Method and apparatus for automatic closed loop drilling system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A drilling system for a bottomhole assembly, comprising:
- a drill bit;
a first stabilizer positioned near said drill bit, said first stabilizer having a generally tubular configuration with a particular cross-sectional diameter;
a second stabilizer positioned in the bottom hole assembly a predetermined distance above said first stabilizer, said second stabilizer having a generally tubular configuration with a particular cross-sectional diameter,wherein the diameter of at least one of said first or second stabilizers is adjustable, between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, in response to a position control signal;
sensors for determining formation properties and for generating signals indicative thereof;
a microcontroller receiving the signals from said sensors, said microcontroller being located in said bottomhole assembly and being preprogrammed to respond to the signals from said sensor;
said microcontroller generating the position control signal when the sensed formation properties are outside a predetermined range;
wherein said position control signal from said microcontroller is used to adjust the diameter of the first or second stabilizer to alter the inclination angle at which said drill bit is drilling.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic closed loop drilling system is disclosed for providing automatic directional drilling capabilities in a bottomhole assembly. The drilling system includes at least one adjustable stabilizer that varies in response to formational and drilling conditions encountered downhole. A microcontroller is preprogrammed with a desired range of formation characteristics or with a desired inclination or target area. The microcontroller compares actual sensed data with the desired data and adjusts the position of the stabilizer blades to vary the direction of drilling.
389 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A drilling system for a bottomhole assembly, comprising:
-
a drill bit; a first stabilizer positioned near said drill bit, said first stabilizer having a generally tubular configuration with a particular cross-sectional diameter; a second stabilizer positioned in the bottom hole assembly a predetermined distance above said first stabilizer, said second stabilizer having a generally tubular configuration with a particular cross-sectional diameter, wherein the diameter of at least one of said first or second stabilizers is adjustable, between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, in response to a position control signal; sensors for determining formation properties and for generating signals indicative thereof; a microcontroller receiving the signals from said sensors, said microcontroller being located in said bottomhole assembly and being preprogrammed to respond to the signals from said sensor; said microcontroller generating the position control signal when the sensed formation properties are outside a predetermined range; wherein said position control signal from said microcontroller is used to adjust the diameter of the first or second stabilizer to alter the inclination angle at which said drill bit is drilling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A closed loop drilling system for providing inclination control to a bottomhole assembly, comprising:
-
a drill bit; a first stabilizer positioned in said bottomhole assembly near said drill bit; a second stabilizer positioned in said bottomhole assembly a predetermined distance above said first stabilizer, wherein both the first stabilizer and the second stabilizer have an effective cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the diameter of at least one of said first or second stabilizers is adjusted to control the inclination at which the bottomhole assembly drills, and includes; a plurality of stabilizer blades that are adjustable between a retracted position and an extended position to change the effective diameter of the stabilizer; means for positioning said plurality of stabilizer blades; means for controlling the operation of said closed loop drilling system, said means for controlling located in said bottomhole assembly and being programmed to drill at a desired inclination, and including means for measuring the actual inclination of the bottomhole assembly and producing an electrical output signal indicative of the actual inclination; said means for controlling also including means for comparing the electrical output signal indicative of actual inclination with the desired inclination; said comparing means generating a position control signal that is transmitted to said positioning means to set the diameter of said stabilizer blades. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. An automatic drilling system, comprising:
-
a drill bit located at the end of a drill string; a stabilizer positioned in the drill string above said drill bit; sensors for sensing parameters downhole and generating a signal indicative thereof, said sensor being located in said drill string; and means for transmitting said signal indicative of said sensed parameters; a controller for receiving the signal from said transmitting means and for comparing said signal indicative of downhole parameters with predetermined data reflecting desired parameters, and generating a position control signal if the desired parameters differ from the sensed parameters; wherein said stabilizer is adjustable and comprises; a generally tubular housing with a plurality of openings; a plurality of blades, each blade movably mounted within a respective opening to extend from a first retracted position to a plurality of positions extending at different radial distances from said housing; and positioning means for setting the radial extent of said blades, and wherein said positioning means receives said control signal from said control means and varies the position of the blades to change the inclination angle at which the drilling system drills. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for automatically controlling the direction in which a bottomhole assembly drills, said bottomhole assembly including a stabilizer with blades that adjust between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) setting the position of the blades of said stabilizer to a particular diameter; (b) operating a drill bit to drill into a downhole formation; (c) measuring the actual inclination of the bottomhole assembly; (d) comparing, in a downhole controller, the actual inclination with a planned inclination; (e) generating in the downhole controller a position control signal if the actual inclination deviates significantly from planned inclination; and (f) altering the position of the blades in response to said position control signal to provide a real-time change to the inclination of said bottomhole assembly. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method for automatically controlling the inclination at which a bottomhole assembly drills a formation, said bottomhole assembly including a stabilizer with blades that adjust between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) setting the position of the blades; (b) rotating a drill bit to drill into the downhole formation; (c) determining the characteristics of the formation in which the bottomhole assembly is drilled; (d) comparing the characteristics of the formation being drilled with a range of predetermined characteristics for a desired formation; (e) generating a control signal if the characteristics of the formation being drilled are outside the range of the predetermined characteristics; and (f) altering the position of the blades in response to said control signal to change the inclination at which the bottomhole assembly drills. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
-
Specification