Wireless Tag Drill Pipe Tallying System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for drill pipe tallying in hydrocarbon drilling operations are prone to errors and require significant human intervention, as they rely on manual tracking and are not precise, especially during initial drilling phases and when the drill string is suspended.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with wireless tags and a tag interrogating device positioned below the rotary table, which detects and communicates with tags on drill pipes and slips, allowing the monitoring system to accurately track drill pipe movement without human intervention by distinguishing between periods when the slips are engaged and when the drawworks is supporting the drill string.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tracking methods are used for drill pipe tallying, then human intervention is required to keep track of drill pipe length, but this approach is prone to errors and mistakes in calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by using wireless tags attached to drill pipe components that automatically transmit their presence and position information to the monitoring system. The drawworks movement is automatically monitored and processed to update the drill pipe tally without requiring human intervention for tracking or calculation, thereby eliminating human error in tallying operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with an automated electronic monitoring system. The drawworks movement is monitored using sensors and processed by a computer system that automatically calculates drill pipe tally based on drawworks rotation and wire payout, substituting human manual counting and calculation with automated mechanical and electronic measurement systems.
2Productivity
If automated monitoring of drawworks movement is implemented, then drill pipe tally tracking is improved, but the system may incorrectly count drawworks movement during periods when the drill string is suspended by slips
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors including drawworks movement sensors, rotary table sensors, and wireless tags to continuously monitor the actual state of the drill string. When the system detects that slips are engaged (through lack of rotary table movement despite drawworks movement, or through wireless tag position data), it automatically adjusts the tally calculation to exclude false movement readings, ensuring accurate tracking only during active drilling or tripping operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system dynamically adjusts its tracking behavior based on real-time operational conditions. It transitions between different monitoring modes depending on whether the drill string is actively being moved through the rotary table or is suspended by slips, using sensor feedback to determine the appropriate tracking state and automatically modify the tally calculation algorithm accordingly.
3Extent of automation
If wireless tags are attached to each drill pipe component, then automated detection is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless tags are designed as multi-functional devices that simultaneously provide identification, position tracking, and status monitoring capabilities. Each tag serves multiple purposes: identifying the specific drill pipe component, tracking its position in the drill string, and providing data about the operational state of that section. This consolidation of multiple functions into a single device reduces the need for separate sensors and tracking systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for drill pipe tallying includes detecting that a drill bit (14) has tripped in through a rig floor and monitoring movement of a drawworks (6) that supports the drill bit and a length of drill pipe. If a tag interrogating device does not detect a wireless tag (26) associated with a set of slips, the method includes counting the movement of the drawworks toward a drill pipe tally. If a tag interrogating device detects a wireless tag associated with a set of slips, the method includes not counting the movement of the drawworks toward the drill pipe tally. The tag interrogating device is positioned at a fixed location relative to the rig floor.