System and method of triggering, acquiring and communicating borehole data for a MWD system

• US 9,062,537 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bench Tree Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Bench Tree Group LLC
• Inventors: Holt, Aubrey, Brownlow, Michael, Hill, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/242,616
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 702 1- 2, 702/9, 702/11, 702/127, 702/145, 702/182, 702188-190, 340/854.1, 340/854.3, 340/854.6, 340/854.9, 3408554-8555, 175/40, 175/45, 175/50, 731/520.1, 731/520.3, 731/524.3, 731/524.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 47/12 Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling

Abstract

A set of instructions is stored on at least one computer readable medium running on a downhole computer system of a measurement while drilling (MWD) system. The set of instructions is used in extracting outputs from sensors and providing data streams having one or more data series (e.g., survey data, drilling data). The set of instructions further provide for transmitting the data series to a surface computer system and interrupting the data series based on one or more trigger events.

Claims

1. A set of instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer readable medium running on a downhole computer system of a measurement while drilling (MWD) system of a drilling rig within a borehole, the downhole computer system having at least one processor, the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for extracting outputs from sensors of the MWD system of the drilling rig, wherein extracting further includes determining at least one group of data including drilling data from the output of the sensors;

instructions for enabling a transmitter to transmit a first data stream having at least one group of data including drilling data, the first data stream having an interruptible portion encompassing at least a portion of the drilling data in the at least one group of data to a surface computer system of the MWD system; and

,

instructions for detecting a predetermined event during transmission of the first data stream;

instructions for interrupting the transmission of the first data stream during the interruptible portion of the first data stream; and

,

instructions for enabling the transmitter to transmit a second data stream.

2. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein the first data stream includes a first series of survey data indicative of a first survey at a first location within the borehole, and wherein the second data stream includes a second series of survey data indicative of a second survey at a second location within the borehole.

3. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein the first data stream includes a first series of survey data indicative of a first survey at a location within the borehole, and wherein the second data stream includes a second series of survey data indicative of a second survey at the same location within the borehole.

4. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein the predetermined event is a state change of at least one downhole component of the drilling rig.

5. The set of instructions of claim 4, wherein the state change of at least one downhole component includes rotational state of the drilling rig.

6. The set of instruction of claim 1, further comprising instructions for extracting output from the sensors and acquiring a second group of survey data based on a detection of a state change of at least one downhole component of the drilling rig.

7. The set of instructions of claim 6, further comprising instructions for providing a survey delay between the detection of the predetermined event and extraction of the output from the sensors resulting in the second series of survey data.

8. The set of instructions of claim 7, wherein the state change of at least one downhole component includes rotational state of the drilling rig.

9. The set of instructions of claim 1, further comprising instructions for commanding synchronization of the downhole computer system with the surface computer system.

10. The set of instructions of claim 1, wherein the drilling data is first drilling data, and wherein the second data stream includes second drilling data that is different from the first drilling data.

11. The set of instructions of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

interrupting the transmission of the second data stream during an interruptible portion of the second data stream; and

,

instructions for enabling the transmitter to transmit a third data stream.

12. The set of instructions of claim 11, wherein the first data stream and the third data stream are different.

13. A method of transmitting survey data and drilling data of a drilling rig measurement while drilling (MWD) system, the method comprising:

initiating, by a downhole computer system, transmission of a signal stream including a first survey data series and a first drilling data series, the transmission occurring during a first rotational state of at least one of a drill string and a drill bit of the drilling rig;

altering, by the drilling rig, the first rotational state of the at least one of the drill string and the drill bit and ceasing transmission, by the downhole computer system, of the signal stream based on the alteration of rotation;

determining, by the downhole computer system, whether a second survey data series is stored in memory of the downhole computer system; and

,

transmitting at least one of the second survey data series and a second drilling data series to a surface computer system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising extracting output from sensors of the MWD system, and acquiring the second survey data series based on a change in rotation state of the drilling rig wherein:

cessation of rotation of the drilling rig triggers extraction of outputs from the sensors and acquisition of the second survey data series; and

,

initiation of rotation of the drill rig triggers transmission of the second survey data series to the surface computer system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein alteration of the first rotational state includes cessation of rotation of the drill rig.

16. A system for acquiring and transmitting survey data and drilling data of a drill rig and borehole, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors obtaining survey data and drilling data at discrete instants of time;

at least one sensor obtaining rotation data regarding rotation mode of the drill rig; and

;

a computer system communicating with the plurality of sensors, the computer system executing software and reading;

at least one memory location storing the survey data obtained at the discrete instants of time;

at least one memory location storing the drilling data obtained at the discrete instants of time; and

,

at least one memory location storing rotation data;

wherein software executed by the computer system determines transmission of the drilling data based on the discrete instants of time in which the drilling data was obtained and the rotation mode of the drilling rig.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein software executed by the computer system determines acquisition of the survey data based on rotation mode of the drill rig.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein software executed by the computer system determines transmission of the drilling data based on rotation mode of the drill rig and determination of acquisition of survey data.

19. A set of instructions stored on at least one non-transitory computer readable medium running on a surface computer system of a measurement while drilling (MWD) system of a drilling rig, the surface computer system having at least one processor, the set of instructions comprising:

instructions for receiving a first data stream by a receiver of the surface computer system,

instructions for detecting a synchronization signal indicative of an interruption of the transmission of the first data stream due to the occurrence of a predetermined event at an unexpected time, and synchronizing the receiver with the synchronization signal; and

instructions for receiving a second data stream by the receiver, in which the second data stream has at least one group of data including drilling logging data.

20. The set of instructions of claim 19, wherein the predetermined event is indicative of a state change of at least one downhole component of the drilling rig.

21. The set of instructions of claim 20, wherein the state change of at least one downhole component includes rotational state of the drilling rig.