Reducing Effects of Rig Noise on Telemetry

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for reducing effects of rig noise on telemetry. A method may include commencing operation of a telemetry system of a drilling rig and commencing operation of an equipment controller of the drilling rig. Commencing operation of the equipment controller may cause the equipment controller to automatically output control commands to automatically change operational parameters of the telemetry system and / or rig equipment of the drilling rig to reduce interference by rig noise with a telemetry signal.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]Wells are generally drilled into the ground or ocean bed to recover natural deposits of oil, gas, and other materials that are trapped in subterranean rock formations. Well construction (e.g., drilling) operations may be performed at a wellsite by a well construction system (e.g., a drilling rig) having various surface and subterranean well construction equipment (e.g., rig equipment) operating in a coordinated manner. For example, a drive mechanism, such as a top drive located at a wellsite surface, can be utilized to rotate and advance a drill string into a subterranean rock formation to drill a wellbore. The drill string may include a plurality of drill pipes coupled together and terminating with a drill bit. Length of the drill string may be increased by adding additional drill pipes while depth of the wellbore increases. Drilling fluid may be pumped from the wellsite surface down through the drill string to the drill bit. The drilling fluid lub...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes an apparatus and methods for reducing interference with telemetry signals from rig noise in drilling rigs. The apparatus includes a telemetry system with a transmitter and a receiver, and an equipment controller with a processor and memory storing computer program code. The equipment controller automatically reduces interference by changing operational parameters of the rig equipment and / or telemetry system using control commands. The methods involve commencing operation of the telemetry system and manually operating the control workstation of the drilling rig or using a pre-configured control algorithm. The technical effects of the patent are improved accuracy and reliability of telemetry signal data, reduced interference with telemetry signals, and improved efficiency of rig operations.

Problems solved by technology

Efficiency of mud-pulse telemetry and electromagnetic telemetry is affected by noise generated by the well construction equipment (i.e., rig noise), which can interfere with telemetry signals communicated between the downhole transmitters and surface receivers.

When rig noise interferes with telemetry signals, sensor data encoded in such telemetry signals cannot be correctly extracted (e.g., demodulated) and the telemetry operations have to be repeated, thereby resulting in flat time for rig operations.

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