Downhole Trigger Tool

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for triggering a downhole tool. The tool string may have an electrical power source and a trigger tool that may be configured for receiving electrical power from the electrical power source and outputting different forms of electrical power each being different from the form of electrical power received from the electrical power source. Each form of electrical power output by the trigger tool may initiate operation of a corresponding one of different electro-mechanical tools connectable within the downhole tool string. A trigger command is transmitted from the surface equipment to the trigger tool to cause the trigger tool to output electrical power having a form corresponding to the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string to thereby initiate operation of such electro-mechanical tool.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 positioning a tool string at a target depth within a wellbore via a cable connected with surface equipment disposed at a wellsite surface beneath which the wellbore extends, wherein the tool string comprises:
 an electrical power source; and 
 a trigger tool configured for:
 receiving electrical power from the electrical power source; and 
 outputting different forms of electrical power each being different from the form of electrical power received from the electrical power source, wherein each form of electrical power output by the trigger tool is operable to initiate operation of a corresponding one of a plurality of different electro-mechanical tools connectable within the downhole tool string; and 
 
   transmitting a trigger command from the surface equipment to the trigger tool via the cable to cause the trigger tool to output electrical power having a form corresponding to one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the tool string to thereby initiate operation of the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 one of a plurality of different crossovers is connected within the tool string to connect the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string with the trigger tool; 
 the different crossovers each comprise a corresponding hardware coding corresponding to one of the different electro-mechanical tools connectable within the tool string; and 
 the method further comprises determining whether the hardware coding of the crossover connected within the tool string corresponds to the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 if the hardware coding of the crossover connected within the tool string is determined to correspond to the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string, configuring the surface equipment to permit the transmission of the trigger command to the trigger tool; and 
 if the hardware coding of the crossover connected within the tool string is determined not to correspond to the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string, configuring the surface equipment to prevent the transmission of the trigger command to the trigger tool. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining whether the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string was triggered in response to the trigger command transmission. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising acquiring real-time, downhole data and transmitting the data to the surface equipment via the cable, wherein determining whether the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string was triggered utilizes the data. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein acquiring the data is via operation of the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 if the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string was determined to be triggered, removing the tool string from the wellbore; and 
 if the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string was determined to not be triggered, repeating the trigger command transmission up to a predetermined number of times. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string is a first electro-mechanical tool, wherein the form of the electrical power output by the trigger tool is a first form of electrical power output by the trigger tool, and wherein the method further comprises:
 disconnecting the first electro-mechanical tool from the tool string; 
 connecting within the tool string a second one of the plurality of different electro-mechanical tools connectable within the downhole tool string; and 
 transmitting a trigger command from the surface equipment to the trigger tool via the cable to cause the trigger tool to output electrical power having a second form corresponding to the second one of the electro-mechanical tools connected within the tool string to thereby initiate operation of the second electro-mechanical tool connected within the tool string, wherein the first and second electro-mechanical tools are different, and wherein the first and second forms of electrical power are different. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the form of the electrical power is defined by one or more of electrical voltage, electrical current, and duration of time the electrical power is applied. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 a trigger tool connectable within a tool string and deployable within a wellbore, wherein the trigger tool comprises a plurality of electrical power converter sets each comprising one or more power converters, wherein each electrical power converter set is electrically connectable with an electrical power source, and wherein each electrical power converter set is operable to:
 receive electrical power from the electrical power source; and 
 output a corresponding electrical power operable to initiate operation of a corresponding one of a plurality of different electro-mechanical tools connectable within the downhole tool string, wherein the electrical power output by each electrical power converter set has a form that is different from the form of the electrical power received by such electrical power converter set from the electrical power source, and wherein the form of electrical power output by each electrical power converter set is different from the form of electrical power output by another of the electrical power converter sets; 
   wherein the trigger tool is operable to initiate operation of one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string by outputting electrical power by one of the electrical power converter sets corresponding to the electro-mechanical tool connected within the downhole tool string, and wherein each of the different electro-mechanical tools is connectable within the tool string one at a time.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the trigger tool is communicatively connected with a surface controller located at a wellsite surface from which the wellbore extends via a telemetry device of the tool string, and wherein the trigger tool is operable to initiate operation of one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string based on a control command received from the surface controller via the telemetry device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein, based on the control command from the surface controller, the trigger tool is operable to cause one of the electrical power converter sets corresponding to one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string to output electrical power to such electro-mechanical tool and thereby initiate operation of such electro-mechanical tool. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the different electro-mechanical tools comprise one or more of a fluid sampling tool, a dump bailer, a plug setting tool, a plug, a tubular cutter tool, and a perforating tool. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the electrical power source is or comprises an electrical battery disposed within the tool string. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the form of electrical power is defined by at least one of electrical voltage, electrical current, and duration of time the electrical power is applied. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the tool string comprises:
 a telemetry device operable to communicatively connect the trigger tool with a surface controller located at a wellsite surface from which the wellbore extends; 
 one of the different electro-mechanical tools; 
 one of a plurality of different crossovers each operable to mechanically and electrically couple together the trigger tool and a corresponding one of the different electro-mechanical tools, wherein the one crossover mechanically and electrically couples together the trigger tool and the one electro-mechanical tool; and 
 the electrical power source. 
 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising a crossover mechanically and electrically coupling together the trigger tool and one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string, wherein the crossover comprises an electrical conductor extending between opposing electrical couplers of the crossover, wherein the electrical conductor electrically connects the electro-mechanical tool connected within the downhole tool string with a corresponding one of the electrical power converter sets, and wherein the electrical conductor is configured to not electrically connect the electro-mechanical tool connected within the downhole tool string with another of the electrical power converter sets. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprises a capacitor operable to store the electrical power output by a corresponding one of the electrical power converter sets, and wherein the trigger tool is operable to initiate operation of one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string by causing the capacitor to discharge the stored electrical power to such electro-mechanical tool connected within the downhole tool string. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a crossover mechanically and electrically coupling together the trigger tool and one of the different electro-mechanical tools connected within the downhole tool string, wherein the crossover comprises the capacitor. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the trigger tool comprises:
 a control module comprising:
 a controller; and 
 an electrical coupler; and 
 
 one or more power conversion modules each comprising:
 the electrical power converter sets; and 
 an electrical coupler configured to interface with the electrical coupler of the control module to electrically connect together the controller and the electrical power converter sets.