Computer readable medium for acquiring and displaying in near real time gas analysis, well data collection, and other well logging data

• US 8,615,364 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Selman and Associates Limited
• Original Assignee: Selman and Associates Limited
• Inventors: Selman, Thomas H., Jennings, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Armand, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUAREZ, FELIX E
• Application Number:
  US13/754,830
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 702/8, 702/9, 702/11, 702/13, 702/14, 702/24, 702/179, 702/183, 356/436, 367/69
• US Class Current: 702/9
• 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

The computer readable medium causes a gas processor with gas processor data storage to implement computer instructions to receive device data in various device protocols simultaneously information from rig based sensors and gas analysis devices, calibrate the devices and graphically present the data using both time events and depth events. The computer readable medium can scale the data and form the geological-hydrocarbon executive dashboard for transmission to various client devices to present real time streaming data, real time calibration information, real time alarms while enabling users to add and remove detection devices and sensors, including rig servers and remote servers, online without shutting down the operation of the computer readable medium.

Claims

1. A nontransitory computer readable medium for creating an executive dashboard and well surface logs from geological-hydrocarbon drilling information for a drilling rig, wherein the nontransitory computer readable medium for creating well surface logs and forming the executive dashboard of the well surface logs comprises:

(i) computer instructions to provide a device protocol interface in the gas processor data storage, wherein the device protocol interface includes a well site information transfer specification protocol, allowing each fluid detector and each rig detector to communicate with the gas processor through the well site information transfer specification protocol;

(ii) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to provide a database adapted to receive, store and compile rig detector information, fluid detector information, and combinations thereof, from each fluid detector, rig detector, and combination thereof;

(iii) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to create an executive dashboard for tracking time event based files and depth event based files simultaneously and to communicate through the device protocol interface including the well site information transfer specification protocol, that communicates with rig sensors, wherein the executive dashboard comprises;

a plurality of digital data track displays, a unit section, a digital display of the latest data value, an identifier for the data being tracked, a time vs. depth value graph, a switch index mode button, a layout data tracks button to control of the size, number, and type of data tracks on the screen, a status indicator that can change colors to indicate one or more status of the drilling operation and provide a visual indication that data is being received, an upper scale bound section, a lower scale bound section, an identifier number section, a graphical data track section, a menu button, a scroll left button, a scroll right button, a zoom in button, a scroll down button, a scroll up button, a zoom out button or an alarm indicator that can change color to indicate if the alarm is on or off;

(iv) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to populate the created executive dashboard using the database of rig information, fluid detector information, information provided through the device protocol interface including the well site information transfer specification protocol, and combinations thereof;

(v) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to transmit the populated executive dashboard to one or more of the client devices;

wherein the executive dashboard contains directly measured data, data from the device protocol interface including the well site information transfer specification protocol, imported measured data, analyzed measured data, and combinations thereof;

(vi) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage for on-line addition and on-line deletion of one or more fluid detectors, one or more rig detectors, and combinations thereof;

(vii) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to calibrate the total hydrocarbon detector and the gas chromatograph, using the device protocol; and

(viii) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to repeat fluid analyzing, sensor measuring, and to update the executive dashboard as the analyzing, and measuring is completed for presenting surface logs using the device protocol interface that includes the well site information transfer specification and wherein the executive dashboard is viewable by a plurality of client devices simultaneously, using a gas processor with gas data storage on which the non-transitory computer readable medium is stored, in communication with a network, wherein the geological-hydrocarbon drilling information is updated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as depth based drilling events and time based drilling events and as fluid analysis occurs using at least one fluid detector selected from the group;

a gas chromatograph, a total hydrocarbon detector, a first gas detection instrument, a carbon dioxide detector, a hydrogen sulfide detector, a helium detector, a second gas detection instrument, another fluid detector, and combinations thereof, at least one a rig detector selected from the group comprising;

a pump stroke counter, a pump pressure sensor, a hook load sensor, a depth sensor, an on/off bottom sensor, and combinations thereof, and wherein each fluid detector and rig detector have a device protocol.

2. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to enhance the well surface logs by repeat fluid analyzing, sensor measuring, and additionally repeat data importing from the local rig server, remote rig server and combinations thereof, to update the executive dashboard as the analyzing, importing, and measuring is completed while communicating with a local rig server, a remote rig server, and combinations thereof, connected to the network for communication with the gas processor.

3. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to calibrate the total hydrocarbon detector and the gas chromatograph, automatically, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

4. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 3, further comprising computer instructions to calibrate the gas chromatograph and the total hydrocarbon detector.

5. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the computer instructions to calibrate the gas chromatograph and the total hydrocarbon detector cause the following:

a. close off a conduit that passes a fluid sample to the gas chromatograph, total hydrocarbon detector, or both;

b. identify when sensors in the gas chromatograph and a sensor in the total hydrocarbon detector are stabilized at or near zero;

c. inject a first known gas into the gas chromatograph, a second known gas into the total hydrocarbon detector, or both;

d. cause the components of the first known gas, the second known gas, or both to be identified in the gas chromatograph, total hydrocarbon detector, or both;

e. compare the identified components of the first known gas, the second known gas, or both to a calibration table for the first known gas, the second known gas, or both, wherein the calibration table is stored in the gas processor data storage;

f. set span calibration points for the gas chromatograph, and the total hydrocarbon detector for each identified component from the known gas into the calibration table;

g. stop injecting the known gas into the gas chromatograph, the total hydrocarbon detector, or both;

h. re-implementing calibration with additional known gases to identify additional calibration points in the calibration table; and

i. open the conduit that passes the fluid sample to the gas chromatograph, total hydrocarbon detector, or both.

6. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to track drilling progress for multiple wells simultaneously using the executive dashboard.

7. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions for displaying a quantity of time on the executive dashboard to indicate how much time must pass before a sample is collected, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

8. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions for presenting a circulation status on the executive dashboard which reveals a quantity of bottoms up, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

9. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to activate an alarm when the acquired data, the calibrated data, or combinations thereof, rises above or falls below a preset limit, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

10. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to scale the calibrated data enabling a user to view the entire range of calibrated values on the executive dashboard, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

11. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the executive dashboard further comprises a time stamp for the last time data was downloaded from the cloud based server, current view time section, a my tool button, and a help button.

12. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to form an operator dashboard, to track drilling progress, any data from the fluid detectors and rig detectors, to enhance the well surface logs of the executive dashboard.

13. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operator dashboard comprises:

a graphical representation of calibrated data, a graphical representation of acquired chromatographic data, a calibrated chromatographic data section and operator data track sections.

14. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the operator dashboard further comprises:

an acquired data section, calibrated drilling data section, an alarm set section that includes a section for an operator to input or select alarm criteria.

15. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operator dashboard further comprises:

a representation of calibrated data related to flow rates, a pressure display, and a calibrated drawworks section.