Patent Application
20150176390
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of drilling and processing of wells. More particularly, present embodiments relate to a system and method for measuring movement of a top drive system.
Top drives are typically utilized in well drilling and maintenance operations, such as operations related to oil and gas exploration. In conventional oil and gas operations, a well is typically drilled to a desired depth with a drill string, which includes drill pipe and a drilling bottom hole assembly (BHA). During a drilling process, the drill string may be supported and hoisted about a drilling rig by a hoisting system for eventual positioning down hole in a well. As the drill string is lowered into the well, a top drive system may rotate the drill string to facilitate drilling.
Once the desired depth is reached, the drill string is removed from the hole and casing is run into the vacant hole. In some conventional operations, the casing may be installed as part of the drilling process. A technique that involves running casing at the same time the well is being drilled may be referred to as “casing-while-drilling.” Casing may be defined as pipe or tubular that is placed in a well to prevent the well from caving in, to contain fluids, and to assist with efficient extraction of product. When the casing is run into the well, the casing may be gripped and rotated by a top drive.
Drill string and casing may generally be referred to as pipe or tubular. It is now recognized that, when the drill string or casing is run into the well, the top drive and the corresponding pipe may be susceptible to lateral movement (e.g., swirl movement). Such movement may cause undesired stresses on any of various portions of a drilling or casing system. For example, undesired levels of stress may be placed on the drill string, the casing, the top drive, and/or other components of the drilling rig.
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a system includes a top drive movement measurement system having a sensor module configured to be disposed about and couple to a component of a top drive system, a first plurality of sensors of the sensor module, wherein the first plurality of sensors is configured to detect lateral movement of the component of the top drive system, and a second plurality of sensors of the sensor module, wherein the second plurality of sensors is configured to detect one or more compression or tension forces in the component of the top drive system.
In another embodiment, a method includes detecting a first parameter indicative of lateral movement of a top drive system with respect to a rotational axis of the top drive system with a first plurality of sensors, detecting a second parameter indicative of lateral movement of the top drive system with respect to the rotational axis of the top drive system with a second plurality of sensors, wherein the first parameter is different from the second parameter, transmitting the first parameter and the second parameter to a monitoring system, and comparing the first parameter to a first threshold value and comparing the second parameter to a second threshold value with the monitoring system.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a system includes a top drive movement measurement system having a sensor module configured to be disposed about and couple to a component of a top drive system and a monitoring system. The sensor module includes a first plurality of sensors, wherein the first plurality of sensors is configured to detect lateral movement of the component of the top drive system and a second plurality of sensors, wherein the second plurality of sensors is configured to detect one or more compression or tension forces in the component of the top drive system. The monitoring system includes a signal receiver configured to receive data from the sensor module, a processor, and one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon, the executable instructions comprising instructions adapted to actuate an alert of the monitoring system when the first plurality of sensors detect lateral movement that exceeds a first threshold, the second plurality of sensors detect compression or tension that exceeds a second threshold, or both, and wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprises at least one value stored thereon, wherein the at least one value corresponds to the first threshold, the second threshold, or both.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of present embodiments will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
Present embodiments provide a swirl measurement system for a top drive system. As discussed in detail below, during a drilling or tubular (e.g., casing) running operation, a top drive system may rotate a tubular or string of tubular while the tubular is lowered into a wellbore. It is now recognized that, during these operations, the top drive system and/or tubular may become off balance and may move or sway from side to side in an oblong or circular motion. To improve monitoring and performance of top drive operations, the swirl measurement system is configured to measure and monitor linear, radial, lateral, and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive and a tubular supported by the top drive during a drilling or tubular running operation. For example, the swirl measurement system may include a sensor module having a linear accelerometer, a gyroscope, strain gauges, or any combination thereof, configured to collect data indicative of linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive and the tubular about a longitudinal axis. The swirl measurement system may also include a monitoring station or other monitoring system configured to analyze the collected data and/or alert a user or operator if the linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive and the tubular exceeds a threshold.
Turning now to the drawings,
When a new length of tubular 38 is added to the casing string 28, a top drive 40, hoisted by the traveling block 22, positions the tubular 38 above the wellbore 30 before coupling with the casing string 28. The top drive 40, once coupled with the tubular 38, may then lower the coupled tubular 38 toward the stump 36 such that the tubular 38 connects with the stump 36 and becomes part of the drill string 28. As the tubular 38 is lowered, the top drive 40 may rotate the tubular 38, as indicated by arrow 45. Specifically, the top drive 40 includes a quill 42 used to turn the tubular 38 and a saver sub 44 (e.g., a crossover sub) that couples the tubular 38 to the quill 42. In certain embodiments, the saver sub 44 (e.g., crossover sub) may include threads on both axial ends to couple the tubular 38 to the quill 42. Furthermore, the drilling rig 10 and the top drive 40 may also include a rotary table, a Kelly system, and/or other components or systems.
Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the top drive 40 includes the swirl measurement system 46, which is configured to measure and monitor movement of the top drive 40, quill 42, saver sub 44 (e.g., crossover sub), and/or tubular 38. In the illustrated embodiment, the swirl measurement system 46 includes a sensor module 50 and a monitoring station 52. The sensor module 50 is coupled to and disposed about the saver sub 44 (e.g., crossover sub). However, in other embodiments, the sensor module 50 may be coupled to the top drive 40, the quill 42, or another component of the drilling rig 10 associated with the top drive 40. As described in detail below, the sensor module 50 may include sensors, such as a linear accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or strain gauges configured to collect data indicative of linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive 40, the quill 42, the saver sub 44, and/or and the tubular 38. Additionally, the sensor module 50 may include a signal transmitter (e.g., an antenna) or other communications device configured to communicate with a corresponding communications device of the monitoring station 52. Accordingly, the monitoring station 52 may receive and analyze data collected by the sensors of the sensor module 50. In certain embodiments, the monitoring station 52 may be configured to alert a user or operator when movement detected by the sensor module 50 exceeds a predetermined threshold.
It should be noted that the illustration of
In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 100 has an annular or donut-shaped configuration. As such, the housing 100 has a central aperture 110 through which the saver sub 44 is disposed. As the housing 100 is disposed about the saver sub 44, radial movement (e.g., linear, oblong, or swirl movement) of the saver sub 44 or other component coupled to the saver sub 44, such as the top drive 40, quill 42, or tubular 38, may be transferred to the housing 100 of the sensor module 50. Therefore, the sensors within the housing 100, which are described in further detail below, may detect radial movement (e.g., linear, oblong, or swirl movement about a longitudinal axis) of the saver sub 44, the top drive 40, the quill 42, and/or the tubular 38. As the sensors within the housing 100 detect radial movement of one or more of these components, a signal transmitter disposed within the housing 100 may transmit the measurements (e.g., in real time) to monitoring station 52 of the swirl measurement system 44. In this manner, radial movement (e.g., linear, oblong, or swirl movement) of the saver sub 44, the top drive 40, the quill 42, and/or the tubular 38 may be monitored during a drilling or tubular running process.
For example, during rotation of the saver sub 44 (e.g., during running of the tubular 38), the linear accelerometer 126 may experience and detect constant forces in along an X-axis 160 and a Y-axis 162 of the saver sub 44. However, if the saver sub 44 is experiencing a swirl motion (e.g., oblong motion about a Z-axis 164 of the saver sub 44), the linear accelerometer 126 may detect increases and/or decrease in the forces acting along the X-axis 160 and Y-axis 162. Similarly, the gyroscope 128 may detect non-constant forces along the X-axis 160 and Y-axis 162 during swirl movement of the saver sub 44. The measurements obtained by the linear accelerometer 126 and the gyroscope 128 may be transmitted to the monitoring station 52 of the swirl measurement system 46 for analysis and monitoring. In certain embodiments, the monitoring station 52 may be configured to generate and display graphs using the measurements obtained by the linear accelerometer 126 and the gyroscope 128. In this manner, the measurements obtained by the sensors 124, and therefore swirl movement of the saver sub 44, may be monitored by an operator or user. Examples of such graphs are discussed below with respect to
Furthermore, the illustrated embodiment of the sensor module 50 and saver sub 44 includes strain gauges 130 disposed on an outside circumference 132 of the saver sub 44. In particular, a plurality of strain gauges 130 is positioned circumferentially (e.g., equidistantly or substantially equidistantly) about the outside circumference 132 of the saver sub 44. For example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more strain gauges 130 may be positioned (e.g., circumferentially) on the outer circumference 132 of the saver sub 44. In other embodiments, the strain gauges 130 may be spaced or arranged in other configurations. The strain gauges 130 may further be operatively coupled to the printed circuit board 122. As will be appreciated, the strain gauges 130 are configured to measure strain (e.g., tension and compression forces) acting on the saver sub 44. For example, the strain gauges 130 may be flexible, adhesive sensors that include a metallic foil pattern configured to deform and change in electrical resistance when a force tension or compression force is applied to the surface of the saver sub 44. During movement (e.g., linear, oblong, or swirl movement) of the saver sub 44, one or more of the strain gauges 130 may detect strain (e.g., compression or tension) acting on one or more surfaces of the saver sub 44. The measurements obtained by the strain gauges 130 are described in further detail below. As with the measurements of the linear accelerometer 126 and the gyroscope 128, the measurements obtained by the strain gauges 130 may also be transmitted to the monitoring station 52 for analysis and monitoring.
The sensor module 50 may house other components as well. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the housing 100 of the sensor module 50 houses a battery 134 within a pocket 136 (e.g., a recess) of the main body 102 of the housing 100. As shown, the pocket 136 includes a pocket cover 138 configured to seal the pocket 136 from the environment surrounding the sensor module 50. As will be appreciated, the pocket cover 138 may be removable to enable access to the battery 134 (e.g., for replacement) without removing the sensor module 50 from the saver sub 44 and/or disassembling other components of the sensor module 50.
The battery 134 is configured to supply power to one or more components of the sensor module 50, such as the printed circuit board 122, the linear accelerometer 126, the gyroscope 128, the strain gauges 130, communications components configured to transmit measured data to the monitoring station 52, or other components. The communications components of the sensor module 50 are discussed in further detail below with reference to
During a swirl motion of the saver sub 44 (e.g., circular movement about the Z-axis 164 of the saver sub 44) one or two strain gauges 130 may detect a compression force on the outer circumference 132 of the saver sub 44 and one or two strain gauges 130 may detect a tension force on the outer circumference 132 of the saver sub 44. The following discussion describes measurements of the strain gauges 130 in the illustrated embodiment during clockwise circular swirl of the saver sub 44. For example, if the saver sub 44 is bending or moving in a direction 208 (and therefore bowing in a direction opposite direction 208) during clockwise circular swirl movement, the second strain gauge 202 may detect a compressive force, and the fourth strain gauge 206 may detect a tension force. Thereafter, as the saver sub 44 continues to swirl clockwise, the saver sub 44 will bend in a direction 210. When the saver sub 44 bends in the direction 210, the third strain gauge 204 will detect a compressive force, and the first strain gauge 200 will detect a tension force. As the saver sub 44 continues to swirl clockwise, the saver sub 44 will bend in a direction 212. When the saver sub 44 bends in the direction 212, the fourth strain gauge 206 will detect a compressive force, and the second strain gauge 202 will detect a tension force. Lastly, when the saver sub 44 bends in the direction 214, the first strain gauge 200 will detect a compressive force, and the third strain gauge 204 will detect a tension force. In other words, when the saver sub 44 is bending in a particular direction during a swirl movement, at least one strain gauge 130 will experience a compressive force, and another strain gauge on the opposite side of the saver sub 44 will experience a tension force.
As will be appreciated, at certain positions of the saver sub 44 during the clockwise, circular swirl movement, two strain gauges 130 may detect a compression force on the outer circumference 132 and two strain gauges 130 may detect a tension force. For example, as the saver sub 44 swirls from bending in the direction 208 to the direction 210, the second and third strain gauges 202 and 204 may detect a compressive force and the first and fourth strain gauges 200 and 206 may experience a tension force. As similarly described above, the monitoring station 52 may be configured to generate and display graphs using the measurements obtained by strain gauges 130. In this manner, the measurements obtained by the sensors 124, and therefore swirl movement of the saver sub 44, may be monitored by an operator or user. Examples of such graphs are described below with respect to
In certain embodiments, threshold measurement values (e.g., forces detected by the sensors 124, normalized displacement threshold value, etc.) may be stored in the memory 222. For example, the threshold measurement values may correlate to an amount or level of movement (e.g., swirl) for which an operator may wish to power down the top drive 40. If the measured values meet or exceed the threshold values, an alarm 228, such as an auditory and/or visual alarm, of monitoring system 52 may be activated to alert a user or operator that the swirl movement has exceeded the threshold. In some embodiments, the monitoring system 52 may automatically assert control and make adjustments (e.g., slow or shutdown operation of the top drive 40) when certain measurement values are observed.
In
As described above, during swirl movement of the saver sub 44, one or two strain gauges 130 may detect a compression force on the outer circumference 132 of the saver sub 44 and one or two strain gauges 130 may detect a tension force on the outer circumference 132 of the saver sub 44. For example, line 286 in graph 280 may represent data collected from the first strain gauge 200 shown in
As discussed in detail above, present embodiments provide the swirl measurement system 46 for the top drive system 40. As discussed above, during a drilling or tubular 38 (e.g., casing 28) running operation, the top drive system 40 rotates the tubular 38 while the tubular 38 is lowered into the wellbore 30. To improve monitoring and performance of top drive 40 operations, the drilling rig 10 may include the swirl measurement system 46, which is configured to measure and monitor linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive 40 and the tubular 38 supported by the top drive 40 during the drilling or tubular 38 running operation. For example, the swirl measurement system 46 may include the sensor module 50 having the linear accelerometer 126, the gyroscope 128, the strain gauges 130, or any combination thereof, configured to collect data indicative of linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive 40 and the tubular 38 about a longitudinal axis (e.g., longitudinal axis 148). The embodiments discussed above describe the sensor module 50 coupled to the saver sub 44 of the top drive system 30. However, in other embodiments, the sensor module 50 may be coupled to or integral with another component of the top drive system 40 or drilling rig 10. Furthermore, while the above embodiments of the sensor module 50 are described as including the linear accelerometer 126, the gyroscope 128, and the strain gauges 130, other embodiments of the sensor module 50 may include the linear accelerometer 126, the gyroscope 128, or the strain gauges 130 alone or in any other combination. The swirl measurement system 46 may also include the monitoring system 52 configured to analyze the collected data, display the collected data, and/or alert a user or operator if the linear and/or circular motion (e.g., swirl) of the top drive 40 and the tubular 38 exceeds a threshold.
While only certain features of present embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
