Methods for analyzing and optimizing casing while drilling assemblies

• US 10,267,136 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Huang, Sujian, Xu, Gang, Yun, Geng, Chen, Wei, Shen, Yuelin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chad, Aniss
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Cuong V
• Application Number:
  US14/717,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20150337640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 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 Class Codes: E21B 7/20 Driving or forcing casings or pipes into boreholes, e.g. sinking; Simultaneously drilling and casing boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30

Abstract

A method for selecting a bottomhole assembly (BHA) includes inputting casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters, performing a dynamic simulation of a first BHA based on the casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters, and presenting a first set of performance data of the first BHA calculated from the dynamic simulation.

Claims

1. has been amended as following:

A system for selecting a bottomhole assembly (BHA), comprising;

a computing device comprising a computing processor executing instructions to perform;

executing a first simulation to generate a first set of performance data, and executing a second simulation to generate a second set of performance data; and

the computing device comprising a graphical user interface executing on the computer processor with functionality to perform;

inputting a plurality of casing while drilling BHA parameters, a plurality of wellbore parameters, and a plurality of casing while drilling operating parameters,

presenting, on the graphical user interface, the first set of performance data from the first simulation, the first simulation based on the plurality of casing while drilling BHA parameters, the plurality of wellbore parameters, and the plurality of casing while drilling operating parameters, and the first set of performance data including drilling performance of at least one of casing string, a casing shoe, a casing profile nipple or a drilling lock assembly;

modifying, based on the first set of performance data, at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of the plurality of casing while drilling BHA parameters, the plurality of wellbore parameters, and the plurality of casing while drilling operating parameters, wherein modifying includes;

determining a plurality of rates of penetration corresponding to the BHA operating at a plurality of weight on bit (WOB) or weight on reamer (WOR) values and a plurality of rotation speeds;

determining axial vibration, lateral vibration, and stick-slip probability at the plurality of rates of penetration;

determining stability of a drilling process employing the BHA at the WOB or WOR values and the rotation speeds based on the determined axial vibration, lateral vibration, or stick-slip probability; and

adjusting the at least one parameter to obtain a modified parameter, based on the determined stability and rates of penetration

presenting, on the graphical user interface, the second set of performance data from the second simulation, the second simulation based on the modified parameter, and the second set of performance data including drilling performance of at least one of casing string, a casing shoe, a casing profile nipple or a drilling lock assembly; and

selecting a BHA based on the first and second sets of performance data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein presenting further comprises:

visualizing, on the graphical user interface, at least one selected from the group consisting of the first set of performance data and the second set of performance data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the first set of performance data and the second set of performance data comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of rate of penetration (ROP), rotary torque, rotary speed, drilling tool assembly lateral, axial, or torsional vibrations and accelerations induced during drilling, weight on bit (WOB), weight on reamer (WOR), contact forces, torque, bending moment, alternative stress, percentage of fatigue life consumed, stick slip, dog leg severity, borehole diameter, deformation, work rate, azimuth and inclination of the well, build up rate, walk rate, and bit geometry.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is determined based on a parameter sensitivity study.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is a planned well profile designed to prevent high dog leg severity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic simulation performed as part of the first simulation or as part of the second simulation is a transient time simulation based on at least one of the casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, or operating parameters varying as a function of time or rotational position of at least a portion of a drilling assembly that includes the BHA.

7. A method for selecting a bottomhole assembly (BHA), comprising:

inputting casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters;

performing a dynamic simulation of a first BHA based on the casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters;

presenting a first set of performance data of the first BHA calculated from the dynamic simulation, wherein the first set of performance data includes drilling performance of at least one of casing string, a casing shoe, a casing profile nipple or a drilling lock assembly, and wherein the first set of performance data is at least partially calculated by;

determining a plurality of rates of penetration corresponding to the BHA operating with a plurality of weight on bit (WOB) or weight on reamer (WOR) values and a plurality of rotation speeds;

determining axial vibration, lateral vibration, and stick-slip probability at the plurality of rates of penetration; and

determining stability of a drilling process employing the BHA at the WOB or WOR values and the rotation speeds based on the determined at least one of axial vibration, lateral vibration, or stick-slip probability;

modifying, based on the first set of performance data, at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters, wherein modifying involves changing a value of the at least one parameter to obtain a modified parameter;

performing a dynamic simulation of a second BHA based on the modified parameter;

presenting a second set of performance data calculated from the dynamic simulation of the second BHA, the second set of performance data including drilling performance of at least one of casing string, a casing shoe, a casing profile nipple or a drilling lock assembly; and

selecting a BHA based on the first and second sets of performance data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dynamic simulation comprises simulating at least one selected from the group consisting of a casing drilling string and a liner drilling string.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a drill bit of the first BHA is dynamically simulated in a first rock type and a reamer of the first BHA is dynamically simulated in a second rock type.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the first set of performance data and second set of performance data comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of rate of penetration (ROP), rotary torque, rotary speed, drilling tool assembly lateral, axial, or torsional vibrations and accelerations induced during drilling, weight on bit (WOB), weight on reamer (WOR), contact forces, torque, bending moment, alternative stress, percentage of fatigue life consumed, stick slip, dog leg severity, borehole diameter, deformation, work rate, azimuth and inclination of the well, build up rate, walk rate, and bit geometry.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the percentage of fatigue life consumed is calculated by analyzing alternative stress in a plurality of depth segments of a drill string.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining field data and comparing field data to the first set of performance data;

modifying, based on the comparison, at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters, wherein modifying involves changing a value of the at least one parameter to obtain a modified parameter;

performing a dynamic simulation of a second BHA based on the modified parameter; and

presenting a second set of performance data calculated from the dynamic simulation of the second BHA; and

selecting a BHA based on the first and second sets of performance data.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

obtaining a plurality field data corresponding to a field environment, wherein the inputted plurality of casing while drilling BHA parameters, wellbore parameters, and casing while drilling operating parameters correspond to the field environment; and

comparing the first set of performance data to the plurality of field data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein comparing comprises reviewing the first set of performance data and the plurality of field data to determine a cause of failure.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cause of failure is determined to be at a location along the BHA in which the first set of performance data exceeds a given threshold.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein comparing comprises determining a location in which the first set of performance data is at least one selected from the group consisting of a minimum, a local minimum, a maximum, and a local maximum.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein performing the first dynamic simulation comprises dynamically varying the inputs as a function of time or rotational position of at least a portion of a drilling assembly including the BHA.