SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING ROTATION SENSORS WITHIN A BOREHOLE
First Claim
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1. A survey tool for use within a borehole, the survey tool comprising:
- a plurality of rotation sensors, each rotation sensor having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity, each rotation sensor adapted to generate a first signal indicative of a detected angular rotation rate about its sensing axis, the sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors generally parallel to one another, the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors generally non-parallel to one another.
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Abstract
A system and method for using a survey tool within a borehole is provided. The survey tool includes a plurality of rotation sensors each having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity. The sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors are generally parallel to one another and the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors are generally non-parallel to one another.
47 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A survey tool for use within a borehole, the survey tool comprising:
a plurality of rotation sensors, each rotation sensor having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity, each rotation sensor adapted to generate a first signal indicative of a detected angular rotation rate about its sensing axis, the sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors generally parallel to one another, the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors generally non-parallel to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A control system of a rotatably steerable drilling system configured to drill in a selected drilling direction of a plurality of drilling directions, the control system configured to adjust the selected drilling direction, the control system comprising:
a plurality of rotation sensors, each rotation sensor having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity, each rotation sensor adapted to generate a first signal indicative of a detected angular rotation rate about its sensing axis, the sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors generally parallel to one another, the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors generally non-parallel to one another.
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25. A rotatably steerable drilling system comprising:
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a drill string configured to drill in a selected direction of a plurality of directions, the drill string comprising a drill bit; and
a survey tool in proximity to the drill bit, the survey tool comprising;
a plurality of rotation sensors, each rotation sensor having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity, each rotation sensor adapted to generate a first signal indicative of a detected angular rotation rate about its sensing axis, the sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors generally parallel to one another, the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors generally non-parallel to one another.
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26. A method of using a survey tool within a borehole, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of rotation sensors, each rotation sensor having a sensing axis and a direction of least acceleration sensitivity, the sensing axes of the plurality of rotation sensors generally parallel to one another, the directions of least acceleration sensitivity of the plurality of rotation sensors generally non-parallel to one another;
obtaining a detected angular rotation rate from each rotation sensor, each detected angular rotation rate being about the sensing axis of the corresponding rotation sensor;
obtaining a detected acceleration along the direction of least acceleration sensitivity of each of the rotation sensors;
calculating a weighted average of the detected angular rotation rates from the plurality of rotation sensors, the weighted average including the detected angular rotation rate of each rotation sensor about its sensing axis weighted by the detected acceleration along its direction of least acceleration sensitivity; and
adjusting a gain of the rotation sensors in response to the calculated weighted average.
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Specification