Method of drilling a bore hole

• US 7,284,623 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (SLB)
• Inventors: Rock, Douglas Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US10/192,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20030024736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 175/24, 175 38- 40, 175/45, 175/46, 175/50, 175/57, 175/61, 175/62, 703/6, 703/9, 703/10
• US Class Current: 175/57
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• 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

Abstract

A method for drilling a borehole through a production zone underlying an overburden of various earth formations includes drilling the borehole through the overburden with a first drill bit. The first drill bit being selected to optimize at least one drilling performance parameter. The method further includes drilling the borehole through at least part of the production zone with a second drill bit. The second drill bit being selected to optimize at least one production performance parameter. Methods for selecting parameters to optimize production performance are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for drilling a borehole through a production zone underlying an overburden of various earth formations, the method comprising:

drilling the borehole through the overburden with at least one drill bit selected to optimize at least one drilling performance parameter; and

drilling the borehole through at least part of the production zone with at least one other drill bit selected to optimize at least one production performance parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one production performance parameter comprises at least one of minimizing skin damage in the production zone, increasing a surface area of the borehole wall in the production zone, optimizing a drill cuffing size to optimize removal thereof from the borehole, and optimizing drill cuttings size for optimizing removal thereof from drilling mud.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drilling performance parameter comprises at least one of a rate of penetration, a total footage drilled, a cost of drilling to a selected depth in the borehole, and a borehole profile.

4. A method for selecting parameters to optimize a production performance parameter in a drilled borehole, comprising:

selecting initial bit design parameters and initial drilling operating parameters;

simulating drilling of a selected earth formation, the simulating including determining at least one parameter related to production performance in the selected earth formation;

adjusting at least one of the initial bit design parameters or at least one of the initial drilling operating parameters;

repeating the simulating; and

repeating the adjusting of the at least one of the bit design or drilling operating parameters and the simulating until the at least one parameter related to production performance is optimized,

wherein the at least one parameter related to production performance comprises a size of drill cuttings.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the bit design parameters comprise at least one of cutting element size, cutting element type, cutting element placement on a drill bit, a number of cutting elements on a drill bit, and a drill bit diameter.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the drilling operating parameters comprise at least one of axial force on bit and rotary speed.

7. A method for selecting parameters to optimize a production performance parameter in a drilled borehole, comprising:

selecting initial bit design parameters and initial drilling operating parameters;

simulating drilling of a selected earth formation, the simulating including determining at least one parameter related to production performance in the selected earth formation;

adjusting at least one of the initial bit design parameters or at least one of the initial drilling operating parameters;

repeating the simulating; and

repeating the adjusting of the at least one of the bit design or drilling operating parameters and the simulating until the at least one parameter related to production performance is optimized, wherein the at least one parameter related to production performance comprises a surface area of the borehole.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the bit design parameters comprise at least one of cutting element size, cutting element type, cutting element placement on a drill bit, a number of cutting elements on a drill bit, and a drill bit diameter.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the drilling operating parameters comprise at least one of axial force on bit and rotary speed.