Downhole monitor

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for downhole monitoring are described herein. In some examples, one or more embodiments include a memory and a processor to execute instructions stored in the memory to capture drilling data from a sensor associated with a bottom hole assembly, store the drilling data in a buffer, in response to the buffer exceeding a threshold capacity, classify the drilling data into a plurality of categories, and transmit the classified drilling data uphole to a computing device.

Description

DOWNHOLE MONITORCross Reference Paragraph

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 616,946, entitled “Downhole Monitor”, filed January 2, 2024, as well as U.S. NonProvisional Application No. 18 / 904,160, entitled “Downhole Monitor”, filed October 2, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.Background

[0002] Wellbores may be drilled into a surface location or seabed for a variety of exploratory or extraction purposes. For example, a wellbore may be drilled to access fluids, such as liguid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons, stored in subterranean formations and to extract the fluids from the formations. Wellbores used to produce or extract fluids may be lined with casing around the walls of the wellbore. A variety of drilling methods may be utilized depending partly on the characteristics of the formation through which the wellbore is drilled.

[0003] A drilling system can provide weight on the bit using one or more drill collars positioned in a bottom hole assembly near the bit. Bottom hole assemblies can also include communication devices to transmit information about the bit and other downhole parameters to receiving devices uphole from the bit.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0004] Figure 1 is an example schematic representation of a drilling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0005] Figure 2 is an example of a method for downhole monitoring in a drilling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0006] Figure 3 is an example of accumulated drilling data for downhole monitoring in a drilling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] Figure 4 is an example of a bottom hole assembly for downhole monitoring, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Detailed Description

[0008] Drilling operations for fluids such as liquid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons can utilize a drilling system to drill a wellbore to locate such fluids. During such drilling operations, a number of measurement techniques may be utilized to gather information about the wellbore and the formation through which it is drilled. For example, measurement while drilling (MWD) and / or logging while drilling (LWD) techniques may be used to obtain information about the well (e.g., information about the size, shape, and direction thereof) and the surrounding formation (e.g., the acoustic velocity, density, and resistivity thereof).

[0009] However, transmission of data (e.g., MWD and / or LWD data) from a downhole tool (e.g., such as a bottom hole assembly) to the surface can be a difficult process common to many drilling operations. For example, bandwidth limits, noise / interference, channel distortion, as well as a physical distance between the bottom hole assembly and the surface (which may in some instances be a great distance), can prevent data about the bottom hole assembly from being effectively transmitted to an operator of the bottom hole assembly.

[0010] In some approaches, information about the bottom hole assembly, the wellbore, and the formation can be sampled at a particular frequency. For example, a sensor associated with the bottom hole assembly can acquire data at a particular point in time (e.g., a sampling point) and transmit the data to the surface. However, because this approach samples at particular points in time, this approach may miss certain events that occur in between the sampling points. For example, if an event occurs between the sampling points, the sensor may not capture the event. As a result, the operator on the surface may not be adequately informed of the actual downhole conditions experienced by the bottom hole assembly.

[0011] Transmitting drilling data uphole to a computing device, according to the disclosure, can allow for drilling data to be accumulated over a particular time period and transmitted to the surface. The accumulated drilling data can be utilized by the operator of the bottom hole assembly to be informed about the downhole conditions experienced by the bottom hole assembly. Such an approach can allow the operator to be informed about the downhole conditions (e.g., shocks and / orvibrations) being experienced by the bottom hole assembly in real time. Such data can also be transmitted even when an interruption of flow on battery powered LWDs occurs, and / or there’s been an interruption of communication between the bottom hole assembly and the surface due to adverse conditions. Such an approach can allow the operator to be better informed about the downhole conditions of the bottom hole assembly as compared with previous approaches.

[0012] In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure. These are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and / or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments are possible. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but rather made merely for the purpose of describing general principles of the implementations. The scope of the described implementations should be ascertained with reference to the issued claims.

[0013] As used herein, the terms “connect”, “connection”, “connected”, “in connection with”, and “connecting” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. Further, the terms “couple”, “coupling”, “coupled”, “coupled together”, and “coupled with” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements”. As used herein, the terms "up" and "down"; "upper" and "lower"; "top" and "bottom"; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point at the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface.

[0014] Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1 % of, within less than 0.1 % of, and / or within less than 0.01 % of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” or “generally perpendicular” and “substantially perpendicular” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel or perpendicular, respectively, by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree.

[0015] These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those of ordinary skill in the art to practice one or more embodiments of this disclosure. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, electrical, and / or structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0016] As will be appreciated, elements shown in the various embodiments herein can be added, exchanged, combined, and / or eliminated so as to provide a number of additional embodiments of the present disclosure. The proportion and the relative scale of the elements provided in the figures are intended to illustrate the embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be taken in a limiting sense.

[0017] The figures herein follow a numbering convention in which the first digit or digits correspond to the drawing figure number and the remaining digits identify an element or component in the drawing. Similar elements or components between different figures may be identified by the use of similar digits. For example, 102 may reference element “02” in Figure 1 , and a similar element may be referenced as 202 in Figure 2.

[0018] As used herein, “a”, “an”, or “a number of” something can refer to one or more such things, while “a plurality of” something can refer to more than one such things. For example, “a number of components” can refer to one or morecomponents, while “a plurality of components” can refer to more than one component.

[0019] Figure 1 is an example schematic representation of a drilling system 100, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The drilling system 100 includes a drill rig 103 used to turn a drilling tool assembly 104 which extends downward into the wellbore 102. The drilling tool assembly 104 may include a drill string 105, a bottom hole assembly 106, and a bit 110 attached to the downhole end of the drill string 105.

[0020] The drill string 105 may include several joints of drill pipe 108 connected end-to-end through tool joints 109. The drill string 105 transmits drilling fluid through a central bore and transmits rotational power from the drill rig 103 to the bottom hole assembly 106. In some embodiments, the drill string 105 may further include additional components such as subs, pup joints, etc. The drill pipe 108 provides a hydraulic passage through which drilling fluid is pumped from the surface. The drilling fluid discharges through selected-size nozzles, jets, or other orifices in the bit 110 for the purposes of cooling the bit 110 and cutting structures thereon, and for lifting cuttings out of the wellbore 102 as it is being drilled.

[0021] The bottom hole assembly 106 may include the bit 110 or other components. An example bottom hole assembly 106 may include additional or other components (e.g., coupled between to the drill string 105 and to the bit 110).Examples of additional bottom hole assembly 106 components include drill collars, stabilizers, measurement-while-drilling (“MWD”) tools, logging-while-drilling (“LWD”) tools, rotary steerable system (“RSS”) tools, sensor(s), downhole motors, steering tools, underreamers, section mills, hydraulic disconnects, jars, vibration or dampening tools, other components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0022] In general, the drilling system 100 may include other drilling components and accessories, such as special valves (e.g., Kelly cocks, blowout preventers, and safety valves). Additional components included in the drilling system 100 may be considered a part of the drilling tool assembly 104, the drill string 105, or a part of the bottom hole assembly 106 depending on their locations in the drilling system 100.

[0023] The bit 110 in the bottom hole assembly 106 may be any type of bit suitable for degrading downhole materials. For instance, the bit 110 may be a drill bit suitable for drilling the earth formation 101. Example types of drill bits used for drilling earth formations are fixed-cutter or drag bits. In other embodiments, the bit 110 may be a mill used for removing metal, composite, elastomer, other materials downhole, and / or combinations thereof. For instance, the bit 110 may be used with a whipstock to mill into casing 107 lining the wellbore 102. The bit 110 may also be a junk mill used to mill away tools, plugs, cement, other materials within the wellbore 102, and / or combinations thereof. Swarf or other cuttings formed by use of a mill may be lifted to the surface, or may be allowed to fall downhole.

[0024] As mentioned above, the bottom hole assembly 106 can include a sensor 112. The sensor 112 may be, for example, a shock sensor which can measure accelerations (e.g., shock and / or vibration) experienced by the bottom hole assembly 106. In some examples, the sensor 112 can include a sufficient measurement magnitude (e.g., between 0-600 Gravity units (g)) and bandwidth (e.g., greater than 1.5 kilohertz (KHz)), although embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to such magnitudes and bandwidth. This information can be useful for the operator of the drilling system 100 in order to select particular drill settings to provide acceptable downhole conditions during drilling operations.

[0025] Utilizing a buffer and memory located downhole, data from the sensor 112 can be acquired by a computing device 113 at the surface. The acquired data can be accumulated and presented to the operator of the drilling system 100 to inform the operator about the downhole conditions experienced by the bottom hole assembly 106, as is further described herein.

[0026] Figure 2 is an example of a method for downhole monitoring in a drilling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The method can be performed by an apparatus including a buffer, a memory, and a processor, as is further described in connection with Figure 4. The apparatus can be included as part of the down hole assembly.

[0027] At 220, the method can start. At 222, the method includes capturing drilling data. The sensor can collect the drilling data during a drilling operation by the drilling system. For example, as the bit drills earth formations during a drillingoperation, the sensor can collect shock and / or vibrational data experienced by the down hole assembly during the drilling operation.

[0028] The apparatus can capture the drilling data from the sensor associated with the bottom hole assembly by sampling the drilling data from the sensor. As mentioned above, the sensor can be a shock sensor, and the drilling data captured by the shock sensor can include shock data associated with shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly during the drilling operation. For example, impacts experienced by the bit with the wellbore / earth formation, the bottom hole assembly or the drill pipe with the wellbore, among other types of impacts can be captured by the sensor. The apparatus can capture and retrieve the drilling data by sampling the sensor data and digitizing the sensor data to store the drilling data in a buffer (e.g., as is further described herein).

[0029] Accordingly, the apparatus can receive the drilling data from the sensor associated with the bottom hole assembly. As mentioned above, the drilling data can include shock data accumulated over a particular time period. For example, the sensor may capture data for a predetermined time period (e.g., 5 minutes), and transmit (e.g., continuously) the captured data over the time period to the apparatus.

[0030] At 224, the method includes storing the drilling data in a buffer. As used herein, the term “buffer” refers to a memory area that stores data transferring between two or more devices. For example, the buffer can store the drilling data from the sensor before being stored in different memory, as is further described herein. The buffer can compensate for a difference in transfer speeds between the sensor and the memory, as well as serve to notate accumulation states in the drilling data, as is further described herein.

[0031] At 226, the method includes determining, by a processor, whether the buffer exceeds a threshold capacity (e.g., reading the buffer to determine whether the buffer is full). As the buffer is of a set memory capacity, a determination can be made as to when to classify, accumulate, and aggregate the drilling data. If the buffer does not exceed the threshold capacity, the method can return to 222, where the sensor can continue to capture drilling data and store the captured drilling data in the buffer at 224.

[0032] In response to the buffer exceeding the threshold capacity, at 228 the processor can classify the drilling data into a plurality of categories. In some examples, the classification of the drilling data can be accomplished by compressing the drilling data via lossy compression. However, embodiments of the disclosure are not so limited. For example, other compression techniques, including lossless compression, may be utilized.

[0033] The plurality of categories into which the drilling data can be classified can include different shock categories. For example, the plurality of categories can include a first shock category defined by a first shock range, a second shock category defined by a second shock range, and a third shock category defined by a third shock range. As an example, the first shock category can be defined by a shock range between 0-225g and shocks detected by the sensor that fall within this shock range can be considered a low risk shock, the second shock category can be defined by a shock range between 225-325g and shocks detected by the sensor that fall within this shock range can be considered a medium risk shock, and the third shock category can be defined by a shock range between 325g-600g (e.g., the sensor limit) and shocks detected by the sensor that fall within this shock range can be considered a high risk shock.

[0034] The shock ranges described above are merely given as an example, and embodiments of the disclosure are not limited by the above shock ranges. For instance, the shock categories can be defined by different ranges. Additionally, the shock ranges may be modifiable by an operator via an input to a computing device.

[0035] Accordingly, over the particular time period in which drilling data is collected by the sensor and stored in the buffer, the drilling data may include four detected shocks where two shocks are between 325-600g and two shocks are between 0-225g. The processor can therefore classify the drilling data into the plurality of categories (e.g., two shocks between 325-600g of high risk, two shocks between 0-225g of low risk).

[0036] At 230, the method includes aggregating the classified drilling data with drilling data previously stored within the memory. For instance, the memory can include previously collected drilling data that has been previously classified and stored in the memory from a previous accumulation time period. The previouslycollected drilling data may include four detected shocks where two shocks are between 225-325g and two shocks are between 0-225g, and previously classified such that two shocks were detected between 225-325g of medium risk and two shocks were detected between 0-225g of low risk. That is, some drilling data previously stored within the memory can be of a same shock category as the currently classified drilling data.

[0037] Accumulating and aggregating the drilling data can include combining the previously classified drilling data with the currently classified drilling data. For example, the processor can accumulate and aggregate the drilling data so that the drilling data indicates over two particular time periods, eight shocks were detected. Four shocks were detected between 0-225g and were of low risk, two shocks were detected between 225-325g and were of medium risk, and two shocks were detected between 325-600g and were of high risk.

[0038] At 232, the method includes storing the aggregated classified drilling data within the memory. Additionally, at 234, the method includes generating an accumulation state of the classified drilling data. The accumulation state of the classified drilling data can be an accumulated amount of shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly in each of the shock categories during the drilling operation. For example, the processor can generate the accumulation state by determining a number of shocks in each category. Therefore, the processor can determine that of the shocks detected over the time periods in which shock data was accumulated so far, four shocks were of low risk, two shocks were of medium risk, and two shocks were of high risk.

[0039] In order to continue the process as additional data is accumulated by the sensor, the processor, at 238, can set the accumulation state to the previous accumulation state. Therefore, as the method repeats at 230 with additional drilling data, the processor can further accumulate and aggregate drilling data with previously accumulated and aggregated drilling data via the previous accumulation state.

[0040] At 236, the method includes transmitting the classified drilling data uphole. For example, the processor can transmit the classified drilling data with the accumulation state uphole to a computing device for an operator of the drillingsystem to review. Various ways of transmitting the classified drilling data may be utilized, as is further described herein.

[0041] In some examples, the classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole via mud pulse telemetry. As used herein, the term “mud pulse telemetry” refers to a method of transmitting data acquired downhole to the surface using pressure pulses in the mud system of the drilling system. Pressure pulses can be transmitted through the mud (e.g., the drilling fluid) by a valve or a modulator that varies a pressure of the mud within the drill string, and the pressure pulses can be measured on the surface by a pressure transmitter and converted into an electrical signal. The classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole by converting the classified drilling data into binary coding which is transmitted uphole through the mud via the pressure pulses; those pressure pulses can then be measured and converted into an electrical signal for use by a computing device on the surface.

[0042] In some examples, the classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole via a wired drill pipe. As used herein, the term “wired drill pipe” refers to a pipe having an electrical pathway that can transmit signals. A wired drill pipe can, for example, include an electrical pathway (e.g., such as high strength coaxial cable and inductive coils embedded within the pipes and joints) to transmit information, such as drilling data. The classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole through the electrical pathway for use by a computing device on the surface.

[0043] In some examples, the classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole via electromagnetic telemetry. As used herein, the term “electromagnetic telemetry” refers to a method of transmitting data acquired downhole to the surface using electromagnetics and a surface antenna. Low-frequency electromagnetic waves can be transmitted up through the earth formation and measured on the surface by an antenna and converted into an electrical signal. The classified drilling data can be transmitted uphole by converting the classified drilling data into binary coding which is transmitted uphole via the electromagnetic waves; those waves are measured by the antenna and converted into an electrical signal for use by a computing device on the surface.

[0044] Accordingly, various mechanisms can be utilized to transmit the classified drilling data to the surface. Once on the surface, an operator of the drillingsystem can utilize the classified drilling data to modify drill settings of the bottom hole assembly, as is further described in connection with Figure 3.

[0045] As mentioned above, the buffer in the bottom hole assembly can be of a set memory capacity. In some examples, the threshold capacity of the buffer can be predefined such that an amount of time to fill the buffer with data from the sensor can be less than half of a time to transmit the classified drilling data to the computing device. The threshold capacity of the buffer can be predefined based on a sampling rate of the sensor, and other transmission requirements. For example, the threshold capacity of the buffer can be predefined (e.g., set to define the buffer size) for retaining the data from the sensor between consecutive data transmission points uphole to the computing device at the surface.

[0046] At 240, the method includes waiting, by the processor, a predetermined amount of time before again determining whether the buffer exceeds the threshold capacity at 226.

[0047] Figure 3 is an example of accumulated drilling data for downhole monitoring in a drilling system, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The accumulated drilling data can be processed and transmitted uphole to a computing device according to the method described in Figure 2.

[0048] As illustrated in Figure 3, the accumulated drilling data can be presented over a plurality of time periods 342-1 , 342-2, and 342-N. The drilling data can include events 348 that were detected by the sensor, and such events 348 can be classified into shock categories 344-1 , 344-2, and 344-3. For example, the accumulation state of the classified drilling data is illustrated in the accumulated drilling data as illustrated in Figure 3, which is an accumulated amount of shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly in each of the plurality of shock categories during the drilling operation.

[0049] For example, during time period 342-1 , the sensor detected four events 348-1 , 348-2, 348-3, and 348-4 included in the drilling data. The processor located downhole on the bottom hole assembly classified the drilling data and transmitted the drilling data uphole at transmission point 346-1 . The classified drilling data therefore indicates that events 348-1 and 348-2 were in the medium risk category (e.g., between 225-325g) and events 348-3 and 348-4 were in the low risk category(e.g., between 0-225g). Additionally, as illustrated in Figure 3, the classified drilling data can indicate, via date markers, that an accumulated number of events (e.g., shocks) as two that were of medium risk, and zero that were of high risk.

[0050] Additionally, during time period 342-2, the sensor detected seven additional events 348-5, 348-6, 348-7, 348-8, 348-9, 348-10, and 348-11 included in the drilling data. The processor located downhole on the bottom hole assembly classified, accumulated, and aggregated the drilling data and transmitted the drilling data uphole at transmission point 346-2. The classified drilling data therefore indicates that events 348-6, 348-8, and 348-10 were in the low risk category (e.g., between 0-225g), event 348-9 was in the medium risk category (e.g., between 225- 325g), and events 348-5, 348-7, and 348-11 were in the high risk category (e.g., between 325-600g). Accordingly, the classified drilling data can indicate, via the date markers, that an accumulated number of events (e.g., shocks) include three that were of medium risk, and three that were of high risk over the two accumulated time periods 342-1 and 342-2.

[0051] Further, during time period 342-3, the sensor detected six additional events 348-12, 348-13, 348-14, 348-15, 348-16, and 348-P included in the drilling data. The processor located downhole on the bottom hole assembly classified, accumulated, and aggregated the drilling data and transmitted the drilling data uphole at transmission point 346-3. The classified drilling data therefore indicates that event 348-15 was in the low risk category (e.g., between 0-225g), events 348-12 and 348-16 were in the medium risk category (e.g., between 225-325g), and events 348-13, 348-14, and 348-P were in the high risk category (e.g., between 325-600g). Accordingly, the classified drilling data can indicate, via the date markers, that an accumulated number of events (e.g., shocks) include five that were of medium risk, and six that were of high risk over the three accumulated time periods 342-1 , 342-2, and 342-N.

[0052] Such data can be utilized by an operator of the drilling system. For example, a computing device can receive an input to modify drill settings of the bottom hole assembly based on the classified drilling data illustrated in Figure 3. The operator may modify drill settings in order to change downhole conditions tolower the risk of medium and / or high risk shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly, among other examples.

[0053] Accordingly, downhole monitoring according to the disclosure can provide a user (e.g., an operator) of the drilling system up to date information about conditions downhole. The accumulated and aggregated data can allow a user to make decisions about the operating settings of the drilling system by being better informed about the downhole conditions experienced by the bottom hole assembly, as compared with previous approaches.

[0054] Figure 4 is an example of a bottom hole assembly 406 for downhole monitoring, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in Figure 4, the bottom hole assembly 406 can include a buffer 450, a sensor 412, and a memory 454 and a processor 452 for downhole monitoring, in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0055] The memory 454 can be any type of storage medium that can be accessed by the processor 452 to perform various examples of the present disclosure. For example, the memory 454 can be a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions (e.g., executable instructions / computer program instructions) stored thereon that are executable by the processor 452 for downhole monitoring in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0056] The memory 454 can be volatile or nonvolatile memory. The memory 454 can also be removable (e.g., portable) memory, or non-removable (e.g., internal) memory. For example, the memory 454 can be random access memory (RAM) (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and / or phase change random access memory (PCRAM)), read-only memory (ROM) (e.g., electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), among other types of memory.

[0057] Further, although memory 454 is illustrated as being located within bottom hole assembly 406, embodiments of the present disclosure are not so limited. For example, memory 454 can also be located internal to another computing resource (e.g., enabling computer readable instructions to be downloaded over the Internet or another wired or wireless connection) located elsewhere from the bottom hole assembly 406.

[0058] The processor 452 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor-based microprocessor, and / or other hardware devices suitable for retrieval and execution of machine-readable instructions stored in the memory 454.

[0059] The buffer 450 can be a memory area that stores data being transferred between two or more devices. For example, the buffer 450 can store data being transferred between the sensor 412 and the memory 454. Although illustrated in Figure 4 as being separate from the memory 454, in some embodiments, the buffer 450 can be included as a memory area located within the memory 454.

[0060] Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any arrangement calculated to achieve the same techniques can be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments of the disclosure.

[0061] It is to be understood that the above description has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not a restrictive one. Combination of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

[0062] The scope of the various embodiments of the disclosure includes any other applications in which the above structures and methods are used. Therefore, the scope of various embodiments of the disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0063] In the foregoing Detailed Description, various features are grouped together in example embodiments illustrated in the figures for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of the disclosure require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.

[0064] Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed:

1. An apparatus, comprising: a buffer; a memory; and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to: capture drilling data from a sensor associated with a bottom hole assembly; store the drilling data in the buffer; in response to the buffer exceeding a threshold capacity, classify the drilling data into a plurality of categories; and transmit the classified drilling data uphole to a computing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drilling data includes shock data accumulated over a particular time period.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to aggregate the classified drilling data with drilling data previously stored within the memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drilling data previously stored within the memory is of a same category of the plurality of categories as the classified drilling data.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to store the aggregated classified drilling data within the memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the threshold capacity of the buffer is predefined such that an amount of time to fill the buffer with data from the sensor is less than half of a time to transmit the classified drilling data to the computing device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the sensor is a shock sensor; and the drilling data includes shock data associated with shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly during a drilling operation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is included in the bottom hole assembly.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to: capture drilling data associated with a bottom hole assembly accumulated over a particular time period from a shock sensor associated with the bottom hole assembly, wherein the drilling data includes shock data associated with shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly during a drilling operation; store the drilling data in a buffer; determine whether the buffer exceeds a threshold capacity; in response to the buffer exceeding the threshold capacity, classify the drilling data into a plurality of categories; and transmit the classified drilling data uphole to a computing device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to classify the drilling data by compressing the drilling data via lossy compression.11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the plurality of categories include: a first shock category defined by a first shock range;a second shock category defined by a second shock range that is greater than the first shock range; and a third shock category defined by a third shock range that is greater than the second shock range.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to transmit the classified drilling data uphole via mud pulse telemetry.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to transmit the classified drilling data uphole via a wired drill pipe connected to the bottom hole assembly.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to transmit the classified drilling data uphole via electromagnetic telemetry.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein in response to transmitting the classified drilling data, the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to wait a predetermined amount of time before again determining whether the buffer exceeds the threshold capacity.

16. A system, comprising: a computing device; and a bottom hole assembly, wherein the bottom hole assembly includes: a sensor to capture drilling data associated with the bottom hole assembly, wherein the drilling data includes shock data associated with shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly during a drilling operation; a buffer; a memory; and a processor configured to:store the drilling data in the buffer; determine whether the buffer exceeds a threshold capacity; in response to the buffer exceeding the threshold capacity, classify the drilling data into a plurality of shock categories; and transmit the classified drilling data uphole to the computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to generate an accumulation state of the classified drilling data.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the accumulation state of the classified drilling data is an accumulated amount of shocks experienced by the bottom hole assembly in each of the plurality of shock categories during the drilling operation.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the classified drilling data with the accumulation state to the computing device.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is configured to receive an input to modify drill settings of the bottom hole assembly based on the classified drilling data.

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