System and method for providing a continuous wellbore survey

• US 10,077,648 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gyrodata Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gyrodata Incorporated
• Inventors: Ledroz, Adrian Guillermo, Weston, John Lionel
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzgerald, John
• Application Number:
  US14/446,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20160032709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 7315254
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/10 Correction of deflected boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/02 Rotary gyroscopes

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for producing a continuous survey of a previously drilled portion of a wellbore. The method includes receiving a plurality of stationary survey measurements taken at a corresponding plurality of locations along the portion of the wellbore. The method further includes receiving at least one continuous survey including a plurality of continuous survey measurements taken between a pair of stationary survey measurements of the plurality of stationary survey measurements. The method further includes combining the plurality of stationary survey measurements and the plurality of continuous survey measurements to produce the continuous survey of the portion of the wellbore.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of stationary survey measurements taken at a corresponding plurality of locations along a portion of a wellbore;

receiving at least one continuous survey comprising a plurality of continuous survey measurements taken along the portion of the wellbore and between a pair of stationary survey measurements of the plurality of stationary survey measurements;

producing a continuous survey of the portion of the wellbore by combining the plurality of stationary survey measurements and the plurality of continuous survey measurements;

determining a tortuosity of the wellbore between the plurality of stationary survey measurements from the continuous survey;

providing steering and/or positioning information for production and/or completion equipment based on the determined tortuosity; and

placing, or providing assistance to the placement of, the production and/or completion equipment inside the wellbore based on the steering and/or positioning information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the plurality of stationary survey measurements and the plurality of continuous survey measurements comprises using a computer system comprising at least one processor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pair of stationary survey measurements are spaced from one another by a distance along the wellbore in a range of 30 feet to 270 feet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one continuous survey spans across a location of at least one stationary survey measurement of the plurality of stationary survey measurements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one continuous survey includes the locations of the pair of stationary survey measurements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one continuous survey comprises a plurality of continuous surveys that at least partially overlap one another.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of stationary survey measurements comprises taking the plurality of stationary survey measurements during an outrun survey of the wellbore.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one continuous survey comprises taking the at least one continuous survey during an outrun survey of the wellbore.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one continuous survey comprising a plurality of continuous survey measurements taken across one or more of the corresponding plurality of locations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of stationary survey measurements comprises taking the plurality of stationary survey measurements using at least one survey tool.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one survey tool comprises a wireline survey tool, a slick line survey tool, or a drop survey tool.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the plurality of stationary survey measurements and the plurality of continuous survey measurements comprises adjusting the continuous survey measurements to reduce a difference between at least one of the stationary survey measurements of the pair of stationary survey measurements and the continuous survey measurements at a depth of the at least one of the stationary survey measurements.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the continuous survey measurements comprises applying an offset to the continuous survey measurements.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the continuous survey measurements comprises determining bias errors at the locations of the pair of stationary survey measurements, calculating interpolated bias errors at locations between the pair of stationary survey measurements, and applying offsets to the continuous survey measurements to correct for the interpolated bias errors.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one continuous survey comprises taking the at least one continuous survey using at least one survey tool.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one survey tool comprises a wireline survey tool, a slick line survey tool, or a drop survey tool.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one survey tool comprises a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) survey tool.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of continuous survey measurements is taken while the at least one survey tool is moved downward along the wellbore.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of continuous survey measurements is taken while the at least one survey tool is moved upward along the wellbore.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of continuous survey measurements is taken:

while the at least one survey tool is moved downward along the wellbore; and

while the at least one survey tool is moved upward along the wellbore.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one survey tool comprises at least one gyroscopic sensor module and at least one measurement-while-drilling sensor.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one survey tool comprises at least one gyroscopic sensor module.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one gyroscopic sensor module comprises at least one gyroscopic sensor module dedicated to performing the plurality of stationary survey measurements and at least one gyroscopic sensor module dedicated to performing the at least one continuous survey.

24. A method, comprising:

receiving from at least one survey tool a plurality of stationary survey measurements taken at a corresponding plurality of locations along a portion of a wellbore;

receiving from the at least one survey tool at least one continuous survey comprising a plurality of continuous survey measurements taken along the portion of the wellbore and between a pair of stationary survey measurements of the plurality of stationary survey measurements;

producing a continuous survey of the portion of the wellbore by combining the plurality of stationary survey measurements and the plurality of continuous survey measurements;

determining a tortuosity of the wellbore between the plurality of stationary survey measurements from the continuous survey;

providing steering and/or positioning information for production and/or completion equipment based on the determined tortuosity; and

placing, or providing assistance to the placement of, the production and/or completion equipment inside the wellbore based on the steering and/or positioning information.