Well Tool Sensor Data Correction via Remote Magnetic Parameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic storms and other phenomena affect the accuracy of directional data collected during geo-steering or directional drilling, necessitating a method to correct and enhance the reliability of drilling tool direction measurements.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a correction application which communicates with field computers and Real Time Operations Centers to apply magnetic correction parameters, utilizing geophysical survey services like the British Geological Survey to correct survey databases in real-time, ensuring accurate directional data by accounting for earth magnetic field variations, tool drift, and other factors, and alerting drilling operations of reduced accuracy during magnetic storms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If magnetic correction parameters are applied continuously to correct sensor data, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a correction application as an intermediary software layer that sits between the sensor data acquisition system and the directional drilling control system. This correction application automatically applies magnetic correction parameters from geophysical survey services to compensate for magnetic interference, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex hardware modifications to the drilling tools or sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces potential mechanical or hardware-based magnetic shielding solutions with a software-based correction system. Instead of physically protecting sensors from magnetic storms through complex mechanical shielding, the system uses computational methods to correct sensor readings post-acquisition, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining or improving measurement accuracy.
2Reliability
If real-time correction of sensor data is performed, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary corrections by applying magnetic correction parameters to sensor data as it is being acquired, rather than performing intensive computational analysis after data collection. This real-time correction approach maintains data reliability throughout the drilling operation while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding repeated heavy computational processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The correction application operates autonomously, automatically obtaining correction parameters from geophysical survey services and applying them to sensor data without requiring continuous human intervention or energy-intensive manual processing. The system self-manages the correction process, improving reliability while keeping energy consumption at manageable levels.
3Measurement precision
If magnetic correction parameters are obtained from external geophysical survey services, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time in data transmission occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system obtains and stores magnetic correction parameters from geophysical survey services in advance, before they are needed for correcting actual drilling data. This preliminary acquisition of correction data allows the system to quickly apply corrections in real-time without experiencing transmission delays during critical drilling operations, thereby maintaining measurement precision while minimizing time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
For some embodiments, a software application for correcting sensor data in a remote database (114, 118) according to magnetic correction parameters obtained from a geophysical survey service, the sensor data obtained from directional instruments on a well tool (107, 108, 110). The remote database resides in a field computer (112) at a well site, and a copy of the remote database may also reside in a real time operations computer system. For some embodiments, the sensor data for particular depths and measurement times are stored as rows in a table (FIG. 3). The correction software may write new rows in the remote database with the corrected sensor data, or may write new rows in a second database for storing corrected sensor data (FIG. 1).