Method and apparatus for enhancing directional accuracy and control using bottomhole assembly bending measurements

• US 20050150689A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Jogi, Pushkar, Neubert, Michael, Krueger, Volker, Hood, James, Heisig, Gerald, Brooks, Andrew G., Dahl, Thomas, MacPherson, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/45
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/007 Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/06 Deflecting the direction of boreholes

Abstract

A system for drilling a well comprises a tubular member having a bottomhole assembly at a bottom end thereof disposed in a wellbore. A first sensor is disposed in the bottomhole assembly at a predetermined axial location for detecting bending in a first axis and generating a first bending signal in response thereto, where the first axis is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the bottomhole assembly. A second sensor is disposed in the bottomhole assembly at the predetermined axial location for detecting bending in a second axis and generating a second bending signal in response thereto, where the second axis is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. A processor receives the first bending signal and the second bending signal and relates the first bending signal and the second bending signal to a borehole curvature according to programmed instructions.

Claims

1. A method for drilling a well, comprising:

extending a tubular member having a bottomhole assembly at a bottom end thereof into a wellbore;

measuring bending of the bottomhole assembly at a predetermined axial location along said bottomhole assembly; and

estimating a borehole curvature from the measured bending.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the borehole curvature according to a predetermined target value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the bending moment at a target magnitude and orientation to cause the borehole to be drilled along a target path.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a curvature of the wellbore at a drill bit disposed at the bottom of the bottomhole assembly using the bending measurement and a directional measurement at a location along the bottomhole assembly spaced apart from the drill bit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the bending of the bottomhole assembly comprises measuring the bending in two substantially orthogonal axes wherein each of the two orthogonal axes are also substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the bottomhole assembly.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the bending measurements to a surface location for processing.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least partially processing the bending measurements downhole.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating bottomhole assembly misalignment in the wellbore at a directional measurement location using the bending measurements.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising controlling a build rate of the wellbore using the bending moment measurements.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising controlling a walk rate of the wellbore using the bending moment measurements.

11. A system for drilling a well, comprising:

a tubular member having a bottomhole assembly at a bottom end thereof disposed in a wellbore;

a first sensor disposed in said bottomhole assembly at a predetermined axial location for detecting bending in a first axis and generating a first bending signal in response thereto, said first axis being substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the bottomhole assembly;

a second sensor disposed in said bottomhole assembly at said predetermined axial location for detecting bending in a second axis and generating a second bending signal in response thereto, said second axis being substantially orthogonal to said longitudinal axis; and

a processor receiving said first bending signal and said second bending signal and relating said first bending signal and said second bending signal to a borehole curvature according to programmed instructions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are both strain gauges.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the strain gauges are chosen from the group consisting of (i) resistance strain gauges and (ii) optical strain gauges.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a steerable device disposed in said bottomhole assembly, the steerable device acting cooperatively with the controller to control the borehole curvature according to a predetermined target value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the steerable device is chosen from the group consisting of (i) a downhole motor and (ii) and adjustable stabilizer.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is at least partially located downhole.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is located at a surface location.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising a directional sensor for determining a measurement indicative of the path of the wellbore.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the directional sensor comprises (i) a magnetometer, (ii) an accelerometer, and (iii) a gyro device.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially orthogonal to each other.