System and Method for Monitoring and Controlling Underground Drilling
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, comprising the steps of:
- (a) drilling a bore hole having a first diameter in said earthen formation by rotating said drill bit at a first rotary speed and applying a first weight on said bit;
(b) making a determination of the value of said first rotary speed at which said drill bit rotates;
(c) making a determination of the value of said first weight on said bit;
(d) making a determination of the value of said first diameter of said bore hole;
(d) measuring vibration in said drill string at least one predetermined location along said drill string while rotating said drill bit at said first speed and applying said first weight on said bit;
(e) using a finite element model of said drill string to predict the vibration in said drill string at said at least one predetermined location based on said determined values of said first rotary speed of said drill bit, said first weight on bit and said first bore hole diameter;
(f) comparing said measured vibration to said predicted vibration and determining the difference therebetween;
(g) revising said finite element model so as to reduce said difference between said measured vibration and said vibration predicted by said model;
(h) drilling a bore hole having a second diameter in said earthen formation by rotating said drill bit at a second rotary speed and applying a second weight on said bit;
(i) making a determination of the value of said second rotary speed at which said drill bit rotates;
(j) making a determination of the value of said second weight on said bit;
(k) making a determination of the value of said second diameter of said bore hole;
(l) using said revised finite element model of said drill string to predict the vibration in said drill string based on said determined values of said second rotary speed of said drill bit, said second weight on bit and said second bore hole diameter.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring underground drilling in which vibration is monitored by creating a model of the drill string using finite element techniques or finite difference techniques and (i) predicting vibration by inputting real time values of operating parameters into the model, and then adjusting the model to agree with measured vibration data, (ii) predicting the weight on bit and drill string and mud motor speeds at which resonance will occur, as well as when stick-slip will occur, so that the operator can avoid operating regimes that will result in high vibration, (iii) determining vibration and torque levels along the length of the drill string based on the measured vibration and torque at one or more locations, (iv) determining the remaining life of critical components of the drill string based on the history of the vibration to which the components have been subjected, and (v) determining the optimum drilling parameters that will avoid excessive vibration of the drill string.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, comprising the steps of:
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(a) drilling a bore hole having a first diameter in said earthen formation by rotating said drill bit at a first rotary speed and applying a first weight on said bit; (b) making a determination of the value of said first rotary speed at which said drill bit rotates; (c) making a determination of the value of said first weight on said bit; (d) making a determination of the value of said first diameter of said bore hole; (d) measuring vibration in said drill string at least one predetermined location along said drill string while rotating said drill bit at said first speed and applying said first weight on said bit; (e) using a finite element model of said drill string to predict the vibration in said drill string at said at least one predetermined location based on said determined values of said first rotary speed of said drill bit, said first weight on bit and said first bore hole diameter; (f) comparing said measured vibration to said predicted vibration and determining the difference therebetween; (g) revising said finite element model so as to reduce said difference between said measured vibration and said vibration predicted by said model; (h) drilling a bore hole having a second diameter in said earthen formation by rotating said drill bit at a second rotary speed and applying a second weight on said bit; (i) making a determination of the value of said second rotary speed at which said drill bit rotates; (j) making a determination of the value of said second weight on said bit; (k) making a determination of the value of said second diameter of said bore hole; (l) using said revised finite element model of said drill string to predict the vibration in said drill string based on said determined values of said second rotary speed of said drill bit, said second weight on bit and said second bore hole diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit located in a bottom hole assembly, comprising the steps of:
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a) determining the values of a plurality of operating parameters associated with said underground drilling operation by taking measurements from a plurality of sensors, at least a portion of said sensors located in said bottom hole assembly; b) determining from said determined values of said operating parameters whether each of a plurality of predetermined symptoms of lost drilling performance are present in said drilling operation; c) identifying the probability that each of said parameters determined to be present in said drilling operation are caused by each of a plurality of predetermined causes of lost drilling performance; d) combining said identified probabilities for each of said predetermined causes of lost drilling performance so as to determine the most likely cause of lost drilling performance present in said drilling operation. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) determining the values of a plurality of operating parameters associated with said underground drilling operation by taking measurements from a plurality of sensors, at least a portion of said sensors located in said bottom hole assembly; b) determining from said determined values of said operating parameters whether each of a plurality of predetermined symptoms of lost drilling performance are present in said drilling operation; c) identifying the probability that each of said parameters determined to be present in said drilling operation are caused by each of a plurality of predetermined causes of lost drilling performance; d) combining said identified probabilities for each of said predetermined causes of lost drilling performance so as to determine the most likely cause of lost drilling performance present in said drilling operation. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, comprising the steps of:
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a) operating said drill string at a first set of operating parameters, said first set of operating parameters comprising the speed at which said drill bit rotates; b) determining the values of said parameters in said first set of operating parameters; c) inputting said determined values of said parameters in said first set of operating parameters into a finite element model of said drill string; d) using said finite element model of said drill string with said inputted values of said parameters to determine at least a portion of the vibratory mode shape of said drill string when operating at said first set of operating parameters; e) using said portion of said vibratory mode shape to determine the relationship between the amplitude of vibration at said first location to the amplitude of vibration at a second location when operating at said first set of operating parameters; f) measuring the amplitude of vibration of said drill string at said second location when operating at said first set of operating parameters; g) determining the amplitude of vibration of said drill string at said first location by applying to said measured vibration at said second location said relationship between the amplitude of vibration at said first location to said amplitude of vibration at a second location determined from said portion of said vibratory mode shape. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-exectuable instructions for a method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) determining the values of the parameters in a first set of operating parameters at which said drill string is operating; b) inputting said determined values of said parameters in said first set of operating parameters into a finite element model of said drill string; c) using said finite element model of said drill string with said inputted values of said parameters to determine at least a portion of the vibratory mode shape of said drill string when operating at said first set of operating parameters; d) using said portion of said vibratory mode shape to determine the relationship between the amplitude of vibration at said first location to the amplitude of vibration at a second location when operating at said first set of operating parameters; e) measuring the amplitude of vibration of said drill string at said second location when operating at said first set of operating parameters; f) determining the amplitude of vibration of said drill string at said first location by applying to said measured vibration at said second location said relationship between the amplitude of vibration at said first location to said amplitude of vibration at a second location determined from said portion of said vibratory mode shape.
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22. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string drilling into an earthen formation so as to form a bore hole using a drill bit, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying a torque to said drill string at a location proximate the surface of the earth so as to rotate said drill string, said drill string undergoing angular deflection between said drill bit and said location at which said torque is applied; b) determining the values of parameters in a first set of operating parameters associated with said rotation of said drill string; c) inputting said determined values of said parameters in said first set of operating parameters into a finite element model of said drill string; d) using said finite element model of said drill string with said inputted values of said parameters to determine the angular deflection in said drill string at at least first and second locations along the length of said drill string when operating at said first set of operating parameters; e) using said angular deflections at said first and second locations along said drill string to determine the relationship between the torque on said drill string at said first and second locations; f) measuring the torque on said drill string at said second location when operating at said first set of operating parameters; g) determining the torque on said drill string at said first location by applying to said measured torque at said second location said relationship between the torque on said drill string at said first location to the torque on said drill string at the second location.
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23. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string having a drill bit drilling into an earthen formation, comprising the steps of:
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a) rotating said drill bit at a first rotary speed so that said drill bit forms a bore hole in said earthen formation, said drill string vibrating in a lateral vibration mode; b) generating a signal representative of said vibration of said drill string in said lateral vibration mode as said drill bit drills into said earthen formation; c) analyzing said signal so as to determine the backward whirl frequency of said vibration of said drill string in said lateral vibration mode; d) determining the diameter of said bore hole being drilled by said drill bit from said backward whirl frequency. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string having a drill bit drilling into an earthen formation, comprising the steps of:
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a) determining a set of operating parameters for said drill string that will result in the maximum rate of penetration of said drill bit into said earthen formation; b) inputting said set of operating parameters into a finite element model of said drill string; and c) using said finite element model with said inputted set of operating parameters to predict the vibration in said drill string that will result from operation of said drill string according to said set of operating parameters. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method of monitoring the operation of a drill string having a drill bit drilling into an earthen formation, comprising the steps of:
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a) obtaining a data base relating sets of operating parameters for said drill string to rates of penetration of said drill bit into said earthen formation when operating at said sets of operating parameters; b) using a finite element model of said drill string and said data base to predict the maximum rate of penetration of said drill string into said earthen formation that will not result in the vibration in said drill string violating a predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification