Performing downhole test of a well device function in a well system and communicating the test results
Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing a downhole test of completion of a function performed by a downhole well device in a well system and communicating the test results to the surface. A downhole well device may perform a downhole function in the well system. For example, the downhole function may be a setting function, an actuating function, or an anchoring function. A downhole test apparatus may perform a downhole test to determine whether the downhole function was completed successfully. For example, the downhole test may be a downhole seal test or a downhole anchor test. Based on the result of the downhole test, the downhole test apparatus may provide an indication from downhole to surface equipment of the well system that indicates whether the downhole function was completed successfully.
1 . A first downhole well tool of a well system, comprising:
one or more sealing elements;
a device setting mechanism configured to set the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool; and
a downhole test apparatus including a pressure line and a valve coupled with the pressure line, the downhole test apparatus configured to:
perform a downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set; and
in response to determining from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were successfully set, actuate the valve to manage a pressure from the pressure line to provide a pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
2 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the downhole test apparatus configured to perform the downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set includes at least one of:
the downhole test apparatus configured to test one or more seals of the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool; or
the downhole test apparatus configured to test one or more seals of one or more test seal elements of the first downhole well tool.
3 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the downhole test apparatus configured to perform the downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set includes the downhole test apparatus configured to:
provide a test pressure to one or more test seal elements of the first downhole well tool or to the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool;
determine whether the test pressure holds above a pressure value for a time period; and
determine that the one or more sealing elements were successfully set if the test pressure holds for the time period.
4 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the pressure change indication is initially a first indication type of a plurality of indication types, and the pressure change indication is translated to at least a second indication type of the plurality of indication types, and provided from downhole to the surface equipment.
5 . The first downhole well tool of claim 4 , wherein the pressure change indication is provided from the first downhole well tool to a second downhole well tool, and the pressure change indication is translated to another indication of the second indication type by the second downhole well tool.
6 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein, in response to determining from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were not successfully set, the downhole test apparatus is configured to provide the pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment that indicates the one or more sealing elements were not successfully set, wherein, in response to providing the pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment that indicates the one or more sealing elements were not successfully set, the downhole test apparatus is configured to perform at least one of:
receive an indication from the surface equipment that causes the device setting mechanism to set the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool a second time;
perform the downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set the second time; and
provide another indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment that indicates whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set the second time.
7 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the downhole test apparatus includes a portion of a control line, the control line coupled between the downhole test apparatus and the surface equipment, wherein the pressure change indication is provided from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment via the control line.
8 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the downhole test apparatus of the first downhole well tool is configured to provide the pressure change indication to a second downhole well tool that is configured to translate the pressure change indication into a flow change indication that is provided to the surface equipment, wherein the pressure change indication is provided to the second downhole well tool via a control line that is coupled between the downhole test apparatus and the second downhole well tool.
9 . The first downhole well tool of claim 8 , wherein the downhole test apparatus of the first downhole well tool is configured to provide the pressure change indication to a second valve of the second downhole well tool, wherein the pressure change indication is translated into the flow change indication by the second valve when the pressure change indication causes the second valve to adjust a fluid flow through the second valve.
10 . The first downhole well tool of claim 1 , wherein the pressure line is coupled with the one or more sealing elements, wherein the downhole test apparatus configured to perform the downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set includes:
the downhole test apparatus configured to apply a test pressure to the pressure line to pressure test the one or more sealing elements to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
11 . The first downhole well tool of claim 10 , wherein the downhole test apparatus further includes a pump coupled with the pressure line, wherein the pump of the downhole test apparatus is configured to apply the test pressure to the pressure line to pressure test the one or more sealing elements to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
12 . The first downhole well tool of claim 11 , wherein the downhole test apparatus further includes a pressure sensor and a computing device coupled with the pressure sensor, wherein the computing device of the downhole test apparatus is configured to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set based on sensor data received from the pressure sensor of the downhole test apparatus.
13 . The first downhole well tool of claim 12 , wherein the downhole test apparatus configured to actuate the valve to manage the pressure from the pressure line to provide the pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set includes:
the computing device of the downhole test apparatus configured to actuate the valve to manage the test pressure from the pressure line to provide the pressure change indication to the surface equipment to indicate the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
14 . A drill string of a well system, comprising:
a first downhole well tool including one or more sealing elements and a device setting mechanism, the device setting mechanism configured to set the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool; and
a downhole test apparatus including a pressure line coupled with the one or more sealing elements, the downhole test apparatus configured to:
perform a downhole seal test by applying a test pressure to the pressure line to pressure test the one or more sealing elements to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set; and
in response to a determination from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were successfully set, provide an indication from the downhole test apparatus to surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
15 . The drill string of claim 14 , further comprising a second downhole well tool, the second downhole well tool configured to:
receive the indication of a first indication type from the first downhole well tool;
translate the indication of the first indication type to a second indication type; and
provide the indication of the second indication type to the surface equipment.
16 . The drill string of claim 14 , wherein, in response to determining from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were not successfully set, the downhole test apparatus is configured to provide the indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment that indicates the one or more sealing elements were not successfully set.
17 . The drill string of claim 14 , wherein the downhole test apparatus includes a valve coupled with the pressure line, wherein the downhole test apparatus configured to provide the indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set includes:
the downhole test apparatus configured to actuate the valve to manage a pressure from the pressure line to provide a pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to the surface equipment to indicate the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
18 . The drill string of claim 14 , wherein the downhole test apparatus further includes a pump coupled with the pressure line, wherein the pump of the downhole test apparatus is configured to apply the test pressure to the pressure line to pressure test the one or more sealing elements to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
19 . A first downhole well tool of a well system, comprising:
one or more sealing elements;
a device setting mechanism configured to set the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool; and
a downhole test apparatus including a pressure line coupled with the one or more sealing elements, the downhole test apparatus configured to:
perform a downhole seal test by applying a test pressure to the pressure line to pressure test the one or more sealing elements to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set; and
in response to determining from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were successfully set, provide an indication from the downhole test apparatus to surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.
20 . A drill string of a well system, comprising:
a first downhole well tool including one or more sealing elements and a device setting mechanism, the device setting mechanism configured to set the one or more sealing elements of the first downhole well tool; and
a downhole test apparatus including a pressure line and a valve coupled with the pressure line, the downhole test apparatus configured to:
perform a downhole seal test to determine whether the one or more sealing elements were successfully set; and
in response to a determination from the downhole seal test that the one or more sealing elements were successfully set, actuate the valve to manage a pressure from the pressure line to provide a pressure change indication from the downhole test apparatus to surface equipment of the well system that indicates the one or more sealing elements were successfully set.