# US 10,502,043 B2 · Methods and devices to perform offset surveys

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- Number: US 10,502,043 B2
- Document ID: US10502043B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/659,777
- Filed: 2017-07-26
- Published: 2019-01-31
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-26
- Assignees: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
- Applicants: Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.
- Inventors: Bosko Gajic
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502043B2

## CPC

- E21B 47/00: Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08)
- E21B 19/00: Handling rods, casings, tubes or the like outside the borehole, e.g. in the derrick; Apparatus for feeding the rods or cables
- E21B 19/16: Connecting or disconnecting pipe couplings or joints (E21B19/20 takes precedence)
- E21B 47/0228: using electromagnetic energy or detectors therefor
- E21B 47/13: by electromagnetic energy, e.g. radio frequency
- E21B 47/18: through the well fluid {, e.g. mud pressure pulse telemetry}
- E21B 47/007: Measuring stresses in a pipe string or casing (for locating blocked portions of pipes E21B47/09)
- E21B 47/024: of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022)
- E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure
- E21B 47/07: Temperature
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for performing surveys are provided. A first set of surveys may be performed during a drilling operation on a drilling rig. A tubular may be removed from a drill string, and a second set of surveys may be performed during a tripping out operation on the drilling rig, such that the first set of surveys is offset from the second set of surveys. A tubular may be added to the drill string, and a third set of surveys may be performed during a tripping in operation on the drilling rig, such that the third set of surveys is offset from the first set of surveys and the second set of surveys.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of performing surveys during a drilling operation on a drilling rig, comprising:
forming a stand by joining a plurality of tubulars;
performing a drilling operation that advances a drill string to form a wellbore through a subterranean formation, including:
adding a plurality of stands to the drill string; and
taking a downhole survey when a stand of the plurality of stands is added to the drill string to create a first set of surveys;
performing a tripping out operation to remove a portion of the drill string from the wellbore, including:
removing only a portion of a first stand from the drill string;
removing full-length stands from the drill string during the tripping out operation; and
taking a downhole survey when each stand of the plurality of stands is removed from the drill string to create a second set of surveys, such that the second set of surveys is offset from the first set of surveys, wherein the first and second sets of surveys are offset from each other by a distance approximately equivalent to a length of the portion of the first stand removed during the tripping out operation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing the portion of the first stand comprises removing a tubular with a length in a range of about 30 to 36 feet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of removing the portion of the first stand comprises removing a tubular with a length in a range of about 40 to 45 feet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the first and second set of surveys with an electromagnetic Measurement While Drilling (MWD) tool.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a tripping in operation to insert a portion of the drill string into the wellbore, including:
adding a portion of a second stand to the drill string;
adding full-length stands of the plurality of stands to the drill string during the tripping in operation; and
taking a downhole survey when each stand of the plurality of stands is added to the drill string to create a third set of surveys, such that the first and second sets of surveys are offset from the third set of surveys.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the first, second, and third sets of surveys on a display device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first and second sets of surveys to a controller on the drilling rig.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first and second sets of surveys to the controller on the drilling rig with an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first and second sets of surveys to the controller on the drilling rig with mud pulses.

### Claim 10

A method of performing surveys during a drilling operation on a drilling rig, comprising:
forming a plurality of stands by joining a plurality of tubulars;
performing a drilling operation that advances a drill string through a subterranean formation to a downhole position, including taking a first set of downhole surveys at a first set of survey locations as stands of the plurality of stands are added to the drill string;
removing only a portion of the stand from the drill string; and
performing a tripping out operation to remove the drill string from the downhole position, including taking a second set of downhole surveys at a second set of survey locations as stands are removed from the drill string, wherein the first and second sets of surveys are offset from each other by a distance approximately equivalent to a length of the portion of the stand that was removed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising performing a tripping in operation to reinsert the drill string to a downhole position, including taking a third set of downhole surveys at a third set of survey locations as stands are added to the drill string.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising removing the portion of a stand from the drill string before performing the tripping out operation and adding the portion of a stand to the drill string before performing the tripping in operation.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of survey locations are offset from the second set of survey locations and the third set of survey locations are offset from the first set of survey locations.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first, second, and third sets of downhole surveys to a controller on the drilling rig.

### Claim 15

A method of performing surveys, comprising:
performing a first set of surveys during a drilling operation advancing a drill string, the first set of surveys being performed at first locations spaced apart by a first distance along a length of a wellbore;
removing a tubular from the drill string;
performing a second set of surveys during a tripping out operation, the second set of surveys being performed at second locations spaced apart from the first set of surveys by a second distance along the length of the wellbore, the second distance being a different distance than the first distance;
adding a tubular to the drill string; and
performing a third set of surveys during a tripping in operation, the third set of surveys being performed at third locations being spaced apart from the first set of surveys by a third distance along the length of the wellbore, the third distance being a different distance than the first and second distances.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the first locations are offset from the second locations and the third locations are offset from the first locations.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying the first, second, and third locations on a display device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first, second, and third sets of surveys to a controller.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first, second, and third sets of surveys to the controller with an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting survey data corresponding to the first, second, and third sets of surveys to the controller with mud pulses.