Systems, methods, and devices for predicting borehole geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9062528-B2
Application number	US-201113515339-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2011
Priority date	Jun 14, 2011
Publication date	Jun 23, 2015
Grant date	Jun 23, 2015

Abstract

System, methods and devices for measuring and predicting complex borehole geometries are presented herein. A method is disclosed for determining a trajectory of a borehole that is generated by a drill string. The method includes: receiving data indicative of one or more drilling parameters between at least two survey points; averaging the received data over predetermined increments between the at least two survey points; calculating from at least the averaged data a predicted drill string response for each of the predetermined increments; determining from at least the predicted drill string response a change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments; generating a predicted wellbore trajectory from the change in inclination and azimuth; comparing the predicted wellbore trajectory to a measured wellbore trajectory; and, if the comparison is favorable, determining a probable borehole position from the change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining a trajectory of a borehole generated by a directional drilling system having one or more sensing devices operatively connected to a drill string with a steerable downhole assembly and a rotatable drill bit, the method comprising:
receiving, from at least one of the one or more electronic sensing devices operatively connected to the drill string, data indicative of one or more drilling parameters between at least two survey points;
averaging, via at least one of one or more controllers, the received data over predetermined increments between the at least two survey points;
calculating, via at least one of the one or more controllers from at least the averaged data, a predicted drill string response for each of the predetermined increments;
determining, via at least one of the one or more controllers from at least the predicted drill string response, a change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments;
generating, via at least one of the one or more controllers, a predicted wellbore trajectory from at least the change in inclination and azimuth;
comparing, via at least one of the one or more controllers, the predicted wellbore trajectory to a measured wellbore trajectory;
if the comparison is favorable, determining, via at least one of the one or more controllers, a probable borehole position from at least the change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments; and
storing, via at least one of one or more memory devices, a representation of the predicted wellbore trajectory and the probable borehole position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison being favorable includes a difference between the predicted wellbore trajectory and the measured wellbore trajectory being within a predetermined error band.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
if the comparison is not favorable, recalculating the predicted drill string response by applying a correction factor with a statistical bias.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the recalculating, the determining, the generating, and the comparing are reiterated until the comparison is favorable.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted wellbore trajectory is determined at a first of the at least two survey points, and the measured wellbore trajectory is determined at a second of the at least two survey points.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steerable downhole assembly includes a bottom hole assembly (BHA) with the drill bit rotatably coupled to a downhole end of the BHA, and wherein the predicted drill string response includes a predicted BHA response and a predicted drill bit response.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data includes time-based measurements of the one or more drilling parameters taken by depth.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a user defined depth increment, wherein each of the predetermined increments is substantially equal to the user defined depth increment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data is indicative of a plurality of the drilling parameters, the method further comprising:
calculating the predicted drill string response for each of the drilling parameters.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a misalignment of a directional survey tool within the borehole at both of the at least two survey points.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the calculating the misalignment is based, at least in part, upon at least one of a complex geometry and a stiffness of the BHA, a complex geometry of the borehole, and a borehole size and shape.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
recalculating the change in inclination and azimuth for each of the predetermined increments based, at least in part, upon the misalignment of the directional survey tool.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the calculating the misalignment is based, at least in part, upon continuous survey measurements taken while the drill string is drilling.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more drilling parameters include measured depth, string rotary speed, weight on bit, down hole torque, surface torque, flow in, surface pressure, down hole pressure, fluid density, down hole continuous inclination measurements, bit orientation, bit deflection, hole size, or estimated bit wear, or any combination thereof.

15. A computer program product for determining a trajectory of a borehole generated by a directional drilling system having one or more sensing devices operatively connected to a drill string with a steerable downhole assembly and a rotatable drill bit, the computer program product comprising a non-transient computer readable medium having an instruction set borne thereby, the instruction set being configured to cause, upon execution by one or more controllers, the acts of:
averaging a measured data set over predetermined increments between at least two survey points, the data set being indicative of at least one of a plurality of drilling parameters measured by at least one of the one or more electronic sensing devices operatively connected to the drill string;
calculating from at least the averaged data set a predicted drill string response for each predetermined increment;
determining from at least the predicted drill string response a change in inclination and azimuth for each predetermined increment;
generating a predicted wellbore trajectory from at least the change in inclination and azimuth;
comparing the predicted wellbore trajectory to a measured wellbore trajectory;
if the comparison is not favorable, recalculating the predicted drill string response by applying a correction factor with a statistical bias, and reiterating the acts of determining, generating, and comparing;
if the comparison is favorable, determining a probable borehole position from the change in inclination and azimuth for each predetermined increment; and
storing in at least one of one or more memory devices a representation of the predicted wellbore trajectory and the probable borehole position.

16. A system for predicting a path of a complex borehole drilled by a directional drilling system having at least one sensing device operatively connected to a drill string with a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and a drill bit, the system comprising:
an input device configured to receive an input from a user;
a controller;
a memory device storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to:
receive from the at least one sensing device measurements indicative of a plurality of drilling parameters between first and second survey points;
average the received measurements over each of a plurality of user-defined depth increments between the first and second survey points;
calculate from at least the averaged measurements a predicted BHA response and a predicted drill bit response for each of the depth increments;
determine from at least the predicted BHA response and the predicted drill bit response a change in inclination and azimuth for each of the depth increments;
generate a predicted wellbore trajectory at the first survey point from at least the change in inclination and azimuth;
compare the predicted wellbore trajectory to a measured wellbore trajectory at the second survey point; and
if the comparison is favorable, determine a probable borehole position from the change in inclination and azimuth for each of the depth increments.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the memory d

Assignees

• Mitchell Ian David Campbell
• Strachan Michael John Mcleod
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mitchell Ian David Campbell
• Strachan Michael John Mcleod

Classifications

• E21B47/022 Primary

  of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism · CPC title