Directional drilling using mechanical waves detectors

• US 9,951,606 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcorp, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alcorp, Ltd.
• Inventors: Ariaratnam, Samuel, Lueke, Jason, Choi, Hong Ting Derek, Shan, Shu Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, GIOVANNA COLLINS
• Application Number:
  US14/353,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20160298443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/00 Drill bits specially adapted for deflecting the direction of boring E21B7/064; with means for collecting substances E21B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/02 Automatic control of the tool feed E21B44/005, E21B44/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/024 of devices in the borehole determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/095 by detecting an acoustic anomalies, e.g. using mud-pressure pulses
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/14 using acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/30 Analysis G01V1/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/306 for determining physical properties of the subsurface, e.g. impedance, porosity or attenuation profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/42 using generators in one well and receivers elsewhere or vice versa G01V1/52 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for directional drilling using mechanical wave detectors and a drill string having a drill bit at a drill bit end of the drill string. During an underground drilling operation in an underground formation, a mechanical wave signal is transmitted using a mechanical wave transmitter carried at the drill bit end of the drill string. The mechanical wave signal is received by an array of mechanical wave receivers at a ground surface above the underground formation. The received mechanical wave signals are processed to determine at least the location of the drill bit in the underground formation. The position and direction of travel data is communicated to a drilling control unit.

Claims

1. A method of directional drilling using mechanical wave detectors, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a drill string having a drill bit at a drill bit end of the drill string;

during an underground drilling operation in an underground formation, transmitting a mechanical wave signal using a mechanical wave transmitter carried at the drill bit end of the drill string;

receiving the mechanical wave signal by an array of mechanical wave receivers at a ground surface above the underground formation;

processing the received mechanical wave signals to determine at least a location of the drill bit in the underground formation; and

communicating the position and direction of travel data to a drilling control unit;

wherein the mechanical wave transmitter comprises a drill bit mechanical wave transceiver, and at least on mechanical wave receiver comprises a surface mechanical wave transceiver, and further comprising the step of transmitting instructions by modulating a control signal from the at least one surface mechanical wave transceiver, and transmitting the modulated control signal through the ground surface, to the drill bit mechanical wave transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the mechanical wave signal further comprises modulating the mechanical wave signal and receiving the mechanical wave signal comprises demodulating the mechanical wave signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the drill string further comprises downhole condition sensors connected to the mechanical wave transmitter, the mechanical wave transmitter modulating the mechanical wave signal to transmit readings from the downhole condition sensors.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the downhole condition sensors comprise at least one of formation conditions, drill bit temperature, drill bit inclination and drill bit axial orientation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drill bit mechanical wave transceiver is programmed to transmit a response to the instructions received from the at least one surface mechanical wave transceiver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the array of mechanical wave receivers are positioned remotely from the drill string and the drilling control unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each mechanical wave receiver comprises a processor for processing the received mechanical wave signals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling control unit receives underground information solely from the array of mechanical wave receivers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to determine the direction of travel of the drill bit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the received mechanical wave signals include information regarding at least one of the inclination of the drill bit, the rotational orientation of the drill bit, the temperature of the drill bit, the temperature of the formation and the formation pressure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to detect underground obstacles.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to characterize the underground formation.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the drilling control unit controls the drill string.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receiver are tuned to a predetermined frequency.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits the mechanical wave signals at a predetermined amplitude.

16. An apparatus for directional drilling system, the apparatus comprising:

a drill string comprising a control end and a drill bit at a drill bit end, and the drill string further comprising a mechanical wave transmitter adjacent to the drill bit end of the drill string;

an array of mechanical wave receivers spaced in an array at a ground surface, the mechanical wave receivers receiving a mechanical wave signal transmitted by the mechanical wave transmitter;

a processor programmed to calculate at least a position of the drill bit based on the mechanical wave signal received by the plurality of mechanical wave receivers; and

a drilling control unit at the control end of the drill string and connected to the processor, and the drilling control unit controlling the operation of the drill string in response to signals received from the processor;

wherein the mechanical wave transmitter comprises a drill bit mechanical wave transceiver and at least one mechanical wave receiver comprises a surface mechanical wave transceiver, the at least one surface mechanical wave transceiver being adapted to transmit instructions by modulating a control signal that is transmitted from the at least one surface mechanical wave transceiver to the drill bit mechanical wave transceiver through the ground surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the mechanical wave transmitter signal comprises a mechanical wave modulator for modulating the mechanical wave signal and the mechanical wave receiver comprises a mechanical wave demodulator for demodulating the mechanical wave signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the drill string further comprises downhole condition sensors connected to the mechanical wave transmitter, the mechanical wave transmitter modulating the mechanical wave signal to transmit readings from the downhole condition sensors.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the drill bit mechanical wave transceiver is programmed to transmit a response to the instructions.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the one or more mechanical wave receivers are positioned remotely from the drill string and the drilling control unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each mechanical wave receiver comprises a processor for processing the received mechanical wave signals.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the drilling control unit receives underground information solely from the array of mechanical wave receivers.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to determine the direction of travel of the drill bit.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to detect underground obstacles.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the received mechanical wave signals include information regarding at least one of the inclination of the drill bit, the rotational orientation of the drill bit, the temperature of the drill bit, the temperature of the formation and the formation pressure.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the received mechanical wave signals are processed to characterize the underground formation.

27. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transmitter and receiver are tuned to a predetermined frequency.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the transmitter transmits the mechanical wave signals at a predetermined amplitude.