Systems and methods for positive displacement motor diagnostics and failure prediction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12252976-B2
Application number	US-202217705874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 28, 2022
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems relating to a drilling operation at a well site include a plurality of drilling parameters, which define the processes of the drilling operation, and a positive displacement motor. The positive displacement motor includes a plurality of embedded sensors, wherein each embedded sensor has an embedded sensor type and an embedded sensor location, a process control unit, and a communication line connecting the plurality of embedded sensors to the process control unit. A computer is communicably connected to the plurality of embedded sensors and includes one or more computer processors, and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor. The instructions include functionality for: receiving a data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors; monitoring the data stream according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location; generating a first alert if at least one embedded sensor in the plurality of embedded sensors, as monitored by the data stream according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location, resides outside a plurality of pre-defined embedded sensor ranges; processing the data stream to predict a failure mode and time to the failure mode; and detecting a failure in the positive displacement motor and generating a second alert indicating the failure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a drilling operation at a well site, wherein the drilling operation comprises a plurality of drilling parameters which define the processes of the drilling operation and a positive displacement motor, wherein the positive displacement motor comprises:
a power section comprising a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate within the stator in response to a passage of drilling mud,
a transmission section configured to transmit torque from the rotor to a driveshaft,
a bearing assembly section comprising the driveshaft and a plurality of bearings, wherein the driveshaft is configured to drive a drill bit connected to the positive displacement motor,
a plurality of embedded sensors, wherein each embedded sensor has an embedded sensor type and an embedded sensor location in the positive displacement motor, the plurality of embedded sensors comprising:
a first sensor with an ultrasonic sensor type disposed at a first location in the power section and configured to measure a thickness of the stator;
a second sensor with a rotations per minute (RPM) sensor type disposed at a second location in the transmission section; and
a third sensor with a temperature sensor type disposed at a third location in the bearing assembly section,

a process control unit, and
a communication line that axially traverses, at least a portion of, the positive displacement motor and connects the plurality of embedded sensors to the process control unit; and

a computer communicably connected to the plurality of embedded sensors and comprises:
 one or more computer processors, and
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions comprising functionality for:
receiving, from the process control unit, a data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors; monitoring the data stream according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location; generating a first alert if an embedded sensor in the plurality of embedded sensors, as monitored by the data stream, resides outside a pre-defined range specific to the embedded sensor based on the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location; processing the data stream to predict a failure mode and time to the failure mode; and detecting a failure in the positive displacement motor based on the data stream and generating a second alert indicating the failure.

2. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising functionality for:
displaying the data stream.

3. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising functionality for:
processing the data stream with an anomaly detection algorithm.

4. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising functionality for:
diagnosing a failure mode based on the data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location.

5. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 1 , the instructions further comprising functionality for:
recommending a change in the drilling parameters to prevent failure of the positive displacement motor based on the data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein a disconnection and a disconnection location are detected with the communication line.

7. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 6 , the instructions further comprising functionality for:
identifying a twist-off location using the communication line; and
identifying a drop-off location using the communication line.

8. A method comprising:
providing a positive displacement motor, wherein the positive displacement motor comprises:
a power section comprising a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate within the stator in response to a passage of drilling mud,
a transmission section configured to transmit torque from the rotor to a driveshaft,
a bearing assembly section comprising the driveshaft and a plurality of bearings,
wherein the driveshaft is configured to drive a drill bit connected to the positive displacement motor,
a plurality of embedded sensors, wherein each embedded sensor has an embedded sensor type and an embedded sensor location in the positive displacement motor, the plurality of embedded sensors comprising:
a first sensor with an ultrasonic sensor type disposed at a first location in the power section and configured to measure a thickness of the stator;
a second sensor with a rotations per minute (RPM) sensor type disposed at a second location in the transmission section; and
a third sensor with a temperature sensor type disposed at a third location in the bearing assembly section,

a process control unit, and
a communication line that axially traverses, at least a portion of, the positive displacement motor and connects the plurality of embedded sensors to the process control unit;

receiving, by a computer processor, a data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors;
monitoring, by the computer processor, the data stream according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location;
generating a first alert if an embedded sensor in the plurality of embedded sensors, as monitored by the data stream, resides outside a pre-defined range specific to the embedded sensor based on the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location;
processing the data stream to predict a failure mode and time to the failure mode; and
detecting a failure in the positive displacement motor based on the data stream and generating a second alert indicating the failure.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
displaying, using the computer processor, the data stream.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
processing, by the computer processor, the data stream with an anomaly detection algorithm.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
diagnosing, using the computer processor, a failure mode based on the data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors according to the embedded sensor type and the embedded sensor location.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
recommending a change to a plurality of drilling parameters to prevent failure of the positive displacement motor based on the data stream from the plurality of embedded sensors.

13. The positive displacement motor of claim 8 ,
wherein a disconnection and a disconnection location are detected with the communication line.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
identifying a twist-off location using the communication line; and
identifying a drop-off location using the communication line.

15. A positive displacement motor, comprising:
a power section comprising a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to rotate within the stator in response to a passage of drilling mud;
a transmission section configured to transmit torque from the rotor to a driveshaft;
a bearing assembly section comprising the driveshaft and a plurality of bearings, wherein the driveshaft is configured to drive a drill bit connected to the positive displacement motor;
a plurality of embedded sensors, wherein each embedded sensor has an embedded sensor type and an embedded sensor location in the positive displacement motor, the plurality of embedded sensors comprising:
a first sensor with an ultrasonic sensor type disposed at a first location in the power section and configured to measure a thickness of the stator;
a second sensor with a rotatio

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Dossary Abdullah Mohammed

Classifications

• G05B19/048

  Monitoring; Safety · CPC title

• F04C2270/80

  Diagnostics · CPC title

• F04C2/107

  with helical teeth · CPC title

• E21B4/02 Primary

  Fluid rotary type drives · 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