# US 2019/0169986 A1 · Real-time synthetic logging for optimization of drilling, steering, and stimulation

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0169986 A1
- Document ID: US20190169986A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/273,383
- Filed: 2019-02-12
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-06
- Assignees: Quantico Energy Solutions LLC
- Applicants: Quantico Energy Solutions, LLC
- Inventors: Bruce H. STORM, JR.; Barry Fen ZHANG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169986A1

## CPC

- E21B 49/00: Testing the nature of borehole walls; Formation testing; Methods or apparatus for obtaining samples of soil or well fluids, specially adapted to earth drilling or wells
- E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
- E21B 44/04: in response to the torque of the drive {; Measuring drilling torque (E21B44/06 takes precedence; measuring stresses in a well bore pipe E21B47/007)}
- E21B 45/00: Measuring the drilling time or rate of penetration
- G01V 1/50: Analysing data
- G01V 11/00: Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
- E21B 7/04: Directional drilling
- E21B 47/024: of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022)
- G01V 2200/16: Measure-while-drilling or logging-while-drilling
- G01V 2210/6222: Velocity; travel time
- G01V 2210/6224: Density
- G01V 2210/6244: Porosity
- G01V 2210/72: Real-time processing
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a real-time synthetic logging method for optimizing one or more operations in a well. The method generally includes receiving measurements of one or more parameters in real time while performing operations in the well, the measurements being captured without using tools that include active nuclear sources. The method further includes providing the measurements as input to a machine learning algorithm (MLA) that is trained using historical or training well data. The method further includes generating, using the MLA and based on the measurements, a synthetic mechanical property log of the well. The method further includes generating, based on the synthetic mechanical property log, optimized parameters for at least one operation selected from the following list: drilling the well in real-time; steering the well in real-time; and stimulating a reservoir in real-time.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A real-time synthetic logging method for optimizing one or more operations in a well, comprising:
receiving measurements of one or more parameters in real time while performing operations in the well, wherein the measurements are captured without using tools that include active nuclear sources;
providing the measurements as input to a machine learning algorithm (MLA) that is trained using historical or training well data;
generating, using the MLA and based on the measurements, a synthetic mechanical property log of the well, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log comprises at least one option selected from the following list:
a real-time synthesized porosity at or near the bit position;
a real-time synthesized density at or near the bit position; and
a real-time synthesized sonic velocity at or near the bit position; and
generating, based on the synthetic mechanical property log, optimized parameters for at least one operation selected from the following list:
drilling the well in real-time;
steering the well in real-time; and
stimulating a reservoir in real-time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises one of: a real-time synthesized unconfined compressive strength (UCS) at or near the bit position; or a real-time synthesized confined compressive strength (CCS) at or near the bit position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters input to the MLA are measured exclusively at the surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters input to the MLA include survey data that is measured using a measurement while drilling (MWD) system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters input to the MLA include natural gamma data measured using a measurement while drilling (MWD) system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters do not comprise:
density; velocity; UCS; or CCS measured at or near the bit position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises a real-time synthesized position of one or more formation tops relative to a bit location.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises a real-time synthesized seismic velocity at or near the bit position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining the optimized parameters comprises:
determining values of one or more operational parameters based on the synthetic mechanical property log in order to optimize mechanical specific energy (MSE).

### Claim 10

A computer-implemented method for optimizing a reservoir drilling process, comprising:
determining a rock property comprising one of: a real-time unconfined compressive strength (UCS) at or near the bit position; or a real-time confined compressive strength (CCS) at or near the bit position;
determining a mechanical specific energy (MSE) of the reservoir drilling process;
determining an amount of energy required to rotate a drill string off-bottom;
calculating a delta MSE by subtracting the amount of energy required to rotate the drill string off-bottom from the MSE; and
determining, based on a relationship between the rock property and the delta MSE, an optimal value for a parameter of the reservoir drilling process.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining the MSE is based on measurements of at least one of the following: a weight on bit (WOB), a cross-sectional area of bit, a rotational rate, an amount of torque applied, and a rate of penetration (ROP).

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the relationship between the rock property and the delta MSE comprises a ratio.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein determining the optimal value for the parameter of the reservoir drilling process comprises: adjusting the parameter until the relationship between the rock property and the delta MSE falls below a threshold.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the parameter comprises one of: weight on bit (WOB); revolutions per minute (RPM), flow rate, or pressure.

### Claim 15

A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform a real-time synthetic logging method for optimizing one or more operations in a well, the method comprising:
receiving measurements of one or more parameters in real time while performing operations in the well, wherein the measurements are captured without using tools that include active nuclear sources;
providing the measurements as input to a machine learning algorithm (MLA) that is trained using historical or training well data;
generating, using the MLA and based on the measurements, a synthetic mechanical property log of the well, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log comprises at least one option selected from the following list:
a real-time synthesized porosity at or near the bit position;
a real-time synthesized density at or near the bit position; and
a real-time synthesized sonic velocity at or near the bit position;
and
generating, based on the synthetic mechanical property log, optimized parameters for at least one operation selected from the following list:
drilling the well in real-time;
steering the well in real-time; and
stimulating a reservoir in real-time.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises one of: a real-time synthesized unconfined compressive strength (UCS) at or near the bit position; or a real-time synthesized confined compressive strength (CCS) at or near the bit position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more parameters are captured using a measurement while drilling (MWD) system.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more parameters do not comprise: density; velocity; UCS; or CCS.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises a real-time synthesized position of one or more formation tops relative to a bit location.

### Claim 20 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the synthetic mechanical property log of the well further comprises a real-time synthesized seismic velocity at or near the bit position.