METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING DRILL BIT PERFORMANCE DATA

• US 20090194332A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Trinh, Tu Tien, Sullivan, Eric C., Pastusek, Paul E., Lutes, Paul J., Pritchard, Daryl L., Glasgow, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 8,100,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/40
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/013 Devices specially adapted for supporting measuring instruments on drill bits
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/017 Protecting measuring instruments

Abstract

Drill bits and methods for sampling sensor data associated with a state of a drill bit are disclosed. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation comprises a bit configured for receiving a data analysis module. The data analysis module comprises at least one sensor, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured for executing computer instructions to filter information derived from sensor data in the drill bit to develop a piecewise polynomial curve of the sensor data. Filtering information derived for the sensor data comprises approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform, calculating a plurality of zeros for the first derivative of the sensor data waveform, and fitting a cubic polynomial between adjacent zeros calculated from the first derivative of the sensor data waveform resulting in a piecewise cubic polynomial.

Claims

1. A drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:

a bit bearing at least one cutting element and adapted for coupling to a drill string;

a chamber formed within a portion of the bit and configured for maintaining a pressure substantially near a surface atmospheric pressure while drilling the subterranean formation;

a first set of accelerometers disposed at a first location in the bit and comprising a first radial accelerometer and a second radial accelerometer;

a second set of accelerometers disposed at a second location in the bit and comprising a third radial accelerometer and a fourth radial accelerometer; and

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth radial accelerometers are configured, positioned and oriented for sensing radial acceleration effects on the drill bit.

2. The drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation of claim 1, wherein the first radial accelerometer and the third radial accelerometer are configured for sensing accelerations of up to a magnitude and the second radial accelerometer and the fourth radial accelerometer are configured for sensing accelerations of up to a relatively smaller magnitude.

3. The drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation of claim 2, wherein the accelerations of up to a magnitude are accelerations up to 30 g and the accelerations of up to a relatively smaller magnitude are up to 5 g.

4. The drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation of claim 1, wherein the first set of accelerometers further comprises a first accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for sensing tangential accelerations and the second set of accelerometers further comprises a second accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for sensing tangential accelerations.

5. The drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation of claim 1, wherein the first set of accelerometers further comprises a first accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for sensing axial accelerations and the second set of accelerometers further comprises a second accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for sensing axial accelerations.

6. The drill bit for drilling a subterranean formation of claim 1, further comprising at least one magnetometer for sensing magnetic fields acting on the drill bit and further configured to be recalibrated under control of a processor operably coupled to the at least one magnetometer.

7. An apparatus for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:

a drill bit bearing at least one cutting element and adapted for coupling to a drill string; and

a data analysis module disposed in the drill bit and comprising;

a plurality of sensors for sensing at least one physical parameter, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one magnetometer for sensing magnetic fields acting on the drill bit;

a memory for storing information comprising computer instructions configured for recalibrating the at least one magnetometer, and sensor data; and

a processor for executing the computer instructions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the recalibration is performed in association with sampling a set of data from the at least one magnetometer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensors includes:

a first set of accelerometers disposed at a first location in the drill bit and comprising a first radial accelerometer and a second radial accelerometer; and

a second set of accelerometers disposed at a second location in the drill bit and comprising a third radial accelerometer and a fourth radial accelerometer;

wherein the first, second, third, and fourth radial accelerometers are configured, positioned and oriented for sensing radial acceleration effects on the drill bit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first radial accelerometer and the third radial accelerometer are configured for sensing accelerations of up to a magnitude and the second radial accelerometer and the fourth radial accelerometer are configured for sensing accelerations of up to a relatively smaller magnitude.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the accelerations of up to a magnitude are up to 30 g and the accelerations of up to a relatively smaller magnitude are up to 5 g.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first set of accelerometers further comprises a first accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for measuring tangential accelerations and the second set of accelerometers further comprises a second accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for measuring tangential accelerations.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first set of accelerometers further comprises a first accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for measuring axial accelerations and the second set of accelerometers further comprises a second accelerometer configured, positioned and oriented for measuring axial accelerations.

14. An apparatus for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:

a drill bit bearing at least one cutting element and adapted for coupling to a drill string; and

a data analysis module disposed in the drill bit and comprising;

a plurality of sensors for sensing at least one physical parameter, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one magnetometer for sensing magnetic fields acting on the drill bit;

a memory for storing information comprising computer instructions configured for recalibrating the at least one magnetometer, and sensor data;

a processor configured for executing the computer instructions, and

a power source for supplying a first voltage for at least one of the plurality of sensors and supplying a second voltage for the processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power source comprises at least two batteries connected in series to develop the first voltage and the second voltage.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power source comprises:

at least one battery; and

a Direct Current to Direct Current (DC-DC) converter operably coupled to the at least one battery and configured to develop the first voltage and the second voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the power source is configured to supply at least one additional voltage different from the first voltage and the second voltage.

18. A method, comprising:

collecting sensor data at a sampling frequency by sampling at least one sensor disposed in a drill bit, wherein the at least one sensor is responsive to at least one physical parameter associated with a drill bit state; and

filtering the collected sensor data to develop piecewise polynomial curves of the sensor data, wherein the filtering comprises;

approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform;

calculating a plurality of zeros from the first derivative of the sensor data waveform; and

fitting a cubic polynomial between adjacent zeros calculated from the first derivative of the sensor data waveform resulting in a piecewise cubic polynomial.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein filtering the sensor data comprises filtering sensor data from at least one magnetometer.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of zeros comprises a plurality of local minima and a plurality of local maxima of the first derivative of the sensor data waveform.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform comprises approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform by a numerical differentiation method.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein filtering comprises filtering out at least some high frequency components of the sensor data.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the piecewise cubic polynomial is differentiable and continuous throughout its domain.

24. An apparatus for drilling a subterranean formation, comprising:

a drill bit bearing at least one cutting element and adapted for coupling to a drill string; and

a data analysis module disposed in the drill bit and comprising;

at least one sensor configured for developing sensor data by sensing at least one physical parameter;

a memory; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory and the at least one sensor, the processor configured for executing computer instructions, wherein the computer instructions are configured for;

filtering information derived from the sensor data in the drill bit to develop a set of piecewise polynomial curves of the sensor data, wherein the filtering comprises;

approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform;

calculating a plurality of zeros from the first derivative of the sensor data waveform; and

fitting a cubic polynomial between adjacent zeros calculated from the first derivative of the sensor data waveform resulting in a piecewise cubic polynomial.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein filtering information derived from the sensor data comprises filtering sensor data from at least one magnetometer.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of zeros comprises a plurality of local minima and a plurality of local maxima of the first derivative of the sensor data waveform.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform comprises approximating a first derivative of a sensor data waveform by a numerical differentiation method.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein filtering comprises filtering out an AC component of the sensor data.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the piecewise cubic polynomial is differentiable and continuous throughout its domain.