Method and apparatus and program storage device adapted for automatic drill bit selection based on earth properties and wellbore geometry
First Claim
1. A method of generating and recording or displaying a sequence of drill bits, chosen from among a plurality of bit candidates to be used, for drilling an Earth formation in response to input data representing Earth formation characteristics of the formation to be drilled, comprising the steps of:
- comparing said input data representing said characteristics of the formation to be drilled with a set of historical data including a plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics and a corresponding plurality of sequences of drill bits to be used in connection with said sets of Earth formation characteristics, and locating a substantial match between said characteristics of the formation to be drilled associated with said input data and at least one of said plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics associated with said set of historical data;
when said substantial match is found, generating one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits in response thereto; and
recording or displaying said one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits on a recorder or display device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bit selection method will generate and record or display a sequence of drill bits chosen from among a plurality of bit candidates adapted for drilling an Earth formation in response to input data representing Earth formation characteristics of the formation to be drilled by: comparing the input data representing the characteristics of the formation to be drilled with a set of historical data including a plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics and a corresponding plurality of sequences of drill bits to be used in connection with the sets of Earth formation characteristics, and locating a substantial match between the characteristics of the formation to be drilled associated with the input data and at least one of the plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics associated with the set of historical data; when the substantial match is found, generating one of the plurality of sequences of drill bits in response thereto; and recording or displaying the one of the plurality of sequences of drill bits on a recorder or display device.
70 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method of generating and recording or displaying a sequence of drill bits, chosen from among a plurality of bit candidates to be used, for drilling an Earth formation in response to input data representing Earth formation characteristics of the formation to be drilled, comprising the steps of:
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comparing said input data representing said characteristics of the formation to be drilled with a set of historical data including a plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics and a corresponding plurality of sequences of drill bits to be used in connection with said sets of Earth formation characteristics, and locating a substantial match between said characteristics of the formation to be drilled associated with said input data and at least one of said plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics associated with said set of historical data;
when said substantial match is found, generating one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits in response thereto; and
recording or displaying said one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits on a recorder or display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for generating and recording or displaying a sequence of drill bits, chosen from among a plurality of bit candidates, for drilling an Earth formation in response to input data representing Earth formation characteristics of the formation to be drilled, said method steps comprising:
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comparing said input data representing said characteristics of the formation to be drilled with a set of historical data including a plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics and a corresponding plurality of sequences of drill bits to be used in connection with said sets of Earth formation characteristics, and locating a substantial match between said characteristics of the formation to be drilled associated with said input data and at least one of said plurality of sets of Earth formation characteristics associated with said set of historical data;
when said substantial match is found, generating one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits in response thereto; and
recording or displaying said one of said plurality of sequences of drill bits on a recorder or display device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of selecting one or more drill bits to drill in an Earth formation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) reading variables and constants, (b) reading catalogs, (c) building a cumulative rock strength curve from casing point to casing point, (d) determining a required hole size, (e) finding the bit candidates that match the closest unconfined compressive strength of a rock to drill, (f) determining an end depth of a bit by comparing a historical drilling energy with a cumulative rock strength curve for all bit candidates, (g) calculating a cost per foot for each bit candidate taking into account the rig rate, trip speed and drilling rate of penetration, (h) evaluating which bit candidate is most economic, (i) calculating a remaining cumulative rock strength to casing point, and (j) repeating steps (e) to (i) until an end of the hole section is reached. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for selecting one or more drill bits to drill in an Earth formation, said method steps comprising:
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(a) reading variables and constants, (b) reading catalogs, (c) building a cumulative rock strength curve from casing point to casing point, (d) determining a required hole size, (e) finding the bit candidates that match the closest unconfined compressive strength of a rock to drill, (f) determining an end depth of a bit by comparing a historical drilling energy with a cumulative rock strength curve for all bit candidates, (g) calculating a cost per foot for each bit candidate taking into account the rig rate, trip speed and drilling rate of penetration, (h) evaluating which bit candidate is most economic, (i) calculating a remaining cumulative rock strength to casing point, and (j) repeating steps (e) to (i) until an end of the hole section is reached. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of selecting a bit to drill an Earth formation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a list of bit candidates and determining an average rock strength for each bit candidate;
(b) determining a resultant cumulative rock strength for said each bit candidate in response to the average rock strength for said each bit candidate;
(c) performing an economic analysis in connection with said each bit candidate to determine if said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate; and
(d) selecting said each bit candidate to be said bit to drill said Earth formation when said resultant cumulative rock strength is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate.
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50. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for selecting a bit to drill an Earth formation, said method steps comprising:
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(a) receiving a list of bit candidates and determining an average rock strength for each bit candidate;
(b) determining a resultant cumulative rock strength for said each bit candidate in response to the average rock strength for said each bit candidate;
(c) performing an economic analysis in connection with said each bit candidate to determine if said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate; and
(d) selecting said each bit candidate to be said bit to drill said Earth formation when said resultant cumulative rock strength is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate.
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51. A system adapted for selecting a bit to drill an Earth formation, comprising:
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apparatus adapted for receiving a list of bit candidates and determining an average rock strength for each bit candidate;
apparatus adapted for determining a resultant cumulative rock strength for said each bit candidate in response to the average rock strength for said each bit candidate;
apparatus adapted for performing an economic analysis in connection with said each bit candidate to determine if said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate; and
apparatus adapted for selecting said each bit candidate to be said bit to drill said Earth formation when said resultant cumulative rock strength is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and said each bit candidate is an inexpensive bit candidate.
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Specification