System and method for formation detection and evaluation

• US 9,429,676 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motive Drilling Technologies Inc. (Helmerich & Payne Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Motive Drilling Technologies Inc. (Helmerich & Payne Incorporated)
• Inventors: Benson, Todd W., Stokeld, Brian Eugene, Lockhart, Dwight A.
• Primary Examiner(s): COSIMANO, EDWARD R
• Application Number:
  US15/000,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• 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 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/04 Measuring depth or liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/053 using radioactive markers
• 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 47/12 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
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 49/00 Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/00 Special methods or apparatus for drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/18 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/282 Application of seismic models, synthetic seismograms
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/40 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 20/00 Geomodelling in general
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/04 specially adapted for well-logging
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 5/045 Transmitting data to recording or processing apparatus; Recording data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2616 Earth moving, work machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/40 Data acquisition and logging for input to computer G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for locating planned markers within a log containing borehole data parses log data to locate an uncertainty region for a planned marker. A fingerprint match is located for the planned marker in the located uncertainty region. The located fingerprint match is saved. A determination is made if additional planned markers are present and returns to the step of parsing for a next planned marker if additional planned markers are present.

Claims

1. A method for locating planned markers within a log containing borehole data, comprising:

parsing log data to locate an uncertainty region for a planned marker;

locating a fingerprint match for the planned marker in the located uncertainty region;

saving the located fingerprint match;

determining if additional planned markers are present; and

returning to the step of parsing for a next planned marker if the additional planned markers are present.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning a log file containing the log data at each of a predetermined increment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning for an uncertainty section in the log data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning for a vertical section in the log data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the log comprises at least one of a gamma log, a resistivity log, a porosity log, a pressure log, a neutron density log, a rate of penetration log a mechanical specific energy log and a true vertical depth log.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of parsing further comprises assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of assigning further comprises establishing the weighted value of the planned marker based upon a position of a peak of a fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a width of the fingerprint of the planned marker, based upon the position of the peak of the fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker and based upon a ratio of a right side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker to the left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of locating further comprises:

(a) generating a fingerprint of a current window in the located uncertainty region;

(b) comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker;

(c) determining whether the generated fingerprint is a candidate for the fingerprint match for the planned marker;

(d) repeating steps (a)-(c) for each window in the located uncertainty region; and

(e) selecting the fingerprint marker for the planned marker from each of the determined candidates for the fingerprint match for the planned marker.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

calculating a current peak index factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak index factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current peak relative distance factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak relative distance factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current right relative factor for the generated fingerprint; and

comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker responsive to the calculated current peak index factor, the calculated current peak relative distance factor and the calculated current right relative factor.

10. A method for locating planned markers within a log containing borehole data, comprising:

(a) parsing log data to locate an uncertainty region for a planned marker of a plurality of planned markers;

(b) assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region;

(c) generating a fingerprint of a current window in the located uncertainty region;

(d) comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker;

(e) determining whether the generated fingerprint is a candidate for the fingerprint match for the planned marker;

(f) repeating steps (c)-(e) for each window in the located uncertainty region; and

(g) selecting a fingerprint marker for the planned marker from each of the determined candidates for the fingerprint match for the planned marker;

(h) saving the located fingerprint match;

(i) determining if additional planned markers are present; and

(j) returning to the step (a) for a next planned marker if the additional planned markers are present.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning a log file containing the log data at each of a predetermined increment.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning for an uncertainty section in the log data.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of parsing further comprises scanning for a vertical section in the log data.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the log comprises at least one of a gamma log, a resistivity log, a porosity log, a pressure log, a neutron density log, a rate of penetration log a mechanical specific energy log and a true vertical depth log.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of comparing further comprises:

calculating a current peak index factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak index factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current peak relative distance factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak relative distance factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current right relative factor for the generated fingerprint; and

comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker responsive to the calculated current peak index factor, the calculated current peak relative distance factor and the calculated current right relative factor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of parsing further comprises assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of assigning further comprises establishing the weighted value of the planned marker based upon a position of a peak of a fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a width of the fingerprint of the planned marker, based upon the position of the peak of the fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker and based upon a ratio of a right side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker to the left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker.

18. A system for locating planned markers within a log containing borehole data, comprising:

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the network interface;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store a plurality of instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including instructions for;

parsing log data to locate an uncertainty region for a planned marker;

locating a fingerprint match for the planned marker in the located uncertainty region;

saving the located fingerprint match;

determining if additional planned markers are present; and

returning to the step of parsing for a next planned marker if the additional planned markers are present.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions for parsing further comprises instructions for scanning a log file containing the log data at each of a predetermined increment.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions for parsing further comprises instructions for scanning for an uncertainty section in the log data.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions for parsing further comprises instructions for scanning for a vertical section in the log data.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the log comprises at least one of a gamma log, a resistivity log, a porosity log, a pressure log, a neutron density log, a rate of penetration log a mechanical specific energy log and a true vertical depth log.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions for parsing further comprises instructions for assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions for assigning further comprises instructions for establishing the weighted value of the planned marker based upon a position of a peak of a fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a width of the fingerprint of the planned marker, based upon the position of the peak of the fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker and based upon a ratio of a right side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker to the left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker.

25. A system for locating planned markers within a log containing borehole data, comprising:

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the network interface;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store a plurality of instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including instructions for;

(a) parsing log data to locate an uncertainty region for a planned marker of a plurality of planned markers;

(b) assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region;

(c) generating a fingerprint of a current window in the located uncertainty region;

(d) comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker;

(e) determining whether the generated fingerprint is a candidate for the fingerprint match for the planned marker;

(f) repeating steps (c)-(e) for each window in the located uncertainty region; and

(g) selecting the fingerprint marker for the planned marker from each of the determined candidates for the fingerprint match for the planned marker;

(h) saving the located fingerprint match;

(i) determining if additional planned markers are present; and

(j) returning to the step (a) for a next planned marker if the additional planned markers are present.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the log comprises at least one of a gamma log, a resistivity log, a porosity log, a pressure log, a neutron density log, a rate of penetration log a mechanical specific energy log and a true vertical depth log.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions for comparing further comprises instructions for:

calculating a current peak index factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak index factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current peak relative distance factor for the generated fingerprint as compared to a reference current peak relative distance factor for the planned marker;

calculating a current right relative factor for the generated fingerprint; and

comparing the generated fingerprint with a fingerprint of the planned marker responsive to the calculated current peak index factor, the calculated current peak relative distance factor and the calculated current right relative factor.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions for parsing further comprises instructions for assigning a weighted value to the planned marker for the located uncertainty region.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the instructions for assigning further comprises instructions for establishing the weighted value of the planned marker based upon a position of a peak of a fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a width of the fingerprint of the planned marker, based upon the position of the peak of the fingerprint of the planned marker relative to a left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker and based upon a ratio of a right side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker to the left side average of the fingerprint of the planned marker.