Power loss dysfunction characterization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333672-A1
Application number	US-201615152242-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, system and apparatus for determining real-time drilling operations dysfunctions by measuring the power-loss of signal propagation associated with a drill string in a wellbore. The invention comprises acquiring a first time series from a mid-string drilling sub sensor associated with a drill string in a wellbore and acquiring a second time series from a sensor associated with the drill string wherein the sensor is on or near a drill rig on the surface of the earth. The process further comprises determining the geometry of the wellbore and determining model parameters alpha and beta for characterizing a wellbore using the first time series, the second time series and the geometry of the wellbore by deriving a power loss of signal propagation. The model parameters may then be used for drilling a subsequent well using surface sensor acquired data to detect drilling dysfunctions.

First claim

1 . A process for determining real-time dysfunctions by measuring power-loss of signal propagation associated with a drill string for drilling a wellbore where the process comprises:
a. acquiring a first time series from a mid-string drilling sub sensor associated with a drill string in a wellbore in a first well; b. acquiring a second time series from a sensor associated with the drill string wherein the sensor is on or near a drill rig on the surface of the earth; c. determining the geometry of the wellbore; and d. determining model parameters alpha and beta for characterizing a wellbore using the first time series, the second time series and the geometry of the wellbore by deriving a power loss of signal propagation.

2 . The process of claim 1 further comprising drilling a second well wherein the drill string does not include mid string drilling sub units that acquire and send time series data into the drill string.

3 . The process of claim 1 further comprising drilling a second well and acquiring a third time series from a sensor associated with a drill string in a wellbore wherein the sensor is on or near the drill rig on the surface of the earth.

4 . The process of claim 3 further comprising mitigating drilling dysfunctions in drilling the second well, dysfunctions determined using the determined model parameters alpha and beta, the third time series and geometry of the second wellbore.

5 . The process of claim 1 wherein determining model parameters further comprises deriving parameter gamma, that with alpha and beta characterize a power loss dysfunction of signal propagation for signal travelling through the drill string.

6 . The process of claim 5 wherein determining model parameters, using the first and second time series, further comprises a two-step parameter estimation: (1) ln(P 0,j /P i,j )+a i z i =0 for i=1, 2, . . . , N z ; j=1, 2, . . . , N s and (2) a i =αe −βτ i τ i −γ , being the three-parameter problem to account for combined slab/fiber effects where i is over depth and j indexes over survey stations.

7 . The process of claim 5 further comprising determining, using alpha, beta and gamma, at least one selected from the group of i) a geometrical tortuosity, ii) a cumulative dog-leg value, and iii) a clamping efficiency.

8 . A system for determining real-time dysfunctions by measuring power-loss of signal propagation associated with a drill string for drilling a wellbore where the where the system comprises:
a. a mid-string drilling sub sensor associated with a drill string in a wellbore in a first well for acquiring a first time series; b. a sensor associated with the first well drill string for acquiring a second time series wherein the sensor is on a drilling rig or near the surface of the earth; c. a bottom hole assembly associated with the drill string to provide data to determine a geometry of the first wellbore; d. a computer comprising a memory and a processor; and e. a first computer program module for determining model parameters alpha and beta that characterize a wellbore using the first time series, the second time series and the geometry of the wellbore by deriving a power loss of signal propagation.

9 . The system of claim 8 further comprising a second well drill string wherein the drill string does not include mid string drilling sub units that acquire and send time series data into the drill string.

10 . The system of claim 8 further comprising a second well drill string associated sensor wherein the sensor is on or near the surface of the earth to provide data for determining the dynamic state of the second well drill string in the wellbore from a third time series data acquired from the sensor combined with the determined model parameters.

11 . The system of claim 10 further comprising a second computer program module determining drilling dysfunctions in drilling the second well, dysfunctions determined using the determined model parameters, the third time series and geometry of the second wellbore.

12 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a third computer program module for mitigating the drilling dysfunctions in drilling the second well.

13 . The system of claim 8 further comprising a fourth computer program module that determines parameter gamma, that with alpha and beta may be used to characterize a power loss dysfunction of signal propagation for signal travelling through the drill string.

14 . A drilling rig apparatus for drilling multiple wells, where the apparatus comprises:
a. a drill rig with a first drill string for drilling a first well; b. a mid-string drilling sub sensor associated with the drill string for acquiring a first time series; c. a second sensor associated with the drill string wherein the second sensor is on or near the drill rig at the surface of the earth, the second sensor for acquiring a second time series; d. a bottom hole assembly associated with the drill string to provide data to determine a geometry of a wellbore; e. a computer comprising a memory and a processor; and f. a first computer program module for determining model parameters, using the first time series, the second time series and the geometry of the wellbore to derive model parameters alpha and beta that characterize a power loss of signal propagation for signal travelling through the drill string.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a second well drill string wherein the drill string does not include mid string drilling sub units that acquire and send time series data into the second drill string.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a bottom hole assembly associated with the second drill string to provide data to determine a geometry of a second wellbore.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a second well drill string associated sensor wherein the sensor is on or near the drill rig at the surface of the earth to acquire a third time series.

18 . The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a second computer program module that determines parameter gamma that with alpha and beta may be used to characterize a power loss dysfunction of signal propagation for signal travelling through the first drill string.

19 . The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a dysfunction-detection computer program module for determining a dynamic state of the second drill string in a wellbore.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a dysfunction-mitigation computer program module for mitigating dysfunctions detected through a drill string in a wellbore.

Assignees

• Conocophillips Co

Inventors

• Klie Hector M
• Anno Phil D

Classifications

• G01V99/005

  Physics · mapped topic

• E21B49/003

  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

• E21B44/04 Primary

  in response to the torque of the drive {; Measuring drilling torque (E21B44/06 takes precedence; measuring stresses in a well bore pipe E21B47/007)} · CPC title

• E21B41/0092 Primary

  Fixed Constructions · mapped topic

• 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