System for controlled drilling of boreholes along planned profile
First Claim
1. A system for downhole detection of a subterranean target, comprising:
- downhole means for three dimensional controlled drilling of a borehole;
means positioned in said borehole for determining the depth and location of said means for controlled drilling of said borehole and for producing a first output signal corresponding thereto;
downhole means for detecting a subterranean target and for producing a second output signal corresponding to the location of said target relative to the location of said means for controlled drilling of said borehole; and
downhole means responsive to said first and second output signals to cause said means for controlled drilling of said borehole to follow a desired path with respect to said target.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for automatically controlling the direction of advance of a rotary drill to produce a borehole profile substantially as preplanned with minimal curvature while maintaining optimum drilling performance. The preferred embodiment of the system comprises a drill string; a drill bit; an appropriate motor for rotating said drill bit; a data processing system for storing a planned path; sensors for obtaining information for providing a profile of a drilled path of the borehole; a data processing system for comparing the drilled path with the planned path and for generating a correction signal representing the difference between the drilled path and the planned path; and a control system responsive to the correction signal to cause the drill string to follow a corrected path to cause the drilled borehole to coincide with the planned path.
199 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for downhole detection of a subterranean target, comprising:
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downhole means for three dimensional controlled drilling of a borehole; means positioned in said borehole for determining the depth and location of said means for controlled drilling of said borehole and for producing a first output signal corresponding thereto; downhole means for detecting a subterranean target and for producing a second output signal corresponding to the location of said target relative to the location of said means for controlled drilling of said borehole; and downhole means responsive to said first and second output signals to cause said means for controlled drilling of said borehole to follow a desired path with respect to said target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for controlling the path of a borehole within a subterranean target, comprising:
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downhole means for three dimensional controlled drilling of a borehole along a planned path into said target; means positioned in said borehole for determining the depth and location of said means for controlled directional drilling of said borehole and for producing a first output signal corresponding thereto; downhole means for detecting the boundaries of a subterranean target and for producing a second output signal corresponding to the relative position of said drilling means within said subterranean target; and downhole means responsive to said first and second output signals to cause said means for drilling to follow a desired path within said target. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A downhole system for drilling a desired path with respect to subterranean targets, comprising:
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downhole means for controlled three dimensional drilling of a borehole; means positioned in said borehole for determining the depth and location of said means for directional drilling of said borehole and for producing a first output signal corresponding thereto; downhole means for detecting the locations of said subterranean targets and for producing a second output signal corresponding thereto; downhole means for using said first and second output signals to plan a path with respect to said targets and to generate a control signal corresponding thereto; and downhole means for using said control signal to cause said means for controlled three dimensional drilling to follow said path with respect to said targets.
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19. A downhole system for automatic drilling of a borehole along a three dimensional, dynamically planned path with respect to a downhole detected subterranean target, comprising:
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means for controlled directional drilling of a borehole; means for determining the drilled path of the borehole; means positioned in said borehole for determining the depth and location of said means for directional drilling in said borehole and for producing a first output signal corresponding thereto; means positioned in said borehole for receiving, storing, and updating a planned path; means for detecting a subterranean target and for producing a second output signal corresponding to the relative location of said target with respect to said drilled path; means for using said first and second output signals to calculate a desired path with respect to said subterranean target; means for dynamically updating said planned path with said desired path and for generating a control signal corresponding to said desired path; and means responsive to said control signal to cause said means for controlled directional drilling to drill along the dynamically updated planned path.
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Specification