Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20040060697
Timestamp: 2018-02-26 04:08:21
Document Index: 703612542

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'arts 72']

US20040060697A1 - Smart cementing systems - Google Patents
Smart cementing systems
US20040060697A1
US20040060697A1 US10259214 US25921402A US2004060697A1 US 20040060697 A1 US20040060697 A1 US 20040060697A1 US 10259214 US10259214 US 10259214 US 25921402 A US25921402 A US 25921402A US 2004060697 A1 US2004060697 A1 US 2004060697A1
US10259214
US7219730B2 (en )
After a sufficient volume of cement has been placed into the wellbore, a second dart 72 is deployed. Drilling mud is pumped in behind the second dart 72 to move the second dart 72 down the working string. The second dart 72 travels downhole and seats against a second liner wiper plug. Hydraulic pressure above the second dart 72 forces the second dart 72 and the second plug to dislodge from the liner and they are pumped down the liner together. This forces the cement ahead of the second plug to displace out of the liner and into the annulus. This displacement of the cement into the annulus continues until the second plug seats against the float valve. Thereafter, the cement is allowed to cure before the float valve is removed.
[0020]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention disposed in a partially cased wellbore. In this view, a dart is moving towards a plug.
[0021]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a dispensing apparatus usable with the present invention.
[0022]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the apparatus of FIG. 1. In this view, the dart and the plug has moved to a lower portion of the wellbore.
[0023]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of another aspect of the present invention. In this view, the optic fiber is provided with an optical sensor.
[0024]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention.
[0025]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention.
[0026]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a partially cased wellbore 10. In this view, an upper portion 20 of the wellbore 10 has been lined with casing 25, and the annular area between the casing 25 and the wellbore 10 has been filled with cement 30. Additionally, a lower portion 40 of the wellbore 10 is in the process of being lined with a tubular 50.
[0030]FIG. 2 is an exemplary dispensing apparatus 85 usable with the present invention. The dispensing apparatus 85 is disposed inside a cementing head along with the second dart 72. In this view, the second dart 72 has not been released into the wellbore 10. As shown, one end of the fiber 80 is attached to the second dart 72 and another end coupled to the dispensing apparatus 85. The dispensing apparatus 85 contains a release mechanism designed to dispense a length of fiber 80 that corresponds to the distance traveled by the second dart 72. In this respect, the amount of fiber 80 dispensed is a measurement of the linear displacement of the second dart 72. Consequently, the location of the second dart 72 can be tracked by determining the amount of fiber 80 dispensed. In another embodiment, the dispensing apparatus 85 may be placed outside of the cementing head. It must be noted that other types of dispensing apparatus 85 may be used with the aspects of the present invention; for example, one such dispensing apparatus 85 is manufactured by Gas Technology Institute.
The fiber 80 may be provided with markings to facilitate the reading of the length dispensed. Alternatively, one or more rollers (not shown) may be disposed below the dispensing apparatus. As the fiber is dispensed, it will cause the roller to rotate a respective distance. The length of the fiber dispensed may be calculated from the number of revolutions made by the roller. Other methods of measuring the length of fiber dispensed known to a person of ordinary skill in the art are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
[0035]FIG. 3 shows the second plug 62 engaged with the first plug 61, thereby blocking off fluid communication between the interior of the liner 50 and the wellbore 10. In this view, all or substantially all of the cement have been displaced into the wellbore 10. Additionally, cement is prevented from flowing back into the liner 50 through the float valve 65. Once the second plug 62 is stationary, an operator at the surface can compare the approximate distance between the surface and the float valve 65 to the length of fiber 80 dispensed. In this manner, the operator is provided with a positive indication that the second plug 62 has successfully reached the bottom of the liner 50. The operator may then discontinue supplying the drilling mud into the wellbore 10. When the cement cures, the darts 72, plugs 61, 62, float valve 65, and fiber 80 are drilled out.
lowering the apparatus into the wellbore with a conveying member;
using the measured parameter to determine the location of the apparatus.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a cementing apparatus.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cementing apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a plug, a dart, and combinations thereof.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the conveying member is selected from the group consisting of a fiber optics line, a wire, a cable, and a tube.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter measured comprises a length of the conveying member.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the conveying member is selected from the group consisting of a fiber optics line, a wire, a cable, and a tube.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is measured using a sensor.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the measured parameter is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, and combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein one end of the conveying member is coupled to a dispensing apparatus.
10. An apparatus for determining the location of an object in a wellbore, comprising:
a dispensing apparatus; and
an optic fiber line operatively connected to the object at one end and the dispensing apparatus at another end.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object comprises a dart or a plug.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the line is substantially taut during operation.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispensing apparatus is disposed within a cementing head.
14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the line comprises one or more optical sensors.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more optical sensors comprise distributed sensors.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more optical sensors are multiplexed.
17. A method for determining a condition in a wellbore, comprising:
connecting one end of a fiber optics line to an object to be lowered into the wellbore, wherein the fiber optics line includes one or more sensors;
placing the object in the wellbore;
communicating one or more signals along the fiber optics line; and
measuring a change in the one or more signals.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of temperature, pressure, strain, fluid flow, and combinations thereof.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more sensors are disposed proximate the wellbore condition measured.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the fiber optics line is also connected to an optical signal source and a receiver.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein a change in the one or more signals is detected as a change in intensity.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising using an interferometrics technique selected from the group consisting of Mach-Zehnder, Michelson, Fabry-Perot, Sagnac, and combinations thereof.
23. A method for operating an apparatus in a wellbore, comprising:
connecting a fiber optics line to the apparatus;
connecting a signal source to the fiber optics line;
connecting a controller to the fiber optics line;
sending an optical signal along the fiber optics line to the controller; and
operating the apparatus.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising connecting the controller to a power supply.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein operating the apparatus comprises moving the apparatus between an open position and a closed position.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein the apparatus comprises a downhole valve.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the downhole valve is selected from the group consisting of a flapper valve, float valves, plunger valves, and combinations thereof.
28. The method of claim 23, wherein the apparatus comprises a sleeve.
29. An apparatus for measuring a parameter of a wellbore, comprising:
a conveying member operatively coupled to the dispensing apparatus at one end and to a wellbore apparatus at another end, wherein the parameter measured is associated with the conveying member.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the wellbore apparatus is a cementing apparatus.
31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the parameter is measured by the wellbore apparatus.
32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the parameter is measured by a sensor connected to the conveying member.
33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein a result of the measured parameter is transmitted along the conveying member.
34. An apparatus for measuring a parameter in a wellbore, comprising:
a conveying member operatively coupled to the dispensing apparatus at one end and to a wellbore apparatus at another end, wherein information associated with the parameter is transmitted along the conveying member.
US10259214 2002-09-27 2002-09-27 Smart cementing systems Active 2024-01-12 US7219730B2 (en)
US10259214 US7219730B2 (en) 2002-09-27 2002-09-27 Smart cementing systems
GB0322533A GB2393465B (en) 2002-09-27 2003-09-23 Smart cementing systems
CA 2442475 CA2442475C (en) 2002-09-27 2003-09-25 Smart cementing systems
US20040060697A1 true true US20040060697A1 (en) 2004-04-01
US7219730B2 US7219730B2 (en) 2007-05-22
ID=29401081
US10259214 Active 2024-01-12 US7219730B2 (en) 2002-09-27 2002-09-27 Smart cementing systems
US (1) US7219730B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2442475C (en)
GB (1) GB2393465B (en)
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CA2442475C (en) 2007-07-03 grant
GB0322533D0 (en) 2003-10-29 grant
CA2442475A1 (en) 2004-03-27 application
GB2393465B (en) 2006-05-10 grant
US7219730B2 (en) 2007-05-22 grant
GB2393465A (en) 2004-03-31 application
US20030127232A1 (en) 2003-07-10 Optical position sensing for well control tools
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TILTON, FREDERICK T.;LIRETTE, BRENT J.;MARTENS, JAMES G.;REEL/FRAME:013557/0317