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

• US 8,775,087 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• 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): Schechter, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUAN, JOHN CHUNYANG
• Application Number:
  US13/754,804
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 702/6, 702/9, 702/11, 702/188, 175/40, 731/520.2, 731/520.4, 367/25, 166/264
• US Class Current: 702/9
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/46 Data acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B

Abstract

The system includes a gas processor with gas processor data storage and computer instructions to receive in various device protocols simultaneously information from rig based sensors and gas analysis devices drilling data, calibrate the devices and graphically present the data using both time events and depth events. Computer instructions 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 entire monitoring and analysis system.

Claims

1. A system for creating a geological-hydrocarbon drilling log during gas detection and monitoring of at least one drilling operation using fluid samples from a well for simultaneous viewing on a plurality of client devices, each client device having a display for communication over a network, wherein the geological-hydrocarbon drilling log is updated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as depth based drilling events occur, time based drilling events occur, and as fluid analysis occurs, wherein the system comprises:

a) a gas processor with a gas processor data storage in communication with the network, wherein the gas processor and the gas processor data storage communicate with at least one client device of the plurality of client devices;

b) at least one fluid detector for measuring chemical content of a fluid sample from a wellbore, wherein the at least one fluid detector is at least one of;

a gas chromatograph, a total hydrocarbon detector, a carbon dioxide detector, a hydrogen sulfide detector, and a helium detector, wherein the at least one fluid detector provides a chemical content analysis of fluid from the wellbore to the gas processor data storage using the network;

c) at least one rig detector for measuring a fluid sample from the well, the at least one rig detector connected to the network, wherein the at least one rig detector is at least one of;

a pump stroke counter, a pump pressure sensor, a hook load sensor, a depth sensor, and an on/off bottom sensor, wherein each fluid detector and each rig detector have an individual device protocol, wherein each fluid detector and each rig detector are in communication with the gas processor, using the network;

d) computer instructions to provide a device protocol interface in the gas processor data storage allowing each fluid detector and each rig detector to communicate directly with the gas processor with each individual device protocol;

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

f) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage creating an executive dashboard, the executive dashboard comprising;

1. a plurality of digital data track displays displaying digital data associated with drilling operations;

2. a unit section within at least one of the plurality of digital data track display;

3. a digital display of a latest data value;

4. an identifier for the digital data being tracked;

5. a time versus depth value graph depicting time and depth simultaneously;

6. a switch index mode button for allowing a user to switch between plotting by a time index and plotting by a depth index;

7. a layout of data tracks button connected to computer instructions to control size, number, and type of data tracks on the executive dashboard; and

8. a status indicator that can change colors to indicate one or more status of the drilling operation and provide a visual indication that digital data are being received from the at least one rig detector, the at least one fluid detector, or both;

g) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to populate the created executive dashboard using the database of rig information, fluid detector information, or combinations thereof;

h) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to form an operator dashboard to track drilling progress, and populate the operator dashboard using data from the at least one fluid detector and the at least one rig detector, wherein the operator dashboard comprises;

(1) a graphical representation of calibrated data, (2) a graphical representation of acquired chromatographic data, (3) a calibrated chromatographic data section and (4) at least one operator data track section;

i) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to transmit the populated executive dashboard and the populated operator dashboard to one or more of the plurality of client devices enabling the user of at least one of the plurality of client devices to view both the populated executive dashboard and the populated operator dashboard simultaneously;

j) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage for continuous analysis of fluid coming from the wellbore by the at least one rig detector and the at least one fluid detector while one sensor or one detector is turned off, added, or brought online for online addition and online deletion of one or more fluid detectors, one or more rig detectors, and combinations thereof;

while the system is operating and without shutting down all, or a portion of the system other than the one sensor or one detector that is to be turned off, added or brought online for online addition and online deletion;

k) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to calibrate online the at least one fluid detector, using the device protocol interface and each fluid detector'"'"'s individual device protocol using a known gas and creating a calibration table and then calibrating the at least one fluid detector to analyze the fluid samples from the well; and

l) computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to repeat fluid analysis and sensor measuring, and to update the populated executive dashboard and the populated operator dashboard as the fluid analysis and sensor measuring is completed.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local rig server, a remote rig server, and combinations thereof, connected to the network for communication with the gas processor, and further comprising computer instructions to 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.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to calibrate the at least one fluid detector, automatically.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one fluid detector comprises the gas chromatograph or the total hydrocarbon detector, and wherein the computer instructions to calibrate the at least one fluid detector using the device protocol interface and each fluid detector'"'"'s individual device protocol to instruct the gas processor to perform the following:

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

b) identify when sensors in the gas chromatograph or sensors 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 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, or both for each identified component from the first known gas, the second known gas, or both, into the calibration table;

g) stop injecting the first known gas, the second known gas, or both into the gas chromatograph, the total hydrocarbon detector, or both;

h) re-implement 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.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a valve for opening and closing the conduit for flowing the fluid sample to the gas chromatograph or total hydrocarbon detector.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the gas chromatograph has a low range sensor and a high range sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator dashboard further comprises:

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

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the operator dashboard further comprises:

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

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to track drilling progress for multiple wells simultaneously using the executive dashboard.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the gas processor data storage for displaying a quantity of time on the executive dashboard to indicate how much time must pass before a sample is collected.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the gas processor data storage for presenting a circulation status on the executive dashboard which reveals a quantity of bottoms up.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to activate an alarm when acquired data, calibrated data, or combinations thereof, are above or below a preset limit.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions in the gas processor data storage to scale calibrated data enabling a user to view an entire range of calibrated values on the executive dashboard.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the executive dashboard further comprises 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.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the executive dashboard further comprises a time stamp for the last time data was downloaded, a current view time section, a “

my tool”

button, and a help button.