Computing systems, tools, and methods for simulating wellbore re-entry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015184508-A1
Application number	US-201414584477-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 31, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

Specialized computing systems, devices, interfaces and methods facilitate the simulation of downhole wellbore re-entry procedures such as sidetracking, rate hole extension, hole enlargement, window modification, fishing, and other re-entry procedures. Computing systems, devices, interfaces and methods enable a user to design and select BHA components and procedures to be compared and simulated. Various re-entry parameters, such as re-entry tool parameters, whipstock parameters, wellbore casing parameters, window parameters, rat hole parameters, and the like may be accessed and selectably modified with re-entry and simulation interfaces to define and control the simulated re-entry procedures. Different types of output are selectably rendered to reflect various aspects of the simulated re-entry procedures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computing system comprising:
one or more hardware processors; and one or more storage devices having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, are configured to cause the computing system to:
instantiate a downhole re-entry simulation interface, the downhole re-entry simulation interface including a plurality of interactive objects which are selectably operable, in response to input received by the interactive objects, to define, select, or modify one or more downhole re-entry parameters;
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access downhole operation data, the downhole operation data being accessed by the simulation interface at least in part from one or more of:
simulation data from a simulation mesh of a previous simulation of a downhole milling or re-entry procedure; or
actual milling data corresponding to a physical downhole milling or re-entry procedure from which the actual milling data was previously obtained by one or more sensors monitoring the physical downhole milling or re-entry procedure;

use the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access parameters of at least one virtual downhole re-entry tool in response to user input received at the downhole re-entry simulation interface; and
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface and the one or more downhole re-entry parameters to simulate a downhole re-entry procedure by at least simulating an interaction of the virtual downhole re-entry tool with a downhole environment associated with the accessed downhole operation data.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters for a window formed in a casing during the previous simulation or the physical downhole milling, and simulating the downhole re-entry procedure includes simulating the at least one virtual downhole re-entry tool passing through the window.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters for a rat hole at least partially formed by the previous simulation or the physical downhole milling procedure, and simulating the downhole re-entry procedure includes simulating the at least one virtual downhole re-entry tool moving within the rat hole.

4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters for a fish that remains at least partially within the downhole environment after the previous simulation or the physical downhole milling procedure.

5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters for a whipstock positioned in a wellbore of the downhole environment, and that is at least partially milled during the previous simulation or the physical downhole milling procedure.

6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters for a sidetrack borehole at least partially formed during the previous simulation or the physical downhole milling procedure.

7 . The computing system of claim 1 , the downhole operation data including at least first downhole operation data obtained from actual milling data obtained by the one or more sensors monitoring the physical downhole milling or re-entry procedure, the stored computer-executable instructions being further configured to cause the computing system to:
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access second downhole operation data including parameters not obtained by the one or more sensors monitoring the physical downhole milling or re-entry procedure; and use the downhole re-entry simulation interface, the one or more downhole re-entry parameters, and the first and second downhole operation data to simulate the downhole re-entry procedure.

8 . The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the second downhole operation data includes parameters for at least one of wellbore casing, cement, or a casing window.

9 . The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the second downhole operation data includes parameters of one or more virtual re-entry components obtained from mesh data of the previous simulation.

10 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the downhole operation data includes parameters corresponding to an actual BHA component not used in performing the physical downhole milling procedure.

11 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual downhole re-entry tool corresponds to an actual BHA component that was used in performing the physical downhole milling or re-entry procedure.

12 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the simulated downhole re-entry procedure is at least one of:
a sidetrack borehole extension procedure; a hole enlargement procedure; a resizing or modification procedure of a window formed in a wellbore casing; or a wellbore fishing procedure.

13 . The computing system of claim 1 , the stored computer-executable instructions being further configured to cause the computing system to:
render output at one or more output devices that at least visually reflects the interaction of the virtual downhole re-entry tool with the downhole environment.

14 . A computing system comprising:
one or more hardware processors; and one or more storage devices having stored computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, are configured to cause the computing system to:
instantiate a downhole re-entry simulation interface, the downhole re-entry simulation interface including a plurality of interactive objects which are selectably operable to, in response to user input received at the interactive objects, define one or more downhole re-entry parameters;
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access virtual downhole operation data;
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access parameters of at least one virtual downhole re-entry tool in response to user input received at the downhole re-entry simulation interface; and
use the downhole re-entry simulation interface and the one or more downhole re-entry parameters to simulate a downhole re-entry procedure by at least simulating an interaction of the virtual downhole re-entry tool with a virtual downhole environment associated with the virtual downhole operation data.

15 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the virtual downhole operation data includes parameters defining at least one of a wellbore casing window attribute, a rat hole attribute, a borehole attribute, a wellbore attribute, a wellbore casing attribute, a whipstock attribute, or a wellbore fish attribute, and wherein use of the downhole re-entry simulation interface to access the virtual downhole operation data includes accessing a simulation mesh of a previous simulation of a downhole milling procedure, the simulation mesh containing virtual milling data defining one or more attributes associated with the downhole milling procedure, the one or more attributes including at least one of a wellbore casing window attribute, a rat hole attribute, a borehole attribute, a wellbore casing attribute, a whipstock attribute, or a wellbore fish attribute.

16 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the downhole re-entry simulation interface accesses one or more of the virtual downhole operation data or the at least one virtual downhole re-entry tool from user input received at one or more interactive elements displayed by the downhole re-entry simulation interface.

17 . The computing system of claim 14 , the stored computer-executable instructions being con

Assignees

• Smith International

Inventors

• Huang Sujian
• Liu Xinghan
• Yang Jianjun
• Xu Gang
• Feng Feng

Classifications

• E21B49/003 Primary

  by analysing drilling variables or conditions (E21B49/005 takes precedence; systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions E21B44/00) · CPC title

• E21B47/00

  Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08) · CPC title

• E21B7/061 Primary

  the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock · CPC title