DYNAMIC GEO-STATIONARY ACTUATION FOR A FULLY-ROTATING ROTARY STEERABLE SYSTEM

• US 20160090789A1
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Gajji, Bhargav, Purohit, Ankit, Gaikwad, Rahul R., Kadam, Ratish
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/06 Deflecting the direction of boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/062 the tool shaft rotating inside a non-rotating guide travelling with the shaft E21B7/067 and E21B7/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/067 with means for locking sections of a pipe or of a guide for a shaft in angular relation, e.g. adjustable bent sub
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/10 Correction of deflected boreholes

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a dynamic geo-stationary actuation technique that may be incorporated into a rotary steerable system 200. An example method described herein may include receiving a first angular orientation of a rotating housing 201 disposed in a borehole. The first angular orientation may be received from a sensor assembly 205 coupled to the housing 201, and the housing 201 may be coupled to a drill bit 203. A desired drilling direction for the drill bit 203 may also be received. A first trigger signal to a first actuator 206 coupled to the rotating housing 21 may be generated based, at least in part, on the first angular orientation and the desired drilling direction.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic geo-stationary actuation, comprising:

receiving a first angular orientation of a rotating housing disposed in a borehole from a sensor assembly coupled to the housing, wherein the housing is coupled to a drill bit;

receiving a desired drilling direction for the drill bit; and

generating a first trigger signal to a first actuator coupled to the rotating housing based, at least in part, on the first angular orientation and the desired drilling direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly comprises an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the desired drilling direction for the drill bit comprises receiving the desired drilling direction through a downhole telemetry system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a first angular difference between the desired drilling direction and the first angular orientation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the first trigger signal to the first actuator comprises generating the first trigger signal to the first actuator if the first actuator is associated with the first angular difference.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first actuator is disposed within a bore of the rotating housing proximate to a drive shaft coupled to the drill bit;

and

when triggered, the first actuator contacts the drive shaft and causes a longitudinal axis of the drill bit to correspond to the desired drilling direction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first actuator is coupled to an exterior surface of the rotating housing proximate to a borehole wall;

and

when triggered, the first actuator contacts the borehole wall and causes a longitudinal axis of the drill bit to correspond to the desired drilling direction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second angular orientation of the rotating housing from the sensor assembly, wherein the second angular orientation corresponds to a different time than the first orientation; and

generating a second trigger signal to a second actuator coupled to the rotating housing based, at least in part, on the second angular orientation and the desired drilling direction.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a second angular difference between the desired drilling direction and the second angular orientation.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the second trigger signal to the second actuator comprises generating the second trigger signal to the second actuator if the second actuator is associated with the second angular difference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are located at a substantially similar angular orientation with respect to the borehole when the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal are respectively generated.

12. An apparatus for dynamic geo-stationary actuation, comprising:

a housing;

a first actuator coupled to the housing;

a sensor assembly coupled to the housing; and

a control unit in communication with the first actuator and the sensor assembly, wherein the control unit comprises a processor and a memory device containing a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to

receive from the sensor assembly a first angular orientation of the housing while the housing is rotating;

receive a desired drilling direction for a drill bit coupled to the housing; and

generate a first trigger signal to the first actuator based, at least in part, on the first angular orientation and the desired drilling direction.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sensor assembly comprises an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions that cause the processor to receive the desired drilling direction for the drill bit further cause the processor to receive the desired drilling direction through a downhole telemetry system in communication with the control unit.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the set of instructions further cause the processor to determine a first angular difference between the desired drilling direction and the first angular orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions that cause the processor to generate the first trigger signal to the first actuator further cause the processor to generate the first trigger signal to the first actuator if the first actuator is associated with the first angular difference.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a second actuator coupled to the housing, wherein the set of instructions further cause the processor to:

receive from the sensor assembly a second angular orientation of the housing while the housing is rotating, wherein the second angular orientation corresponds to a different time than the first orientation; and

generate a second trigger signal to the second actuator based, at least in part, on the second angular orientation and the desired drilling direction.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the set of instructions further cause the processor to determine a second angular difference between the desired drilling direction and the second angular orientation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the set of instructions that cause the processor to generate the second trigger signal to the second actuator further cause the processor to generate the second trigger signal to the second actuator if the second actuator is associated with the second angular difference.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are located at a substantially similar angular orientation with respect to the borehole when the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal are respectively generated.