Downhole Controller Assisted Drilling Constant Curvature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Directional drilling of subterranean wells often results in tortuous boreholes due to communication delays and human error, leading to deviations from the intended drilling plan and failure to hit targets within a reasonable threshold, especially when transitioning between vertical and horizontal wellbores.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a feedback loop with spatially distributed sensors along the bottom hole assembly to regulate steering commands for a rotary steerable tool, allowing for real-time adjustments and maintaining a constant curvature during drilling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If commands are generated on the surface and sent to a rotary steerable system, then the drilling direction can be controlled, but communication induced delays and human error lead to over/under-correction and tortuous boreholes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where sensors spatially distributed along the bottom hole assembly continuously measure the actual borehole curvature and drilling direction. These measurements are fed back to a controller that automatically adjusts the rotary steerable system in real-time, eliminating communication delays and human error by closing the control loop downhole.
Solution Approach 2:
The drilling system performs self-correction by using onboard sensors and controllers to automatically regulate the drilling direction. The system monitors its own performance and makes autonomous adjustments to maintain the desired constant curvature, reducing reliance on surface commands and human operators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual operation with experienced operators is used, then drilling decisions can be made, but human error and reaction time lead to deviations from the intended drilling path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical human operator decision-making process with an automated control system comprising sensors, processors, and actuators. This electronic and automated system eliminates human error and reaction time delays while maintaining the ability to adapt to changing drilling conditions through real-time data processing and automatic control algorithms.
3Manufacturing precision
If frequent corrections are made to achieve constant curvature, then drilling accuracy improves, but the system complexity and response time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control system into multiple spatially distributed sensors along the bottom hole assembly, each measuring local curvature. This distributed sensing approach enables localized measurements and corrections, maintaining constant curvature through multiple small adjustments rather than one complex control mechanism, thereby managing system complexity through modular segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a rotary steerable system (RSS) may comprise disposing the RSS into a borehole, storing a curvature for the borehole into an information handling system, storing one or more steering commands in the information handling system, taking a first attitude measurement at a first sensor and a second sensor disposed on the RSS at a first location in the borehole, and calculating a first relative attitude from the first attitude measurement at the first sensor and the second sensor. The method may further comprise taking a second attitude measurement at the first sensor and the second sensor disposed on the RSS at the second location in the borehole, calculating a second relative attitude from the second attitude measurement at the first sensor and the second sensor, and comparing the first relative attitude to the second relative attitude to find a difference.