Acoustic geosteering in directional drilling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248455-B2
Application number	US-202016838479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2020
Priority date	Apr 2, 2020
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A method for acoustic geosteering in directional drilling is provided. The method includes measuring a response from a fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensor disposed on a bottom hole assembly and determining a location of the bottom hole assembly from seismic waves received from surface sources. A subterranean layer structure proximate to the bottom hole assembly is determined from reflections of a locally generated soundwave. Adjustments to geosteering vectors for the bottom hole assembly are determined based, at least in part, on the location and the subterranean layer structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for acoustic geosteering in directional drilling, comprising:
measuring a response from a fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensor disposed on a bottom hole assembly;
determining a location of the bottom hole assembly from seismic waves received from surface sources;
determining a subterranean layer structure proximate to the bottom hole assembly from reflections of a locally generated soundwave from a sound transducer disposed on the bottom hole assembly; and
determining adjustments to geosteering vectors for the bottom hole assembly based, at least in part, on the location and the subterranean layer structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the locally generated soundwave by a transducer proximate to a drill bit on the bottom hole assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating seismic waves at a surface source.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising generating the seismic waves by a vibroseis.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending laser pulses down a fiber-optic and measuring backscattered light from the fiber-optic to measure the response.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the adjustments to change the direction of drilling a wellbore.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the subterranean layer structure through a seismic analysis of the reflections from the locally generated soundwave.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the location of the bottom hole assembly by triangulating seismic waves received from different surface sources.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing a direction of the bottom hole assembly based, at least in part, on the adjustments.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising automatically adjusting the direction of the bottom hole assembly.

11. A system for acoustic geosteering in directional drilling, comprising a bottom hole assembly comprising:
a fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensor comprising an optical fiber helicoidally wrapped around the bottom hole assembly;
a drill bit;
a sound transducer located proximate to the drill bit; and
a controller, wherein the controller comprises:
a processor; and
a data store, wherein the data store comprises instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to:
measure a response from a distributed acoustic sensor;
triangulate a position of the bottom hole assembly from seismic soundwaves received from surface sources;
determine a layer structure proximate to the bottom hole assembly from reflections from locally generated soundwaves emitted by the sound transducer on the bottom hole assembly; and
determine an adjustment to a steering vector based, at least in part, on the position of the bottom hole assembly and the layer structure proximate to the bottom hole assembly.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a coiled tubing drilling apparatus.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a fiber-optic cable coupling the optical fiber to optical systems located at the surface.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a pulsed laser to emit light pulses into the optical fiber; and
a photodetector to detect light from the optical fiber.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising an optical time domain reflectometry system, wherein the photodetector is used to detect backscattered light from the optical fiber.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a Sagnac interferometry system.

17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a steering actuator to change a direction of the bottom hole assembly.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the data store comprises instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to activate sound generation from the sound transducer.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the data store comprises instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to instruct operators of the surface sources to generate the seismic soundwaves.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the data store comprises instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to make the adjustment to the steering vector.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the data store comprises instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to send signals to a steering actuator to change a direction of the bottom hole assembly.

22. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that direct the processor to measure the response from the distributed acoustic sensor comprise instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to:
activate a laser power supply to cause a laser to emit light pulses into the optical fiber;
receive data from a high-speed digital-to-analog converter, wherein the high-speed digital-to-analog converter receives signals from a photodetector measuring light from the optical fiber; and
determine acoustic signals from the data.

23. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions that direct the processor to triangulate the position comprise instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to:
detect seismic soundwaves from multiple vibroseis; and
compare a time of arrival of signals from the multiple vibroseis to triangulate a location of the bottom hole assembly.

24. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instruction to direct the processor to determine the layer structure comprise instructions that, when executed, direct the processor to perform a seismic analysis on the reflections.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Marsala Alberto F
• Jervis Michael

Classifications

• E21B47/024

  of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022) · CPC title

• E21B7/04

  Directional drilling · CPC title

• E21B47/0224

  using seismic or acoustic means · CPC title

• G01V1/226 Primary

  Optoseismic systems · CPC title

• E21B43/16 Primary

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title