SMART eLINE OUTER DIAMETER METER RING

Abstract

A wireline operation method is disclosed. The method includes disposing an outer diameter (OD) meter ring on a wireline, the OD meter ring having spring-loaded sensors, releasing, from a spooling drum into the wellbore, the wireline via a wireline passage having a tight spot, a released portion of the wireline progressively passing through an opening of the OD meter ring, generating, using the spring-loaded sensors, a real time OD measurement of a current location of the wireline passing through the opening of the OD meter ring at the time of measurement, generating, in response to the real time OD measurement of a particular location of the wireline exceeding a pre-determined threshold, a fail-safe signal, and stopping, in response to the fail-safe signal, the spooling drum from continuing to release the wireline before the particular location of the wireline reaches the tight spot of the wireline passage.

1 .- 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . An outer diameter (OD) meter ring to facilitate a wireline operation of a wellbore in a subterranean formation, comprising:
 a circular band comprising a first circumference, a second circumference, and an opening; and   a plurality of spring-loaded sensors disposed on an inner surface of the circular band facing the opening, each of the plurality of spring-loaded sensors being connected to the first circumference and the second circumference via a first spring and a second spring, respectively,   wherein the circular band is configured to allow a wireline progressively passing through the opening during the wireline operation,   wherein the plurality of spring-loaded sensors are configured to contact an outer surface of the wireline passing through the opening and generate a plurality of sensor signals during the wireline operation,   wherein the plurality of sensor signals is used to generate a real time OD measurement of a current location of the wireline passing through the opening at the time of measurement, and   wherein a fail-safe signal is generated in response to the real time OD measurement of a particular location of the wireline exceeding a pre-determined threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The OD meter ring of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one transceiver configured to transmit the plurality of sensor signals to a computer system of a wireline truck,   wherein the computer system is configured to:   analyze the plurality of sensor signals to generate the real time OD measurement;   compare the real time OD measurement and the pre-determined threshold to generate the fail-safe signal; and   stop, in response to the fail-safe signal, a spooling drum from continuing to release the wireline during the wireline operation.   
     
     
         10 . The OD meter ring of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the circular band is connected to the spooling drum via a mechanical arm to maintain a fixed relative position with respect to the spooling drum.   
     
     
         11 . The OD meter ring of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the wireline comprises a conductor core mechanically protected by a cable armor, and   wherein the particular location corresponds to a damaged portion of the cable armor with an enlarged OD.   
     
     
         12 . The OD meter ring of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the cable armor comprises twisted metallic wires structurally wrapping the conductor core, and   wherein the damaged portion of the cable armor is caused by one or more of a foreign particle embedded in the twisted metallic wires, a broken strand of the twisted metallic wires, and a loose strand of the twisted metallic wires.   
     
     
         13 . The OD meter ring of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the wireline comprises an eLine.   
     
     
         14 .- 20 . (canceled)