The present invention relates to downhole drilling of subterranean formation. More particularly, this invention relates to the determination of downhole forces on a drilling tool during a drilling operation.
The drill bit and associated sensors and equipment that are located near the bottom of the borehole while drilling form the Bottom Hole Assembly (“BHA”).
The drilling of oil and gas wells involves the careful manipulation of the drilling tool to drill along the desired path. By determining and analyzing the forces acting on the drilling tool, decisions may be made to facilitate and/or improve the drilling process. These forces also allow a drill operator to optimize drilling conditions so a borehole can be drilled in a more economical way. The determination of the forces on the drill bit is important because it allows an operator to, for example, detect the onset of drilling problems and correct undesirable situations before a failure of any part of the system, such as the drill bit or drill string. Some of the problems that can be detected by measuring these downhole forces include, for example, motor stall, stuck pipe, and BHA tendency. In cases where a stuck pipe occurs, it may be necessary to lower a ‘fishing’ tool into the wellbore to remove the stuck pipe. Techniques involving tools, such as drilling jars, have been developed to loosen a BHA stuck in the borehole. An example of such a drilling jar is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,557 assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The forces acting on the drilling tool that can affect the drilling operation and its resulting position may include, for example, weight-on-bit (“WOB”) and torque-on-bit (“TOB”). The WOB describes the downward force that the drill bit imparts on the bottom of the borehole. The TOB describes the torque applied to the drill bit that causes it to rotate in the borehole. A significant issue during drilling is Bend, the bending of the drill string or bending forces applied to the drill string and/or drill collar(s). Bend can result from WOB, TOB, or other downhole forces.
Techniques have been developed for measuring the WOB and the TOB at the surface. One such technique uses strain gauges to measure forces on the drill string near the drill bit. A strain gauge is a small resistive device that is attached to a material whose deformation is to be measured. The strain gauge is attached in such a way that it deforms along with the material to which it is attached. The electrical resistance of the strain gauge changes as it is deformed. By applying an electrical current to the strain gauge and measuring the differential voltage across it, the resistance, and thus the deformation, of the strain gauge can be measured.
An example of a technique using strain gauges is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,724 issued to Das et al (“the Das patent”), assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The Das patent discloses a load cell constructed from a stepped cylinder. Strain gauges are located on the load cell, and the load cell is located in a radial pocket in the drill string. As the drill string deforms due to downhole forces, the load cell is also deformed. The strain gauges on the load cell measure the deformation of the load cell, which is related to the deformation of the drill collar. As described in the DAS patent, the load cell may be inserted into the drill collar so that the load cell deforms with the drill collar.
Other examples of load cells and/or strain gauges may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,724 and pending U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/064,438, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Load cells typically can be constructed of a material that has very little residual stress and is more suitable for strain gauge measurement. Many such materials, may include for example INCONEL X-750, INCONEL 718 or others, known to those having skill in the art.
Despite the advances in strain gauges, there remains a need to provide techniques capable of taking accurate measurements under severe downhole drilling conditions. Conventional sensors are often sensitive to bending about the drill collar axis. Additionally, conventional sensors are often sensitive to temperature fluctuations often encountered in the wellbore, such as gradients over the wall of the drill collar at the sensor location and uniform temperature rises from ambient temperature.
It is desirable that a system be provided that is capable of eliminating interferences generated by forces acting on the drill string between the drill bit and the surface. It is further desirable that such a technique magnify the deformations received for ease of measurement and/or manipulation. It is preferable that such a system be capable of operating with sufficient accuracy despite temperatures fluctuations experienced in the drilling environment, and of eliminating the effects of hydrostatic pressure on measurement readings. The present invention is provided to address the need to develop systems capable of improving measurement reliability resulting from wellbore interference, mounting problems and/or temperature fluctuations, among others.
What is still needed, however, is a more accurate and reliable load sensor with a long working life that is not affected by downhole working conditions.
The invention relates to a force measurement system for a downhole drilling tool. These systems provide a means for amplifying a mechanical deformation of the drill collar, and a deformation sensing element disposed on the means for amplifying the mechanical deformation.
In at least one aspect, the invention relates to an apparatus for measuring forces on a downhole drilling tool suspended in a wellbore via a drill string. The apparatus includes a drill collar operatively connectable to the drill string, the drill collar adapted to magnify deformation resulting from forces received thereto. The sensor is adapted to measure deformation of the drill collar whereby forces on the drilling tool are determined. In various aspects, the invention may relate to a force measurement system, a strain gauge system, and a drilling jar system.
The force measurement system uses a pair of plates and a dielectric, the plates positioned a distance apart with the dielectric therebetween. The system may use capacitance, Linear Variable Differential Transformer, Impedance, Differential Variable Reluctance, Eddy Current, and/or Inductive Sensor.
The strain gauge system uses a strain gauge positioned on the drill collar. A sleeve is positioned about the drill collar. The drill collar may be provided with a partial cut therethrough whereby the drill collar acts as a spring, or separated into portions. The sleeve may be used to connect portions of the drill collar. Alternatively, the strain gauge may be mounted on a housing positioned inside the drill collar.
The drilling jar system includes a drill collar having first and second portions and an elastic element therebetween. In some cases, a sleeve is used to connect the portions and define a cavity therebetween. The sensor is adapted to measure pressure changes in the cavity.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of determining a load acting on a downhole tool. The method includes determining an electrical property of a sensor disposed in the downhole tool when the load is applied to the downhole tool, and determining a magnitude of the load based on a difference between the electrical property of the sensor when the drill collar is in a loaded condition and the electrical property of the sensor when the drill collar is in a relaxed condition. The electrical property of the sensor is changed because the load causes a change in one selected from a relative position of a first and a second element of the sensor and an area between the first and second element. The method may also include determining an amount of deformation of the downhole tool when the tool is in a loaded condition, transmitting the measurements from the sensors to surface analyzing the measurements to determine forces on the downhole tool and/or making drilling decisions based on the analyzed measurements.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a downhole sensor for measuring a load on a downhole drilling tool suspended in a wellbore via a drill string. The sensor includes a first sensor element positioned in the downhole tool, and a second sensor element positioned in the downhole tool. The first sensor element and the second sensor element are coupled to the dowhhole tool such that one selected from a relative position of the first and second element and an area between the first and second element is changed when the drilling tool is subject to the load.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Force Sensing Systems:
The capacitive system 400 includes two face plates 404 and a dielectric 406. Preferably, as depicted in
In some embodiments provided herein, various plates are positioned in the drill collar on various supports (in some cases shown). However, the configuration of the support is not intended to be restrictive of the invention.
The face plates 404 are preferably made of conductive material, such as steel or other conductive metal(s). The plates 404 are also preferably placed opposite each other a distance L4 apart. The dielectric 406 may be any conventional dielectric and is positioned between the plates 404. The plates 404 are positioned in such a manner that will allow them to exhibit a derived physical property called capacitance.
Capacitance describes the ability of a system of conductors and dielectrics to store electrical energy when a potential difference exists. In a simple system, this capacitance, C, is related to the area of the two faces, A, the distance between the two faces, L, and the dielectric constant of the material between the two faces, ∈r as follows:
where ∈0 is the dielectric constant of a vacuum. The dielectric constant is related to the ability of a material to maintain an electric field. Typically, the dielectric constant is constant or predictable. Thus, the capacitance of this system can be changed by changing the area of the faces or the distance between the faces.
The capacitance is measured by applying a variable current to one of the faces, and measuring the resulting potential difference between the faces. This is characterized through the impedance Z of the system defined as follows:
where f is the variable current frequency. Here, this concept is applied measuring the forces acting on a drill string. Forces on a drill string cause the drillstring to deform. This deformation can be transferred and captured by measuring the varying capacitance between two conductive plates within the tool string.
The capacitive system may be used to determine forces on the drilling tool, such as WOB, TOB and Bend, among others. The deformation is transferred to the measuring device through a deforming load bearing element. The length of the deforming element is captured by the changing distance between the two faces or varying L.
Some prior art sensors, such as the load cell disclosed in the Das patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,724, discussed in the Background), use strain gauges to measure the deformation of the drill collar under a load. The strain gauges deform with the drill collar, and the amount of deformation can be determined from the change in the resistivity of the strain gauge. The present invention, however, use other electrical principles, such as capacitance, inductance, and impedance, to determine the forces that act on a drill collar based on the amount of deformation experienced by the drill collar when under a load.
This disclosure uses the word “force” generically to refer to all of the loads (e.g., forces, pressures, torques, and moments) that may be applied to a drill bit or a drill string. For example, use of the word “force” should not be interpreted to exclude a torque or a moment. All of these loads cause a corresponding deformation that can be measured using one or more embodiments of the invention.
The capacitance of the system 400 is defined by its configuration. Referring to
The plates 404 move with respect to each other because they are coupled to the drill collar 402 at different axial points along the drill collar 402. Any deformation of the drill collar 402 will cause a corresponding change in the distance L4 between the plates 404.
Equation 1, above, shows that reducing the distance between the capacitor plates 404 (i.e., from L4 to L′4) will cause an increase in the capacitance C of the system 400. Detecting the increase in capacitance will enable the determination of the deformation, which will, in turn, enable a determination of the WOB. In some cases, for example, when a computer is used to calculate the WOB, the WOB may be determined from change in capacitance without specifically determining the deformation. Such embodiments do not depart from the scope of the invention.
In
In
It will be understood that the description of relative position of the plates to each other (e.g., substantially parallel) and the position of the plates relative to the direction of the load to be measured (e.g., perpendicular) will apply to other embodiments of the invention. As will be described, other sensors may have plates that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the direction of the load to be measured. Furthermore, while such arrangements are advantageous, they are not required by all embodiments of the invention, as will be understood.
In some cases, the capacitance in the system is determined by connecting the system in a circuit with a constant current AC power source. The changes in the voltage across the sensor will enable the determination of the capacitance, based on the known value of the AC current source.
In some cases, the change in voltage across the sensor plates is used to determine the change in the impedance of the sensor. Impedance, usually denoted as Z, is the opposition that a circuit element offers to electrical current. The impedance of a capacitor is defined in Equation 2, above. The change in impedance will affect the voltage in accordance with Equation 3:
V=IZCAP Equation 3
where ZCAP is the impedance of the capacitor (e.g., system 400). Thus, the change in the voltage across the system 400 will indicate a change in impedance, which, in turn, indicates a chance in capacitance. The magnitude of the change in capacitance is related to the deformation, which is related to the WOB.
A sensing system 400 may be located in an MWD collar (e.g., 106 in
Another term used to describe measurements that are made during the drilling process is “logging-while-drilling” (“LWD”). As is known in the art, LWD usually refers to measurements related to the properties of the formation and the fluids in the formation. This is contrasted with MWD, which usually refers to measurements related to the drill bit, such as borehole temperature and pressure, WOB, TOB, and drill bit trajectory. Because one or more embodiments of the invention relate to measuring forces on a drill bit, the term “MWD” is used in this disclosure. It is noted, however, that the distinction is not germane to this invention. The use of MWD is not intended to exclude the use of embodiments of the invention with LWD drilling tools.
Capacitance is an example of a technique in conjunction with the downhole measurement system. Other non-contact displacement measurement devices may also be used in place of capacitance, such as Linear Variable Differential Transformer, Impedance, Differential Variable Reluctance, Eddy Current, or Inductive Sensor. Such techniques may be implemented by using two coils within a housing to form sensing and compensation elements. When the face of the transducer is brought in close proximity to a ferrous or highly conductive material, the reluctance of the sense coil is changed, while the compensation coil acts as a reference. The coils are driven by a high frequency sine wave excitation, and their differential reluctance is measured using a sensitive de-modulator. Differencing the two coils outputs provides a sensitive measure of the position signal, while canceling out variations caused by temperature. Ferrous targets change the sense coils' reluctance by altering the magnetic circuits permeability; conductive targets (such as aluminum) operate by the interaction of eddy currents induced in the target's skin with the field around the sense coil. An explanation of an example of formulas and theories relating to this technology is available at the following website, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference:
http://web.ask.com/redir?bpg=http%3a%2f%2fweb.ask.com%2fweb%3fq%3deddy%2bcurrent%2bdisplacement%2bmeasurement%26o%3d0%26page%3d1&q=eddy+current+displacement+measurement&u=http%3a%2f%2ftm.wc.ask.com%2fr%3ft%3dan%26s%3da%26uid%3d 071D59039D9B069F3%26sid%3d16C2569912E850AF3%26qid%3d2AE57B684BFE7F46ABC D174420281ABA%26io%3d8%26sv%3dza5cb0d89%26ask%3deddy%2bcurrent%2bdisplacement%2bmeasurement%26uip%3dd8886712%26en%3dte%26eo%3d-100%26pt%3dSensors%2b-%2bSeptember%2b1998%2b-%2bDesigning%2band%2bBuilding%2ban%2bEddy%2bCurrent%26ac%3d24%26qs%3d1%26 pg%3d1%26ep%3d1%26te_par%3d204%26u%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.sensorsmag.com%2farticles%2f0998%2fedd0998%2fmain.shtml&s=a&bu=http%3a%2f%2fvww.sensorsmag.com%2farticles%2f0998%2fedd0998%2fmain.shtml
The website describes an eddy current sensor, and its use for non-contact position and displacement measurement. Operating on the principle of magnetic induction, an eddy current sensor can measure the position of a metallic target, even through intervening nonmetallic materials, such as plastics, opaque fluids, and dirt. Eddy current sensors are rugged and can operate over wide temperature ranges in contaminated environments.
Typically, an eddy current displacement sensor includes four components: (1) a sensor coil; (2) a target; (3) drive electronics; and (4) a signal processing block. When the sensor coil is driven by an AC current, it generates an oscillating magnetic field that induces eddy currents in any nearby metallic object (i.e., the target). The eddy currents circulate in a direction opposite to that of the coil, reducing the magnetic flux in the coil and thereby its inductance. The eddy currents also dissipate energy, which increases the coil's resistance. These electrical principles may be used to determine the displacement of the target from the coil.
An example of the theory relating to LVDT sensor and operation is available at the following website, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference:
http://www.macrosensors.com/primerframe.htm
In relevant part, the above website states that a linear variable differential transformer (“LVDT”) is an electro-mechanical transducer that can convert rectilinear motion into an electrical signal. Depending on the particular system, an LVDT may be sensitive to movements as small as a few millionths of an inch.
A typical LVDT includes a coil and a core. The coil assembly consists of a primary winding in the center of the coil assembly, and two secondary windings on either side of the primary winding. Typically, the windings are formed on thermally stable glass and wrapped in a high permeability magnetic shield. The coil assembly is typically the stationary section of an LVDT sensor.
The moving element of an LVDT is the core, which is typically a cylindrical element that may move within the coil assembly with some radial clearance. The core is usually made from a highly magnetically permeable material.
In operation, the primary winding is energized with AC electrical current, known as the primary excitation. The electrical output of the LVDT is a differential voltage between the two secondary windings, which varies with the axial position of the core within the coil assembly.
The LVDT's primary winding is energized by a constant amplitude AC source. The magnetic flux developed is coupled by the core to the secondary windings. If the core is moved closer to the first secondary winding, the induced voltage in the first secondary winding will increase, while the induced voltage in the other secondary winding will be decreased. This results in a differential voltage.
In the capacitive system 500 depicted in
In the capacitive system 600 depicted in
The one or more of the systems described above are located along the axis of a drill collar. In this location, the sensors systems are responsive to deformations resulting from WOB. In some cases, they may have the added advantage of not being sensitive to Bend. With the sensor system in
In the capacitive system 700 depicted in
In the capacitive system 700a depicted in
Referring now to
In the capacitive system 800 depicted in
Referring now to
In the capacitive system 900 depicted in
In the capacitive system 1000 depicted in
As shown in
Strain Gauge
The helical cut 1106 in the drill collar is used to magnify the forces applied to the drill collar and/or reduce the effect of hydrostatic pressure on measurement readings. The axial force present in the drill collar due to weight on bit can be transformed into a torsional moment. The shear strain due to the torsional moment can be measured and is a linear function of the weight applied in the direction of the axis of the drill collar.
The gap 1106 preferably extends about a central portion of the drill collar to partially separate the drill collar into a top portion 1108, a bottom portion 1110 and a central portion 1111 therebetween. The gap extends through the wall of the drill collar to enable greater deformation of the drill collar in response to forces resulting in a spring-like movement. Preferably, as shown by the dotted lines in
With the gap, the ability of the drill collar to transfer the torque necessary for drilling may be reduced. To provide the necessary torque, a load sleeve is secured to the drill collar. As shown in
The outer portion 1114 is disposed about the outer surface of the drill collar to assist in securing the portions of the drill collar together. The outer portion transmits torque applied to the drill collar and reduces axial forces. The outer portion may also prevent mud from flowing into the drill collar through the gap. The inner portion 1116 is positioned along the inner surface of the drill collar to isolate the drill collar from drilling mud. The inner portion also insulates the drill collar from temperature fluctuations. The thread rings 1118 and locking nut 1115 are positioned on the inner and outer surfaces of the drill collar adjacent the portions of the sleeve to secure the sleeve in place about the drill collar.
Torque transmitting keys 1120 are preferably positioned about the outer surface of the drill collar adjacent the outer portion. A first key transmits the torque from the top part of the drill collar to the sleeve. The second key transmits the torque from the sleeve to the lower drill collar. The keys are preferably provided to allow axial movement and/or to separate the internal and the external mud flow.
A strain gauge 1104, such as a metal foil strain gauge, is preferably positioned at 45 degrees to the collar axis to measure shear strains which are a function of the WOB, TOB and Bend desired to be measured.
The central element 1208 includes an outer sheath 1206, an inner sheath 1204, seals 1212, a jam nut 1219 and strain gauges 1211. The central element 1208 is operatively connected between a first portion 1214 and a second portion 1216 of the drill collar 1202. The connection is preferably non-separable, so that the first portion, central element and second portion form a single component. Another possibility is to manufacture one portion of the drill collar and the central element in one unitary piece and connect the second portion of the drill collar with a lock nut (not shown). While the load sleeve and its components are depicted as separate components, it will be appreciated that such components may be integral.
A passage 1218 is preferably provided within the central element to permit fluid inside the drill collar to flow into the area adjacent the strain gauges. This fluid flow deforms the portion of the central element supporting the strain gauges in such a way that deformation due to hydrostatic pressure is essentially eliminated. The passages may be of any other geometry and the area on which star gauges are positioned may be of any other geometry so that the total deformation of the area due to hydrostatic pressure is substantially zero.
The pressure sleeve is attached to the upper section of the drill collar and is slidably and/or rotatably movable relative to the lower portion of the drill collar. Seals 1220 are positioned between the portions of the drill collar and the pressure sleeve.
The functionality of the drill collar is separated into a load carry function and a pressure and/or mud separating function. The load function is captured by the central element 1208. The pressure and/or mud separating function is captured by the pressure sleeve 1203.
The central element is fixed rigidly between the portions of the drill collar. The central element transfers the axial and torque loads that the drill string receives. The pressure sleeve absorbs internal and external pressure applied to the drill collar and seals both portions of the drill collar. This sleeve preferably does not contribute to the stiffness of the assembly against bending.
The deformations of the drill collar due to hydrostatic pressure are reduced by the passage 1218. The strain gauged area is designed in such a way that tensile strains due to hydrostatic pressure in passage 1218 are superposing on the compressive and circumferential strains caused by the presence of hydrostatic pressure on the outer diameter of the central element and the face surfaces of the central element. For example a dome deformation under the strain gauges can be realized.
The effects of temperature gradients upon the drill collar and the effect of steady state temperature change from a non-strained reference temperature of the drill collar may also be reduced and/or prevented from transferring to the central element. While the central element itself is experiencing deformation due to temperature change, a standard full wheatstone bridge (not shown) may be mounted on the central element to reduce the output of the sensor due to temperature change. The deformation of the central element due to bending about the collar axes are small due to the fact that the radius of the sensing element is small in comparison to the radius of the drill collar.
The load cell system 1278 includes a load cell housing 1284 supported within the passage 1276, a load cell 1280, piston 1281 and a jam nut 1282. The housing 1284 has a first cavity 1286 therein which houses the load cell, and a second cavity 1288 which houses the piston. The piston moves through the second cavity to transfer hydrostatic pressure from the first cavity with the load cell. The load cell preferably consists of a weaker of strain gauge area 1290, two strong areas 1292 and a cylindrical central cavity 1294.
The jam nut 1282 holds the load cell in place during operations and rigidly connects the load cell to the drill collar in such a way that the axial, circumferential and radial deformations, as well as deformation due to torque on the drill collar, are transferred to the load cell. The jam nut may have a circular cylindrical cavity 1296 to modify the rigidity of the jam nut in the direction of the drill collar axis.
The geometry of the jam nut and load cell are preferably chosen in such a way that the deformation of the drill collar over the entire length of the assembly is concentrated in the weaker area 1290 of the jam nut and thus sensed by the strain gauges. Also, the geometry of the cylindrical cavity 1296 in the load cell is chosen in such a way that the strains experienced by the load cell due to hydrostatic pressure load on the drill collar are equaled and, thus, nullified by the strains that are experienced by the load cell due to pressure load on the cylindrical cavity.
Drilling Jar
The drilling jar 1300 of
The movement of the first and second portions of the drill collar is controlled by the spring or elastic element 1314. The locknut 1304 is provided to prevent the drill collar from separating. The displacement sensors 1310, 1312 are mounted into the drill collar to measure the distance traveled between the collar portions. This distance is a function of the WOB force that is applied to the drill collar. The piston 1308 is preferably provided to compensate pressure and to prevent displacement between the drill collar portions due to hydrostatic pressure. The torque transmitting key is also preferably provided to transmit rotation of the respective drill collar portions to the drill bit.
The portions of the drill collar are joined to transmit torque (by way of the key 1306). Between the portions, the elastic element 1314, such as a spring or solid with significantly greater elasticity than steel is introduced. The space in which the elastic element is seated is preferably at hydrostatic pressure. When the drill collar is compressed, the elastic element deforms when the portions are moving towards each other. The distance is measured.
Deformations of the drill collar resulting from factors other than weight, such as to thermal expansion, thermal gradients and thermal transients, are small in comparison to the deformation of the elastic element due to weight. Compensation therefore needs to be less accurate than for solutions where the deformation of the drill collar itself is measured, which is of an order of magnitude smaller for WOB than for other loads.
The electronic chassis 1408 is disposed about the inner surface of the drill collar adjacent to where the portions meet. The electronic chassis is preferably provided for supporting electronics for measuring pressure from the sensor. The electronics may be used to transmit data collected to the BHA.
The portions of the drill collar are slidably movable relative to each other and secured together via locknut 1405. The portions of the drill collar are joined to form a pressure sealed cylindrical compartment 1424 about the drill collar circumference. The compartment is filled with hydraulic fluid. The pressure of the fluid increases with increasing hydrostatic pressure and axial compression. A mechanical stop (not shown) may be used to secure the compartment from burst pressure. The pressure of the fluid decreases with decreasing hydrostatic pressure and tensile axial loads. Another mechanical stop (not shown) may also be used to prevent the drill collar portions from disassembling in case of overpull.
A pressure sensor may be provided to measure the fluid pressure in the chamber. The pressure in the fluid chamber is a function of the applied WOB force on the drill collar. The pressure and temperature of the fluid is monitored and set in relation to the change of volume of the compartment 1424. This change of volume is a function of the axial force acting on the drill collar. Mud pressure may also be measured and used to compensate the axial deformation measurement. These measurements may be used to further define and analyze the downhole forces.
The method includes positioning a drill string with a drilling tool in a wellbore, at step 1501. The method next includes measuring the forces acting on the drilling tool using sensors, at step 1502. This may include measuring an electrical property of the sensor. The data is related to a deformation of the drilling tool, which is related to the load on the drilling tool.
The method may then include several alternative steps. For example, the method may include analyzing the measurements to determine the forces action on the drilling tool or to determine the movement of the drilling too, at step 1511 and 1503. In some cases, determining the forces includes determining the deformation of the drilling tool under the load. Alternately, the load may be determined without specifically determining the deformation of the drilling tool.
Continuing in the alternative steps following 1502, the method may next include transmitting the measurements to the surface, at step 1504. This may be done using any telemetry method known in the art, for example, mud-pulse telemetry. Finally, the method may include adjusting drilling parameters based on the measurements of the downhole forces, loads, and movements, at step 1505.
In another alternative path, the method may include recording the measurements or analyzed measurements in a memory, at step 1521. This may be done using the measurements (from step 1502) or using the analyzed measurements (step 1511).
In another alternative method, the measurements may be transmitted to the surface, at step 1531, where they may be analyzed to determine the forces and loads on the drilling tool, at step 1532. The drilling parameters may then be adjusted based on the measurements of the downhole loads.
The measurements made by the drill tool may include a combination of accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes and/or other sensors. For example, such a combination may include a three axis magnetometer, a three axis accelerometer and angular accelerometer for determining angular position, azimuthal position, inclination, WOB, TOB, annular pressure, internal pressure, mud temperature, collar temperature, transient temperature, temperature gradient of collar, and others. Measurements are preferably made at a high sample rate, for example about 1 kHz.
The coil 1611 is a hollow cylinder that includes a primary winding in the center and two secondary windings near the ends of the cylinder (windings are well known in the art, and they are not shown in the figures). The core 1612 may be constructed of a magnetically permeable material and sized so that it can move axially within the coil 1611, without contact between the two. The primary winding is energized with AC current, and the output signal, a differential voltage between the two secondary windings, is related to the position of the core 1612 within the coil 1611. By coupling the coil 1611 and the core 1612 at different axial points in the drill collar 1602, the core 1612 and the coil 1611 will move relative to each other when the drill collar 1602 experiences deformation from a load, such as WOB. The magnitude of the movement is related to the magnitude of the WOB, which can then be determined.
The system in
Z=2πd Equation 4
where L is the inductance of the sensor. Because the change in inductance is caused by the movement of the core 1612 within the coil 1612, the change in impedance is related to the magnitude of the deformation and the WOB.
In the bend state shown in
Using the sensor shown in
The sensor shown in
In the relaxed state, or un-tourqued state, shown in
Equation 1 shows that a reduction in the capacitive area between two capacitor plates will cause a reduction in the capacitance between the plates. Thus, when a torque is applied to the drill collar, the resulting deformation can be determined from the change in the capacitance between two capacitor plates (e.g., the first plate 1811 and the second plate 1812).
The particular configuration shown in
The load may be determined because the difference in the electrical property of the sensor between the relaxed condition and the loaded condition in related to the drill collar deformation. The deformation is, in turn, related to the load.
In some embodiments, the method includes determining the magnitude of the deformation of the drill collar (shown at step 1903). This may be advantageous because it enables the determination of the stress and strain on the drill collar.
A drill collar or a BHA may include any number of sensor embodiments in accordance with the invention. The use of multiple embodiments of sensors may enable the simultaneous determination of WOB, TOB, and bend, as well as other forces that act on a drill string during drilling. For example, a drill collar may include an embodiment of a sensor that is similar to the embodiment shown in
The variations in temperature and pressure can have significant effects on the deformation of the drill string. For example, the temperature in the borehole can vary between 50° C. and 200° C., and the hydrostatic pressure, which increases with depth, can be as high at 30,000 psi in deep wells. The thermal expansion and compression due to the hydrostatic pressure can cause deformations that are several orders of magnitude higher than the deformations caused by WOB. Thus, for example, the distance between the capacitor plates 404 in
The system 2000 will also be responsive to temperature changes that cause thermal expansion in the drill collar 2002. Because the system 2000 is disposed inside the drill collar 2002, it will expand and contract with the drill collar 2002 in response to temperature and pressure changes.
Because of the vertical orientation of the plates 2004, and because they are coupled to the drill collar at substantially the same axial location, the system 2000 will be relatively insensitive to deformations that result from WOB, TOB, and bending moments. The system 2000 will mostly be responsive to thermal expansion and pressure effects. This will enable a more accurate determination of downhole forces by using the data relating to thermal expansion and pressure effects when determining WOB, TOB, and/or bending moments based on other sensors in the drill collar 2002.
A thermal coating 2101 will insulate the drill collar 2102 from temperature gradients. The temperature drop will be experiences across the insulating material, and not across the drill collar 2102 itself. There are many materials that are known in the art that may be suitable. For example some types of rubber and elastomers will insulate the drill collar 2102 and withstand the tough downhole environment. Other materials such as fiberglass may be used.
Referring again to
Instead of an eddy current sensor system, the sensor system 2200 in
Embodiments of the present invention may present one or more of the following advantages. Capacitive and inductive systems in accordance with the invention are not susceptible to measurement errors based on changes in temperature. Ambient pressure also does not affect the operations of certain embodiments of these systems. Additionally, these systems do not have contacting parts that could wear out or need to be replaced.
Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention enable the measurement of WOB without any sensitivity to torque or bend. Moreover, one or more embodiments of the invention enable the determination of two or more loads on a drill bit or drill string.
Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a useable signal that will yield accurate and precise results without the use of a mechanical amplification of the deformation. A system in accordance with the invention may be installed directly into a drill collar without the need for a separate load cell. Thus, certain embodiments may occupy minimal space in a drill collar.
Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention are mounted internal to a drill collar. Such embodiments are not susceptible to borehole interference or other problems related to the flow of mud.
Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention are less affected by temperature variations than prior art sensors. In addition, some embodiments my enable compensation for strain caused by pressure and temperature variations downhole.
While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised that do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 10/904,021 filed Oct. 19, 2004 which claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/523,653 filed on Nov. 20, 2003, entitled “Downhole Tool Sensor System and Method.” This provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10904021 | Oct 2004 | US |
Child | 11970823 | US |