Coiled tubing well tool and method of assembly

Abstract

A long, well tool which effectively performs as an integral part of a typical coiled tubing string and accordingly can be ran continuously into a pressurized wellbore with the same deployment equipment as used with known coiled tubing. The tool is comprised of a plurality of elements (e.g. perforating charges or logging sensors such as hydrophones, geophones, gamma ray sensors, gravity sensors, etc.) fixed at spaced, known distances from each other within a flexible housing, e.g. a length of coiled tubing.

1 . A well tool comprising:
 a flexible housing adapted to be connected to the end of a string of coiled tubing to become a part thereof, said housing being flexible enough to be wound onto a reel of a standard coiled tubing system; and   a plurality of elements fixed within said housing at known distances from each other.   
   
   
       2 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said housing is formed from a length of the same coiled tubing to which said housing is to be attached. 
   
   
       3 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said housing is formed from a the entire length of the same coiled tubing. 
   
   
       4 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said elements comprise:
 perforating charges.   
   
   
       5 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said elements comprise:
 logging sensors.   
   
   
       6 . The well tool of  claim 5  wherein said logging sensors comprise
 hyrdophones.   
   
   
       7 . The well tool of  claim 5  wherein said logging sensors comprise:
 gamma ray sensors.   
   
   
       8 . The well tool of  claim 5  wherein said logging sensors comprise:
 geophones.   
   
   
       9 . The well tool of  claim 5  wherein said logging sensors comprise:
 gravity sensors.   
   
   
       10 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said flexible housing is comprised of material selected from the group: steel, steel alloys, corrosion resistant alloy, titanium, fiberglass, or composite materials which are compatible with coiled tubing spooling technology. 
   
   
       11 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein said flexible housing has the same nominal diameter as that of the coiled tubing string to which it is to be attached. 
   
   
       12 . The well tool of  claim 1  wherein including:
 spacer means for spacing said elements at said known distances from each other with said flexible housing.   
   
   
       13 . The well tool of  claim 12  where said spacer means comprises:
 individual flexible members of known lengths which are respectively coupled between two adjacent said elements.   
   
   
       14 . The well tool of  claim 13  wherein each of said flexible members comprises:
 a known length of a flexible hollow rod.   
   
   
       15 . The well tool of  claim 1  including:
 means for connecting said elements together for transmission of power and signal transmission to and/or from element.   
   
   
       16 . The well tool of  claim 14  wherein said means for connecting said sensors comprise:
 individual lengths of wire passing through respective said lengths of said hollow rod and connecting said two adjacent elements together.   
   
   
       17 . A method of assembling a well tool for use with a coiled tubing string, said method comprising:
 coupling at least two elements together which are spaced from each other at a known distance from each other to thereby fix said elements in a fixed array;   positioning said array in a flexible housing; and   fixing said array of said elements within said flexible housing whereby said housing and said elements effectively form an integral part of said coiled tubing string which can be reeled onto and off of a coiled tubing reel.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said at least two elements comprises:
 a plurality of perforating charges wherein adjacent charges are coupled and spaced from each other at a known distance.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said at least two elements comprises:
 a plurality of logging sensors wherein adjacent sensors are coupled and spaced from each other at known distances.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said array of said elements is fixed within said housing by dimpling said flexible housing at each of said elements to thereby secure said respective element to said housing at that point.