Anchor-based conveyance in a well

Abstract

An anchor is placed in a wellbore to convey loads into a wellbore. The anchor is placed at some desired location in a wellbore and installed at that location using, for example, arms that penetrate into the formation surrounding the anchor. A line extends from the surface, wraps around a pulley in the anchor and attaches to the downhole end of the load. Tension is applied at the surface to the line to pull the load to a desired location in the wellbore. Optionally, the same or a second line can be attached to the uphole end of the load to reposition or retrieve the load. Alternatively, a powered anchor has a line drive device and a spool. A portion of a line extends from the anchor to the load. The line is spooled onto the spool by the line drive device, thereby pulling the load into the wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 disposing an anchor in a first desired location in a wellbore;   installing the anchor into a formation surrounding the anchor; and   using a line moveably constrained by the anchor to pull a load to a second desired location in the wellbore.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the line to reposition or retrieve the load. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the disposing an anchor comprises using a self-propelled anchor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the installing the anchor comprises causing anchor arms to penetratingly engage the formation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the installing the anchor comprises releasing anchor arms from a retracted position and causing the anchor arms to penetratingly engage the formation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the using a line moveably constrained by the anchor to pull a load comprises using a drive mechanism to produce a tensile force in the line. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the line and the load form a closed loop. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a leader in conjunction with the line. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an anchor having one or more anchor arms, wherein the anchor is disposed and installed in a wellbore;   a first line moveably constrained by the anchor; and   a drive mechanism capable of producing a tensile force in the first line.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a locomotion device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first line is moveably constrained by an anchor pulley. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first line is further moveably constrained by one or more wellbore pulleys disposed in various locations in the wellbore. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a biasing force mechanism capable of applying a bias force to the one or more anchor arms. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more anchor arms have a retracted configuration and an extended configuration, and the biasing force mechanism can release the one or more anchor arms from the retracted configuration and drive them to the extended configuration and/or release the one or more anchor arms from the extended configuration and drive them to the retracted configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a leader in lieu of the first line. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first line comprises electrical and/or logic wires. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a second line attached to a load disposed in the wellbore. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the drive mechanism is disposed on the anchor, elsewhere in the wellbore, or at the earth surface. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an anchor comprising one or more anchor arms, a line drive device, and a spool, wherein the anchor is disposed and installed in a wellbore; and   a line that extends from the anchor into the wellbore and is capable of being spooled onto the spool by the line drive device;   wherein the line drive device is capable of producing a tensile force in at least the portion of the line that extends into the wellbore.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the portion of the line that extends into the wellbore is attached to or near a downhole end of a load. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the line extends through or around the load, is attached to or near an uphole end of the load, and further extends to a drive mechanism capable of producing a tensile force in the line. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the line comprises electrical and/or logic wires.