Patent Application
20150088468
Boreholes are drilling into geologic formations for various reasons such as hydrocarbon production, geothermal production, and carbon dioxide sequestration. These boreholes are typically drilled by a drill rig, which rotates a drill string with a drill bit on the end. In some cases a mud motor may be disposed in a bottomhole assembly near the end of the drill string in order to increase the rotational speed of the drill bit. The mud motor uses the energy of flowing drilling fluid or mud to operate the motor.
In general, several drilling parameters are used as inputs to the drill rig to drill a borehole. Examples of these parameters include rotational speed of the drill string, rotational speed of the mud motor, and drilling fluid flow rate. Unfortunately, due the length of the drill string and the dynamic loads imposed on it while drilling a borehole, the drill string may be subject to high lateral vibration levels. These vibration levels may cause equipment damage, such as by making contact with the borehole wall, and impede drilling. Hence, it would be well received in the drilling and geophysical exploration industries if a method would be developed to select drill parameters that would result in avoiding high lateral vibration levels as a borehole is being drilled.
Disclosed is a method for estimating drilling parameters of a drill rig for drilling a borehole in an earth material. The method includes drilling the borehole with the drilling rig in operable communication with a drill string having a mud motor and a drill bit, the drill rig being receptive to adjustable rotational speed of the drill string and adjustable rotational speed of the mud motor. The method further includes constructing a mathematical model of a system that includes the drill string, the mud motor, and a geometry of the borehole using a processor. The model includes dimensions, mass distribution, material density, and material stiffness. The method further includes calculating a mud motor lateral excitation force imposed on the drill string by the mud motor for one or more combinations of drill string rotational speed and mud motor rotational speed using the processor. The method further includes calculating, with the processor, lateral motion of the drill string and a force imposed on the drill string at a plurality of positions along the drill string for the one or more of combinations of drill string rotational speed and mud motor rotational speed using the mathematical model and the mud motor lateral excitation force. The method further includes selecting a range of combinations of drill string rotational speed and mud motor rotational speed that result in the force imposed upon the drill string being less than a threshold value using the processor and displaying the range of combinations to a user using a display.
Also disclosed is an apparatus for drilling a borehole in an earth material. The apparatus includes a drill string coupled to a drill bit configured to drill the borehole, a mud motor disposed at the drill string and configured to rotate the drill bit, and a drill rig in operable communication with the drill string and configured to operate the drill string to drill the borehole, the drill rig being receptive to adjustable rotational speed of the drill string and adjustable rotational speed of the mud motor. The apparatus further includes a processor configured to: receive a mathematical model of a system comprising the drill sting, the mud motor, and a geometry of the borehole, the model comprising dimensions, mass distribution, material density, and material stiffness using the processor; calculate a mud motor lateral excitation force imposed on the drill string by the mud motor for one or more of combinations of drilling parameters; calculate lateral motion of the drill string and a force imposed on the drill string at a plurality of positions along the drill string for the one or more combinations of drilling parameters using the mathematical model and the mud motor lateral excitation force; select a range of combinations of drilling parameters that result in the force imposed upon the drill string being less than a threshold value; and provide the range of combinations to a display. The apparatus further includes a display configured to receive the range of combinations from the processor and to display the range of combinations to a user.
The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:
A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the figures.
Disclosed is a method for selecting drilling parameters that are applied to a drill string for drilling a borehole. By drilling the borehole with the selected drilling parameters, high lateral vibration levels of the drill string are avoided. The method includes calculating the lateral frequency or vibration response of the drill string based on the theoretical excitation frequency of a mud motor that assists in rotating a drill bit and potentially other force inducing components above or below the mud motor. Excitation frequencies are an outcome of specific combinations of drilling parameters. The excitation frequencies that result in high lateral vibration levels of the drill string are avoided by displaying to a drill operator those combinations of drilling parameters that result in avoiding the high lateral vibration levels or those combinations that result in the high lateral vibrations. The high lateral vibration levels can result in forces imposed on the drill string. Non-limiting embodiments of these forces include at least one of a lateral force, a tangential force, a torque, a bending moment, a stress and a strain.
Next, apparatus for implementing the drilling parameter selection method is discussed.
Still referring to
Still referring to
Next, the drilling parameter selection method is discussed. This method may be implemented by a processor such as a processor in the downhole electronics 24 or the surface computer processing system 13.
Block 32 calls for constructing a mathematical model of a system comprising the drill sting, the mud motor, and a geometry of the borehole. The model includes various physical parameters such as physical dimensions, mass distribution, material density, and material stiffness. The stiffness may include elasticity and/or Poisson's Ratio. In one or more embodiments, the geometry may be imported from a computer-aided-design (CAD) software program. Non-limiting embodiments of the CAD software are Solid Works, ProEngineer, AutoCAD and CATIA. The model may be three-dimensional model or a two-dimensional model. It can be appreciated that if a component is disposed at (i.e., in or on) the drill string, then that component may be modeled as part of the drill string.
Block 33 calls for calculating a mud motor lateral excitation force imposed on the drill string by the mud motor for one or more (i.e., a plurality) of combinations of drill string rotational speed and mud motor rotational speed. The mud motor rotational speed may be derived from the drilling fluid flow rate and, accordingly, the mud motor rotational speed may be adjusted by adjusting the drilling fluid flow rate. One source of lateral vibration of the drill string is generally the mud motor of the BHA, which has a mass imbalance due to the off-center path of the rotor. The excitation frequency fexc of the mud motor is represented as:
f
exc
=z*f
rot
−f
str
with z representing the lobe configuration of the rotor of the mud motor, frot representing the rotational frequency of the rotor of the mud motor, and fstr representing the rotational frequency of the drill string. Lobe configuration z is generally the number of lobes in the rotor. For the example illustrated in
f=mω
exc
2
r
where ωexc represents the rotational frequency of the mud motor in radians per unit of time.
Block 34 calls for calculating lateral motion of the drill string and a force imposed on the drill string at a plurality of positions along the drill string for the one or more combinations of drill string rotational speed and mud motor rotational speed using the mathematical model (shown in block 22) and the mud motor lateral excitation force (calculated in block 23). A frequency response function of the drill string system is calculated with the mass imbalance of the mud motor as a source of excitation using a software program, which can calculate motion when imposed forces are known, such as BHASYSPro available from Baker Hughes Inc. The frequency response (e.g., the system's vibration response) may be calculated or it can be based on measurements or experience, such as from lookup tables based upon history data from other drilled boreholes. In one or more embodiments for example, the mathematical model is a finite element model. Calculations may include using a finite difference method or a transfer matrix method as known in the art. Beam elements can be used which are nonlinear with respect to the deflection. The degrees of freedom of the nodes representing the structure can be the three translational (e.g. x, y, z) and the three rotational degrees of freedom (φx, φy, φz). Beam elements can be used which are nonlinear with respect to the deflection. The degrees of freedom of the nodes representing the structure can be the three translational (e.g. x, y, z) and the three rotational degrees of freedom (φx, φy, φz). Borehole geometry may be imported for example from a caliper measurement performed by the downhole caliper tool and may be sent in real time to the computer processing system 13. Alternatively, the borehole geometry may be imported from a borehole or well plan used for drilling the borehole. The minimum curvature method can be used to model the borehole geometry. This means the geometry is approximated by adjacent circles. In one or more embodiments, a static solution is then calculated where boundary conditions of the system are defined. For example the axial deflection at the top of the drill string (e.g., at the hook) can be set to zero. The static deflection of the Finite-Element-Model of the drill string is calculated under consideration of the borehole survey geometry. The survey geometry can be considered by generating a penalty formulation of the contact between the drill string and the borehole that is a force proportional to the intersection of drill string. The solution is nonlinear and therefore iterative (a Newton like solver may be used) because the wall contacts are nonlinear (separation vs. contact) and there are nonlinear geometric forces due to the nonlinearity of the finite elements. Wall contact forces and intersections are calculated. The mass matrix M and stiffness matrix K are calculated with respect to the static solution. Therefore, the nonlinear geometric forces are linearized. This is equal to the development of the Taylor series of the nonlinear geometric forces. Additionally, a damping matrix C can be considered and calculated. Valid approximations of the damping matrix C are Rayleigh damping or structural damping. The equation of motion may be written as M{umlaut over (x)}+C{dot over (x)}=f+fnl where f is a force matrix or vector representing the dynamic force applied to the drill string, fnl is a non-linear force matrix or vector representing non-linear forces applied to the drill string, and x is a displacement vector. The single dot represents the first derivative with respect to time and the two dots represent the second derivative with respect to time. The equation of motion is solved with respect to the displacement x. The dynamic stiffness matrix S as known in the art is calculated where S=ωexc2M+iωexcC+K (i is a complex number). From S*x=fexc, x can be determined knowing S and fexc. Using these equations, bending moments, stresses and strains, lateral forces, and tangential forces, for example, can be calculated at any point of the drill string using the finite elements as is known in the art.
Block 35 calls for selecting a range of combinations of drilling parameters that result in the force imposed upon the drill string being less than a threshold value. The threshold value is generally selected such that drill string and drill string components will not be damaged when subjected to a force caused by a vibration below the threshold value. In one or more embodiments, the threshold value may be a percentage (e.g., 10%) of a peak value of a force imposed on the drill string. Alternatively, the threshold value can be a weighted value of different variables and can, for example, include stresses due to static deformation or can vary depending on the mud motor excitation frequency. An example is illustrated in
Block 36 calls for displaying the range of combinations to a user using a display. One example of a screen display is the right side of
It can be appreciated that the method 30 can also be adapted to account for other rotating mass imbalances or periodic forces. In general, these other mass imbalances or periodic forces result in secondary excitation forces that have magnitudes that are less than the excitation force due to the mud motor. The secondary excitation forces may be above the mud motor and excite at drill string RPM or may be below the mud motor and excite at drill bit RPM. In addition, multiples of RPM values (i.e., harmonics) may be considered if they are significant. Mass imbalances of tools disposed at the drill string may also be accommodated in addition to forces above or below the mud motor due to periodic impacts of a rotating structure such as with the borehole wall. One example of periodic impacts involves the “cam shaft” effect of a straight-bladed stabilizer of a drill string in an over-sized borehole. The stabilizer will make contact periodically as the drill string rotates imposing a periodic force on the drill string. In
Further, a superposition of frequency response functions of statistically distributed mass imbalances can be used. These can for example be determined by Monte-Carlo-Simulations. Therefore, a mass (imbalance) is placed at a statistically determined place and eccentricity along the BHA or drill string. A frequency response function corresponding to this imbalance is calculated in the RPM range of interest. This is repeated for different statistically placed masses and leads to different frequency response functions. For example, the maximum along the frequency range of all response functions can be used with a threshold to determine acceptable combinations with regard to vibrations.
It can be appreciated that the drilling parameter selection method provides several advantages. One advantage is that those combinations of drilling parameters that result in imposing forces on the drill string that are less than threshold level forces, which may cause equipment degradation or damage, are readily observable by an operator or user. If the operator observes that the drilling parameters currently being used result in imposing forces on the drill string that exceed the threshold level, then the operator can quickly adjust the drilling parameters into the sweet spot area where the imposed forces are less than the threshold level. Another advantage is that an operator can anticipate what the sweet spot areas of drilling parameter combinations will be based on the present knowledge of the drill string geometry and a plan for drilling the borehole, which will result in knowledge of the anticipated geometry of the borehole. Hence, the operator can have knowledge for avoiding non-sweet spot areas before drilling the borehole. If, for example, a downhole caliper tool provides borehole caliper data in real time, then the sweet spot areas of drilling parameter combinations can be updated in real time using the more accurate borehole geometry obtained from the caliper tool.
In support of the teachings herein, various analysis components may be used, including a digital and/or an analog system. For example, the downhole electronics 4, the computer processing system 13, or the downhole caliper tool 11 may include digital and/or analog systems. The system may have components such as a processor, storage media, memory, input, output, communications link (wired, wireless, pulsed mud, optical or other), user interfaces, software programs, signal processors (digital or analog) and other such components (such as resistors, capacitors, inductors and others) to provide for operation and analyses of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein in any of several manners well-appreciated in the art. It is considered that these teachings may be, but need not be, implemented in conjunction with a set of computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, including memory (ROMs, RAMs), optical (CD-ROMs), or magnetic (disks, hard drives), or any other type that when executed causes a computer to implement the method of the present invention. These instructions may provide for equipment operation, control, data collection and analysis and other functions deemed relevant by a system designer, owner, user or other such personnel, in addition to the functions described in this disclosure.
Further, various other components may be included and called upon for providing for aspects of the teachings herein. For example, a power supply (e.g., at least one of a generator, a remote supply and a battery), cooling component, heating component, magnet, electromagnet, sensor, electrode, transmitter, receiver, transceiver, antenna, controller, optical unit, electrical unit or electromechanical unit may be included in support of the various aspects discussed herein or in support of other functions beyond this disclosure.
Elements of the embodiments have been introduced with either the articles “a” or “an.” The articles are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the elements listed. The conjunction “or” when used with a list of at least two terms is intended to mean any term or combination of terms. The terms “first,” “second” and the like do not denote a particular order, but are used to distinguish different elements. The term “couple” relates to a first component being coupled to a second component either directly or indirectly through an intermediate component.
While one or more embodiments have been shown and described, modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustrations and not limitation.
It will be recognized that the various components or technologies may provide certain necessary or beneficial functionality or features. Accordingly, these functions and features as may be needed in support of the appended claims and variations thereof, are recognized as being inherently included as a part of the teachings herein and a part of the invention disclosed.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications will be appreciated to adapt a particular instrument, situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
