Iterative drilling simulation process for enhanced economic decision making

• US 20050149306A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: King, William W.
• Application Number:
  US11/032,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 12/02 Wear indicators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 2200/22 Fuzzy logic, artificial intelligence, neural networks or the like
• 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 44/005 Below-ground automatic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/003 by analysing drilling variables or conditions E21B49/005 takes precedence; systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions E21B44/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/00 Special methods or apparatus for drilling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/10 Nuclear fusion reactors

Abstract

An iterative drilling simulation method and system for enhanced economic decision making includes obtaining characteristics of a rock column in a formation to be drilled, specifying characteristics of at least one drilling rig system; and iteratively simulating the drilling of a well bore in the formation. The method and system further produce an economic evaluation factor for each iteration of drilling simulation. Each iteration of drilling simulation is a function of the rock column and the characteristics of the at least one drilling rig system according to a prescribed drilling simulation model.

Claims

1. An iterative drilling simulation method for enhanced economic decision making comprising:

obtaining characteristics of a rock column in a formation to be drilled, wherein the characteristics of the rock column include at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of lithology, rock strength, and shale plasticity, wherein a respective characteristic is derived from log data and a respective lithology model, rock strength model, and shale plasticity model, further wherein the log data includes at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of well logs, mud logs, core data, and bit records;

specifying characteristics of at least one drilling rig system, wherein the characteristics of the at least one drilling rig system include rig inputs wherein the rig inputs include at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of;

operating constraints, rig costs, maximum weight on bit, top drive torque, table drive torque, top drive minimum RPM, table drive minimum RPM, top drive maximum RPM, table drive maximum RPM, pumps maximum GPM, and standpipe maximum PSI;

iteratively simulating the drilling a well bore in the formation and producing an economic evaluation factor for each iteration or drilling simulation, wherein each iteration of drilling simulation is a function of the rock column and the characteristics of the at least one drilling rig system according to a prescribe drilling simulation model, wherein the drilling simulation model includes at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of a mechanical efficiency model, bit wear model, hole cleaning efficiency model, penetration rate model, and drilling economics model; and

generating a recommendation package of drilling rig system characteristics for use in a drilling of a wellbore in the formation as a function of the economic evaluation factors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the produced economic evaluation factor includes a minimum number of hours on bottom to drill the well bore.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the produced economic evaluation factor includes a minimum cost amount for drilling the well bore, and wherein the minimum cost amount is a function of both a minimum number of hours on bottom to drill the well bore and a cost per day for a respective drilling rig system.