Method and apparatus for determining drill string movement mode

• US 7,114,578 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark W. Hutchinson
• Original Assignee: Mark W. Hutchinson
• Inventors: Hutchinson, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Zakiya W.
• Application Number:
  US10/957,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 166/64, 166/66, 166/250.01, 166/255.1, 166/255.2, 175/39, 175/40, 175/45
• US Class Current: 175/40
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level

Abstract

A method for determining movement mode in a drill string includes measuring lateral acceleration of the drill string, determining lateral position of the drill string from the acceleration measurements, and determining mode from the position with respect to time. Another method includes measuring drill string acceleration along at least one direction, spectrally analyzing the acceleration, and determining existence of a particular mode from the spectral analysis. A method for determining destructive torque on a BHA includes measuring angular acceleration at at least one location along the BHA, and comparing the acceleration to a selected threshold. The threshold relates to a moment of inertia of components of the BHA and a maximum torque applicable to threaded connections between BHA components. A warning is generated when acceleration exceeds the threshold.

Claims

1. A method for determining a mode of movement in a drill string, comprising:

measuring lateral acceleration of the drill string;

determining a lateral position of the drill string with respect to time from the acceleration measurements; and

determining the mode from the position with respect to time.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the lateral acceleration is measured in two directions orthogonal to each other and to an axis of the drill string.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the measuring acceleration is performed in a bottom hole assembly.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising transmitting an indication of the identified mode to the earth'"'"'s surface.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the transmitting comprises formatting a mud pressure modulation telemetry scheme.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising adjusting at least one drilling operating parameter in response to the identified mode to reduce effects of the identified mode on the drill string.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the at least one drilling operating parameter comprises at least one of weight on bit, rotary speed of the drill string and flow rate of a drilling fluid.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the determining the lateral position comprises doubly integrating the measurements of lateral acceleration.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising actuating an automatic downhole control system in response to the identified mode to reduce the effects of the identified mode on the drill string.

10. A method for determining a mode of motion of a drill string, comprising:

measuring a parameter related to acceleration of the drill string along at least one direction;

spectrally analyzing the measurements of acceleration; and

determining existence of a particular mode from the spectrally analyzed measurements, wherein the determining the particular mode comprises identifying a component frequency in the spectrally analyzed measurements which corresponds to at least one of a resonant frequency and a whirl frequency of a selected component of the drill string.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the at least one frequency corresponds to at least one of whirling rate, torsional resonance, axial resonance and lateral resonance of the selected component of the drill string.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 further comprising determining when an amplitude of the component frequency exceeds a selected threshold, and transmitting an indication of a destructive condition to the earth'"'"'s surface.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the transmitting comprises formatting a mud pressure modulation telemetry scheme.

14. The method as defined in claim 12 further comprising adjusting at least one drilling operating parameter in response to receipt of the indication so as to reduce the amplitude of the resonant frequency.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the at least one drilling parameter comprises at least one of weight on bit, rotational speed of the drill string and a rate of flow of a drilling fluid.

16. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising communicating existence of the mode to an automatic downhole control system to reduce effects of the mode on components of the drill string.

17. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the resonant frequency is determined by modeling components of the drill string.

18. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the particular mode comprises at least one of lateral shock and whirl.

19. A method for estimating wear on a drill string, comprising:

determining a mode of motion of the drill string;

calculating side forces generated by contact between affected components of the drill string and a wall of a wellbore as a result of the mode of motion; and

estimating a wear rate corresponding to the side forces and a rate of rotation of the drill string.

20. The method as defined in claim 19, wherein the determining the mode of motion comprises measuring a parameter related to acceleration at at least one location along the drill string, determining a lateral position of the drill string with respect to time from the acceleration measurements, and determining the mode from the position with respect to time.

21. A method for estimating fatigue on a drill string, comprising:

determining a mode of motion of the drill string;

calculating flexural forces generated as a result of the mode of motion; and

estimating a fatigue rate from the flexural forces.

22. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein the determining the mode of motion comprises measuring a parameter related to acceleration at at least one location along the drill string, determining a lateral position of the drill string with respect to time from the acceleration measurements, and determining the mode from the position with respect to time.

23. An apparatus for determining mode of movement in a drill string, comprising:

a sensor for measuring lateral acceleration of the drill string;

means for determining a lateral position of the drill string with respect to time from the acceleration measurements; and

means for determining the mode from the position with respect to time.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein the sensor for measuring acceleration includes components disposed in two directions orthogonal to each other and to an axis of the drill string.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein the sensor for measuring acceleration is disposed in a bottom hole assembly.

26. The apparatus as defined in claim 23 further comprising means for transmitting an indication of the identified mode to the earth'"'"'s surface.

27. The apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for formatting a mud pressure modulation telemetry scheme.

28. The apparatus as defined in claim 26 wherein the means for determining the lateral position comprises means for doubly integrating an output of the sensor for measuring lateral acceleration.

29. A apparatus for determining a mode of motion of a drill string, comprising:

a sensor for measuring a parameter related to acceleration of the drill string along at least one direction;

a spectral analyzer operatively coupled to the sensor; and

means for determining existence of a particular mode from the spectrally analyzed measurements the means for determining the particular mode comprising means for identifying a component frequency operatively coupled to the spectral analyzer, the component frequency corresponds to at least one of whirl rate, torsional resonance, axial resonance and lateral resonance of the selected component of the drill string.

30. The apparatus as defined in claim 29 further comprising means for determining when an amplitude of the component frequency exceeds a selected threshold, and means for transmitting an indication of a destructive condition to the earth'"'"'s surface.

31. The apparatus as defined in claim 30 wherein the means for transmitting comprises means for formatting a mud pressure modulation telemetry scheme.

32. The apparatus as defined in claim 29 wherein the component frequency is determined by modeling components of the drill string.