Exploitation Of Sea Floor Rig Structures To Enhance Measurement While Drilling Telemetry Data

• US 20120126992A1
• Filed: 07/21/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Rodney, Paul F., Downing, Andrew J., Spross, Ronald L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,234,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/850
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/10 operated by control fluid supplied from outside the borehole
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B

Abstract

A method for communicating data in an offshore data communication system comprises measuring L/MWD data with a sensor disposed in a bottomhole assembly positioned in a subsea borehole. The bottomhole assembly is disposed along a drillstring extending through the subsea borehole. In addition, the method comprises communicating the L/MWD data from the bottomhole assembly to the seafloor with a telemetry signal. Further, the method comprises receiving the telemetry signal with at least one telemetry transducer positioned proximal the sea floor. Still further, the method comprises processing the telemetry signal at the seafloor to produce a processed signal. Moreover, the method comprises transmitting the processed signal from the sea floor to the sea surface.

Claims

1. A method for communicating data in an offshore data communication system, comprising:

(a) measuring L/MWD data with a sensor disposed in a bottomhole assembly positioned in a subsea borehole, wherein the bottomhole assembly is disposed along a drillstring extending through the subsea borehole;

(b) communicating the L/MWD data from the bottomhole assembly to the seafloor with a telemetry signal;

(c) receiving the telemetry signal with at least one telemetry transducer positioned proximal the sea floor;

(d) processing the telemetry signal at the seafloor to produce a processed signal; and

(e) transmitting the processed signal from the sea floor to the sea surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is mounted to a subsea BOP positioned at the sea floor, mounted to a riser proximal the sea floor, or disposed on the sea floor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) comprises amplifying the telemetry signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein (d) further comprises time shifting the telemetry signal and filtering the electronic telemetry signal.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising controlling the processing of the telemetry signal with a signal processor positioned proximal the sea floor.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the telemetry signal is an electromagnetic wave propagated through a formation through which the borehole extends;

wherein (b) comprises generating the electromagnetic wave with an EM tool disposed in the bottomhole assembly by creating an altered voltage difference between a first portion and a second portion of the drillstring; and

wherein the at least one telemetry transducer comprises a plurality of magnetometers positioned proximal the sea floor or a plurality of electric field antennas positioned proximal the sea floor.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of telemetry transducers includes a subsea array of magnetometers deployed in a vertical arrangement along the riser or a horizontal arrangement along the sea floor.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the telemetry signal comprises one or more pressure pulses propagated in a drilling fluid in an inner bore of a drillstring extending through the subsea borehole;

wherein (b) comprises generating the one or more pressure pulses with a positive mud pulser, a negative mud pulser, or a continuous mud pulser; and

wherein the at least one telemetry transducer comprises a plurality of fiber optic pressure transducers mounted to the riser proximal the BOP.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein (e) comprises:

communicating the processed signal to the sea surface with an acoustic modem including an acoustic modem transmitter disposed at the sea floor and an acoustic modem receiver disposed at the sea surface;

wherein the acoustic modem receiver is coupled to a rig at the sea surface.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein (e) comprises:

communicating the processed signal to the sea surface through a wire extending along the riser from the sea floor to the sea surface.

11. An offshore drilling system, comprising:

a drilling platform positioned at the sea surface;

a drillstring extending from the drilling platform, wherein the drillstring has a lower end including a bottomhole assembly disposed in a subsea borehole;

a subsea telemetry communication system including a telemetry transmitter disposed in the bottomhole assembly and a subsea telemetry receiver disposed proximal the sea floor, wherein the telemetry transmitter is adapted to transmit a telemetry signal from the bottomhole assembly to the subsea telemetry receiver;

a subsea signal processor positioned proximal the sea floor and coupled to the at least one telemetry receiver, wherein the signal processor is adapted to process the telemetry signal into a processed telemetry signal; and

a communication link adapted to communicate the processed telemetry signal to the sea surface, wherein the communication link includes a transmitter disposed proximal the sea floor and a receiver at the sea surface, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the signal processor and communicates the processed signal to the receiver.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subsea telemetry receiver is mounted to a subsea BOP positioned at the sea floor, mounted to a riser extending from the BOP, or disposed on the sea floor.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the signal processor comprises:

a housing including an input connector and an output connector, wherein the input connector is coupled to the telemetry receiver disposed in the bottomhole assembly and the output connector is coupled to the transmitter of the communication link, and wherein the input connector is adapted to receive the telemetry signal from the receiver and the output connector is adapted to communicate the processed telemetry signal to the transmitter of the communication link; and

an amplifier disposed within the housing and coupled to the input connector and the output connector, wherein the amplifier is adapted to receive the telemetry signal from the input connector and amplify the telemetry signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal processor further comprises:

a programmable delay line coupled to the amplifier, wherein the programmable delay line is adapted to receive the telemetry signal from the amplifier and phase shift the telemetry signal;

a programmable filter coupled to the programmable delay line, wherein the programmable filter is adapted to receive the telemetry signal from the programmable delay line and filter telemetry signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the subsea telemetry communication system is an electromagnetic telemetry system, a mud pulse telemetry system, or an acoustic telemetry system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the subsea telemetry communication system includes a plurality of subsea telemetry receivers, each subsea telemetry receiver disposed proximal the sea floor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of telemetry receivers comprises a plurality of fiber optic pressure transducers mounted to the riser extending from the BOP or a plurality of electric field antennas disposed along the sea floor.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of telemetry receivers are arranged in a vertical array along the riser or a horizontal array along the sea floor.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitter of the communication link is an acoustic modem transmitter and the receiver of the communication link is an acoustic modem receiver;

and

wherein the acoustic modem receiver is coupled to the drilling platform at the sea surface.

20. An offshore L/MWD data communication system, comprising:

a subsea telemetry communication system adapted to transmit a telemetry signal from a bottomhole assembly disposed in a borehole to the sea floor;

a communication link adapted to communicate a processed signal between the sea floor and the sea surface;

a subsea signal processor positioned proximal the sea floor and coupled to the telemetry communication system and the communication link, wherein the signal processor is adapted to receive the telemetry signal and output the processed signal.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the communication link is an acoustic modem including an acoustic modem transmitter and an acoustic modem receiver.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the telemetry communication system comprises a telemetry transmitter disposed in the bottomhole assembly and a plurality of subsea telemetry receivers, and wherein each telemetry receiver is positioned proximal the sea floor and distal the sea surface.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each telemetry receiver is mounted to a subsea riser proximal the sea floor, mounted to a BOP at the sea floor, or disposed along the sea floor.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the telemetry signal is a pressure pulse and wherein each telemetry receiver is a fiber optic pressure transducer mounted to the subsea riser.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the signal processor comprises:

a housing including a plurality of input connectors and a plurality of output connectors, wherein each telemetry receiver is coupled to a different input connector;

a plurality of amplifiers disposed in the housing, wherein each amplifier is coupled to one of the input connectors and one of the output connectors; and

wherein each output connector is coupled to the acoustic modem transmitter.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the signal processor further comprises:

a housing having a plurality of input connectors, wherein each telemetry receiver is coupled to a different input connector;

a plurality of amplifiers disposed in the housing, wherein one amplifier is coupled to each input connector;

a plurality of programmable delay lines, wherein one delay line is coupled to each amplifier;

a plurality of programmable filters, wherein one filter is coupled to each delay line; and

a computer adapted to control the programmable delay lines and the programmable filters.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the signal processor further comprises a multiplexer coupled to the computer, each programmable filter, and the outlet connector;

and

wherein the housing includes an output connector coupled to the multiplexer and the acoustic modem transmitter.