Hazard Avoidance During Well Re-Entry

Abstract

A system may include a downhole tool conveyable into a wellbore on a conveyance, and a plurality of sensing devices positioned at a distal end of the downhole tool to emit wave energy in an axial direction within the wellbore. At least a portion of the wave energy are reflected by one or more wellbore hazards and received by the plurality of sensing devices. The system further includes a data acquisition system communicatively coupled to the downhole tool to receive and process reflected wave energy and thereby identify the one or more wellbore hazards.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a downhole tool conveyable into a wellbore on a conveyance;   a plurality of sensing devices positioned at a distal end of the downhole tool to emit wave energy in an axial direction within the wellbore, at least a portion of the wave energy being reflected by one or more wellbore hazards and received by the plurality of sensing devices; and   a data acquisition system communicatively coupled to the downhole tool to receive and process reflected wave energy and thereby identify the one or more wellbore hazards.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensing devices are located on a leading face of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensing devices are located about an outer periphery of the downhole tool at the distal end. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wave energy emitted by the plurality of sensing devices exhibits a field of view having a pre-determined shape and extends a pre-determined distance from the distal end of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition system processes the reflected wave energy to determine at least one of a size, shape, and a material of the one or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the data acquisition system processes the reflected wave energy to determine a hardness of the material of the one or more wellbore hazards, and distinguishes two or more wellbore hazards from each other based on the hardness of the material of the two or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wave energy includes at least one of acoustic waves, pressure pulses, electromagnetic waves, and radiant energy. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition system determines a distance of the one or more wellbore hazards from the downhole tool. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition system processes the reflected wave energy to display an image of the one or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 conveying a downhole tool into a wellbore on a conveyance;   emitting wave energy in an axial direction within the wellbore using a plurality of sensing devices positioned at a distal end of the downhole tool, at least a portion of the wave energy being reflected by one or more wellbore hazards;   receiving reflected wave energy using the plurality of sensing devices;   receiving and processing the reflected wave energy with a data acquisition system communicatively coupled to the downhole tool; and   identifying the one or more wellbore hazards with the data acquisition system based on the reflected wave energy.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein emitting the wave energy comprises generating a field of view having a pre-determined shape and extending a pre-determined distance from the downhole tool. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising processing the reflected wave energy using the data acquisition system to determine at least one of a size, shape, and a material of the one or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 processing the reflected wave energy using the data acquisition system to determine a hardness of the material of the one or more wellbore hazards; and   distinguishing two or more wellbore hazards from each other based on the hardness of the material of the two or more wellbore hazards.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein emitting the wave energy includes emitting at least one of acoustic waves, pressure pulses, electromagnetic waves, and radiant energy. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising processing the reflected wave energy using the data acquisition system to determine a distance of the one or more wellbore hazards from the distal end of the downhole tool. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising processing the reflected wave energy to display an image of the one or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising varying a frequency of the wave energy emitted by one or more sensing devices of the plurality of sensing devices to vary the image of the one or more wellbore hazards. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising emitting the wave energy using the plurality of sensing devices located on a leading face of the downhole tool at a distal end thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising emitting the wave energy using the plurality of sensing devices located about the periphery of the downhole tool at a distal end thereof.