Drill Pipe Oscillation Regime and Torque Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling systems lack efficient control over toolface orientation during slide drilling, leading to increased static friction and reduced drilling efficiency due to unawareness of resonant motion and its potential for inadvertently changing toolface orientation.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a torque sensor to detect torsional waves along the drill string, a controller to adjust oscillation parameters of the top drive, and sensors to monitor toolface orientation, allowing for real-time control of toolface orientation by absorbing or reflecting torsional waves to maintain or change the desired orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the drill string is oscillated during slide drilling to reduce friction, then drilling efficiency is improved, but toolface orientation control deteriorates due to inadvertent changes caused by resonant motion
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect toolface orientation and resonant motion in real-time, feeding this information back to the control system. The controller adjusts oscillation parameters based on this feedback to maintain desired toolface orientation while continuing to reduce friction through oscillation. This closed-loop control resolves the contradiction by enabling both improved drilling efficiency and maintained orientation control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts oscillation parameters (amplitude, frequency, duration) based on real-time detection of resonant motion and toolface orientation. Rather than using fixed oscillation parameters, the system adapts its behavior to current drilling conditions, allowing it to optimize friction reduction while preventing inadvertent toolface orientation changes. This dynamic approach enables simultaneous achievement of both improved productivity and ease of operation.
2Productivity
If oscillation amplitude is increased to reduce static friction, then drilling efficiency improves, but risk of inadvertently changing toolface orientation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies oscillation at an optimized amplitude that is sufficient to convert static friction to dynamic friction but controlled to avoid excessive motion that would change toolface orientation. The control system continuously monitors and adjusts the oscillation amplitude to maintain it within the optimal range, applying just enough oscillation to achieve friction reduction without exceeding the threshold that would cause orientation changes. This partial action approach resolves the contradiction between improving productivity and maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If resonant motion is utilized to control toolface orientation, then orientation control improves, but system complexity increases due to need for detection and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the drill string's own resonant motion characteristics to control toolface orientation rather than requiring complex external actuation mechanisms. By detecting the naturally occurring resonant frequencies and using feedback control to modulate oscillation at these frequencies, the system achieves precise orientation control while minimizing additional hardware complexity. The drill string itself becomes part of the control mechanism, reducing the need for complex additional devices.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system enhances drilling efficiency by reducing friction and improving control over toolface orientation, thereby minimizing drag and optimizing drilling progress.
Implementation Method 1
This oscillation can reduce friction (e.g., by converting static friction on sections of the drill string to dynamic friction, which has a lower coefficient) in the borehole.
Implementation Method 2
a top drive may be used to oscillate or rotationally rock the drill string during slide drilling to reduce drag of the drill string in the wellbore
Implementation Method 3
detected a torsional wave traveling along the drill string produced in response to the oscillating the drill string
Implementation Method 4
Without knowledge of the resonant motion (e.g., a torsional wave traveling along the length of the drill string) at the top drive
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are described which assist in controlling toolface orientation of a bottom hole assembly. A controller instructs a top drive to oscillate a drill string an oscillation revolution amount to reduce friction of the drill string in a wellbore during a slide drilling procedure. A torque sensor detects torque at an interface between the drill string and the top drive, and the controller determines properties of a torsional wave from the detected torque that is propagating along the drill string during the slide drilling procedure. The controller determines a modification to the oscillation revolution amount and/or rotations per minute in order to control the toolface orientation in a desired manner. The top drive implements the determined modification and thereby assists in controlling the toolface orientation during the slide drilling procedure.