Drilling Windows Visualization for BHA Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling operations face challenges in accurately steering and visualizing drilling tolerances, especially in horizontal or near-horizontal wellbores, due to limited performance measurement systems that struggle with precise navigation and dynamic condition changes.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that generate drilling windows around a drill plan, using a controller to determine the position of the bottom hole assembly based on sensor data and display its position relative to these windows, allowing for intuitive steering and performance visualization, with the ability to adjust the drill path to maintain tolerance boundaries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cylindrical model is used for performance measurement, then the measurement system is simple to implement, but it does not fit the proximity tolerances of the drill plan which require lateral and vertical distance measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the measurement parameters from polar coordinates (distance and angle) to rectangular coordinates (lateral and vertical distances). This parameter transformation allows the measurement system to directly provide the lateral and vertical distance information needed for drill plan tolerance assessment, resolving the contradiction between measurement simplicity and precision.
2Ease of operation
If a single tolerance level is used for the entire drill plan, then the measurement system is simple to operate, but it cannot adapt to changing conditions along the drill plan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the drill plan into multiple segments or sections, each with its own specific tolerance levels. This segmentation allows different tolerance criteria to be applied to different portions of the drill plan based on local conditions, thereby achieving adaptability while maintaining operational simplicity through automated segment-based assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic tolerance levels that can change along the length of the drill plan. Instead of a static single tolerance level, the system allows tolerance parameters to vary dynamically based on the specific section of the drill plan being evaluated, enabling adaptation to changing geological and operational conditions.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple horizontal wellbores are drilled in close proximity, then the amount of oil or gas accessed is increased, but the tolerances for drilling each wellbore become very small requiring high expertise and disciplined navigation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a real-time feedback system that continuously monitors the lateral and vertical distance of the bottom hole assembly from the drill plan and compares it against the specific tolerance levels for each drill plan section. This feedback mechanism provides immediate information to the driller about proximity to tolerance boundaries, enabling timely corrective actions to maintain precision when drilling multiple closely-spaced wellbores.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods for visualizing and steering a drilling apparatus are provided, including a drill string with a bottom hole assembly (BHA), a sensor system, and a controller operable to generate a visualization comprising one or more drilling windows representing drilling tolerances of a drill plan of the drilling operation and a depiction of a location of the BHA based on the one or more measurable parameters of the drilled wellbore. The differences between the location of the BHA and the one or more drilling windows may also be visualized. This visualization may be used by an operator to steer the drilled wellbore.