Drill String Vibration Management via Normalized Status Variables

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Solution Overview

Problem

Severe oscillations in drill strings during borehole drilling can damage components, and existing methods lack effective solutions to mitigate these vibrations.

Innovation Solution

The method involves identifying critical modes of oscillation in the drill string using sensor measurements and finite element modeling, allowing for the adjustment of drilling parameters such as rotational speed and torque to minimize vibrations at sensitive components, thereby preventing damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If drilling parameters are adjusted to reduce oscillations, then drill string vibration is reduced, but drilling productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrill string vibrationVSAvoiddrilling productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts drilling parameters in real-time based on measured oscillation characteristics. The controller continuously monitors drill string oscillations and modifies drilling parameters adaptively to minimize vibrations while maintaining optimal drilling performance, rather than using static parameter settings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes physical parameters of the drilling operation (rotational speed, weight on bit, feed rate) based on measured oscillation data. By analyzing the frequency and amplitude of drill string oscillations, the controller adjusts these parameters to move away from resonant conditions that cause severe vibrations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If drilling parameters are adjusted to minimize vibrations, then component damage risk is reduced, but drilling efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent damage preventionVSAvoiddrilling efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where drill string oscillations are continuously measured by sensors, analyzed by a controller, and used to adjust drilling parameters in real-time. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain reliable operation by preventing vibrations from reaching damage-threshold levels while optimizing drilling efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If trial and error methods are used to adjust drilling parameters, then vibration reduction may be achieved, but time is lost and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration reductionVSAvoidparameter adjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of drill string oscillation characteristics using measured data and predictive models. By anticipating vibration problems before they lead to damage and pre-calculating optimal parameter adjustments, the system eliminates the need for time-consuming trial-and-error adjustments during drilling operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3642450B1Normalized status variables for vibration management of drill strings
Publication Date: 2024.03.06 BAKER HUGHES CO
  • EP3642450B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3642450B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3642450B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A method for adjusting a drilling parameter of a drill string includes: determining one or more modes of the drill string; sensing a first oscillation amplitude at a first position in the drill string and/or an oscillation parameter of the drill string at the first position or a second position to provide measured first oscillation amplitude data and/or measured oscillation parameter data; identifying a mode of the drill string using one or more determined modes and a stability criterion and at least one of the measured first oscillation amplitude data and the measured oscillation parameter data; calculating an oscillation amplitude at a position of interest in the drill string using the identified mode and at least one of the measured first oscillation amplitude data, the measured oscillation parameter data and the stability criterion; and adjusting the drilling parameter in response to the calculated oscillation amplitude at the position of interest.