Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080201079 | Method and apparatus for remote characterization of faults in the vicinity of boreholes - A method and system for characterization of fault conditions within a subterranean volume. In one embodiment, the system comprises means for generating a mathematical model of stress conditions within the volume, from which breakout conditions along a borehole trajectory can be predicted. The system further comprises means for sensing actual breakout conditions along a borehole extending through the volume. Predictive breakout data is compared with the actual sensed breakout conditions to assess the degree of correlation between the predictive data and the actual data, and thus the accuracy of the stress model. Means are provided for enabling a user to cause the mathematical model to be revised to reflect the presence of at least one active fault plane in the volume, where the presumed fault plane is not intersected by the borehole. The revised model is used to generate new predictive breakout data. The process of revising the stress model and assessing the correlation between predictive breakout conditions derived from the model and actual breakout conditions is repeatable in an iterative fashion to achieve an optimal correlation and hence an optimally accurate stress model reflecting fault conditions in the vicinity of but not necessarily penetrated by the borehole. | 08-21-2008 |
20080215244 | Making Directional Measurements using a Rotating and Non-Rotating Drilling Apparatus - A system and method to determine directional measurements for a drilling tool that at times rotates and at other times does not rotate. The method comprises making a first set of measurements when the apparatus is rotating, making a second set of measurements when the apparatus is not rotating, and combining the first and second sets of measurements to obtain the directional measurements. The system comprises a transmitter-receiver pair wherein the transmitter has a magnetic dipole moment parallel to a longitudinal axis of the apparatus and the receiver has a magnetic dipole moment that is tilted relative to the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, an electronics module to excite the transmitter and detect a receiver signal to make a first set of measurements when the apparatus is rotating and a second set of measurements when the apparatus is not rotating, and a processor to combine the first and second sets of measurements to obtain the directional measurements. | 09-04-2008 |
20080221798 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR HYDROCARBON PRODUCTION - Methods and systems are described for hydrocarbon production. One method embodiment of the invention comprises analyzing phases of hydrocarbon oil, gas and water at flowing conditions extracted from a hydrocarbon well; separating the oil, water and gas mixture into oil portions, water portions and gas portions, each respective portion being substantially only oil, water or gas; analyzing the separated oil portion and determining if the separated oil portion meets predetermined oil standards, and treating any separated oil portion that does not meet the oil standards to achieve those standards; transferring the oil portion meeting the predetermined oil standards to a predetermined destination; analyzing the separated water portion to determine if the water portion meets predetermined water standards and treating any separated water portion that does not meet the water standards to achieve those standards; and transferring the treated water portion meeting the predetermined standards to a destination. | 09-11-2008 |
20080249714 | Method for predicting rate of penetration using bit-specific coefficients of sliding friction and mechanical efficiency as a function of confined compressive strength - A method for predicting the rate of penetration (ROP) of a drill bit drilling a well bore through intervals of rock of a subterranean formation is provided. The method uses an equation based upon specific energy principles. A relationship is determined between a bit-specific coefficient of sliding friction μ and confined compressive strength CCS over a range of confined compressive strengths CCS. Similarly, another relationship for the drill bit is determined between mechanical efficiency EFF | 10-09-2008 |
20080262736 | System and Method for Monitoring Physical Condition of Production Well Equipment and Controlling Well Production - A system and method for producing fluid from a completed well is provided wherein the method in one aspect includes determining a first setting of at least one first device under use for producing the fluid from the well; selecting a first set of input parameters that includes at least one parameter relating to health of at least one second device and a plurality of parameters selected from a group consisting of information relating to flow rate, pressure, temperature, presence of a selected chemical, water content, sand content, and chemical injection rate; and using the selected first set of parameters as an input to a computer model, determining a second setting for the at least one first device that will provide at least one of an increased life of at least one second device and enhanced flow rate for the fluid from the completed well. | 10-23-2008 |
20080262737 | System and Method for Monitoring and Controlling Production from Wells - A system and method for obtaining enhanced production from a well is provided. The system includes a processor that processes instructions contained in a computer program, which includes instructions to monitor actual flow rate of the fluid from each production zone of a well over a time period corresponding to a first setting of the flow control devices and to employ a nodal analysis on a plurality of inputs from downhole sensor measurements, surface sensor measurements, one or more current positions of the devices to determine one or more new settings that will provide enhanced production from the well. | 10-23-2008 |
20080281525 | WELL PROG EXECUTION FACILITATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A prog analysis and execution system and method. The system includes a computer control system, an interface engine in communication with the computer control system, the interface engine being configured to receive prog information, and an action item development engine in communication with the control system, the action item development engine being configured to analyze received prog information and to determine corresponding action items. The system further includes a sensor engine in communication with the computer control system, the sensor engine being configured to receive input from at least one sensor for use in controlling a well drilling operation, and an operational equipment engine in communication with the computer control system, the operational equipment engine being configured to receive input from the computer control system and to control the well drilling operation in accordance with the determined action items in the prog. | 11-13-2008 |
20090012711 | Vertical seismic profiling method utilizing seismic communication and synchronization - A while-drilling Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP) data acquisition system utilizing the same seismic shots for three purposes is disclosed. First, the seismic shots provide a means for synchronizing a downhole clock in the VSP receiver to a master clock at the surface, thereby enabling correct determination of seismic travel times. Second, the same seismic shots are also used to communicate commands and other information to the downhole VSP receiver, such commands controlling the actions of the VSP receiver or associated devices. Third, the same seismic shots are utilized for purposes of the VSP survey itself, i.e. determination of seismic travel times, forming of seismic images, and determination of geologic and formation fluid properties using the VSP methods. | 01-08-2009 |
20090018775 | Geosteering in Earth Formations Using Multicomponent Induction Measurements - A multicomponent induction logging tool is used on a MWD bottomhole assembly. Multifrequency focusing that accounts for the finite, nonzero, conductivity of the mandrel is applied. Using separation of modes, the principal components and a direction of a conductivity tensor are determined. The results are used for reservoir navigation in earth formations. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b) | 01-15-2009 |
20090030616 | Probablistic imaging with azimuthally sensitive MWD/LWD sensors - A method for forming a borehole image of an azimuthally sensitive borehole or formation parameter is disclosed. Such a borehole image may be formed, for example, by processing logging sensor data with a predetermined sensor response function (also referred to herein as a probability density function) to acquire probabilistically distributed sensor data. The sensor data may be distributed in either one-dimension (azimuthal) or two-dimensions (azimuthal and axial). Certain embodiments of this invention may be advantageously utilized in LWD imaging applications and provide for superior image resolution and noise rejection as compared to prior art binning techniques. Exemplary embodiments of the invention also advantageously conserve logging sensor data such that integration of the distributed data over the entire circumference of the tool provides a non-azimuthally sensitive logging measurement. | 01-29-2009 |
20090063055 | System and Method for Obtaining and Using Downhole Data During Well Control Operations - In a well control system and method, a tool driver on a toolstring is configured to activate a telemetry tool in response to a predetermined threshold of accelerometer data measured by an accelerometer. For example, the predetermined accelerometer data threshold preferably corresponds to an acceleration level expected while drilling mud is being pumped at a slow pump rate of a well control operation through the drill pipe of the well. When a fluid influx occurs during drilling, the well is shut-in so that the tool driver turns off the telemetry tool. The drill pipe and casing pressures of the shut-in well are obtained. Then, drilling mud having a first weight is pumped into the drill pipe at a slow mud pump rate. Because the tool driver is set to activate the telemetry tool in response to accelerometer data at the slow pump rate, the telemetry tool begins sending downhole pressure data to the surface. In this way, rig operations can change the mud weight and adjust the choke line during the kill operation based on an analysis of the downhole pressure data obtained during the well control operation. | 03-05-2009 |
20090093961 | ANALYSIS OF TIME-SERIES DATA USING SINGULARITIES - A method for acquiring and analyzing time-series data using singularities is described. This method allows for the analysis of data over a wide spectrum of frequencies. Once the data is acquired in an oil field, singularities of the data are extracted; and the extracted singularities are utilized to interpret the formation properties related to the data. | 04-09-2009 |
20090132168 | GENERATING AND UPDATING TRUE VERTICAL DEPTH INDEXED DATA AND LOG IN REAL TIME DATA ACQUISITION - An invention for dynamically determining a trajectory of a drilled wellbore is provided. A method may include: receiving a piece of information including data converted from a measured physical characteristic of at least one of the wellbore or drilling the wellbore, the piece of information being relevant to determining a trajectory of the wellbore; and updating only a portion of the determined trajectory, a calculation of the portion of the determined trajectory being affected by the received data. | 05-21-2009 |
20090157318 | SIGNAL THRESHOLDING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may include selecting a plurality of signal thresholds T(i)=i*(TMAX/N) for i=2 to N comprising a positive integer greater than one. TMAX may be equal to AMAX/R, where AMAX=a maximum peak amplitude of a signal, such as an acoustic borehole signal, and R=a root-mean-square amplitude of the signal. Applying the plurality of signal thresholds T(i) to the signal to determine a corresponding plurality of peak amplitudes A(i) and signal travel times for selected ones of the plurality of signal thresholds T(i) may also be included. | 06-18-2009 |
20090157319 | Systems and Methods for Modeling Wellbore Trajectories - Systems and methods for modeling wellbore trajectories, which can be used to model corresponding drillstring trajectories and transform the torque-drag drill string model into a full stiff-string formulation. | 06-18-2009 |
20090177404 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME QUALITY CONTROL FOR DOWNHOLE LOGGING DEVICES - An illustrative embodiment of a method is disclosed for assessing image quality of a down hole formation image, the method comprising collecting acquisition system data from a plurality of sensors down hole; applying a set of rules to the acquisition system data to obtain an acquisition quality indicator; and presenting the acquisition quality indicator at a surface location. A system is disclosed for performing the method. | 07-09-2009 |
20090192715 | System for Tracking and Maintaining on On-Grade Horizontal Borehole - A tracking receiver system is used to track the progress of a downhole tool along a subsurface path having a desired grade. The tracking receiver system is adapted to detect a reference line originating from a reference line receiver and to determine the position of the downhole tool along a desired subsurface path relative to the reference line. In an alternative embodiment the tracking receiver system may comprise a global positioning satellite system to provide information used to determine the position of the downhole tool relative to the desired subsurface path. | 07-30-2009 |
20090216455 | DISTRIBUTED SENSORS FOR DYNAMICS MODELING - An apparatus for estimating at least one of a dynamic motion of a portion of interest of a drill string and a static parameter associated with the portion of interest, the apparatus having: a plurality of sensors operatively associated with the drill string at at least one location other than the portion of interest; and a processing system coupled to the plurality of sensors, the processing system configured to estimate at least one of the dynamic motion and the static parameter using a measurement from the plurality of sensors as input. | 08-27-2009 |
20090222208 | Magnetic Beacon Guidance System - A method of guiding a probe ( | 09-03-2009 |
20090222209 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOTION CORRECTION TO SENSOR MEASUREMENTS - A method for correcting a motion related distortion in a sensor measurement comprises establishing a reference position in a borehole. A parameter of interest is measured at a plurality of toolface angles as the tool makes a revolution in the borehole. A distance to a wall of the borehole is measured associated with each parameter of interest measurement. A lateral motion of the tool is measured between each parameter of interest measurement, and a toolface angle of the tool is measured at each parameter of interest measurement. A controller comprising a processor acts according to programmed instructions to calculate a correction to the parameter of interest measurement referenced to the reference position based at least partly on the measured tool motion. | 09-03-2009 |
20090259404 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING ACOUSTIC WAVEFORM DATA - Methods and systems for processing acoustic measurements related to subterranean formations. The methods and systems provide receiving acoustic waveforms with a plurality of receivers, deriving slowness of the formation based on the acoustic waveforms, and modeling dominant waveforms in the acoustic waveforms based on the formation slowness, wherein deriving the formation slowness comprises parametric inversion for complex and frequency dependent slowness and the derived complex slowness has real and imaginary parts. | 10-15-2009 |
20100017136 | ESTIMATING IN SITU MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SEDIMENTS CONTAINING GAS HYDRATES - A method for constructing elastoplastic property correlations in multicomponent particulate systems. The method includes obtaining parameters from geophysical data of a sediment-hydrate system, where the parameters include s | 01-21-2010 |
20100023268 | Multi-resolution Borehole Resistivity Imaging - An apparatus, method and computer-readable medium for obtaining a resistivity image of an earth formation. The apparatus includes a downhole assembly configured to be conveyed in a borehole penetrating the earth formation; a plurality of sensor electrodes on the downhole assembly, at least one of the electrodes having a different area than another of the electrodes; and at least one processor configured to: (i) process measurements using each of the sensor electrodes; (ii) process a subset of the measurements substantially unaffected by the different capacitances to produce an image of the borehole wall; and (iii) record the image on a suitable medium. | 01-28-2010 |
20100030477 | ELECTROMAGNETIC DIRECTIONAL MEASUREMENTS FOR NON-PARALLEL BED FORMATIONS - An orientation vector, referred to hereinafter as the “geosteering vector,” is directed to the more conductive formation area within the DOI of the tool and away from the more resistive formation areas. Accordingly, drilling in a direction opposite the geosteering vector leads to more resistive formation. Also, the disclosed geosteering vectors obtained from the real and imaginary components will not align with each other for non-planar formations and therefore the misalignment of the geosteering obtained from real and imaginary components is indicative of a non-planar formation. A superposition method is disclosed which can be used to calculate electromagnetic (EM) couplings in a non-planar geometry formation (as well as in a planar geometry formation) in real time, without requiring two or three dimensional modeling calculations. | 02-04-2010 |
20100082256 | Downhole Drilling Vibration Analysis - Downhole drilling vibration analysis uses acceleration data measured in three orthogonal axes downhole while drilling to determine whether drilling assembly's efficiency has fallen to a point where the assembly needs to be pulled. In real or near real time, a downhole tool calculates impulse in at least one direction using the measured acceleration data over an acquisition period and determines whether the calculated impulse exceeds a predetermined acceleration threshold for the acquisition period. If the impulse exceeds the threshold, the tool pulses the impulse data to the surface where the calculated impulse is correlated to efficiency of the assembly as the drillstring is used to drill in real time. Based on the correlation, operators can determine whether to pull the assembly if excessive impulse occurs continuously over a predetermined penetration depth. | 04-01-2010 |
20100114493 | System, Program Product, and Method For Drilling Rig Activity Accounting and Visualization - A system to monitor drilling rig activity and to provide and manage drilling rig information, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system can include a communication network, a drilling rig information management server, a database accessible to the processor of the server, and drilling rig information management program product stored in the memory of the drilling rig information management server and including instructions that when executed by the processor of the drilling rig information management server cause the server to perform the operations of retrieving drilling rig location data from the database responsive to user selection of a geospatial location attribute, accessing digital mapping data to display a digital map associated with the user selected geospatial location attribute, and providing data to display indicia of a drilling rig location for at least one drilling rig overlaid upon and spatially oriented to at least portions of the digital map. | 05-06-2010 |
20100138159 | Method and System for Monitoring the Efficiency and Health of a Hydraulically Driven System - Efficiency of a hydraulically driven system is evaluated by monitoring the change in ratio of output torque to input hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure data is received from a hydraulic sensor. The torque data is received from a load cell receiving a force transmitted to it by a back-up wrench. Filters are applied to the data to obtain peak levels of torque and hydraulic pressure. A ratio is generated for each process associated with a rod or other elongated member based on peak torque and hydraulic pressure levels achieved during the process. The ratio is stored and compared to historical ratios to determine if the ratio has changed more than a predetermined amount over time. A similar evaluation can be achieved by comparing speed generated on the elongated member by the hydraulically driven system to the current level controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulically driven system. | 06-03-2010 |
20100161227 | Method and apparatus for recording and using down hole sensor and diagnostic events in measurement while drilling - A method and apparatus for providing a downhole measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tool with diagnostic capability by including one or more printed circuit boards to the tool with firmware processors that internally record significant system diagnostic events that can be time correlated with known tool operational problems. The concept includes firmware protocol to enable transfer all of the recorded data to an external software analysis program after the MWD tool is removed from a drilling run. | 06-24-2010 |
20100169018 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATING THE PROBABILITY OF COLLISION BETWEEN WELLS - A method for drilling a well, the method including: identifying another well proximate to the well being drilled; collecting spatial information for at least a portion of the another well and the well being drilled; estimating a trajectory for at least a portion of the well being drilled and the another well; estimating an uncertainty in spatial information for each trajectory; estimating a probability of a collision with the another well during the drilling of the well by integrating a probability density function using the uncertainties and the trajectories; and performing the drilling in a manner that limits the probability of collision. A system and another method are provided. | 07-01-2010 |
20100185395 | SELECTING OPTIMAL WELLBORE TRAJECTORY WHILE DRILLING - A method for selecting an optimal trajectory of a wellbore while drilling the wellbore and a computer program having instructions for the same are disclosed. The method and program may include obtaining data, such as real-time date, related to the wellbore and obtaining data related to drilling limitations. The method and program also obtains data related to production considerations or drilling considerations. A target is selected and the optimal trajectory is selected from possible trajectories to the target. Ideally, the optimal trajectory conforms with the drilling limitations and satisfies one or more of the production considerations or drilling considerations. | 07-22-2010 |
20100191471 | METHOD TO DETERMINE ROCK PROPERTIES FROM DRILLING LOGS - A method of identifying one or more rock properties and/or one or more abnormalities occurring within a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a plurality of drilling parameters, which include at least the rate of penetration, the weight on bit, and the bit revolutions per minute, and then normalizing these plurality of drilling parameters by calculating a depth of cut and an intrinsic drilling impedance. Typically, the intrinsic drilling impedance is specific to the type of bit used to drill the wellbore and includes using a plurality of drill bit constants. From this intrinsic drilling impedance, the porosity and/or the rock strength may be determined which is then compared to the actual values to identify the specific type of the one or more abnormalities occurring. Additionally, the intrinsic drilling impedance may be compared to other logging parameters to also identify the specific type of the one or more abnormalities occurring. | 07-29-2010 |
20100211318 | Multi-Station Analysis of Magnetic Surveys - A multi-station gravity and magnetic survey is carried out in a borehole. The data from the survey are processed to estimate the inclination and azimuth of the borehole. The drill collar relative permeability is estimated, and the estimated drill collar permeability is then used to remove the effects of induced magnetization of the drill collar on the magnetic measurements. | 08-19-2010 |
20100217530 | DRILLING SCORECARD - Method, system, and apparatus for evaluating drilling accuracy performance in drilling a wellbore that can include: (1) monitoring an actual toolface orientation of a tool, e.g., a downhole steerable motor, by monitoring a drilling operation parameter indicative of a difference between the actual toolface orientation and a toolface advisory; (2) recording the difference between the actual toolface orientation and the toolface advisory; and (3) scoring the difference between the actual toolface orientation and the toolface advisory. | 08-26-2010 |
20100235101 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING A DRILLING OPERATION - The present invention provides a computer-implemented software tool that is adapted to listen continuously to data streams from a drilling operation and to process the data to generate a situation description for a current drilling situation in a form useful for automated continuous matching with a set of past cases stored in a knowledge database. The invention implements a case-based reasoning (CBR) approach to match the current drilling situation as defined by the situation description with one or more stored past cases having a degree of similarity above a predetermined threshold level. Matching cases are displayed to the drilling engineer as symbols on a case “radar”, allowing the drilling engineer to retrieve and view the details of a past case and take appropriate action based on drilling advice provided within the past case. | 09-16-2010 |
20100286916 | DIRECTIONAL RESISTIVITY IMAGING USING HARMONIC REPRESENTATIONS - A method for making directional resistivity measurements and forming a directional resistivity image of a subterranean formation includes processing a plurality of directional resistivity measurements and corresponding azimuth angles to calculate a first order harmonic representation at selected azimuth angles. A two dimensional borehole image may be formed by repeating the procedure at multiple measured depths in the borehole. | 11-11-2010 |
20100305864 | DRILL BIT TRACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus is provided for assessing the location of a drill bit underground. The apparatus includes an acoustic sound generator that is driven by the drilling mud supplied to the drill bit. The sound generator a characteristic string of pulses, which may be termed a signature or key. The key is repeated over and over. Monitors (i.e., sensors) at the surface listen for this key. The key is distorted by the inconstant angular velocity of the drill bit. Thus the observed data do not precisely match the key. On the basis of numerical algorithms, a digitally revised reference signal or key, is identified to map the known reference key onto the best fitting observed data. The correction factors are then applied to map the modified reference key onto the data observed at other sensors of an array of sensors mounted on the surface. By determining the phase shift and travel time of the signals at the various sensors, and having determined the speed of wave propagation in the geological media, the position of the bit, or a fairly close approximation thereof, may be obtained. The correction factors applied to the reference key may also tend to permit the actual rotational speed of the drill bit to be determined. | 12-02-2010 |
20110060527 | Drill Bit with Rate of Penetration Sensor - An apparatus for estimating a rate-of-penetration of a drill bit is provided, which in one embodiment includes a first sensor positioned on a drill bit configured to provide a first measurement of a parameter at a selected location in a formation at a first time, and a second sensor positioned spaced a selected distance from the first sensor to provide a second measurement of the parameter at the selected location at a second time when the drill bit travels downhole. The apparatus may also include a processor configured to estimate the rate-of-penetration using the selected distance and the first and second times. | 03-10-2011 |
20110130965 | FRACTURE TESTING APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus for testing a drilling fluid includes a vessel having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a pair of opposed impermeable platens disposed within the vessel. The apparatus further includes a test fluid container in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, and a collection container in fluid communication with the fluid outlet. Additionally, the system includes a data acquisition device configured to receive data from at least one of the vessel, the test fluid container, and the collection container. Also, a method for determining sealing characteristics of a drilling fluid includes injecting a test fluid having a fluid loss control material from a test fluid container to a vessel, the vessel having a first impermeable platen and a second impermeable platen with a gap between the two platens. The methods further includes measuring a fracture tip fluid loss through the gap. | 06-02-2011 |
20110153217 | DRILLSTRING MOTION ANALYSIS AND CONTROL - Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to obtain acceleration data from an operational drillstring, decompose the acceleration data into one or more empirical modes, monitor the amplitude of at least one of the empirical modes to detect indications exceeding a preselected threshold, and modify drillstring operational parameters comprising at least one of rotational speed, weight on bit, or mud flow, based on the indications. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 06-23-2011 |
20110161009 | BINNING METHOD FOR BOREHOLE IMAGING - A method for forming a borehole image includes fitting logging sensor measurements residing in each of a plurality of azimuthal windows with corresponding mathematical fitting functions. The functions may then be evaluated at one or more corresponding azimuthal positions to obtain at least one sector value for each of the azimuthal windows. A two dimensional borehole image may be formed by repeating the procedure at multiple measured depths in the borehole. | 06-30-2011 |
20110172923 | DEVICE AND METHOD OF DETERMINING RATE OF PENETRATION AND RATE OF ROTATION - Methods and devices for determining a rate of penetration and/or rate of rotation for a drilling assembly or logging tool while drilling or logging a wellbore are provided. The methods can include the steps of:
| 07-14-2011 |
20120016589 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FATIGUE ANALYSIS OF A BOTTOM HOLE ASSEMBLY - A system and a method analyze fatigue damage of a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”), and more specifically, use a multi-scale approach for fatigue analysis of a BHA. Three length scales may be used in modeling of a BHA, namely the BHA scale, the component scale and the feature scale. Loading conditions for each collar/tool of the BHA may be determined, such as by use of a beam model, and may be applied to the finite element models for the collar/tool to determine the fatigue damage of each fatigue susceptible feature of each collar/tool. A cumulative fatigue damage of each critical feature may be determined, and the weakest component of the BHA may be identified. Prognostic and diagnostic implementation with well survey and drilling data may monitor fatigue damage of critical components of the BHA. | 01-19-2012 |
20120046868 | DOWNHOLE CLOSED-LOOP GEOSTEERING METHODOLOGY - A closed-loop method for geosteering includes acquiring logging while drilling data and processing the logging while drilling data downhole while drilling to obtain a geosteering correction (a correction to the drilling direction based upon the LWD measurements). The geosteering correction is further processed downhole to obtain new steering tool settings which are then applied to the steering tool to change the direction of drilling. These steps are typically repeated numerous times without the need for uphole processing or surface intervention. | 02-23-2012 |
20120046869 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BENT MOTOR CUTTING STRUCTURE ANALYSIS - Techniques for analyzing operation of drill bit in a borehole are disclosed herein. A method for analyzing operation of a drill bit in a borehole includes providing information describing the drill bit and a bent housing coupled to the drill bit. A path of a cutter of the drill bit is determined based on a ratio of a rotational speed of the bent housing to a combined rotational speed of the drill bit and the bent housing. The combined rotational speed is different from the rotation speed of the bent housing. | 02-23-2012 |
20120089336 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING REMAINING USEFUL LIFE OF A DOWNHOLE TOOL - A system for determining the amount of life consumed for a tool includes at least one sensor associated with the tool for generating observation data, a memory in operable communication with the at least one sensor, the memory including a database for storing the observation data generated by the sensor, and a processor in operable communication with the memory. The processor includes a model generator that generates a current model for a current run of the tool. The current model includes parameters of a functional approximation of the observation data. The processor also includes a classifier that classifies the current model and a current run estimator that determine the amount of life consumed based on the classification of the current model and a time of use associated with the current run. | 04-12-2012 |
20120101731 | Extending Data Retention of a Data Storage Device Downhole - A system and method for performing a wellbore operation is disclosed. A first memory device for storing data is provided at a downhole location, the first memory device having a first data retention time. A second memory device is provided at the downhole location, and controller is used to store data at the first memory device and to transfer the data to the second memory device at a selected time interval less than the first data retention time. | 04-26-2012 |
20120109528 | RADON MIGRATION OF ACOUSTIC DATA - Disclosed is a method implemented by a processor for imaging a formation penetrated by a borehole. The method includes: obtaining acoustic data in a depth-time domain using an acoustic downhole tool disposed at a depth in the borehole, the acoustic downhole tool having an acoustic source and an acoustic receiver; transforming the acoustic data in the depth-time domain into a Radon domain using a Radon transform; filtering the acoustic data in the Radon domain to increase a signal of interest in the acoustic data in the Radon domain; determining a location of a point in the formation that reflected acoustic energy emitted from the acoustic source to the acoustic receiver, the location of the point being represented in the Radon domain; and inverting the location of the point represented in the Radon domain into a radius-depth domain to image the formation. | 05-03-2012 |
20120116680 | MICROSEISMIC SOURCE LOCATION ESTIMATION METHOD WITH HIGH RESOLUTION USING GREEN'S FUNCTIONS - The sources of microseismic hydraulic fracture events (“hydro-fracs”) are located for image mapping by the calculation of Green's functions G(x,z,t|x′,z′,0) which is estimated using, e.g., RVSP, VSP, SWD and/or surface data, with the Green's functions used as migration kernels with greater accuracy than the prior art techniques, e.g. the diffraction limit, because all of the natural arrivals in the data are utilized. | 05-10-2012 |
20120130642 | Downhole Tool Damage Detection System and Method - A downhole tool damage detection method includes transmitting ultrasonic energy through a downhole tool, receiving ultrasonic energy transmitting through the downhole tool, monitoring the received ultrasonic energy for changes over time and alerting that at least partial unthreading of a threaded connection in the downhole tool may exist in response to finding the changes. | 05-24-2012 |
20120179379 | Flow Profile Modeling for Wells - Models of fluid flow in wells in formation of a subsurface earth reservoir are formed by computers based on measurements obtained by well logging tools run in the wells and measurements of formation rock characteristics obtained from laboratory data. The models so formed are used to form measures of injection/production profiles and assist reservoir engineers in allocation of production and injection wells for the reservoir, and in other reservoir production planning and analysis. | 07-12-2012 |
20120191354 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION OF A WELLBORE DURING DRILING USING COLOR SCALE INTERPRETATION OF STRATA AND ITS APPLICATION TO WELLBORE CONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS - A method for formation structural interpretation while drilling a wellbore through subsurface rock formations includes interpreting rock formation strata with respect to measurements of a formation physical property made with respect to depth in an offset wellbore. A color is assigned to each of a plurality of selected value ranges of the measurements. The physical property of the formation is measured while drilling the wellbore through the subsurface rock formations. A color is assigned to the measurements made while drilling based on the assigned color to each of the selected value ranges. The assigned colors made while drilling are used to estimate a stratigraphic position of the wellbore during the drilling by comparing the assigned colors made while drilling to the colors assigned from the offset wellbore. | 07-26-2012 |
20120215450 | DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SENSOR AND PROCESS FAULTS IN A SENSOR NETWORK WITH MINIMAL FALSE ALARMS USING A BAYESIAN NETWORK BASED METHODOLOGY - A method, system and computer program product for distinguishing between a sensor fault and a process fault in a physical system and use the results obtained to update the model. A Bayesian network is designed to probabilistically relate sensor data in the physical system which includes multiple sensors. The sensor data from the sensors in the physical system is collected. A conditional probability table is derived based on the collected sensor data and the design of the Bayesian network. Upon identifying anomalous behavior in the physical system, it is determined whether a sensor fault or a process fault caused the anomalous behavior using belief values for the sensors and processes in the physical system, where the belief values indicate a level of trust regarding the status of its associated sensors and processes not being faulty. | 08-23-2012 |
20120245850 | AZIMUTH INITIALIZATION AND CALIBRATION OF WELLBORE SURVEYING GYROSCOPIC AND INERTIAL INSTRUMENTS BY MEANS OF AN EXTERNAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM - It is described a system and a method for for azimuth initialization of a gyroscopic and/or inertial instrument for wellbore surveying, said system comprising:—a rigid reference structure to which the gyroscopic and /or inertial instrument is rigidly connectable;—an external navigation system for providing an azimuth measurement as a function of time, and wherein the rigid reference structure provides a rigid orientation between the external navigation system and the gyroscopic and/or inertial instrument; —a processor operable to synchronize the azimuth measurement as a function of time with an orientation as a function of time of the gyroscopic and/or inertial instrument. | 09-27-2012 |
20120253677 | Lag Calculation with Caving Correction in Open Hole - A gas analyzer system that can detect atmospheric air gasses in drilling mud is used to calculate an actual lag time in a well. The calculated lag time and a theoretical lag time may be compared to estimate a caving percentage in an open hole section of the well. | 10-04-2012 |
20120253678 | APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND USING DOWN HOLE SENSOR AND DIAGNOSTIC EVENTS IN MEASUREMENT WHILE DRILLING - An apparatus for providing a downhole measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tool with diagnostic capability by including one or more printed circuit boards to the tool with firmware processors that internally record significant system diagnostic events that can be time correlated with known tool operational problems. The concept includes firmware protocol to enable transfer all of the recorded data to an external software analysis program after the MWD tool is removed from a drilling run. | 10-04-2012 |
20120290209 | Downhole Drilling Vibration Analysis - Downhole drilling vibration analysis uses acceleration data measured in three orthogonal axes downhole while drilling to determine whether drilling assembly's efficiency has fallen to a point where the assembly needs to be pulled. In real or near real time, a downhole tool calculates impulse in at least one direction using the measured acceleration data over an acquisition period and determines whether the calculated impulse exceeds a predetermined acceleration threshold for the acquisition period. If the impulse exceeds the threshold, the tool pulses the impulse data to the surface where the calculated impulse is correlated to efficiency of the assembly as the drillstring is used to drill in real time. Based on the correlation, operators can determine whether to pull the assembly if excessive impulse occurs continuously over a predetermined penetration depth. | 11-15-2012 |
20120316787 | OPTIMIZATION OF DYNAMICALLY CHANGING DOWNHOLE TOOL SETTINGS - A computer-assisted method for optimizing a drilling tool assembly, the method comprising defining a desired drilling plan; determining current drilling conditions; determining current drilling tool parameters of at least two drilling tool assembly components; analyzing the current drilling conditions and the current drilling tool parameters to define a base drilling condition; comparing the base drilling condition to the desired drilling plan; determining a drilling tool parameter to adjust to achieve the desired drilling plan; and adjusting at least one drilling tool parameter of at least one of the two drilling tool assembly components based on the comparing the base drilling condition to the desired drilling plan. | 12-13-2012 |
20120323495 | ROCK PROPERTY MEASUREMENTS WHILE DRILLING - Described herein is a method and system for characterizing in-ground rock types from measurement-while-drilling data in a mining environment. The method includes the steps of drilling holes at a plurality of selected locations within a region of interest; collecting measurements while drilling to obtain an array of data samples ( | 12-20-2012 |
20120330551 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR PREDICTING BOREHOLE GEOMETRY - System, methods and devices for measuring and predicting complex borehole geometries are presented herein. A method is disclosed for determining a trajectory of a borehole that is generated by a drill string. The method includes: receiving data indicative of one or more drilling parameters between at least two survey points; averaging the received data over predetermined increments between the at least two survey points; calculating from at least the averaged data a predicted drill string response for each of the predetermined increments; determining from at least the predicted drill string response a change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments; generating a predicted wellbore trajectory from the change in inclination and azimuth; comparing the predicted wellbore trajectory to a measured wellbore trajectory; and, if the comparison is favorable, determining a probable borehole position from the change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments. | 12-27-2012 |
20120330552 | Method And System For Monitoring The Efficiency And Health Of A Hydraulically Driven System - Efficiency of a hydraulically driven system is evaluated by monitoring the change in ratio of output torque to input hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic pressure data is received from a hydraulic sensor. The torque data is received from a load cell receiving a force transmitted to it by a back-up wrench. Filters are applied to the data to obtain peak levels of torque and hydraulic pressure. A ratio is generated for each process associated with a rod or other elongated member based on peak torque and hydraulic pressure levels achieved during the process. The ratio is stored and compared to historical ratios to determine if the ratio has changed more than a predetermined amount over time. A similar evaluation can be achieved by comparing speed generated on the elongated member by the hydraulically driven system to the current level controlling the floss of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulically driven system. | 12-27-2012 |
20130030706 | DETECTION OF DOWNHOLE VIBRATIONS USING SURFACE DATA FROM DRILLING RIGS - Disclosed is a method for estimating downhole lateral vibrations a drill tubular disposed in a borehole penetrating the earth or a component coupled to the drill tubular. The method includes rotating the drill tubular to drill the first borehole and performing a plurality of measurements in a time window of one or more parameters of the drill tubular at or above a surface of the earth during the rotating using a sensor. The method further includes estimating the downhole lateral vibrations using a processor that receives the plurality of measurements. | 01-31-2013 |
20130035863 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FRACTIONATION OF A WELL USING A THREE DIMENSIONAL WELLBORE PROFILE WITH AN EXECUTIVE DASHBOARD - A system and computer assisted method to fractionate an oil or other well using a user moveable and rotatable three dimensional model of a lateral pay zone for a directionally drilled well, and other information relative to the lateral pay zone, enabling accurate identification of fractionation zones, accurate placement of well perforating guns, and accurate insertion of fractionation plugs to maximize production of the well, while additionally enabling the three dimensional model of the lateral pay zone to be viewable and updatable by on site uses at the location of the fractionation and by remote users as events occur, in some cases, in providing updates in less than 1 minute. | 02-07-2013 |
20130054146 | METHODS FOR EVALUATING CUTTINGS DENSITY WHILE DRILLING - A method evaluating a cuttings density while drilling a subterranean wellbore includes acquiring first and second axially spaced pressure measurements in the wellbore. The pressure measurements may then be processed to obtain an interval density of drilling fluid between the measurement locations. A tool string including a large number of axially spaced pressure sensors (e.g., four or more or even six or more) electronically coupled with a surface processor via wired drill pipe may be used to obtain a plurality of interval densities corresponding to various wellbore intervals. The interval density may be measured while drilling and may be further processed to compute a cuttings density in the annulus. Moreover, changes in the computed interval density with time while drilling may be used as an indicator of a change in cuttings density. | 02-28-2013 |
20130080060 | APPARATUS FOR EVALUATING ROCK PROPERTIES WHILE DRILLING USING DRILLING RIG-MOUNTED ACOUSTIC SENSORS - Apparatus for identifying rock properties in real-time during drilling, are provided. An example of an embodiment of such an apparatus includes one or more acoustic sensors positioned to detect drill sounds emanating from the drill bit and the rock encountered during drilling operations, connected to select components of a drilling rig to maximally pick up the drill sounds of the drill bit engaging rock during drilling operations. The apparatus also includes an inductive telemetry, wireless telemetry, or wired transmitting system. The apparatus also includes a computer to analyze the acoustic signals received from the acoustic sensors through the respective transmitting system for lithology type and petrophysical properties. | 03-28-2013 |
20130080061 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING INFORMATION RELATED TO SUB-SURFACE GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS USING TIME-DEPENDENT MAGNETIC FIELDS - A time-dependent magnetic field and/or flux is implemented to determine information related to geological formations within the geologic volume of interest. Such information may include one or more of location, boundary or shape, pressure, faults, lithology, strength, and/or other information. A source of the time-dependent magnetic field and/or flux may leverage the operation of an excavation tool used to excavate a hole at or near the geologic volume of interest in order to generate the magnetic field and/or flux. A plurality of different sources may be used to generated the magnetic field and/or flux. | 03-28-2013 |
20130080062 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING A DRILLING OPERATION - The present invention provides a computer-implemented software tool that is adapted to listen continuously to data streams from a drilling operation and to process the data to generate a situation description for a current drilling situation in a form useful for automated continuous matching with a set of past cases stored in a knowledge database. The invention implements a case-based reasoning (CBR) approach to match the current drilling situation as defined by the situation description with one or more stored past cases having a degree of similarity above a predetermined threshold level. Matching cases are displayed to the drilling engineer as symbols on a case “radar”, allowing the drilling engineer to retrieve and view the details of a past case and take appropriate action based on drilling advice provided within the past case. | 03-28-2013 |
20130080063 | MUD PULSE TELEMETRY - Mud pulse telemetry. The various embodiments are directed to methods and systems of encoding data in a mud pulse telemetry system, where at least a portion of the data is encoded the time between pressure transitions. Moreover, the various embodiments are directed to detection methods and systems that detect the pressure transitions at the surface. | 03-28-2013 |
20130085675 | Applications Based On Fluid Properties Measured Downhole - Downhole drilling fluid measurements are made as a function of time or as a function of depth. A change in the downhole drilling fluid measurements is correlated to a feature of a formation penetrated by a drill bit or to a feature of fluids in the formation. The downhole drilling fluid measurements may include density, photoelectric factor, hydrogen index, salinity, thermal neutron capture cross section (Sigma), resistivity, slowness, slowing down time, sound velocity, and elemental composition. The feature may include fluid balance, hole-cleaning, a kick, a shallow water flow, a formation fluid property, formation fluid typing, geosteering, geostopping, or an environmental correction. A downhole system has a measurement-while-drilling tool or a logging-while-drilling tool and a processor capable of obtaining the downhole drilling fluid measurements and correlating the change in the downhole drilling fluid measurements. | 04-04-2013 |
20130090854 | METHODS FOR EVALUATING BOREHOLE VOLUME CHANGES WHILE DRILLING - A method identifying a wellbore volume change while drilling a subterranean wellbore includes acquiring first and second axially spaced pressure measurements in the wellbore. The wellbore volume change may include, for example, a borehole washout or a borehole pack-off. The pressure measurements may then be processed to obtain an interval density of drilling fluid between the measurement locations. A tool string including a large number of axially spaced pressure sensors (e.g., four or more or even six or more) electronically coupled with a surface processor via wired drill pipe may be used to obtain a plurality of interval densities corresponding to various wellbore intervals. The interval densities may be measured while drilling and may be further evaluated as an indicator of a wellbore volume change. | 04-11-2013 |
20130090855 | METHODS FOR EVALUATING INFLOW AND OUTFLOW IN A SUBTERRAEAN WELLBORE - A method for evaluating inflow or outflow in a subterranean wellbore includes acquiring first and second axially spaced pressure measurements in the wellbore. The pressure measurements may then be processed to obtain an interval density of drilling fluid between the measurement locations. A tool string including a large number of axially spaced pressure sensors (e.g., four or more or even six or more) electronically coupled with a surface processor via wired drill pipe may be used to obtain a plurality of interval densities corresponding to various wellbore intervals. The interval density may be measured during static conditions or while drilling and may be further processed to compute a density of an inflow constituent in the annulus. Changes in the computed interval density with time may be used as an indicator of either an inflow event or an outflow event. | 04-11-2013 |
20130116927 | Inverting Geophysical Data for Geological Parameters or Lithology - Method for estimating porosity and water saturation or other geological parameters of a subsurface region when the lithology of the region is unknown, requiring only geophysical data from remote surveys. The geophysical data are inverted ( | 05-09-2013 |
20130124095 | DOWNHOLE DYNAMICS MEASUREMENTS USING ROTATING NAVIGATION SENSORS - A method for making downhole dynamics measurements using rotating navigational sensors includes rotating navigational accelerometers in a subterranean borehole to obtain a string of accelerometer measurements while rotating. The measurements are differentiated to obtain a string of differentiated accelerometer measurements and may then be further processed to obtain a drill string vibration parameter. Substantially simultaneous magnetometer measurements may be obtained and utilized to compute a corrected vibration parameter in which at least one of a gravitational acceleration component, a tangential acceleration component, and a centripetal acceleration component is removed from the vibration parameter. | 05-16-2013 |
20130124096 | Determining Drill String Status in A Wellbore - A method for determining a status of a drill string in a wellbore. The method can include obtaining pressure data and hook load data for the drill string. The pressure data can be filtered to obtain pressure sections. A low pressure threshold can be determined based upon the pressure sections. The hook load data can be filtered to obtain hook load sections. Hook load baselines can be determined based upon the hook load sections. Dynamic thresholds can be determined based upon the hook load baselines. An in-slips status of the drill string can be determined based upon the low pressure threshold, the dynamic thresholds, or both. | 05-16-2013 |
20130144531 | GEOLOGICAL MONITORING CONSOLE - A real-time drilling monitor (RTDM) workstation provides real-time information at a well-site. The workstation may include a display and a processor coupled to the display. The processor receives sensor signals from a plurality of sensors and generates a single graphical user interface (GUI) populated with dynamically generated parameters based on the sensor signals, as well as static information and dynamically updated uncertainty assessments. | 06-06-2013 |
20130151157 | DYNAMIC BOREHOLE AZIMUTH MEASUREMENTS - A method for making dynamic borehole azimuth measurements while drilling includes processing cross-axial magnetic field measurements in combination with accelerometer measurements to compute the dynamic borehole azimuth. In one or more embodiments, the cross-axial magnetic field measurements and the accelerometer measurements may be used to compute the magnitude of a cross-axial magnetic field component, a toolface offset, and a borehole inclination, which may in turn be used to compute the dynamic borehole azimuth. The disclosed methods may utilize near-bit sensor measurements obtained while drilling, thereby enabling a near-bit dynamic borehole azimuth to be computed while drilling. | 06-13-2013 |
20130151158 | UTILIZATION OF DYNAMIC DOWNHOLE SURVEYING MEASUREMENTS - A method for making dynamic gravity toolface measurements while rotating a downhole measurement tool in a borehole is disclosed. The method includes processing magnetic field measurements and accelerometer measurements to compute a toolface offset and further processing the toolface offset in combination with a magnetic toolface to obtain the dynamic gravity toolface. Methods for correcting dynamic and static navigational sensor measurements to remove sensor biases, for example, are also disclosed. | 06-13-2013 |
20130166214 | Acoustic Emission Toughness Testing For PDC, PCBN, Or Other Hard Or Superhard Material Inserts - An acoustic emissions testing device includes a test cutter including a first surface, an acoustic sensor, an indenter coupled to the first surface, and a load. The load is exerted on the indenter, which transfers the load to the first surface. The acoustic sensor is communicably coupled to the test cutter and detects one or more acoustic events occurring therein. An acoustic emissions testing system includes a data recorder coupled to the testing device. The data recorder records the data from testing device. Based upon the data received, the toughness of the test cutter is objectively determined and can be ranked comparatively to the toughness of other test cutters. The load is ramped up to a peak load, held for a period of time, and then ramped down. Cutters from the same cutter type as the test cutters have similar toughness. | 06-27-2013 |
20130184995 | POLAR DISPLAY FOR USE WITH DRILLING TOOLS - Various techniques for generating a polar display include a method, which involves receiving information identifying a formation property of an anomaly within a geologic formation from a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) tool that includes several sensors. The formation property is identified by at least one magnitude and at least one distance. The formation property is also identified relative to a corresponding property of the geologic formation. The method also involves receiving information identifying an azimuthal angle from the MWD tool, where the azimuthal angle relates a position of the anomalous formation to a position of a first sensor. The method then generates a graphic, based upon the at least one magnitude and the at least one distance and the azimuthal angle, and displays the graphic on a polar display, in which a center of the polar display corresponds to a location of the borehole in which the MWD tool is located. | 07-18-2013 |
20130204533 | Determination Of Thermodynamic Properties Of A Fluid Based On Density And Sound Speed - Variable volume systems and methods of use thereof described herein are capable of making calibrated determinations of fluid properties and phase behavior of a fluid sample. The determinations can be calibrated based on one or more calibration functions, such as system volume corrected for pressure and temperature variations. Cross-checking the results of measurements can be used to determine accuracy of the calibration or monitor for leaks or other anomalies of the variable volume systems. The variable volume systems can be implemented in a well logging tool and are capable of being calibrated downhole. | 08-08-2013 |
20130226461 | METHOD FOR REAL-TIME DOWNHOLE PROCESSING AND DETECTION OF BED BOUNDARY FOR GEOSTEERING APPLICATION - In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to acquire input data to determine properties of a formation, using a combination of down hole transmitters and receivers, to select a portion of the input data using a formation model chosen from a plurality of down hole tool response models in a formation model database, based on a valid sensitive range for the bed boundary distance and a greatest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and to solve for at least resistivity formation parameters in the properties using the chosen formation model and the selected portion of the input data. The database may be updated with boundary distance and the resistivity formation parameters. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 08-29-2013 |
20130238245 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONFIGURING DRILLING TOOLS UTILIZING A CRITICAL DEPTH OF CUT CONTROL CURVE - According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of determining a critical depth of cut of a drill bit comprises selecting a radial swath associated with an area of a bit face of a drill bit. The method further comprises identifying a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the bit face that each include at least a portion located within the radial swath. The method also comprises identifying a depth of cut controller (DOCC) disposed on the bit face and configured to control a depth of cut of the portions of the plurality of cutting elements located within the radial swath. The method additionally comprises calculating a critical depth of cut associated with the radial swath and DOCC based on a depth of cut associated with each portion of the plurality of cutting elements located within the radial swath and controlled by the DOCC. | 09-12-2013 |
20130245950 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING WHIRL OF A ROTATING TOOL - In one aspect, a method of determining the presence of whirl for a rotating tool is disclosed that in one embodiment includes obtaining measurements (ax) of a parameter relating to the whirl of the tool along a first axis and measurements (ay) of the parameter along a second axis of the tool, determining a first whirl in a time domain for the tool using ax and ay measurements, determining a second whirl rate for the tool in a frequency domain from ax and ay measurements and determining the presence of the whirl from the first whirl rate and second whirl rate. The method further quantifies the whirl of the tool from the first and second whirl rates. | 09-19-2013 |
20130253836 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONFIGURING DRILLING TOOLS UTILIZING A CRITICAL DEPTH OF CUT CONTROL CURVE - According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method of determining a critical depth of cut of a drill bit comprises selecting a radial swath associated with an area of a bit face of a drill bit. The method further comprises identifying a plurality of cutting elements disposed on the bit face that each include at least a portion located within the radial swath. The method also comprises identifying a depth of cut controller (DOCC) disposed on the bit face and configured to control a depth of cut of the portions of the plurality of cutting elements located within the radial swath. The method additionally comprises calculating a critical depth of cut associated with the radial swath and DOCC based on a depth of cut associated with each portion of the plurality of cutting elements located within the radial swath and controlled by the DOCC. | 09-26-2013 |
20130275047 | GAS TRAP WITH GAS ANALYZER SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS GAS ANALYSIS - A gas trap with a gas analyzer for continuous gas analysis can include a sample chamber, means for agitating and creating a vortex, gas capturing chamber for receiving liberated gas, gas analyzer for providing real-time gas speciation of the liberated gas. A suction pump can pull the liberated fluid, a filtration means can condition the liberated fluid, and an exhaust port can exhaust analyzed fluid. An exhaust line can flow non-analyzed fluid to a drilling fluid storage chamber, drilling fluid stream, or both. | 10-17-2013 |
20130282290 | REAL-TIME DEFINITIVE SURVEY WHILE DRILLING - A computer-based method of generating a survey of a wellbore section is provided. The method includes analyzing a plurality of surveys of the wellbore section to identify survey measurements that do not comprise gross errors, generating an initial weighted average survey, and calculating an initial set of measurement differences between the identified survey measurements and the initial weighted average survey. The method further includes calculating a plurality of error term estimates for the plurality of surveys and using the plurality of error term estimates to correct the identified survey measurements. The method further includes generating an updated weighted average survey and calculating an updated set of measurement differences between the identified survey measurements and the updated weighted average survey. | 10-24-2013 |
20130311096 | Application of engineering principles in measurement of formation gases for the purpose of acquiring more consistent, standardized and authentic gas values for surface logging while drilling - A new approach to measuring the gases present in the drilling fluid, or “mud”, while drilling oil and gas wells and analyzing the mud at the well surface. The method replaces inconsistent legacy measurements which mix the formation gases with air arbitrarily and report inconsequential values called “units, Equivalent Methane in Air.” This method instead expresses gas values in terms of Volume of Gas Per Volume of Mud, producing values of universal meaning that everyone can standardize upon. The method further improves gas measurement by expressing gas content using the several energy values of the gases. The resulting standard is a summation measurement of the energy of all gas components present, not limited to Methane. The end result is a gas concentration value that is made universally consistent across many logs made at different times in any location or formation. | 11-21-2013 |
20130332080 | APPARATUS FOR RECORDING AND USING A DOWNHOLE SENSOR AND DIAGNOSTIC EVENTS IN DRILLING OPERATIONS - A downhole tool with diagnostic capability by including one or more electrical circuits to the tool with firmware processors that internally record significant system diagnostic events that can be time correlated with known tool operational problems. The concept includes firmware protocol to enable transfer all of the recorded data to an external software analysis program after the tool is removed from a drilling run. | 12-12-2013 |
20130345984 | Methods and Apparatus to Process Measurements Associated with Drilling Operations - Methods and apparatus to process measurements associated with drilling operations are described. An example method of modifying processing results during a subterranean formation drilling operation includes identifying a plurality of parameters and processing measurements associated with the subterranean formation obtained while drilling and the plurality of parameters to generate first results. Additionally, the example method includes processing measurements associated with the subterranean formation obtained while drilling is temporarily suspended and the plurality of parameters to generate second results and comparing the first and second results. Further, the example method includes, in response to the comparison of the first and second results, modifying the first results based on the second results to improve a quality of the first results. | 12-26-2013 |
20140025302 | MEASURING OIL AND WATER TRANSMISSIVITY OF WELLS FROM MULTIPLE LOGS - Models of fluid flow in wells in formation of a subsurface earth reservoir are formed by computers based on measurements obtained by well logging tools run in the wells and measurements of formation rock characteristics obtained from laboratory data. The models so formed are used to form measures of injection/production profiles and assist reservoir engineers in allocation of production and injection wells for the reservoir, and in other reservoir production planning and analysis. | 01-23-2014 |
20140121975 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING DRILLING COMPONENTS - According to one embodiment, a method for selecting drilling components is disclosed. The method may include determining properties of drilling components. The drilling components may include a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and drilling fluid. The properties of drilling components may include BHA properties and drilling fluid properties. The method may also include determining a total organic carbon content in a rock formation unit using a computer. The method may further include determining a pyrite content in the rock formation unit using the computer. The method may still further include determining whether the and the drilling fluid are incompatible for use in the rock formation, based upon the BHA properties, drilling fluid properties, the total organic carbon content, and the pyrite content. | 05-01-2014 |
20140129148 | DOWNHOLE DETERMINATION OF DRILLING STATE - A method for determining a drilling state of a bottom hole assembly in a wellbore includes acquiring one or more downhole sensor measurements and processing the sensor measurements using a downhole processor to determine a drilling state of the bottom hole assembly. An operating state of the bottom hole assembly may be automatically changed in response to the determined drilling state. A method for computing a dynamic drilling energy of a bottom hole assembly includes acquiring at least one sensor measurement and processing the sensor measurements to obtain at least one of (i) an energy of axial motion of the bottom hole assembly, (ii) an energy of rotational motion of the bottom hole assembly, and (iii) an energy of lateral motion of the bottom hole assembly. | 05-08-2014 |
20140163888 | Weighting Function For Inclination And Azimuth Computation - A method, system, and computer readable medium is disclosed to estimate a survey parameter (e.g., attitude) for a drilling operation in a subterranean formation. The survey parameter is calculated using multiple methods with the results of the different methods weighted to improve the accuracy at a given attitude of the tool and angular velocity of the sensor package. Results from the different methods are combined based on a weighting function to generate the improved values of inclination and azimuth. Specifically, the values of the weighting function depend, linearly or non-linearly, on the attitude of the tool and quality of the survey data. In one scenario, the attitude of the tool is approximated by the most recently obtained static inclination/azimuth. In addition, the quality of the survey data is approximated by a measure of vibration severity that is represented by the number of good data points based on the roll rate. | 06-12-2014 |
20140172305 | Systems and Methods for Real-Time Sag Detection - Disclosed are systems and methods for the real-time detection and measurement of sag within a deviated borehole. One method includes measuring a first pressure at a first time at a point within the borehole, predicting a characteristic of the drilling fluid at the point using a computer model, thereby obtaining a predicted characteristic, calculating the characteristic based on the first pressure, thereby obtaining a calculated characteristic, and determining whether sag has occurred based on a comparison between the calculated characteristic and the predicted characteristic. | 06-19-2014 |
20140195160 | FORMATION PROPERTY DETERMINATION APPARATUS, METHODS, AND SYSTEMS - In some embodiments, apparatus and systems, as well as methods, may operate to record a plurality of acoustic waveforms comprising cross-dipole waveforms and corresponding to acoustic waves received 5 at azimuthally orthogonal dipole receiver arrays surrounded by a geological formation, the waves being generated by azimuthally orthogonal dipole transmitter arrays. Further activity may include defining an objective function dependent on the cross-dipole waveforms, eigenvalues, an azimuth angle corresponding to an 10 orientation of the transmitter and receiver arrays; minimizing the objective function with respect to said angle and the set of auxiliary parameters; and determining at least one property of the geological formation based on the global minimum. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 07-10-2014 |
20140244176 | Method to Assess Uncertainties and Correlations Resulting From Multi-Station Analysis of Survey Data - A system, method and computer-readable medium for a drilling a borehole is disclosed. Errors associated with multi-station survey measurements are obtained and partitioned into a set of estimated errors and a set of considered errors. A post-fit covariance matrix is determined from the estimated errors and includes the effects of the considered errors on the estimated errors. A drilling parameter of a drill string in the borehole may be altered using the determined post-fit covariance matrix. | 08-28-2014 |
20150012218 | METHOD FOR NEAR REAL TIME SURFACE LOGGING OF A GEOTHERMAL WELL, A HYDROCARBON WELL, OR A TESTING WELL USING A MASS SPECTROMETER - A method for providing geological trends and real time mapping of a geological basin by forming a geochemical surface well log. The method provides in real time, information from a mass spectrometer on fluid samples from a wellbore, into a geochemical well log template using computer instructions to create a plurality of graphical tracks. The dataset includes geochemical, engineering, and geological information. The geochemical surface well log is transmitted to and viewable on a client device. The geochemical surface well log provides information on well fluids and rock. The mass spectrometer receives fluid samples and performs analysis on the fluid samples, and then communicates fluid testing data in real time to a geochemical surface well log with a plurality of graphical tracks which is then further communicated to a client device via a network. | 01-08-2015 |
20150012219 | SYSTEM FOR NEAR REAL TIME SURFACE LOGGING OF A GEOTHERMAL WELL, A HYDROCARBON WELL, OR A TESTING WELL USING A MASS SPECTROMETER - A system for providing geological trends and real time mapping of a geological basin. The system provides in real time, information from a mass spectrometer on fluid samples from a wellbore, and forms a geochemical surface well log with graphical tracks. The system uses a dataset that includes geochemical, engineering, and geological information. The geochemical surface well log is viewable on a client device connected to a network. The geochemical well log provides information on well fluids and rocks, and displays data in graphical tracks. The mass spectrometer receives samples from a total hydrocarbon analyzer or a gas trap connected to the wellbore. The mass spectrometer performs analysis on fluid samples, and communicates in real time to the geochemical surface well log. | 01-08-2015 |
20150025806 | MUD PULSE TELEMETRY - Mud pulse telemetry. The various embodiments are directed to methods and systems of encoding data in a mud pulse telemetry system, where at least a portion of the data is encoded the time between pressure transitions. Moreover, the various embodiments are directed to detection methods and systems that detect the pressure transitions at the surface. | 01-22-2015 |
20150039233 | METHOD FOR NEAR REAL TIME SURFACE LOGGING OF A HYDROCARBON OR GEOTHERMAL WELL USING A MASS SPECTROMETER - An automatic method for providing geological trends and real time mapping of a geological basin using a mass spectrometer. The method provides information from a mass spectrometer on fluid samples from a wellbore into a geochemical surface well log with graphical tracks in real time. The dataset includes geochemical, engineering, and geological. The viewable geochemical well log provides information on well fluids and rock, and displays data in graphical tracks on client devices. The mass spectrometer receives samples from a gas trap connected to the wellbore, performs analysis on the samples, and communicates in real time to a geochemical surface well log with a plurality of graphical tracks which is then further communicated to a client device via a network. | 02-05-2015 |
20150081221 | DRILLING SYSTEM FAILURE RISK ANALYSIS METHOD - There is disclosed a method for assessing risk associated with drilling a section of a wellbore in a formation using a drilling system, comprising: providing a probabilistic model for the risk of the drilling system triggering a failure mode during drilling; and assessing the risk of the drilling system triggering one of said failure modes during drilling of the section based on said model. A further such method comprises: defining the critical control parameters for the drilling system; and identifying one or more failure modes of the drilling system associated with each critical control parameter which may arise during drilling the section of the formation. | 03-19-2015 |
20150081222 | CONTROL VARIABLE DETERMINATION TO MAXIMIZE A DRILLING RATE OF PENETRATION - A method of determining an optimal value for a control of a drilling operation is provided. Drilling data from a drilling operation is received. The drilling data includes a plurality of values measured for each of a plurality of drilling control variables during the drilling operation. An objective function model is determined using the received drilling data. The objective function model maximizes a rate of penetration for the drilling operation. Measured drilling data is received that includes current drilling data values for a different drilling operation. An optimal value for a control of the different drilling operation is determined by executing the determined objective function model with the measured drilling data that includes the current drilling data values for the different drilling operation as an input. The determined optimal value for the control of the different drilling operation is output. | 03-19-2015 |
20150112597 | FLUID FLOW BACK PREDICTION - A computing device configured to determine when an alarm is triggered for a drilling operation is provided. Measured drilling data that includes a value measured for an input variable during a previous connection event of a drilling operation is received. A predicted value for a fluid flow back measure is determined by executing a predictive model with the measured drilling data as an input. The predictive model is determined using previous drilling data that includes a plurality of values measured for the input variable during a second drilling operation. The second drilling operation is a previous drilling operation at a different geographic wellbore location than the drilling operation. A fluid flow back measurement datum determined from sensor data is compared to the determined predicted value for the fluid flow back measure. An alarm is triggered on the drilling operation based on the comparison. | 04-23-2015 |
20150134257 | Automatic Wellbore Condition Indicator and Manager - A method for monitoring condition of a wellbore includes initializing a value of at least one parameter having a relationship to likelihood of a drill string becoming stuck in a wellbore (the HCF). During drilling operations, at least one drilling parameter having a determinable relationship to the HCF is measured. In a computer, the value of the HCF is recalculated based on the at least one measured parameter. The initial value of the HCF and the recalculated values of the HCF are displayed to a user. | 05-14-2015 |
20150142318 | Wellbore Pipe Trip Guidance and Statistical Information Processing Method - A method for optimizing wellbore pipe tripping operation includes entering into a computer parameters related to a maximum safe pipe movement speed within the wellbore along at least one selected depth interval along the wellbore. A maximum safe pipe movement speed is calculated. An actual pipe movement speed is measured along the at least one selected depth interval. In the computer, a display is generated of the measured pipe movement speed along with the maximum safe pipe movement speed over the at least one selected depth interval. | 05-21-2015 |
20150142319 | Hydrocarbon Well Performance Monitoring System - A system and method for real-time data acquisition and presentation of force, position, load, pressures, and movement within a subterranean well pumping system, such as an oil well. Data is gathered using sensors attached to a surface level pump drive and wellhead system. Well structural data and well production data are combined therewith to generate a real-time display of down-hole well operation, including animated graphics of the pump operation, including pump movement, rod and tubing stretch, fluid movement, gas compression, system forces, and fluid pressures. Liquid levels are tested using an acoustic liquid level instrument, and incorporated to improve well performance analysis. | 05-21-2015 |
20150149092 | WEARABLE INTERFACE FOR DRILLING INFORMATION SYSTEM - A drilling information system comprises a drilling component having an operating status and a drilling control module communicatively coupled to the drilling component and operable to store data indicating the operating status of the drilling component. A wearable interface is communicatively coupled to the drilling control module and is operable to selectively indicate the operating status of the drilling component. | 05-28-2015 |
20150292323 | System and Method for Integrated Wellbore Stress, Stability and Strengthening Analyses - Systems and methods for an integrated wellbore stress, stability and strengthening analysis are disclosed. An integrated geomechanical tool can be used to analyze and evaluate stress along the length of the wellbore to identify a safe drilling mud weight window and help identify troublesome zones in the wellbore. Fracture length may then be predicted in the identified troublesome zones by using a stress tensor calculated during the stress analysis. The calculated fracture length may be used to perform a strengthening analysis. After performing strengthening analysis, mud loss may be predicted based on predicted fracture size calculated during the stress, stability and strengthening analyses. | 10-15-2015 |
20150300151 | SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING REAL-TIME ASSISTANCE TO DRILLING OPERATION - A system for providing real-time assistance to a drilling operation drilling a bore in the earth, comprising: a computer; a first non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a first program that, when executed by the computer, causes the computer to: receive real-time raw data from sensors monitoring the drilling operation and/or bore; cleanse the real-time raw data including removing any real-time raw data sensed while a drill string of the drilling operation was in a mode of: bit-off-bottom, tripping-in, tripping-out, reaming forward, reaming backward and/or cyclic reaming to produce cleansed data; apply at least a portion of the cleansed data to a neural network that has been trained with information concerning the drilling operation comprising geological information for a part of the earth in which the bore is being drilled; receive from the neural network a prediction in real-time as to the probability of the drilling operation experiencing a condition in the future; and display the prediction. | 10-22-2015 |
20150315897 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREDICTING AND VISUALIZING DRILLING EVENTS - Predicting and visualizing drilling events. At least some of the example embodiments are methods including: receiving data indicative of location of a first wellbore; identifying an offset well, the offset well within a predetermined distance of the first wellbore, the identifying by the computer system based on the data indicative of location of the first wellbore; reading data associated with the offset well, the reading by the computer system; generating a value indicative of probability of occurrence of a drilling event based on the data associated with the offset well; plotting the value indicative of probability of occurrence of the drilling event associated with a direction relative to the first wellbore, the plotting on a display device coupled to the computer system; and then adjusting a drilling parameter of the first wellbore based on the value indicative of probability of occurrence of the at least one drilling event. | 11-05-2015 |
20150361779 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING FRICTION FACTOR CALIBRATION - Calibrating Friction Factors. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: calibrating friction factor for a drilling operation by: plotting on a display device the expected hook load versus depth for the drilling operation; displaying plot points on the display device, each plot point indicative of a measured hook load versus depth for the drilling operation; selecting a plot point associated with a depth, the selecting responsive to a cursor hovering over the plot point on the display device; displaying a friction factor values which correlates the expected hook load versus depth for the particular depth to the measured hook load versus depth for the plot point, selecting the value responsive to the cursor hovering over the value; and then shifting on the display device at least a portion of the indication of expected hook load versus depth based on the value of friction factor. | 12-17-2015 |
20150369042 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING DRILLING EVENTS - Calculating wellbore energy. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: calculating an expected wellbore energy for a planned wellpath, the calculating by a computer system; calculating an expected tortuosity of the planned wellpath; calculating a first value indicative of probability of occurrence of a drilling event for drilling along the planned wellpath, the first value based on the expected wellbore energy and the expected tortuosity; and then drilling a wellbore along at least a first portion of the planned wellpath if the first value indicates the probability of the drilling event is less than a predetermined threshold. | 12-24-2015 |
20150378043 | Magnetic Ranging While Rotating - A method for magnetic ranging includes rotating a downhole tool in a drilling well in sensory range of magnetic flux emanating from a target well. The downhole tool includes a magnetometer set and an accelerometer set rotatably coupled to the tool. The magnetometer set and the accelerometer set acquire corresponding magnetometer measurements and accelerometer measurements while rotating. The magnetometer measurements are transformed to a rotation independent reference frame to obtain rotation invariant measurements which are in turn processed to compute at least one of a distance and a direction from the drilling well to the target well. | 12-31-2015 |
20150378044 | Magnetic Ranging To An AC Source While Rotating - A method for magnetic ranging includes rotating a downhole tool in a drilling well in sensory range of magnetic flux emanating from a target well having an AC magnetic source deployed therein. The downhole tool includes a magnetic field sensor deployed therein. The magnetic field sensor measures a magnetic field vector while rotating. The measured magnetic field vector is processed to compute at least one of a distance and a direction from a drilling well to a target well. | 12-31-2015 |
20160024908 | FAST FORMATION DIP ANGLE ESTIMATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Tools, systems and methods for fast formation dip angle estimation, at least some of which include a logging tool that includes at least one transmit antenna, at least one receive antenna and a controller. The controller measures coupling parameters between the transmit and receive antennas, with at least one of the coupling parameters being measured as a function of depth and azimuthal angle. The controller further determines if a surrounding formation is anisotropic and heterogeneous based at least in part on at least one of the coupling parameters, and if so, derives a dip angle from a partial derivative with respect to depth and artificial dip angle of the coupling parameter(s). | 01-28-2016 |
20160047223 | Fatigue Calculator Generation System - Aspects of the disclosure can relate to a system for tracking fatigue damage experienced by a tool in real-time. The system can include a processor operably coupled to a memory and operable to execute one or more modules to generate master curve fitting coefficients for a connection type associated with a tool component (e.g., a component of a bottom hole assembly). The master curve fitting coefficients can be for a threaded connection master curve, a port hole master curve, and so forth. The processor can also be operable to execute the one or more modules to generate a fatigue calculator for the tool component. The system may receive a real-time trajectory for the tool, determine a curvature from the trajectory of the tool, determine a bending moment based upon the curvature, and determine fatigue damage for the tool component based upon the bending moment using the fatigue calculator. | 02-18-2016 |
20160076354 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING DOWNHOLE TORSIONAL VIBRATION BASED ON MEASUREMENT OF SURFACE TORQUE - A method for detecting stick-slip in a drillstring includes (a) measuring a parameter that is a function of a torque applied to the drillstring by a top drive system over a selected time period, the measuring being performed by at least one surface sensor that produces measurement data including torque values over a frequency range; (b) filtering out measurement data that has a frequency outside a selected frequency band, the selected frequency band including a resonant frequency of the drillstring; (c) identifying a minimum and a maximum torque value in the filtered measurement data and determining a difference of these two values; (d) determining a surface stick-slip index by dividing the difference of the maximum and minimum torque values by an average torque value over the selected time period; and (e) displaying the surface stick-slip index on a display. | 03-17-2016 |
20160076357 | METHODS FOR SELECTING AND OPTIMIZING DRILLING SYSTEMS - A method for selecting a drill bit, the method includes obtaining a plurality of data of a first well within an earth formation, correlating the plurality of data of the first well to identify a set of reduced variables of the plurality of data, segmenting the reduced set of the plurality of data into a plurality of facies based on one of drillability and steerability, performing analysis of drilling performance of each of the plurality of facies, and selecting a drill bit based on the drilling performance. | 03-17-2016 |
20160138339 | REGRESSION RELATIONSHIP APPROACHES - The disclosed embodiments include a method, apparatus, and computer program product for improving well production using a regression relationship approach. For example, one disclosed embodiment includes a system that includes at least one processor and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor performs operations for analyzing a first set of data from at least one previously drilled well to predict fracture orientation for determining a drilling angle to optimize drilling of a new well by increasing fracture density along the new wellbore. | 05-19-2016 |
20160146002 | CHARACTERIZING A WELLBORE DEPTH INTERVAL FROM ROCK FRAGMENTS - Methods and systems for characterizing a wellbore depth interval from rock fragments, including a method that includes converting measurements of a bulk rock fragment sample and of individual rock fragment samples to a concentration percent, computing a normalization deviation for each of the individual rock fragment samples relative to the bulk rock fragment sample (said normalization deviation being derived from the concentration percent of the bulk and individual rock fragment samples) and ranking the individual rock fragment samples based on a corresponding normalization deviation. The method further includes selecting one or more individual rock fragment samples based on a corresponding ranking, characterizing the properties of the wellbore depth interval from which the bulk and individual rock fragment samples originated using measured properties of at least some of the selected individual rock fragment samples and presenting to a user the characterized wellbore depth interval. | 05-26-2016 |
20160194949 | INTEGRATED WELL SURVEY MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING TOOL | 07-07-2016 |
20160201446 | AUTOMATED WORKFLOW CAPTURE FOR ANALYSIS AND ERROR REPORTING IN A DRILLING APPLICATION | 07-14-2016 |
20160201449 | DRILLING METHODS AND SYSTEMS WITH AUTOMATED WAYPOINT OR BOREHOLE PATH UPDATES BASED ON SURVEY DATA CORRECTIONS | 07-14-2016 |
20160252636 | SYSTEM FOR MONITORING A SURFACE FOR GAS AND OIL FLOW | 09-01-2016 |
20160376886 | METHODS FOR EVALUATING INFLOW AND OUTFLOW IN A SUBTERRAEAN WELLBORE - A method for evaluating inflow or outflow in a subterranean wellbore includes acquiring first and second axially spaced pressure measurements in the wellbore. The pressure measurements may then be processed to obtain an interval density of drilling fluid between the measurement locations. A tool string including a large number of axially spaced pressure sensors (e.g., four or more or even six or more) electronically coupled with a surface processor via wired drill pipe may be used to obtain a plurality of interval densities corresponding to various wellbore intervals. The interval density may be measured during static conditions or while drilling and may be further processed to compute a density of an inflow constituent in the annulus. Changes in the computed interval density with time may be used as an indicator of either an inflow event or an outflow event. | 12-29-2016 |
20190146118 | LOGGING AND CORRELATION PREDICTION PLOT IN REAL-TIME | 05-16-2019 |