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System and method for determining incremental progression between survey points while drilling

  • US 8,596,385 B2
  • Filed: 06/22/2012
  • Issued: 12/03/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for calculating a path during drilling comprising:

  • 1) receiving, by a surface steerable system coupled to a drilling rig, a first set of toolface information from a bottom hole assembly (BHA) located in a borehole and coupled to a drillstring, wherein the first set of toolface information corresponds to a first current location of the BHA between a first measured survey point that has been passed and a second directly sequential measured survey point that has not yet been reached;

    2) receiving, by the surface steerable system, first sensor information from at least one of the drilling rig, the BHA, or the drillstring coupling the drilling rig to the BHA, wherein the first sensor information is accumulated as the BHA moves from the first measured survey point to the first current location;

    3) calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of first incremental progress made by the BHA since the first measured survey point, wherein calculating the amount of first incremental progress includes calculating a displacement and a build rate of the BHA from the first measured survey point to the first current location and is based on the first sensor information;

    4) calculating, by the surface steerable system, a first estimate of the first current location based on the first measured survey point, the first set of toolface information and the amount of first incremental progress;

    5) causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the first estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the first estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered;

    6) receiving, by the surface steerable system, a second set of toolface information from the BHA corresponding to a second current location of the BHA between the first measured survey point that has been passed and the second directly sequential measured survey point that has not yet been reached;

    7) receiving, by the surface steerable system, second sensor information from at least one of the drilling rig, the BHA, or the drillstring, wherein the second sensor information is accumulated as the BHA moves from the first estimate of the first current location to the second current location;

    8) calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of second incremental progress made by the BHA since the first incremental progress was calculated, wherein calculating the amount of second incremental progress includes calculating a displacement and a build rate of the BHA from the first estimate of the first current location to the second current location and is based on the second sensor information;

    9) calculating, by the surface steerable system, a second estimate of the second current location based on the second set of toolface information and the amount of second incremental progress received since the first estimate and without directly referencing the first measured survey point;

    10) causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter the drilling direction of the BHA based on the second estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the second estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered; and

    repeating, by the surface steerable system, steps 6 through 10 to calculate an estimate of a plurality of locations representing a path of the BHA from the first measured survey point towards the second directly sequential measured survey point until the second directly sequential measured survey point is reached.

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