Multi-Point Drilling Inversion for Real-Time Gas Kick Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drilling technologies struggle to accurately monitor and interpret downhole conditions in deep and ultra-deep oil and gas exploration, leading to increased safety risks and operational inefficiencies due to limited data acquisition and reliance on single measurement points, which fail to account for the diversity and dynamics of wellbore environments.

Innovation Solution

A real-time inversion method using intelligent microspheres along a drill pipe to acquire multi-measurement point data, combined with a wellbore multiphase flow forward model and an adaptive unscented Kalman filter algorithm, allows for comprehensive interpretation of downhole gas kick conditions, including gas kick position, rate, and volume.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional single measurement point data acquisition method is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and reliability of downhole condition monitoring deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedownhole condition monitoring accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drill pipe is divided into multiple sections with measurement points distributed along its length. Multiple pressure sensors are installed at different positions (e.g., near the drill bit, at intermediate depths, and at the surface) to capture pressure data from multiple locations simultaneously, transforming a single-point measurement system into a multi-point distributed measurement system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A data processing system serves as an intermediary that receives data from multiple measurement points, applies the wellbore multiphase flow forward model, and executes the adaptive unscented Kalman filter algorithm to synthesize comprehensive downhole condition information from distributed measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If real-time multi-parameter monitoring is implemented, then reliability of gas kick detection is improved, but use of energy and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas kick detection reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption of monitoring system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The wellbore multiphase flow forward model is pre-established with all necessary equations and parameters configured before drilling operations begin. This preliminary preparation allows the system to process real-time data efficiently without requiring complex calculations during critical monitoring moments, reducing real-time energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The adaptive unscented Kalman filter algorithm implements continuous feedback by comparing model predictions with actual measurements and dynamically adjusting estimates of downhole conditions. This feedback mechanism improves detection reliability by continuously refining predictions based on incoming data while maintaining computational efficiency through iterative optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If comprehensive multi-measurement point data is collected, then loss of information is reduced, but device complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedownhole condition information completenessVSAvoiddata acquisition system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The forward model and Kalman filter algorithm serve multiple functions simultaneously: they filter noise from measurements, estimate unmeasured parameters, detect gas kick conditions, and provide diagnostic information about downhole flow regimes. This multi-functionality reduces information loss by extracting maximum value from the collected data without requiring separate specialized systems for each function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20260036035A1Real-time inversion method of multi-measurement point and multi-parameter drilling, device, media and product

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 YANGTZE UNIVERSITY

AI summary

Provided is a real-time inversion method of multi-measurement point and multi-parameter drilling, a device, a media and a product, relating to the technical field of oil-gas exploration. The method includes: acquiring downhole measurement data of target drilled well; where the downhole measurement data is measured in real time based on an intelligent microsphere along a drill pipe; establishing a real-time inversion interpretation model for a downhole gas kick condition based on a wellbore multiphase flow forward model and an adaptive unscented Kalman filter algorithm according to the downhole measurement data; and inputting the downhole measurement data into the real-time inversion interpretation model for the downhole gas kick condition to obtain an inversion parameter of target drilled well.