2) United States Patent Wiebe et al. (54) SYSTEM TO HARVEST ENERGY IN A WELLBORE (71) Applicant: Focus Tools Colorado, LLC, Deaver cows) (72) Inveators: Durey L, Wiebe, Denver, CO ( Rene M. Rey, Denver, CO (U ) Focus Tools Colorado, LLC, Denver, cows) (73) Assignee: (4) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended ot adjusted under 35 USC. 154(b) by O days (21) Appl. Nos 14494463 (22) Filed: Sep. 23,2014 (1) Inc E21B 7724 (2006.01) Ho2N 218 (2006.01) E21B 41/00 (2006.01) (32) 1 41/0085 (2013.01) 175/56, 175/93; 175/105; 310/339 tion Search 175/56, 93, 106: 101339, 319 See pplication ile far complete search history. 68) S008925649B1 US 8,925,649 B1 jan. 6, 2015 U (10) Patent No. 4s) Date of Patent: 66) References Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS SOME A * 811999 Olney ctl sm yom B2* 7201 Wang eal Sina Sat0.s67 B2* 43013 Rasteparet a 3101339 SSott7e B2* 102013 Havetal 310339 2ons003tias ALS '2200) Garcia-Oauna 15340 * cited by examiner Primary Examiner — Kenneth [Thompson Assistant. Wei Wang (74) Attorney, Agent, o Firm Wendy Buskop Buskop Law Group, PC: on ABSTRACT A systemo harvest mechanical energy ina wellbore, wherein ‘the mechanical energy comes from motion. The system ses ‘mechanical energy coming from at lest one of: motion of @ Grill bit, motion of a drill sting, motion of Mowing air or rilling md down the dil string tothe drill bit and up an ‘annulis between the dil string and he wellbore. motion ofa bottom hole assembly connected tothe dil string. The sys- tem can include a plurality of piezoelectric stand bundles, ‘wherein cach individual piezoelectric strand ean vibrate as the pressure hosing moves inthe wellhore, thereby prone ing electricity 15 Claims, § Drawing SheetsU.S. Patent Jan. 6, 2015 Sheet 1 of 5 US 8,925,649 B1 102 | Hoan TE {DRILLING MUD ‘ FIGURE 1 103a i 2 I Le ye aU.S. Patent Jan. 6, 2015 Sheet 2 of 5 US 8,925,649 B1 FIGURE 2US 8,925,649 BL Sheet 3 of 5 Jan. 6, 2015 U.S, Patent eze o—s—_ HOLIOVAY BAY | apt 31800 duAloLos73| | Taosnas ‘SUN IWHadINL HOIH BOVLIOA i t epp“L U9 SOVEOIS DUANE | gay : wossz00ud =F #8 98 Eresirceuy ee) | STE gee| HILHIANOD SUNLMEANL HOH | ~[B0¥LI0A a7 Haven gop" 30IN30 30VUOLS ADHANE 0s AINDYID pee SNINOLLIGNOD H3MOd WOLIOVAYO BAAYT i ep! F18NOd QUAIOWL III YOSN3S SUNLVHSdINSL HOIH JOVIIOA, aig gp JIAO SOVEOIS AOWANA ais ae €FungldUS 8,925,649 BL Sheet 4 of 5 Jan. 6, 2015 U.S, Patent 288 8s ania ‘snoynanad 341 Wows SONVHLS 9181071307314 GNIS D1gL93190¢aid FHL 40 SHOW HO 3NO 41 3NINU3L30 01 S35¥L10A NMON 40 ALITY Id 3HL O1 119419 SNINOLIONOS YaMOd 3H OL, S300WL912 40 ALMVHMTd 3H Ad CaLLivuSNeL S39¥LIOA aevdN09 OL SNOUIAYISNI B3LNaNO9| iL ‘S3OVIIOA NMIOND ‘SNOLIVOIsIO3dS NIHLIM ONIIVeAdO TeV $3010 SOVYOLS AHANS HL al ANINUSL0 OL SANA NLvHAI¥9 40 ALrveflid 3HL OL ST¥NOIS 39vLI0A| SHI 3dvaINOO O1 SNOLONUISNI ¥3LNAIOD SaTTTVA NOUWUSNVD SUT 39VUO1S ADURN 0vSS3IN V AOIAOYG O1 SNOMOMLLSNI UALNAIIOD FOUN30_INANO ONY AMTASIO 3HL 40 3N0 ISvaT IY. jy NO dolAad 29 vHO1S AgHNa Hv 40 GOVLION HOV LAW 1dSI GN OLINOW Ol SNOLINULSNI WaLNdMIO9| SLUT 3OVUOLS ADURNG OvUOLS VIVO 30vsuNS 1W0SS300Ud JOVIUNS —— eee OvSSaN ‘AMASIO WSLS HIWSH 3OWNOA IOVIUTS £9 a9 ee 969 v JuNdldU.S. Patent Jan. 6, 2015 Sheet 5 of 5 US 8,925,649 B1US 8,925,649 BI 1 SYSTEM TO HARVEST ENERGY INA. WELLBORE FIELD ‘The present embodiments generally relate to a system to harvest energy ina wellbore containing adil string ompris- ing interconnected tubulars BACKGROUND Power foruse in a downhole environment has generally in the past been either stored in a battery and conveyed down- holeorthe power as been transmitted va conductors. sacha wireline, from the space or another remote location Batter- Jeshave the capability of storing only afiniteamountof poser therein and have environmental limits, such as temperanre, ‘on thei use, Electrical conductors, suchasthoseina conventional wire Tine, provide a practically unlimited amount of power, but rexire special facilities tthe surface for deployment. These ‘ales typically block the production low path (ie, Himit ing the flow rate of fds through the flow path) while the ‘conductors are inthe flow path. Thus, wireline operations are ‘ypicallyearied out prior othe production phase ofa well or «during remedial operations after the well hasbeen placed into producto Inwellbore dilling operations, oe or moreeflicient power sources are desirable to power dexenhole instrumentation. A ‘wide variety of devices can se mechanical energy inorder to perform work downhole. Those devices may be subject t0 @ ‘variety of forces and can release energy ina number of ways. "A nced exists fora system of harvesting mechanical energy ‘downhole and generating electrical power therefrom. A need, ‘exists fora system to harvest energy ina wellbore containing ‘adil string “The present embodiments mut these needs BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. “The detailed description will be beter understood in con- junction withthe accompanying drawings as follows FIG. 1 depict a dil string ina wellbore sccording one oF more embodiments. FIG, 2 depicts a cross sectional view of the portion ofthe system that harvests mechanical motion from movement While drilling acconting one or more embodiment. FIG. 3 depicis a block diagram of the electrical system acconting one or more embodiments TIG. 4 depicts diggram ofa surface voltage health meter usable at the surface and outside of the wellbore according ‘one oF more embodiments, FIG. 5 depicts. piezoelectric stand bundle witha plurality ‘of piesoelectrc strands according one or more embodiments The preseat embodiments ae detailed below with refer. ‘ence tothe listed Figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS. Before explaining the present system in detail, it is to be understood thatthe system is not limited to the particular ‘embodiments and that it ean be practiced of carried out in various ways, “The present cibodiments relate to systems to harvest energy in a wellbore containing a drill string using an 0 o 2 enclosed waterproof hermetic pressure housing, connected between drilling collar and a universal bottom hole orien- ‘ation (UBHO) sub assembly "The pressure hosing ean be adapted to sustain an extemal pressure of at Jest 20,000 ps and maintain an internal pres- Se of about I stm. The pressure housing ca he an enclosed Waterproof hermetie pressure housing. ‘The internal chamber ofthe pressure housing can contain pendulous member. One or more piezeectre strand bundles ‘an cach be secured to the pendslous member These piezo- clecizc stand bundles can vibrate and produce elececiy as thepressure housing moves in the wellboreas wcomponest of she drill sting, letredes can be connected to the piezoeletric strand bunes and receive electricity prodvced from the piezoelee- ‘we stand bundles, Each electzade can flow poster from the piezoelectric strand bundles to 2 power conditioning cecuit "A power conditioning circuit is wed to normalize the eloc- tricity eevived by the electrodes to within predetermined range. This power conditioning cicuit can be eleccically ‘snneeted tone oF more energy stomige devices ‘The energy storage deviees ean be connected in series and cccve the power fom the power conditioning circuit within 1 predetermined range. Fach energy storage device can eon- ‘ain a high temperature electrofytic double layer capacitor. Fach high temperature electrolytic double layer eapacitorcan be adapted 10 susisin operating temperatures from ~40 degrees Celsius to 300 degrees Celsius without damage, thereby forming a magnet fre system for harvesting eletric™ ity while operating ina wellbore, ‘A benefit of the present cinbodimentsis tht the power is produced on site, thereby bypassing the transportation Frictions of fuel cells and lithium batteries. Further, the present embodiments provide power during quiet times of the bottom hole assembly A benefit of the present embodiments is that no liduium ‘batteries, which can explode, are needed. Lithium batteries can case Inge fies at a dil site, oF another work over Tction, and the present embodiments prevent sch explo- sions, Futher, when the tool is being tested, there is no possibility of explosion bya ithium hater. asthe tool has Tihium battery ‘A benefit othe present embodiments is that itis usable for ‘operating messure-while-dlling equipment while deillingin ‘wellbore. A benefit of the present embodiments is that it prevents eat ata del site by enabling fewer trips out of the hole thereby creating a safer environment for field hands at dil site. A benefit of the present embodiments s that it prevents broken bones and other serious injuries by avoiding explo- ‘The embodied systems are directed at harvesting energy’ in. wellbore, A pressure housing, iypically waterproot and hermetically senfed, can be eonnected between a drilling col- Jar and a sub assembly. Within the internal chamber of the pressure housing, « pendulows member ean be anchored. The pendulous member can swing ina pendulum motion as the pressure housing moves inthe wellbore. Dezoeletric strand bundles, which can be comprised of individual piezoclectric strands of various lengths, ean be secured tothe pendulous member by an anchor. The piezo- cleciric strand bundles can swing frely in parallel with the pendulous member. The individual piezoelectric strands can vibrate as the pressure housing moves in the wellbore, thereby producing electricity. The electricity can low to elec” trodes galvanically connccted to the pieroelectric strand bundles and then to enemy storage devices.US 8,925,649 BI 3 The systems ean include a power conditioning circuit con nected between the electrodes and the eneray storage devices. The power conditioning circuit normalizes electricity from the electrodes and provides a voltage to the energy slonage ‘device within predetermined range. A buck boos! converter ‘can beaded o accept a ringe af input voltage levels less than 8 preset range and more than a preset range, and provide & voltage output within a predetermined output voltage range. “Turning now tothe Figures, FIG. I depietsa drill string Sin wellbore 100 accordingly fo one or more embodiments “The drill string S canbe made up ofinterconnected tubulars 1037 aod 103 In embodiments, the del string canbe from fw feet to several miles in length ‘A pressure housing 10 can be located within « deiling collar 12 and secured toa sib assembly 13 of a bottom hole assembly 6. The bottom hole assembly 6 can be connected 10 the drill string § proximate the drill bit 1. The sub assembly ‘ean be a universal bottom hole orientation (UBHO) sub assembly. TInembodiments the pressure housing can be from 2 feet 10 6.5 feet. The pressure housing ean havea diameter from 1 87S ‘inches to slightly less than the diameter ofthe tubulars used {or the drill string. The pressure housing ean be made from ‘copper beryllium, such as TOUGHMET™, a copper alloy made by Materion of Michigan and Ilinois. The pressure housing ean be comprised of any suitable non-magnetic material. In embodiments, the pressure housing can have & ‘coating disposed on the outside. The pressure howsing 10, ‘which ean be waterproof and hermetically sealed, can Be adapted to sustain external pressures of at least 20,000 psi ‘hile simultaneously maintaining an intemal chamber pres sure of around I stmosphere (atm) ar ancter normal stmo- spheric pressure. The dail string § can rotate and have @ motion 2 of a dill string, Air3 can low into the dell ting. Their can bean sirand foam mixture used for air drilling. Diling mud 4 ean also flow into the drill ting §. The air and the drilling mud, ‘can flow down the connccted tbls to adil it 1 and up ac ‘annulus 102 between the drill string Sand the wellbore 100, TIG. 2 depicts a cross sectional view of the portion ofthe system that havests the mechanical motion from movement ‘while drilling acconlingly to one or more embodiments “The stem harvests themechsical energy coming from at least one of a motion ofa dail bit, a motion ofa dri sting, @ ‘mation of flowing air or driling mud dawn the dil string to the dail bitand up an annulus between the del string and the ‘wellbore, and a motion of bottom hole assembly connected to the drill sting The pressure housing 10 ean have an internal chamber 1. ‘he pressure housing 10 can be inside a drilling collar 12 and connected 1 a sub assembly. In embodiments the pres- ‘ure housing ean connest Io a bulkbead 18 which attaches to the sub assembly 13. TInembodiments, the pressure housing 10 can havea diam- ‘eter fom 20 percent to 95 percent less than 3 diameter ofthe ‘it voltage signals tothe power conditioning eirui. '5, The system of claim 1, further comprising. surface voltage health meter comprising a surface processor con- nected 10-2 strface data storage, wherein the surface data storage comprises: a. preset energy storage limits; ', computer instnictions to insiruet the processor io moni {orand display each voltage of the atleast one energy Storage device on a least one of at least one display, at Teast one cient device, or the at leastone display and the atleast one cleat devioe: and «-computeriastructions to jnstructthe processor‘o provide ‘a message to at east one ofthe a least one display the at least one client device, or both theat least one display ‘and the at least oneclieat device when the energy storage ddovioe exceeds one of the preset energy storage limit. 8 6. The system of claim §, wherein the surface voltage Dealth meter i in communication with 9 network and with a splay ofthe at last one client device, providing a message to the display of the at least one client device through the ework, 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the surface data storage comprises a plurality of calibration values for the energy storage device and computer instrections to instruct the sur- face processor to compare the voltage signal othe plurality ‘ofealibraton values to determine if the energy storage device is operating within specifications 8. The system of claim §, wherein the surface data storage comprises: a plurality of known voltages foreach ofthe piezoelec- tee strands and +. compute instructions to instruct the surface processor to ‘compare Voliages irasenitted by the plurality of elee- ‘rods toa power conditioning circuit to the plurality of [known voltages to determine ifone or more ofthe piezo- the pendulous member, and to increase the evellcient of transfer of energy from ‘cach of the piezoelectric strands to the plurality of ‘lecirades,