Method for detecting and mitigating drilling inefficiencies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9181792-B2
Application number	US-201113333027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2011
Priority date	Oct 5, 2011
Publication date	Nov 10, 2015
Grant date	Nov 10, 2015

Abstract

Present embodiments are directed to a drilling system and method for evaluating energy consumption to determine the onset of drilling issues and identify mitigation strategies for more efficient drilling. The drilling system receives drilling parameter values and a drilling performance value from sensors located on a drilling rig, and calculates an energy value based on the drilling parameter values and drilling performance value. The drilling system determines a deviation of the calculated energy value from a desired energy value and identifies one drilling parameter that significantly correlates with the deviation. Further, the drilling system determines an adjustment to the one drilling parameter that, when applied, causes the calculated energy value to approach the desired energy value. The drilling system then indicates the desired adjustment to the drilling operator so that appropriate actions may be taken to mitigate the drilling issue.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
sending drilling parameter values from one or more sensors to a communication component, the drilling parameter values related to operation of a drilling rig and comprising at least a force on a drill bit, a rotational speed of a drilling feature, and a torque applied by the drilling feature;
sending a drilling performance value from the one or more sensors to the communication component, the drilling parameter values comprising a value indicative of drilling progression;
calculating an energy value that is linearly related to the drilling parameter values and proportional to the drilling performance value with a processor;
determining, by the processor, a deviation of the energy value from a desired energy value at the onset of a drilling issue;
identifying, by the processor, one of the drilling parameter values that significantly correlates with the deviation of the energy value;
determining, by the processor, using statistical analysis, and outputting an adjustment to the one of the drilling parameter values;
adjusting, by the processor, the one of the drilling parameter values such that, when the adjustment is made, the energy value approaches the desired energy value.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising monitoring the drilling parameter values and the drilling performance value via sensors disposed about the drilling rig.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving drilling parameter values comprising a flow rate of drilling mud flowing through the drilling rig.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving a drilling performance value comprising a rate of penetration of a drilling feature into a well.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising comparing the deviation of the energy value with a standard deviation of energy values calculated over time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the one drilling parameter value comprises identifying one of the drilling parameter values that predominantly varies with the deviation of the energy value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the adjustment comprises performing a linear regression analysis of the one drilling parameter value compared with each other drilling parameter value, the drilling performance value, and the energy value, based on past performance of the drilling rig.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating the adjustment through a visible or audible output by displaying a prediction of a drilling issue associated with the deviation of the energy value and displaying the adjustment determined to mitigate the drilling issue.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising controlling the drilling rig to apply the adjustment.

10. A drilling system comprising:
one or more sensors disposed about a drilling rig to measure drilling parameter values and a drilling performance value related to operation of a drilling rig, the drilling parameter values comprising at least a force on a drill bit, a rotational speed of a drilling feature, and a torque applied by the drilling feature and the drilling performance value comprising a value indicative of drilling progression;
a communication component configured to receive the drilling parameter values and the drilling performance value from the one or more sensors;
a memory component configured to store code adapted to calculate an energy value that is linearly related to the drilling parameter values and proportional to the drilling performance value, wherein the memory component is configured to store code adapted to identify one of the drilling parameter values that predominantly varies with the deviation of the energy value;
a processor coupled to the communication component and the memory component and configured to use code stored in the memory component to calculate the energy value and determine an adjustment to one drilling parameter such that, when the adjustment is made, the calculated energy value approaches a desired energy value; and
a display coupled to the processor and configured to display an indication of the adjustment.

11. The drilling system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a deviation of the calculated energy value from the desired energy value.

12. The drilling system of claim 10 , comprising an audible indication device configured to produce an audible indication of the adjustment.

13. The drilling system of claim 10 , comprising sensors disposed on the drilling rig and configured to monitor the drilling parameter values and the drilling performance value.

14. The drilling system of claim 10 , wherein the display is configured to display traces of at least the drilling parameter values, drilling performance value, and calculated energy value with respect to time.

15. The drilling system of claim 10 , wherein the memory component is configured to store calculated energy values with respect to time for calculating the desired energy value.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor performs the following method:
receiving drilling parameter values from one or more sensors, the drilling parameter values related to operation of a drilling rig and comprising at least a force on a drill bit, a rotational speed of a drilling feature, and a torque applied by the drilling feature;
receiving a drilling performance value from the one or more sensors, the drilling parameter values comprising a value indicative of drilling progression;
calculating, by the processor, an energy value from the drilling parameter values and the drilling performance value received from the one or more sensors, the energy value being linearly related to the drilling parameter values and proportional to the drilling performance value;
identifying, by the processor, one of the drilling parameter values that significantly correlates with a deviation of the energy value from a desired energy value at the onset of a drilling issue;
performing, by the processor, using a statistical analysis for determining an adjustment to the one of the drilling parameter values such that, when the adjustment is made, the energy value approaches the desired energy value; and
outputting, by the processor, the adjustment to the one of the drilling parameter values.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the identifying further comprises performing a transient standard deviation analysis of the drilling parameter values to identify the one drilling parameter that predominantly varies with the deviation.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising calculating the desired energy value based on previously calculated energy values.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising performing a linear regression analysis for determining the adjustment.

Assignees

• Pena Cesar
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Pena Cesar

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

• E21B10/00

  Drill bits (specially adapted for deflecting the direction of boring {E21B7/064}; with means for collecting substances E21B27/00) · CPC title

• E21B7/24

  Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses (percussion drilling E21B1/00) · CPC title

• E21B44/04

  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