APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR KICK DETECTION USING ACOUSTIC SENSORS

• US 20130341094A1
• Filed: 06/22/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IntelliServ, LLC (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IntelliServ, LLC (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: GARCIA-OSUNA, Fernando, TAHERIAN, Reza
• Granted Patent: US 9,494,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/40
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/08 Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/10 Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/10 Locating fluid leaks, intrusions or movements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/14 using acoustic waves

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a kick in a wellbore using acoustic transducers. In one embodiment, a system for detecting a kick in a wellbore includes a drill string having a plurality of sections of drill pipes and a plurality of kick detection subs disposed between the sections of drill pipes. Each of the kick detection subs includes an acoustic transducer and kick detection circuitry coupled to the acoustic transducer. The kick detection circuitry is configured to detect gas bubbles in the wellbore based on acoustic signals received by the acoustic transducer. The kick detection circuitry is also configured to determine whether a kick is present in the wellbore based on the detected gas bubbles. The kick detection circuitry is further configured to transmit information indicating whether a kick is present to the surface.

Claims

1. A method for kick detection, comprising:

distributing acoustic transducers along a drill string at longitudinal positions separated by at least one length of drill pipe;

drilling a borehole with the drill string such that at least one of the acoustic transducers is always above a depth at which gas bubbles form in drilling fluid about the drill string;

detecting whether gas bubbles are present in the drilling fluid via the acoustic transducers; and

transmitting information derived from the detecting to the surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the drill string comprises wired drill pipes, and the distributing comprises positioning wired drill pipe repeater subs at intervals along the drill string;

wherein the wired drill pipe repeater subs comprise the acoustic transducers.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the second of the acoustic transducers, an acoustic signal in the drilling fluid;

detecting, by the second of the acoustic transducers, a reflection of the acoustic signal from a wall of the borehole.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that gas bubbles are present in the drilling fluid responsive to the reflection having an amplitude that is lower than a predetermined signal level; and

setting the predetermined signal level based on an amplitude of reflection previously detected by at least one of the acoustic transducers.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

vibrating a surface of the second of the acoustic transducers to generate the acoustic signal and;

detecting vibration of the surface induced via the drilling fluid to detect the reflection.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein an acoustic transmitter of the second of the acoustic transducers is disposed in a sub at a first azimuthal angle and an acoustic receiver of the second of the acoustic transducers is disposed in the sub at a second azimuthal angle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an acoustic signal through drilling fluid disposed in a groove in an outer wall of a wired drill pipe repeater sub;

receiving the acoustic signal by an acoustic receiver disposed on an opposite wall of the groove from an acoustic transmitter that transmitted the acoustic signal; and

determining that gas bubbles are present in the drilling fluid based on at least one of an increase in travel time of the acoustic signal relative to a previously received acoustic signal and a decrease in amplitude of the acoustic signal relative to a previously received acoustic signal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting an acoustic signal into the drilling fluid by an acoustic transmitter disposed on an outer surface of a sub;

receiving the acoustic signal by one or more acoustic receivers disposed on the outer surface of the sub;

wherein each of the acoustic receivers is longitudinally offset from the acoustic transmitter and from each other of the acoustic receivers;

determining that gas bubbles are present in the drilling fluid based on at least one of an increase in travel time of the acoustic signal relative to a previously received acoustic signal and a decrease in amplitude of the acoustic signal relative to a previously received acoustic signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by a first of the acoustic transducers, an acoustic signal in the drilling fluid;

detecting the acoustic signal, by a second of the acoustic transducers;

wherein the first of the acoustic transducers is disposed in a first sub of the drill string and the second of the acoustic transducers is disposed in a second sub of the drill string.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating, by the first sub, a timing signal in conjunction with initiation of generating the acoustic signal;

transmitting the timing signal from the first sub to the second sub via wired drill pipe;

measuring, by the second sub, a time of flight of the acoustic signal based on the timing signal received by the second sub; and

determining whether gas bubbles are present in the drilling fluid between the first sub and second sub based on the measured time of flight of the acoustic signal.

11. A system for detecting a kick in a wellbore, comprising:

a drill string comprising;

a plurality of sections of drill pipes; and

a plurality of kick detection subs interspersed among the sections of drill pipes, each of the kick detection subs comprising;

an acoustic transducer; and

kick detection circuitry coupled to the acoustic transducer, the kick detection circuitry configured to;

detect gas bubbles in the wellbore based on acoustic signals received by the acoustic transducer;

determine whether a kick is present in the wellbore based on the detected gas bubbles; and

transmit information indicating whether a kick is present to the surface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the acoustic transducer comprises:

an acoustic transmitter configured to transfer an acoustic signal into drilling fluid adjacent the acoustic transmitter; and

an acoustic receiver configured to detect an acoustic signal propagated through the drilling fluid adjacent the acoustic receiver.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver comprise a shared acoustic signal transfer surface.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the acoustic transmitter is disposed in the kick detection sub at a first azimuthal angle and the acoustic receiver is disposed in the kick detection sub at a second azimuthal angle.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the acoustic transmitter is disposed on a first wall of a groove in the kick detection sub, and the acoustic receiver is disposed on a second wall of the groove, wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the acoustic transmitter is longitudinally offset from the acoustic receiver on the kick detection sub.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the kick detection circuitry is configured to detect the gas bubbles based on an acoustic signal detected, by the acoustic transducer, having at least one of an amplitude that is lower than a predetermined signal level and a travel time that is greater that a predetermined time.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the kick detection circuitry is configured to set the predetermined signal level based on an amplitude of an acoustic signal previously detected by the acoustic transducer.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the acoustic transducer of a first of the kick detection subs is configured to:

generate an acoustic signal, and

transmit a synchronization signal to a second of the kick detection subs, the synchronization signal indicating the timing of the generation of the acoustic signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the kick detection circuitry of the second of the repeater subs is configured to:

measure a time of flight of the acoustic signal generated by the first of the kick detection subs based on the synchronization signal; and

determine whether gas bubbles are present in the wellbore between the first and second of the kick detection subs based on the measured time of flight of the acoustic signal generated by the first of the kick detection subs.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the kick detection subs is a wired drill pipe telemetry repeater sub.

22. The system of claim 11, wherein the drill pipes are wired drill pipes and the kick detection circuitry is configured to transmit the information indicating whether a kick is present to the surface via the wired drill pipes.

23. The system of claim 11, wherein the kick detection circuitry is configured to determine speed of the gas bubbles in the wellbore based on a difference in detection time of the gas bubbles by two acoustic transducers.

24. The system of claim 11, wherein the kick detection circuitry is integrated into the drill pipes.

25. Apparatus for in wellbore kick detection, comprising:

a plurality of wired drill pipe (WDP) repeaters configured to retransmit signals through a WDP telemetry system disposed in the wellbore, and spaced by interposing wired drill pipes, each of the WDP repeaters comprising;

a kick detection system, the kick detection system comprising;

one or more acoustic transducers; and

kick detection logic coupled to the one or more acoustic transducers, the kick detection logic configured to;

identify the presence and location of a kick in the wellbore based on acoustic signals indicative of bubble formation received by the one or more acoustic transducers; and

communicate information identifying the presence and location of the kick to the surface via the WDP telemetry system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each of the one or more acoustic transducers comprises at least one of:

an acoustic transceiver having a single acoustic interface;

an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver disposed at different azimuthal angles; and

an acoustic receiver longitudinally offset from an acoustic transmitter.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each of the WDP repeaters comprises:

a tubular housing comprising a groove in an outer surface of the housing;

an acoustic transmitter of the one or more acoustic transducers disposed in a first side wall of the groove; and

an acoustic receiver of the one or more acoustic transducers disposed in a second side wall of the groove opposite the acoustic transmitter.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the kick detection logic is configured to:

identify the presence of a kick based on an acoustic signal detected, by the one or more acoustic transducers, having at least one of an amplitude that is lower than a predetermined signal level and a travel time that is greater that a predetermined time; and

determine at least one of the predetermined signal level and the predetermined travel time based on acoustic signals previously received by the one or more acoustic transducers.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the kick detection logic is configured to:

initiate generation of a first acoustic signal;

transmit a synchronization signal via the WDP telemetry system, the synchronization signal indicating timing of the generation of the first acoustic signal;

receive a synchronization signal via the WDP telemetry system, the synchronization signal indicating timing of the generation of a second acoustic signal at a different one of the WDP repeaters;

measure a time of flight of the second acoustic signal based on the received synchronization signal; and

determine whether a kick is present in the wellbore based on the measured time of flight of the second acoustic signal.

30. A system for kick detection in a cased wellbore, comprising:

a casing string disposed in the wellbore, the casing string comprising a plurality of wired casing pipes comprising a casing telemetry system;

one or more of the wired casing pipes comprising;

an acoustic transducer; and

a kick detection system coupled to the acoustic transducer, the kick detection system configured to;

identify the presence of gas in the wellbore based on acoustic signals indicative of bubble formation received by the one or more acoustic transducers; and

communicate information identifying the presence of the gas in the wellbore to the surface via the casing telemetry system.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the acoustic transducer comprises at least one of:

an acoustic transceiver having a single acoustic interface;

an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver disposed at different azimuthal angles; and

an acoustic receiver longitudinally offset from an acoustic transmitter.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein each of the one or more of the casing pipes comprises:

a groove in an inner surface of the casing pipe;

an acoustic transmitter of the acoustic transducer disposed in a first side wall of the groove; and

an acoustic receiver of the acoustic transducer disposed in a second side wall of the groove opposite the acoustic transmitter.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the kick detection logic is configured to:

identify the presence of the based on an acoustic signal detected, by the acoustic transducer, having at least one of an amplitude that is lower than a predetermined signal level and a travel time that is greater that a predetermined time; and

determine at least one of the predetermined signal level and the predetermined travel time based on acoustic signals previously received by the acoustic transducer.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the casing string is configured to position one or more of the casing pipes at a depth of the wellbore at which gas comes out of solution in the wellbore fluid.