Transient Electromagnetic Tool Pipe Signal Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Geophysical inversion models face uncertainty due to electromagnetic interference from conductive tools, leading to inaccurate formation property estimates, as existing techniques like bucking do not adequately account for pipe signals, resulting in systematic noise and errors in model inversion.

Innovation Solution

A method using a transient electromagnetic tool with a single transmitter and two receivers to measure pipe signals and apply a correction operation, suppressing the pipe signal through a bucking coefficient calculation, enabling a faithful representation of the formation response by combining total bucked signals with error correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional bucking techniques are used to eliminate systematic noise from conductive tools, then the primary field interference is reduced, but electromagnetic interference from pipe signals creates additional systematic noise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystematic noise from primary fieldVSAvoidsystematic noise from pipe signals
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The total measured signal is segmented into distinct components: primary field response, pipe signal response, and formation response. By using multiple receivers at different positions, each component can be isolated and processed separately, allowing the pipe signal to be identified and removed without affecting the formation measurement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A pipe signal correction model is introduced as an intermediary component that mediates between the raw measured data and the final formation properties. This model characterizes the pipe signal response and uses it to correct the total signal, eliminating the harmful pipe interference while preserving the formation response

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If pipe signal correction is applied to remove electromagnetic interference, then formation property estimation accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the inversion process increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveformation property estimation accuracyVSAvoidinversion process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pipe signal correction is performed as a preliminary step before the main inversion process. By pre-characterizing and removing the pipe signal response from the total measured signal, the inversion process receives cleaner data with reduced systematic noise, simplifying the subsequent inversion while improving accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The correction process transforms the measured signal by applying parameter changes based on the pipe signal model. The pipe signal response is characterized by specific parameters that describe its behavior, and these parameters are used to adjust the total signal, converting it from a noisy measurement to a corrected formation response

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach reduces uncertainty in formation property estimates by accurately removing pipe signal interference, improving the accuracy of geophysical models and reducing errors in inversion processes, allowing for more precise geo-steering and measurement-while-drilling operations.

Implementation Method 1

A transient electromagnetic tool with a single transmitter and two receivers measures pipe signals and applies a correction operation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3430444B1Method and apparatus for correction of transient electromagnetic signals to remove a pipe response
Publication Date: 2024.02.07 BAKER HUGHES CO
  • EP3430444B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3430444B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3430444B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Methods and systems for estimating properties of formations penetrated by boreholes are provided, including conveying a carrier through a borehole having a transmitter, a first receiver, and a second receiver, the first receiver positioned a first distance from the transmitter and the second receiver positioned a second distance from the transmitter, generating a transient electromagnetic field with the transmitter, obtaining a total signal from signals received by the first receiver and the second receiver, performing a bucking calculation to obtain a pipe signal, applying a correction scheme to the total signal to generate a corrected formation property signal, wherein the correction scheme is V corr = V meas - P ∗ V meas , wherein Vcorr is a correction signal, Vmeas is the total signal, and P is the pipe signal, estimating a formation property from corrected formation property signal to select a model of the formation, and adjusting a drilling operation based on the estimated property of the formation.