Design, Development, and Successful Testing of the World's First Autonomous Downhole Robot for Live Production Logging and Intervention Operations

Abstract

This paper presents the development of an un-tethered autonomous Downhole Robot, which represents a clear and distinguishable technological leap for the oil and gas industry, especially in the field of production and intervention operations. The data provided by this Robotic platform is expected to have a significant impact on enhancing reservoirs models and increasing recovery. The robot has been divided into key subsystems which are under parallel development and includes navigation, mobility & steering, central processing, power management, and payloads (e.g., production logging or intervention tools). Prototype development and technology demonstrations of both the mobility and navigation subsystems have shown promising results. Conveyance through a variable diameter piping including a constriction was successfully demonstrated with odometry measurements and borehole classification. Ultrasonic images representative of well completion features such as an XN nipple were also successfully generated which can be used for identification and localization in the well. The next logical step in the ADR development is to make the robot "smart" so it can autonomously navigate in the well identifying well features and obstacles as a well map is built with associated production logging measurements.