SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE INCLINATION OF A WELLBORE
First Claim
1. A well survey system comprising a survey tool for determining an inclination of a wellbore, wherein the survey tool comprises:
- an electrolytic tilt sensor adapted to measure a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the electrolytic tilt sensor, wherein the second plane is orthogonal to the first plane; and
a system processor adapted to determine the inclination of the wellbore based on the first and second tilt angles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A well survey system comprising an electronic survey tool for determining the inclination of a wellbore is disclosed herein with methods of use. In some embodiments, the electronic survey tool includes an electrolytic tilt sensor adapted to measure a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the electrolytic tilt sensor. The electronic survey tool also includes a system processor for determining the inclination of the wellbore based on the first and second tilt angles. As such, a drop-in replacement and improvement on a mechanical critical vertical drift (CVD) tool is provided herein. The electronic survey tool of the present invention also improves upon and overcomes the disadvantages of prior art electronic survey tools. Due to the stability of the improved survey tool over time and with changes in ambient temperature, for example, the improved survey tool does not require periodic recalibration or correction of measurements for errors and biases.
39 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A well survey system comprising a survey tool for determining an inclination of a wellbore, wherein the survey tool comprises:
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an electrolytic tilt sensor adapted to measure a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the electrolytic tilt sensor, wherein the second plane is orthogonal to the first plane; and
a system processor adapted to determine the inclination of the wellbore based on the first and second tilt angles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 42)
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12. A method for determining inclination of a wellbore with a survey tool comprising a tilt-sensing device, wherein the method comprises:
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measuring a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the tilt-sensing device, wherein the second plane is orthogonal to the first plane; and
calculating the inclination of the wellbore from the first and second tilt angles. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 43)
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23. A method for determining when a survey tool has reached a target depth within a wellbore, wherein said survey tool comprises a dual-axis tilt-sensing device, and wherein said method comprises:
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measuring a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the dual-axis tilt-sensing device, wherein said measuring comprises measuring a plurality of the first and second tilt angles for each one of a plurality of time intervals while the survey tool is moving towards the target depth;
calculating a set of inclination values from the plurality of first and second tilt angles measured during each of the plurality of time intervals;
calculating a deviation value for each set of inclination values; and
determining that the survey tool has reached the target depth when a deviation value is less than a predetermined threshold.
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24. A means for an operator to specify a survey time period at a surface computer terminal while a survey tool is within a wellbore, said means comprising:
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a sensor means within the survey tool for measuring a plurality of first and second tilt angles for each one of a plurality of time intervals, wherein the sensor means are adapted to measure the first and second tilt angles while the survey tool is moving through and while the survey tool is stationary within the wellbore;
a processing means within the survey tool for calculating a set of inclination values from the plurality of first and second tilt angles measured during each of the plurality of time intervals;
a clocking means within the survey tool for correlating each of the plurality of time intervals to a corresponding set of inclination values;
a clocking means within the surface computer terminal for flagging a survey time period within which the operator requests a survey to be taken; and
a processing means within the surface computer terminal for comparing the survey time period with the plurality of time intervals to identify the one or more sets of inclination values, which fall within the survey time period. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for determining inclination of a wellbore with a survey tool comprising a plurality of electrolytic tilt-sensing devices each sensitive over a different range of inclination angles, wherein the method comprises:
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selecting one of the plurality of electrolytic tilt-sensing devices to measure a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the selected electrolytic tilt-sensing device; and
determining the inclination of the wellbore from the measured first and second tilt angles. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A method for determining if a well survey is conducted within a wellbore, the method comprising:
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obtaining at least one value associated with the wellbore using a survey tool;
detecting a characteristic pattern of the at least one value; and
comparing the characteristic pattern with a pattern detected during a previous well survey to determine if the well survey is conducted within the wellbore. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification