# US 10,871,047 B2 · Drilling plant machine and method of operation

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- Number: US 10,871,047 B2
- Document ID: US10871047B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/088,822
- Filed: 2017-03-28
- Published: 2019-04-11
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-30
- Assignees: Mhwirth AS
- Applicants: Mhwirth AS
- Inventors: Tor Inge Waag; Sjur Henning Hollekim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871047B2

## CPC

- E21B 47/00: Survey of boreholes or wells (monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid E21B21/08)
- E21B 31/035: {controlling differential pipe sticking}
- E21B 44/08: in response to the amplitude of the movement of the percussion tool, e.g. jump or recoil
- G06Q 10/1097: {using calendar-based scheduling for task assignment}
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- G06Q 50/02: Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
- E21B 3/022: {Top drives}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method for operating a drilling plant machine includes providing a drilling plant machine which includes a sensor which measures a parameter which is indicative of a jarring load acting on the drilling plant machine from a drill string, providing a set of values representing readings from the sensor, identifying a jarring event, and determining a magnitude of the parameter from the set of values.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for operating a drilling plant machine, the method comprising:
providing a drilling plant machine comprising a sensor which is configured to measure at least one parameter which is indicative of a jarring load acting on the drilling plant machine from a drill string;
providing a set of values representing readings from the sensor;
identifying a jarring event; and
determining a magnitude of the at least one parameter from the set of values,
wherein the identifying of the jarring event comprises at least one of:
receiving a signal generated by an operator indicating that a jarring event has been executed, and
comparing the magnitude of the at least one parameter to a first pre-determined threshold value, the first pre-determined threshold value being indicative that a jarring event has taken place.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a force sensor, a vibration sensor, a displacement sensor, of an acceleration sensor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter is or is a function of at least one of:
a force acting on the drilling plant machine,
a displacement of the drilling plant machine,
a displacement of a component of the drilling plant machine,
an acceleration of the drilling plant machine,
a vibration amplitude of the drilling plant machine, and
a vibration frequency of the drilling plant machine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
determining a time (t1) at which the jarring event occurred.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the determining of the magnitude of the at least one parameter from the set of values includes:
determining a time period (tJ) encompassing the time (t1) at which the jarring event occurred, and
determining at least one of:
a peak value of the at least one parameter in the time period,
an average value of the at least one parameter in the time period, and
a median value of the at least one parameter in the time period.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
outputting a first signal which is indicative of the magnitude of the at least one parameter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:
providing a maintenance scheduling system which is configured to,
receive the magnitude of the at least one parameter, and
output a second signal if the magnitude of the parameter exceeds a second pre-determined threshold value, the second signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the drilling plant machine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method as recited in claim 7, wherein,
the drilling plant machine further comprises a first component and a second component, and
the maintenance scheduling system is further configured to output a third signal if the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a third pre-determined threshold value, the third signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the first component.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the maintenance scheduling system is further configured to output a fourth signal if the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a fourth pre-determined threshold value, the fourth signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the second component.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
providing a maintenance scheduling system, the maintenance scheduling system being configured to:
output a first value which is indicative of a remaining useful lifetime of the drilling plant machine,
receive the magnitude of the at least one parameter,
calculate a second value which is a function of the first value and the magnitude of the at least one parameter, the second value being indicative of an updated remaining useful lifetime of the drilling plant machine, and
output the second value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the drilling plant machine is,
a drilling machine,
a top drive,
a hoisting machine,
a heave compensator, or
a power tong machine.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory tangible computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of the method as recited in claim 1.

### Claim 13

A drilling system comprising:
a drilling plant machine;
a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter which is indicative of a jarring load acting on the drilling plant machine from a drill string; and
a processor configured to receive a set of values measured by the sensor and to determine a magnitude of the at least one parameter from the set of values,
wherein the processor is configured to identify the jarring event if at least one of,
a signal generated by an operator indicates that a jarring event has been executed, and
the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a first pre-determined threshold value, the first pre-determined threshold signal being indicative of the jarring event having taken place.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The drilling system as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensor is a force sensor, a vibration sensor, a displacement sensor, or an acceleration sensor.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The drilling system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one parameter is or is a function of at least one of:
a force acting on the drilling plant machine,
a displacement of the drilling plant machine,
a displacement of a component of the drilling plant machine,
an acceleration of the drilling plant machine,
a vibration amplitude of the drilling plant machine, and
a vibration frequency of the drilling plant machine.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The drilling system as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a time (t1) at which the jarring event occurred.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The drilling system as recited in claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to,
determine a time period (tJ) encompassing the time (t1) at which the jarring event occurred, and
determine at least one of:
a peak value of the at least one parameter in the time period,
an average value of the at least one parameter in the time period, and
a median value of the at least one parameter in the time period.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The drilling system as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to output a first signal which is indicative of the magnitude of the at least one parameter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The drilling system as recited in claim 18, further comprising:
a maintenance scheduling system which is configured to:
receive the magnitude of the at least one parameter, and
output a second signal if the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a second pre-determined threshold value, the second signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the drilling plant machine.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The drilling system as recited in claim 19, wherein,
the drilling plant machine further comprises a first component and a second component, and
the maintenance scheduling system is further configured to output a third signal if the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a third pre-determined threshold value, the third signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the first component.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The drilling system as recited in claim 20, wherein the maintenance scheduling system is further configured to output a fourth signal if the magnitude of the at least one parameter exceeds a fourth pre-determined threshold value, the fourth signal being indicative of a need to perform maintenance on the second component.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The drilling system as recited in claim 18, further comprising:
a maintenance scheduling system which is configured to:
output a first value which is indicative of a remaining useful lifetime of the drilling plant machine,
receive the magnitude of the at least one parameter,
calculate a second value which is a function of the first value and the magnitude of the at least one parameter, the second value being indicative of an updated remaining useful lifetime of the drilling plant machine, and
output the second value.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The drilling system as recited in claim 13, wherein the drilling plant machine is
a drilling machine,
a top drive,
a hoisting machine,
a heave compensator, or
a power tong machine.