Well casing mechatronic checking system

The exploration of energy source often requires drilling or even deep drilling operations in the ground, typical examples are the processes to obtain crude oil and natural gas in petroleum and geothermal industries. The exploration of these energy resources involves the use of well casing. Due to the harsh working condition, defects can occur both on the inside and outside of the steel well casing causing a loss in pressure, debris in the flow and possibly even blockages in the well itself. This is the reason well casings must be regularly and properly maintained. As the wells can be as deep as a few kilometers, well casing maintenance tools must be able to be down loaded into the casing and survive the harsh condition inside the well. This includes the temperature that can be higher than 300° Celsius and the pressure may go over 200 bars (around 2900 psi). This paper presents a novel well casing deformation checking system. It is a mechatronic system that is able to obtain the geometrical deformation inside the well casing using a group of mechanical feeler arms. The prototype of the mechanism has been made and can operate as expected.