Method and system for real-time hole cleaning using a graphical user interface and user selections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12044124-B2
Application number	US-202117168592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2021
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A method may include obtaining, in real-time, well data regarding a wellbore and drilling fluid data regarding drilling fluid circulating in the wellbore. The method may further include determining, based on the drilling fluid data, a plastic viscosity (PV) value and a yield point (YP) value regarding the drilling fluid. The method may further include determining, based on the well data and the drilling fluid data, an equivalent circulating density (ECD) value of an annulus of the wellbore. The method may further include determining a hole cleaning efficiency (HCE) value based on a hole cleaning model, the PV value, the YP value, and the ECD value. The method may further include determining an adjusted rate of penetration (ROP) value for a drilling operation in the wellbore based on the HCE value and a current ROP value. The method may further include transmitting a command to a drilling system that produces the adjusted ROP value in the drilling operation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
obtaining, by a computer processor and in real-time, well data regarding a wellbore and drilling fluid data regarding drilling fluid circulating in the wellbore;
determining, by the computer processor and based on the drilling fluid data, a plastic viscosity (PV) value and a yield point (YP) value regarding the drilling fluid;
determining, by the computer processor and based on the well data and the drilling fluid data, an equivalent circulating density (ECD) value of an annulus of the wellbore;
determining, by the computer processor, a plurality of hole cleaning efficiency (HCE) values for a plurality of depth intervals in the wellbore based on a hole cleaning model, the PV value, the YP value, the ECD value, and a plurality of rate of penetration (ROP) values for a drilling operation in the wellbore,
wherein the plurality of HCE values describe different hole cleaning states based on different rheological parameters of the drilling fluid in the wellbore;
presenting, by the computer processor and using a graphical user interface on a user device, the plurality of HCE values for the plurality of depth intervals in the wellbore;
determining, by the computer processor, a plurality of adjusted ROP values for the drilling operation in the wellbore based on the plurality of HCE values and a current ROP value;
obtaining, using the graphical user interface and in response to presenting the plurality of HCE values for the plurality of depth intervals, a user selection of an adjusted ROP value among the plurality of adjusted ROP values associated with the plurality of HCE values; and
transmitting, by the computer processor and in response to obtaining the user selection of the adjusted ROP value, a command to a drilling system that produces the adjusted ROP value in the drilling operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a cuttings concentration in the annulus (CCA) value based on an ROP value, a hole size value, a flow rate value of the drilling fluid, and a transport ratio value; and
determining an effective mud weight of the drilling fluid based on a static mud weight and the CCA value,
wherein the ECD value is based on the effective mud weight, the PV value, and the YP value.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an annulus velocity (AV) value based on a cuttings velocity and a slip velocity,
wherein the AV value corresponds to a minimum velocity required to lift cuttings during a drilling operation,
wherein at least one HCE value among the plurality of HCE values is based on the AV value, the PV value, the YP value, and a mud weight value.

4. The method of claim 3 ,
wherein the slip velocity is based on a hole inclination correction factor, a particle size correction factor, a mud weight correction factor, and a drilling fluid apparent viscosity.

5. The method of claim 1 ,
determining whether a current HCE value among the plurality of HCE values satisfies a predetermined threshold,
wherein the user selection is obtained in response to the current HCE value failing to satisfy the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 ,
wherein the predetermined threshold is selected from a group consisting of a clean hole threshold or a critical interval threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the drilling fluid data comprises a plurality of rheological values, one or more funnel viscosity values, and an average cutting size value, and
wherein the well data corresponds to a plurality of well parameters comprising one or more hole inclination values, one or more pipe diameters, and one or more hole diameters.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, by a control system and from one or more mud property sensors, PV data and YP data regarding the drilling fluid; and
obtaining, by the control system and from a mud pump system, flow rate data of the drilling fluid,
wherein the control system determines at least one HCE value among the plurality of HCE values using the PV data, the YP data, and the flow rate data.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by a control system, a plurality of commands to the drilling system based on a well path through a subterranean formation; and
adjusting, in response to the adjusted ROP value, the well path to produce an adjusted well path.

10. A system, comprising:
a drilling system comprising a drill string and a plurality of sensors, wherein the drilling system is coupled to a wellbore;
a mud pump system coupled to the wellbore, wherein the mud pump system is configured to supply drilling fluid to the wellbore;
a user device; and
a control system coupled to the drilling system, the user device, and the mud pump system, wherein the control system comprises a computer processor, the control system being configured to perform a method comprising:
obtaining, in real-time, well data regarding the wellbore and drilling fluid data regarding the drilling fluid;
determining, based on the drilling fluid data, a plastic viscosity (PV) value and a yield point (YP) value regarding the drilling fluid;
determining, based on the well data and the drilling fluid data, an equivalent circulating density (ECD) value of an annulus of the wellbore;
determining a plurality of hole cleaning efficiency (HCE) values for a plurality of depth intervals in the wellbore based on a hole cleaning model, the PV value, the YP value, the ECD value, and a plurality of rate of penetration (ROP) values for a drilling operation in the wellbore,
wherein the plurality of HCE values describe different hole cleaning states based on different rheological parameters of the drilling fluid in the wellbore;
presenting, using a graphical user interface on the user device, the plurality of HCE values for the plurality of depth intervals in the wellbore;
determining a plurality of adjusted ROP values for the drilling operation in the wellbore based on the plurality of HCE values and a current ROP value;
obtaining, using the graphical user interface and in response to presenting the plurality of HCE values for the plurality of depth intervals, a user selection of an adjusted ROP value among the plurality of adjusted ROP values associated with the plurality of HCE values; and
transmitting, in response to obtaining the user selection of the adjusted ROP value, a command to the drilling system that produces the adjusted ROP value in the drilling operation.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control system further comprises functionality for:
determining a cuttings concentration in the annulus (CCA) value based on an ROP value, a hole size value, a flow rate value of the drilling fluid, and a transport ratio value; and
determining an effective mud weight of the drilling fluid based on a static mud weight and the CCA value,
wherein the ECD value is based on the effective mud weight, the PV value, and the YP value.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the control system further comprises functionality for:
determining an annulus velocity (AV) value based on a cuttings velocity and a slip velocity, wherein the AV value corresponds to a minimum velocity required to lift cuttings during a drilling operation,
wherein at least one HCE value among the plurality of HCE values is based on the AV value, the PV value, the YP value, and a mud weight value, and
wherein the slip velocity is based on a hole inclination correction factor, a particle size correction factor, a mud weight correction factor, and a drilling fluid apparent viscosity.

13. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
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Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co
• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Al-Malki Mohammed A
• Abughaban Mahmoud F
• Al-Rubaii Mohammed Murif
• Al-Yami Abdullah S
• Elkatatny Salaheldin M

Classifications

• E21B49/005

  Testing the nature of borehole walls or the formation by using drilling mud or cutting data · CPC title

• E21B47/12

  Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling · CPC title

• E21B44/02

  Automatic control of the tool feed ({E21B44/005,} E21B44/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B37/00

  Methods or apparatus for cleaning boreholes or wells (E21B21/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B21/08 Primary

  Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure (valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10) · CPC title