Claims
- 1. A well control method comprising:measuring pressure with a downhole pressure sensor; transmitting pressure measurement data to a control system; and adjusting at least one of well shut-in, drilling fluid density, pumping rate, or choke actuation to change downhole pressure, wherein said adjusting is performed by the control system without any manual intervention, wherein the pressure measurement data is transmitted to the control system at least once every second.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure measurement data is transmitted by electrical conductors along a drill string.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the drill string is a composite coiled tubing string and the electrical conductors are integrated into the wall of the tubing.
- 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the electrical conductors are disposed within the bore of the drill string.
- 5. A method for controlling a well comprising the steps of:detecting an influx of formation fluids into the well; regulating the flow of fluids out of the well; measuring pressure within the well with a sensor disposed on a drill string; transmitting pressure measurement data to a control system; monitoring pressure within the well; and adjusting at least one of drilling fluid density, pump rate, or choke actuation so as to maintain a constant pressure within the well as the formation fluids are circulated out of the well and an increased density drilling fluid is circulated into the well, wherein the pressure measurement data is transmitted to the control system at least once every second.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the control system detects the influx of formation fluids by monitoring pressure data provided by a downhole pressure sensor.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the control system detects the influx of formation fluids by identifying an imbalance in mass flow rates or volumes of fluids flowing into and out of the well.
- 8. The method of claim 5 wherein the control system regulates the bottom hole pressure of the well by adjusting choke actuation.
- 9. The method of claim 5 wherein the pressure measurement data is transmitted by electrical conductors along a drill string.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the drill string is a composite coiled tubing string and the electrical conductors are integrated into the wall of the tubing.
- 11. The method of claim 9 wherein the electrical conductors are disposed within the bore of the drill string.
- 12. The method of claim 5 wherein the adjusting of at least one of drilling fluid density, pump rate, or choke actuation is regulated by the control system.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to and filed concurrently with U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/264,540, titled “Dual Gradient Drilling Using Nitrogen Injection,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
SPE 77628; G. Wylie, et al; Well Construction Efficiency Processes Yielding a Significant Step Change; Presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Tx. Sep. 29-Oct. 2, 2002; (pp. 1-16). |
SPE 60750; R. Marker, et al; Anaconda: Joint Development Project Leads to Digitally Controlled Composite Coiled Tubing Drilling System; Presented at SPE/CoTA Coiled Tubing Roundtable, Houston, Tx. Apr. 5-6 2000; (pp. 1-9). |