Field Synthesis System for Drilling Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Predicting drilling performance in fields with significant variations in lithology and mechanical properties is challenging, leading to non-optimized drilling device and parameter selections, resulting in increased drilling times and costs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that synthesizes well logs from multiple offset wells to simulate drilling contexts, allowing for the optimization of drilling devices and parameters by comparing predicted and actual performance in real-time, using a well log analysis module, field synthesis module, and drilling simulation module.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If data from a single offset well is used to select drilling devices and parameters, then the selection process is simple, but the accuracy of prediction deteriorates in fields with significant lithology and mechanical property variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines well log data and drilling performance data from multiple offset wells into a unified database. This merging of data sources allows the system to capture the variability of lithology and mechanical properties across the field, thereby improving prediction accuracy while maintaining a manageable data processing framework through standardized integration protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the field into multiple drilling contexts based on lithology and mechanical property characteristics. By dividing the heterogeneous field into distinct segments or contexts, the system can select appropriate drilling devices and parameters for each specific context, significantly improving prediction accuracy compared to using a single averaged dataset.
2Measurement precision
If data from multiple offset wells are synthesized to determine major drilling contexts, then drilling performance prediction accuracy improves, but the device complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary synthesis of well log data and drilling performance data from multiple offset wells before actual drilling operations. By pre-processing and organizing the data into standardized formats and identifying major drilling contexts in advance, the system reduces the complexity of real-time data processing while maintaining high prediction accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a drilling context classification system as an intermediary layer between raw multi-well data and drilling device selection. This intermediary categorizes different lithology and mechanical property combinations into discrete drilling contexts, simplifying the complexity of processing multiple heterogeneous data sources while preserving the essential variability information.
3Ease of operation
If drilling device selection is based on overall drilling performance in offset wells, then the selection process is straightforward, but the results provide spurious inferences when significant lithology and mechanical property variations exist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by matching drilling devices and parameters to specific drilling contexts rather than using a single overall performance-based selection. Each drilling context, defined by specific lithology and mechanical property combinations, receives tailored device and parameter recommendations, ensuring reliable selections that account for local subsurface conditions rather than relying on spurious overall averages.
4Reliability
If the learning curve approach is used to gradually improve drilling device selection over multiple wells, then experience is gained, but the process is slower than desired and requires ten or more wells to identify optimal parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of well log data and drilling performance data from multiple offset wells before beginning drilling operations. By pre-identifying major drilling contexts and pre-selecting optimal drilling devices and parameters based on synthesized data from multiple wells, the system eliminates the need for a gradual learning curve approach, significantly reducing the time required to identify optimal drilling parameters while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for optimizing the performance of a drilling device utilizes well logs and drilling parameters from multiple offset wells located in proximity to the location of a desired wellbore. The well logs and drilling parameters data from the offset wells is synthesized to determine major drilling contexts including both geological trends, mechanical properties and the different well profiles. The performance of one or more drilling devices and or drilling parameters is then simulated within the selected drilling contexts of the offset wells. The simulation information is then used to select an optimized drilling device or parameter for drilling the selected wellbore.