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US 12,754,522 B2Granted
System and method for formation mechanical analysis
AssigneeMotive Drilling Technologies, Inc.
InventorsTodd W. Benson, Teddy C. Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining geological formation characteristics involves driving a bottom hole assembly (BHA) in a borehole. At least one mechanical drilling parameter generated is detected responsive to operation of the BHA in the borehole. At least one geological formation characteristic is identified responsive to the detected at least one mechanical drilling parameter. The identified at least one geological formation characteristic is provided to a surface steerable drilling system. Operation of the surface steerable drilling system is controlled responsive to the at least one geological formation characteristic.
Claims19
A system for controlling a drilling of a wellbore in real-time based on at least one or more geological formation characteristics, comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising:
- during drilling of the wellbore with a bottom hole assembly (BHA) coupled to a drilling rig, monitoring, by the system, a set of drilling operation parameters wherein monitoring the set of drilling operation parameters comprises detecting at a variation in a drilling efficiency, a rate of deviation in rotary drift, or an effective build rate of a mud motor;
- during drilling of the wellbore, correlating, by the system, the set of drilling operation parameters with geological formation information regarding the one or more geological formations being drilled, wherein correlating the set of drilling operation parameters comprises:
- obtaining, by the system, the geological formation information;
- identifying, by the system and during drilling, the variation in the drilling efficiency, the rate of deviation in rotary drift, or the effective build rate of the mud motor, and
- comparing, by the system, at least one of the set of drilling operation parameters to the geological formation information;
- and
- determining, by the system and based at least in part on the comparison, that the one or more geological formations include a geological feature comprising at least one of a fault zone or a geological stress zone, wherein determining the geological stress zone or the fault zone is based at least in part on at least rates of deviation in rotary drift;
- responsive to determining the geological feature includes at least one of the fault zone or the geological stress zone modifying at least one drilling operation parameter of the set of drilling operation parameters, wherein the one of more of the set of drilling operation parameters comprises a rate of mud flow;
- and
- determining, automatically by the processor and without human involvement, a location of the BHA based at least in part on the at least one modified drilling operation parameter and the geological feature.
9 more elements
A method for drilling a well, comprising:
- drilling a wellbore with a bottom hole assembly (BHA) coupled to a drilling rig;
- during the drilling of the wellbore, monitoring, by a computer system, a set of drilling operation parameters wherein monitoring the set of drilling operation parameters comprises detecting a variation in a drilling efficiency, a rate of deviation in rotary drift, or an effective build rate of a mud motor;
- during drilling of the wellbore, correlating, by the computer system, the set of drilling operation parameters with geological formation information regarding the one or more geological formations being drilled, wherein correlating the set of drilling operation parameters comprises:
- obtaining, by the computer system, the geological formation information;
- identifying, by the computer system and during drilling, the variation in the drilling efficiency, the rate of deviation in rotary drift, or the effective build rate of the mud motor,
- comparing, by the computer system, at least one of the set of drilling operation parameters to the geological formation information;
- and
- determining, by the computer system and based at least in part on the comparison, that the one or more geological formations include a geological feature comprising at least one of a fault zone or a geological stress zone, wherein determining the geological stress zone or the fault zone is based at least in part on at least rates of deviation in rotary drift;
- responsive to determining the geological feature includes the fault zone or the geological stress zone, modifying at least one drilling operation parameter of the set of drilling operation parameters, wherein the at least one of the set of drilling operation parameters comprises mechanical specific energy;
- and
- determining, by the computer system, a location of the BHA based at least in part on the at least one modified drilling operation parameter and the geological feature;
- and
- transmitting, by the computer system, the determined location to a user device for presentation.
10 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions in a memory that perform operations when executed by a processor, the operations comprising:
- drilling a wellbore with a bottom hole assembly (BHA) coupled to a drilling rig;
- during the drilling of the wellbore, monitoring, by a computer system, a set of drilling operation parameters wherein monitoring the set of drilling operation parameters comprises detecting a variation in a drilling efficiency, a rate of deviation in rotary drift, or an effective build rate of a mud motor;
- during drilling of the wellbore, correlating, by the computer system, the set of drilling operation parameters with geological formation information regarding the one or more geological formations being drilled, wherein correlating the set of drilling operation parameters comprises:
- obtaining, by the computer system, the geological formation information;
- identifying, by the computer system and during drilling, the variation in the drilling efficiency, the rate of deviation in rotary drift, or the effective build rate of the mud motor,
- comparing, by the computer system, at least one of the set of drilling operation parameters to the geological formation information;
- and
- determining, by the computer system and based at least in part on the comparison, that the one or more geological formations include a geological feature comprising at least one of a fault zone or a geological stress zone, wherein determining the geological stress zone or the fault zone is based at least in part on rates of deviation in rotary drift;
- modifying, by the computer system, at least one drilling operation parameter of the set of drilling operation parameters when it is determined the geological feature includes at least one of the fault zone or the geological stress zone;
- and
- determining, by the computer system, a location of the BHA based at least in part on the at least one modified drilling operation parameter and the geological feature.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.