semi-conform to the internal diameter of the body the bladder is within. For example, the bladder can be deployed in a wellbore, a casing, a production tubular, etc. The objective of a semi-conformation is to prevent the bladder from being completely extruded through large breaches in casing or perforations. In some embodiments, the bladder can be designed to achieve a length of approximately 10 ft. In other embodiments, the bladder may be designed to achieve greater or shorter lengths to meet the needs of a particular application. 
     Third, the telescoping track is the platform by which the camera and expandable bladder are deployed from the mandrel. The telescoping track rests inside of the mandrel while running in hole and when traversing between inspection points. Once the telescoping track is fully deployed (approximately 10 feet in some embodiments), the expandable bladder can then be inflated to permit the camera to move forward and backwards as desired by the camera operator. In other embodiments, the telescoping track may be designed to achieve greater or shorter lengths to meet the needs of a particular application. 
     Fourth, the camera track is the platform by which the camera may move forward and back (approximately 8 feet in some embodiments) within the bladder. The camera track rests inside of the mandrel during deployment and retrieval. Once the bladder is expanded, the camera track permits the camera to move to any position along the track as desired by the camera operator. When inspection is complete, the bladder is deflated and both the camera and the camera track return to within the mandrel for moving further downhole or to be retrieved from the well. In other embodiments, the camera track may be designed to achieve greater or shorter lengths to meet the needs of a particular application. 
     A specific embodiment of the present invention is an assembly for making observations down a wellbore, comprising a tubular body having an interior cavity, the tubular body having a longitudinal axis and an outer diameter; a first track connected to the tubular body and positioned in the interior cavity, the first track is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; a second track movable along the first track; a camera movable along the second track; a bladder having an interior volume and an outer diameter, wherein the camera and at least a portion of the second track are positioned in the interior volume; wherein in a first position, the camera, the second track and the bladder are positioned inside of the interior cavity; and wherein in a second position, the camera, at least a portion of the second track, and at least a portion of the bladder are positioned outside of the interior cavity, and the outer diameter of the bladder is larger than the outer diameter of the tubular body. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the wireline adaptable mandrel is designed to house other tools. For example, cleaning implements, fishing tools, sensors, detectors, logging tools, and other tools may be attached to the telescoping track and/or camera track. In some embodiments, the reservoir and/or expandable bladder will not be utilized or present. Embodiments of the present invention may also be used in the downstream and midstream sectors, as well as in non-oilfield sectors. These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the invention(s) contained herein. The above-described embodiments, objectives, and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive. The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the invention. Moreover, references made herein to “the invention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of the invention and should not necessarily be construed as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and Detailed Description and no limitation as to the scope of the invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of the Invention. Additional aspects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the Detailed Description particularly when taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and together with the general description of the disclosure given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the disclosures. 
         FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera in a pre-deployment state in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera in a post-deployment state in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera in a pre-deployment state in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera in a post-deployment state in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and various dimensions may be altered. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is the Applicant&#39;s intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed. To acquaint persons skilled in the pertinent arts most closely related to the invention, a preferred embodiment that illustrates the best mode now contemplated for putting the invention into practice is described herein by, and with reference to, the annexed drawings that form a part of the specification. The exemplary embodiment is described in detail without attempting to describe all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied. As such, the embodiments described herein are illustrative, and as will become apparent to those skilled in the arts, and may be modified in numerous ways within the scope and spirit of the invention. 
     Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. 
     Now referring to  FIG.  1   , a cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera is provided. The mandrel  104  is a tubular structure that can be deployed downhole by wire and/or as part of a larger tubular structure such as a drill string. In some embodiments, the mandrel  104  may be deployed on electric line, slickline, coiled tubing, intelligent coiled tubing, and pipe. In some embodiments, power is provided via electrical conduit, fiber optics, or battery. The mandrel  104  has an interior cavity that houses various components of wellbore observation system. A deployment track  132  is positioned in the interior cavity, and a camera track  116  is moveable relative to the deployment track  132 . As illustrated, drive wheels and servo motors  136  can move the camera track  116  relative to the deployment track  132 . 
     Next, a camera  108  is moveable relative to the camera track  116 , and again, drive wheels and servo motors  140  can move the camera  108  relative to the camera track  116 . A camera bag or bladder  112  extends around at least a portion of the camera track  116  such that the camera  108  is positioned in the camera bag  112 . The camera bag  112  houses a displacement fluid  128  that the camera  108  can make observations through. The camera bag  112  is operatively connected to a reservoir of additional displacement fluid  128 . In some embodiments, camera bag  112  further comprises seals  120  and  124  at one or both ends of camera bag  112 . In other embodiments, seals  120  and  124  may be removable or not present. In the pre-deployment state shown in  FIG.  1   , the camera  108 , the camera track  116 , and the camera bag  112  are positioned within the interior cavity of the mandrel  104 . 
     Now referring to  FIG.  2   , a cross-sectional view of a mandrel having a telescoping camera in a post-deployment state is provided. Here, the camera track  116  moves longitudinally relative to the deployment track  132 , and at least a portion of the camera track  116  is positioned outside of the interior cavity of the mandrel  104 . Also, the camera bag  112  is at least partially positioned outside of the interior cavity of the mandrel  104 , and an additional volume of displacement fluid  128  from the reservoir is added to the camera bag  112  such that the camera bag  112  has an outer diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the mandrel  104 . As a result, the camera bag  112  partially or wholly, i.e., at least partially, contacts the interior surface of the wellbore  100 , which can be the wellbore itself, a casing  144 , a production tubular, etc. The camera  108  can move along the camera track  116  and make observations of the interior surface of the wellbore  100 . Now referring to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , these figures show alternative views of the telescoping camera in a pre-deployment state and a post-deployment state, respectively. 
     A camera  108  can be selected to meet the needs of a particular application, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different cameras can be utilized with the present invention. In some embodiments, the camera  108  may permit greater than 180-degree views. In some embodiments of the present invention, multiple cameras may be used to provide different views, e.g. different angles or levels of zoom, at the same time, or to simultaneously observe the entire circumference of the internal diameter of the wellbore. The camera  108  may also have the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom. In some embodiments, the camera is capable of recording prior to the expansion of the camera bag  112  or the extension of the deployment track  132  or camera track  116 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the camera bag  112  and camera  108  of the present invention permit visibility in even high turbidity fluids such as oil-based mud with no need for displacing the high turbidity fluids in the wellbore with a clear fluid to provide clarity. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may also be used in midstream, downstream, and non-oilfield sectors, with or without a camera  108 , a camera bag  112 , and/or a camera track  116 . 
     For example, a cleaning implement may be coupled to the deployment track  132  or the camera track  116 , enabling the cleaning implement to be moved longitudinally relative to the mandrel  104  to clean the wellbore  100 . Fishing tools, sensors, detectors, and other logging and diagnostic equipment may be coupled to the deployment track  132  or camera track  116  in other embodiments. Other embodiments of the present invention may be utilized in non-upstream applications, for example, where the observation of the interior of tubulars is required, such as sewer, water, etc. applications. 
     The invention has significant benefits across a broad spectrum of endeavors. It is the Applicant&#39;s intent that this specification and the claims appended hereto be accorded a breadth in keeping with the scope and spirit of the invention being disclosed despite what might appear to be limiting language imposed by the requirements of referring to the specific examples disclosed. 
     The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or”, as used herein, are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together. 
     Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities, dimensions, conditions, and so forth used in the specification, drawings, and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” 
     The term “a” or “an” entity, as used herein, refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. 
     The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” and variations thereof, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
     Accordingly, the terms “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof can be used interchangeably herein. 
     It shall be understood that the term “means” as used herein shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials, or acts, and the equivalents thereof, shall include all those described in the summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves. 
     The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for illustration and description purposes. However, the description is not intended to limit the invention to only the forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings and skill and knowledge of the relevant art are within the scope of the invention. The embodiments described herein above are further intended to explain best modes of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such a manner, or include other embodiments with various modifications as required by the particular application(s) or use(s) of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.