DRIVE AND STEERING OF A DOWNHOLE ROBOT

Systems and methods for driving and steering of a robot, or mobile vessel, for operation in a downhole pipe of an oil/gas/water well are presented. According to one aspect, the mobile vessel includes a plurality of wheels arranged outwardly from the mobile vessel so that each wheel may contact the inner wall of the casing. According to another aspect, the plurality of wheels may include respective wheel-centerlines that intersect the centerline of the casing that is at an offset from a centerline of the mobile vessel. The plurality of wheels includes at least two drive wheels and at least one passive wheel. According to a further aspect, the drive wheels are configured to rotate about their respective wheel-centerlines to steer the mobile vessel during traversal of the casing. In one case, the mobile vessel includes two drive and steering wheels and one passive wheel.