Systems and methods for determining downhole tool status

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025270917-A1
Application number	US-202418598011-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2024
Priority date	Feb 23, 2024
Publication date	Aug 28, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method of monitoring a downhole tool implemented in a wellbore that include receiving an initial status of the downhole tool, an initial operation mode and one or more initial operation parameters. The system and method also include identifying a surface downlink sent from a surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool from surface parameters. The system and method include confirming that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink based on comparing the surface downlink to downhole telemetry data received at the surface from the downhole tool. The system and method further include determining an updated status of the downhole tool including updating one or more of the initial operation mode or the one or more initial operation parameters of the initial status based on the downlink command indicated in the surface downlink based on the confirmation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of monitoring a downhole tool implemented in a wellbore, comprising:
receiving an initial status of the downhole tool including an initial operation mode and one or more initial operation parameters; identifying a surface downlink sent from a surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool from surface parameters, wherein the surface downlink indicates a downlink command for the downhole tool to change the initial status; confirming that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink based on comparing the surface downlink to downhole telemetry data received at the surface from the downhole tool; and determining an updated status of the downhole tool including updating one or more of the initial operation mode or the one or more initial operation parameters of the initial status based on the downlink command indicated in the surface downlink based on the confirmation.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface parameters include one or more of a standpipe pressure, a flow rate, or a rotational speed (RPM) implemented at the surface, and identifying the surface downlink includes receiving a downlink bit pattern encoded into the surface parameters by modulating one or more of the standpipe pressure, the flow rate, or the RPM.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the initial status of the downhole tool includes receiving downhole telemetry data received at a surface of the wellbore from the downhole tool, including one or more data channels indicating operation parameters for the downhole tool.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further including determining the initial status of the downhole tool, including the initial operation mode implemented by the downhole tool and the one or more initial operation parameters implemented by the downhole tool for the initial operation mode, based on the downhole telemetry data.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the surface downlink sent from the surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool includes identifying the surface downlink encoded into the surface parameters sent from the surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the surface downlink indicates a downlink command for the downhole tool to change the initial operation mode or to change the one or more initial operation parameters.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein confirming that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink includes verifying a downhole downlink ID data channel of the downhole telemetry data with a surface downlink ID of the surface downlink.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein confirming that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink includes verifying one or more operation parameter data channels of the downhole telemetry data with the downlink command of the surface downlink.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the updated status of the downhole tool includes updating one or more of the initial operation mode or the one or more initial operation parameters based on the downlink command indicated in the surface downlink.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the downhole telemetry data is telemetry data sent to the surface of the wellbore from the downhole tool through one or more of mud pulse telemetry, electromagnetic telemetry, acoustic telemetry, or wired telemetry.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the downhole tool is a steering tool and determining the status includes determining a steering mode and associated steering parameters of the steering tool.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the downhole telemetry data includes a data channel indicating a downhole downlink ID, and wherein confirming that the downhole tool received the surface downlink includes comparing the downhole downlink ID to a surface downlink ID of the surface downlink.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying, from surface parameters, a second surface downlink sent from the surface to the downhole tool; indicating a blind mode operation based on determining that the downhole telemetry data is unreliable; and determining an updated status of the downhole tool from the second surface downlink, based on the blind mode operation based on the blind mode operation.

14 . A system of monitoring a downhole tool implemented in a wellbore comprising:
a processor; memory accessible by the processor; processor-executable instructions stored in the memory and executable to instruct the system to: receive an initial status of the downhole tool including an initial operation mode and one or more initial operation parameters; identify a surface downlink sent from a surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool from surface parameters, wherein the surface downlink indicates a downlink command for the downhole tool to change the initial status; confirm that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink based on comparing the surface downlink to downhole telemetry data received at the surface from the downhole tool; and determine an updated status of the downhole tool including updating one or more of the initial operation mode or the one or more initial operation parameters of the initial status based on the downlink command indicated in the surface downlink based on the confirmation.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the surface parameters include one or more of a standpipe pressure, a flow rate, or a rotational speed (RPM) implemented at the surface, and identifying the surface downlink includes receiving a downlink bit pattern encoded into the surface parameters by modulating one or more of the standpipe pressure, the flow rate, or the RPM.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein identifying the surface downlink sent from the surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool includes identifying the surface downlink encoded into the surface parameters sent from the surface of the wellbore to the downhole tool.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the surface downlink indicates a downlink command for the downhole tool to change the initial operation mode or to change the one or more initial operation parameters.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the downhole telemetry data includes a data channel indicating a downhole downlink ID, and wherein confirming that the downhole tool received the surface downlink includes comparing the downhole downlink ID to a surface downlink ID of the surface downlink.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer, which includes a processor performs a method, the method comprising:
receiving an initial status of a downhole tool including an initial operation mode and one or more initial operation parameters; identifying a surface downlink sent from a surface of a wellbore to the downhole tool from surface parameters, wherein the surface downlink indicates a downlink command for the downhole tool to change the initial status; confirming that the downhole tool received from the surface downlink based on comparing the surface downlink to downhole telemetry data received at the surface from the downhole tool; and determining an updated status of the downhole tool including updating one or more of the initial operation mode or the one or more initial operation parameters of the initial status based on the downlink command indicated in the surface downlink based on the confirmation.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wh

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Ba Samba
• Rhazaf Mustapha
• Liu Qiuhua
• Goel Prateek
• Kim Jinsoo

Classifications

• E21B44/00 Primary

  Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions · CPC title

• E21B47/12 Primary

  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