Continuous bit positioning system
First Claim
1. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe at least one drill collar, jars and bit, comprising:
- a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations in the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals;
b. lifting said drill pipe, drill collar, and jars a selected distance, and suddenly releasing the drill pipe, so that it falls in the borehole until the drill bit strikes the bottom of the well bore, whereby the impact of the drill bit on the bottom of the well bore will generate a first elastic wave in the earth, and the impact of the pipe on the jars will generate a second elastic wave in the earth;
c. determining the time of release of said drill pipe;
d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of at least either said first or second elastic waves at said sensors; and
e. from the known time of release of said drill pipe and the known length of drill pipe and the times of arrival of said at least either said first and second elastic waves at said sensors, determining the positiion of said bottom of the borehole.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining the precise position of the drill bit, in three dimensions, in the earth during a drilling operation, with a minimum of effort and interruption to the drilling process. It provides placing a motion sensor on the drilling apparatus and a plurality of vibration sensors or geophones, positioned in a two-dimension array on the surface of the earth, above the expected position of the drill bit. To make a measurement from which can be determined the position of the bit, the drill stem is raised a selected distance and suddenly released, so that it will fall in the borehole, and the bit will strike the bottom of the hole. This impact will cause an elastic wave to be generated at the bottom of the borehole. The elastic wave will be transmitted through the earth and will be detected by the geophones. The sensor provides information from which can be determined the time when the bit strikes the bottom of the drill hole. This determines the initiation time of the elastic wave. The arrival times at the geophones of the elastic wave can be measured and the position at which the elastic wave originated can be determined. Alternative embodiments involve the use of jars in the drill string which generate secondary elastic waves. Also when the pipe is lifted and the bit is lifted off bottom, an expansion elastic wave will be initiated.
50 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe at least one drill collar, jars and bit, comprising:
-
a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations in the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals; b. lifting said drill pipe, drill collar, and jars a selected distance, and suddenly releasing the drill pipe, so that it falls in the borehole until the drill bit strikes the bottom of the well bore, whereby the impact of the drill bit on the bottom of the well bore will generate a first elastic wave in the earth, and the impact of the pipe on the jars will generate a second elastic wave in the earth; c. determining the time of release of said drill pipe; d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of at least either said first or second elastic waves at said sensors; and e. from the known time of release of said drill pipe and the known length of drill pipe and the times of arrival of said at least either said first and second elastic waves at said sensors, determining the positiion of said bottom of the borehole. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
8. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe, at least one drill collar, jars and bit, comprising:
-
a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations of the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals; b. lifting said drill pipe, drill collar and jars a selected distance, and suddenly releasing the drill pipe, so that it falls in the borehole until the drill bit strikes the bottom of the well bore, whereby the impact of the drill bit on the bottom of the well bore will generate a first elastic wave in the earth, and the impact of the pipe on the jars will generate a second elastic wave in the earth; c. determining the time of release of said drill pipe; d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of said first and second elastic waves at said sensors; and e. from the known time of release of said drill pipe and the known length of drill pipe and the times of arrival of said first and second elastic waves at said sensors, determining the position of said bottom of the borehole. - View Dependent Claims (9, 18)
-
-
11. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe, at least one drill collar, jars and bit, comprising:
-
a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations of the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals; b. lifting said drill pipe at the surface a selected distance, such that with the stretch in the drill pipe, the bottom end of the drill pipe is lifted less than a range of extension of said jars, whereby said drill collar and said bit are not lifted off bottom, and suddenly releasing the drill pipe, so that it falls in the borehole until the bottom of the drill pipe strikes the top of the drill collar with an impulsive force, thus closing said jars, whereby the closing of the jars, will generate an elastic wave in the earth; c. determining the time of release of said drill pipe; d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of said elastic wave at said sensors; and e. from the known time of release of said drill pipe and the known length of drill pipe and the times of arrival of said elastic wave at said sensors, determining the position of the top of the drill collar in the earth. - View Dependent Claims (12)
-
-
13. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe, at least one drill collar, jars and bit, comprising;
-
a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations of the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals; b. rapidly lifting said drill pipe until the drill bit is lifted off the bottom of the well bore, whereby the release of pressure on the bottom of the well bore by said bit will cause an expansion elastic wave to be generated in the earth; c. determining the time of liftoff of said drill bit; d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of said expansion elastic wave of said sensors; and e. from the known time of liftoff of said drill bit and the times of arrival of said expansion elastic wave at said sensors, determining the position of said bottom of the borehole. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
19. The method of determining the position in the earth of the bottom of a borehole, during rotary drilling of said borehole, including a known length of drill pipe, at least one drill collar, jars and a bit comprising:
-
a. placing a plurality of sensors in the earth in a known geometric pattern above the expected position of the bottom of the borehole, said sensors adapted to detect and transduce the vibrations of the earth to corresponding electrical signals, and amplifying said transduced signals; b. from a position of the drill pipe in which said bit is on the bottom of the well bore and the jars are compressed, rapidly lifting said drill pipe so that the jars become extended, creating a first compressional wave, and lifting further until the bit is lifted off bottom, whereby a release of pressure on the bottom of the well bore by said bit will cause an expansion elastic wave to be generated in the earth; c. determining the time of lift of said drill pipe; d. recording as a function of time said amplified transduced signals and determining the times of arrival of said first compressional wave and said expansion elastic wave at said sensors;
nde. from the known time of lift of said drill pipe and the known times of arrival of said compressional wave and said expansion elastic wave at said sensors, determining th position of said bottom of the borehole.
-
Specification