Intelligent system for use in subterranean drilling applications
First Claim
1. A method of locating a drilling terminus during the drilling of a subterranean well at a predetermined drilling site using a drilling tool, said method comprising:
- a. A data capture step, comprising during the drilling of the well capturing at least one drilling data stream comprising sensory drilling data from at least one drilling sensor within the well, being drilling data, and storing said drilling data with reference to the specific location within the well at which such drilling data was captured within a drilling database resident upon a computer interfaced to said at least one drilling sensor;
b. A data analysis step comprising, using a site computer located at the drilling site and software thereon comprising at least a terminus decision module, assessing the desirability of specific locations within the well as drilling termini based upon the comparison of the location-referenced drilling data with respect to each such specific location contained within the drilling database to at least one terminus decision criteria;
wherein drilling of the well can be altered based upon the determination during the data analysis step that the desired drilling terminus has not yet been reached;
or wherein drilling of the well can be stopped based upon the determination during the data analysis step that a specific location within the well which has been reached by the drilling tool comprises the desired drilling terminus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for the onsite assessment of sensory data during the drilling of a subterranean well to determine when a drilling tool has reached an optimal drilling terminus. One or more sensory data streams are captured and monitored by a terminus decision module, which identifies the appropriate combinations of sensory readings which might indicate that the drilling tool has reached an optimal drilling terminus. The terminus decision module might be either a coded formula-based software component, or might use a fuzzy inference or “fozzy logic” system in the assessment of sensory data. The need for offsite or offline engineering assistance is removed. In addition to the method, both a stand-alone apparatus as well as an add-on instrumentation kit for a PC otherwise in use at the drilling site are disclosed. The system of the present invention could be used in single or multi-axis drilling applications, and could be integrated with the depth or location control system for the drilling tool to automatically adjust the positioning or attributes of the tool.
18 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of locating a drilling terminus during the drilling of a subterranean well at a predetermined drilling site using a drilling tool, said method comprising:
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a. A data capture step, comprising during the drilling of the well capturing at least one drilling data stream comprising sensory drilling data from at least one drilling sensor within the well, being drilling data, and storing said drilling data with reference to the specific location within the well at which such drilling data was captured within a drilling database resident upon a computer interfaced to said at least one drilling sensor;
b. A data analysis step comprising, using a site computer located at the drilling site and software thereon comprising at least a terminus decision module, assessing the desirability of specific locations within the well as drilling termini based upon the comparison of the location-referenced drilling data with respect to each such specific location contained within the drilling database to at least one terminus decision criteria;
wherein drilling of the well can be altered based upon the determination during the data analysis step that the desired drilling terminus has not yet been reached;
or wherein drilling of the well can be stopped based upon the determination during the data analysis step that a specific location within the well which has been reached by the drilling tool comprises the desired drilling terminus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An intelligent system for use in locating a drilling terminus during the drilling of a subterranean well at a drilling site with a drilling tool, said system comprising:
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a. At least one drilling sensor for use within the well to capture sensory drilling data with respect to specific locations within the well in at least one drilling data streams;
b. A drilling database for storage of drilling data measured by the at least one drilling sensor within the well, said drilling data being stored with reference to the specific location within the well at which such drilling data was captured, said drilling database being hosted on a computer located at the drilling site;
c. An interface between said at least one drilling sensor and the computer hosting the drilling database facilitating the capture of said at least one drilling data stream to the drilling database;
d. software operative on a site computer located at the drilling site comprising at least a terminus decision module which will assess the desirability of specific locations within the well as drilling termini based upon the comparison of the location-referenced drilling data with respect to each such specific location contained within the drilling database to at least one terminus decision criteria; and
e. A user interface operatively connected to the site computer, said user interface capable of rendering the results of the assessment of desirability of specific locations conducted by the terminus selection module, for use in operation of the drilling tool;
Wherein drilling of the well can be altered or stopped based upon the determination by the terminus decision module of the propriety of any particular specific location within the well as a drilling terminus. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38)
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31. A site computer for use in locating a drilling terminus during the drilling of a subterranean well at a drilling site with a drilling tool, said site computer comprising:
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a. a sensor interface for connection of said site computer to at least one drilling sensor in the well;
b. a drilling database accessible to said site computer to which drilling data from said at least one drilling sensor can be stored when received by said site computer via the sensor interface, said drilling data being stored in the drilling database along with location-referencing coordinates related to the specific location within the well from which said drilling data was measured; and
c. Software comprising a terminus decision module which will assess the desirability of specific locations within the well as drilling termini based upon the comparison of the location-referenced drilling data with respect to each such specific location contained within the drilling database to at least one terminus decision criteria; and
d. A user output capable of rendering the results of the assessment of desirability of specific locations conducted by the terminus decision module, wherein drilling of the well can be altered or stopped based upon the determination by the terminus decision module of the propriety of any particular specific location within the well as a drilling terminus. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40)
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41. A computer program operative to control a site computer for use in locating a drilling terminus during the drilling of a subterranean well at a drilling site with a drilling tool, said computer program being a terminus decision module which when executed by said site computer will perform the steps of:
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a. Accessing from a drilling database accessible to said site computer location-referenced sensory data obtained from sensor measurements taken at at least one specific location within the well, being drilling data;
b. Assessing the desirability of specific locations within the well as drilling termini based upon the comparison of the location-referenced drilling data with respect to each such specific location contained within the drilling database to at least one terminus decision criteria;
c. Communicating the results of the assessment of the desirability of said at least one specific location in the well as a drilling terminus to a user interface of the site computer;
wherein drilling of the well can be altered or stopped based upon the determination by the terminus decision module of the propriety of any particular specific location within the well as a drilling terminus. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification