System and method for steering in a downhole environment using vibration modulation

• US 9,057,248 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helmerich & Payne Technologies, LLC (Helmerich & Payne Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hunt Advanced Drilling Technologies, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Benson, Todd W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephenson, Daniel P
• Application Number:
  US14/562,270
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: 175/57, 175/40, 175/56, 175/106, 175/24, 175/415, 175/45, 175/55, 166/177.1, 166/177.2, 173/2, 173/91, 173/128, 173/207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 28/00 Vibration generating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for stimulating production for fishing for or freeing objects E21B31/005; for transmitting measuring-signals E21B47/14; for geophysical measurements G01V1/02
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 34/00 Valve arrangements for boreholes or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 4/10 continuous unidirectional rotary motion of shaft or drilling pipe effecting consecutive impacts
• 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 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/16 through the drill string or casing , e.g. by torsional acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/003 by analysing drilling variables or conditions E21B49/005 takes precedence; systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions E21B44/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/06 Deflecting the direction of boreholes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/24 Drilling using vibrating or oscillating means, e.g. out-of-balance masses percussion drilling E21B1/00

Abstract

A system for evaluating a geological formation in a bottom hole assembly (BHA) includes a vibration mechanism configured to use mechanical energy provided by a mechanical energy source to produce a plurality of vibration beats at a predetermined frequency at the BHA. At least one vibration sensor detects the plurality of vibration beats generated by the vibration mechanism. A controller generates a waveform responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats. The waveform is generated in a first configuration when the geological formation has a first geological characteristic and the waveform is generated in a second configuration when the geological formation has a second geological characteristic.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating a geological formation in a bottom hole assembly (BHA), comprising:

a vibration mechanism configured to use mechanical energy provided by a mechanical energy source to produce a plurality of vibration beats at a predetermined frequency at the BHA;

at least one vibration sensor for detecting the plurality of vibration beats generated by the vibration mechanism; and

a controller for generating a waveform responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats, wherein the waveform is generated in a first configuration when the geological formation has a first geological characteristic and the waveform is generated in a second configuration when the geological formation has a second geological characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein first geological characteristic is a first hardness and the second geological characteristic is a second hardness.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first geological characteristic is a first unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and the second geological characteristic is a second UCS.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller further determines a value of the UCS of the geological formation based on a configuration of the waveform.

5. The system of claim 3 further including:

a UCS profile for the geological formation describing a UCS values throughout the geological formation; and

wherein the controller further determines a position of the BHA responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with the UCS profile.

6. The system of claim 3 further including:

a UCS profile for the geological formation defining target zones for the geological formation; and

wherein the controller further determines if the BHA is tracking within the target zones responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with the target zones defined by the UCS profile.

7. The system of claim 1 further including a damping mechanism for selective damping at least one of the plurality of vibration beats, wherein the damping mechanism is configured to synchronize the damping with the plurality of vibration beats such that each of the plurality of vibration beats is dampened.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller generates the waveform in a plurality of configurations responsive to a plurality of different geological characteristics.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller compares the generated waveform to known geological characteristics to evaluate the geological formation.

10. A system for evaluating a geological formation in a bottom hole assembly (BHA), comprising:

a vibration mechanism configured to use mechanical energy provided by a mechanical energy source to produce a plurality of vibration beats at a predetermined frequency at the BHA;

at least one vibration sensor for detecting the plurality of vibration beats generated by the vibration mechanism; and

a controller for generating a waveform responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats, wherein the waveform is generated in a first configuration when the geological formation has a first unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and the waveform is generated in a second configuration when the geological formation has a second UCS.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the waveform is generated in the first configuration when the geological formation has the first UCS and a first hardness and the waveform is generated in the second configuration when the geological formation has the second UCS and a second hardness.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller further determines a value of the UCS of the geological formation based on the configuration of the waveform.

13. The system of claim 10 further including:

a UCS profile for the geological formation describing a UCS values throughout the geological formation; and

wherein the controller further determines a position of the BHA responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with the UCS profile.

14. The system of claim 10 further including:

a UCS profile for the geological formation defining target zones for the geological formation; and

wherein the controller further determines if the BHA is tracking within the target zones responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with the target zones defined by the UCS profile.

15. The system of claim 10 further including a damping mechanism for selective damping at least one of the plurality of vibration beats, wherein the damping mechanism is configured to synchronize the damping with the plurality of vibration beats such that each of the plurality of vibration beats is dampened.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller generates the waveform in a plurality of configurations responsive to a plurality of different geological characteristics.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller compares the generated waveform to known geological characteristics to evaluate the geological formation.

18. A method for evaluating a geological formation at a bottom hole assembly (BHA), comprising:

generating a plurality of vibration beats at a predetermined frequency at the BHA using a vibration mechanism configured to use mechanical energy provided by a mechanical energy source;

detecting the plurality of vibration beats generated by the vibration mechanism; and

generating a waveform in a first configuration when the geological formation has a first geological characteristic responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats; and

generating the waveform in a second configuration when the geological formation has a second geological characteristic responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of generating the waveform in the first configuration further comprises generating the waveform in the first configuration when the geological formation has a first hardness.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of generating the waveform in the second configuration further comprises generating the waveform in the second configuration when the geological formation has a second hardness.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of generating the waveform in the first configuration further comprises generating the waveform in the first configuration when the geological formation has a first unconfined compressive strength (UCS).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of generating the waveform in the second configuration further comprises generating the waveform in the second configuration when the geological formation has a second UCS.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of determining a value of the UCS of the geological formation based on the configuration of the waveform.

24. The method of claim 22 further including determining a position of the BHA responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with a UCS profile for the geological formation describing UCS values throughout the geological formation.

25. The method of claim 22 further including determining if the BHA is tracking within the target zones responsive to a correlation of the UCS indicated by the waveform with the target zones defined by a UCS profile for the geological formation defining target zones for the geological formation.

26. The method of claim 18 further including:

selectively damping at least one of the plurality of vibration beats; and

synchronizing the damping with the plurality of vibration beats such that each of the plurality of vibration beats is dampened.

27. The method of claim 18 further including the step of generating the waveform in a plurality of configurations responsive to a plurality of different geological characteristics.

28. The method of claim 18 further including the step of comparing the generated waveform to known geological characteristics to evaluate the geological formation.

29. A method for evaluating a geological formation at a bottom hole assembly (BHA), comprising:

generating a plurality of vibration beats at a predetermined frequency at the BHA using a vibration mechanism configured to use mechanical energy provided by a mechanical energy source;

detecting the plurality of vibration beats generated by the vibration mechanism; and

generating a waveform in a plurality of configurations responsive to an associated plurality of geological characteristics of the geological formation responsive to the detected plurality of vibration beats; and

comparing the generated waveform to known geological characteristics to evaluate the geological formation.

30. The method of claim 29 further including:

selectively damping at least one of the plurality of vibration beats; and

synchronizing the damping with the plurality of vibration beats such that each of the plurality of vibration beats is dampened.