Wireline electromechanical release devices are critical and imperative for wireline operations.New-technology intervention and tractor tools cannot be deployed in oil wells without a reliable releasedevice.For the intrinsic challenges of high temperature and longer horizontal wells,the reliability ofthese electromechanical release devices in the event a toolstring gets stuck downhole becomes even moreimportant.The ability to operate an electromechanical release device on battery at high temperature reduces theoverall risk of the intervention because it provides a secondary release option in case there is a damage tothe wireline cable or toolstring that prevents communication with the release device downhole.A battery-operated release device activates on the expiration of a programmed timer,even in the absence of wirelinepower or the presence of a short circuit.The programmed timer can be updated only if communication withthe toolstring is feasible,otherwise it reliably releases as originally programmed.Battery-operated electromechanical release devices for 175°C-rated tools,require the battery andassociated control and power management electronics to function reliably at 175°C.Due to the chemicalcomposition of this high-temperature battery,its capacity at low temperature is a small fraction of its capacityat high temperature.This presents a challenge in deploying these batteries,because some are installed andactivated at surface ambient temperature of –10°C,for deployment in 175°C wells.Now the solution exists as a result of the combination of the development of a high-temperaturebattery and sophisticated battery management to maximize battery capacity for high-temperature operations.Through thorough qualification,this high-temperature battery was developed and validated.Test resultsshow that the battery works optimally above 120°C.Below 120°C,the battery depletes exponentially,asthe temperature decreases.The release device has been designed to intelligently manage battery capacity byswitching to wireline power when it is present.The reliable low-bandwidth telemetry makes it possible toupdate the timer as desired during the wireline operation.The passivation prevention circuit helps preventbattery chemical passivation,maintaining its maximum capacity during the operation.All these technologycomponents combined enable reliable and repeatable battery activation of the electromechanical releasedevice at 175°C.
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