Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC

Westerngeco L.l.p.

Andrew Hawthorn

Jacques R Tabanou

Jean P Seydoux

David Lee Alumbaugh

Jian Yang

James P Brady

John Paul Horkowitz

Benjamin Peter Jeffryes

John-Peter Van Zelm

Goke Akinniranye

Volker Peters

Bikash Kumar Sinha

Andreas Peter

Henri-Pierre Valero

Peter T Wu

Takeshi Endo

Lucian K Johnston

Anthony Louis Collins

David Linton Johnson

Cengiz Esmersoy

Tom R Bratton

Lei Fang

Knut Inge Dahlberg

Annabelle Kania

Mark Egan

Joerg H Meyer

John Macpherson

Duncan Groves

Systems and methods for communicating information acoustically through a plug in a temporarily or permanently abandoned well. The disclosed embodiments use an acoustically transmissive well plug, where an acoustic transmitter coupled to a measurement tool below the plug is coupled to the plug In a manner that is intended to maximize the coupling of the generated acoustic signals to the plug. These signals are then transmitted through the acoustically transmissive plug to an acoustic receiver that is coupled to the upper end of the plug. The acoustic receiver converts the acoustic signals to another form if necessary and forwards the signals to equipment at the surface of the well, or to intermediate transceivers that can relay the signals to the surface.

Permanent well monitoring with acoustically transparent plugs

The detection of a barrier behind a wellbore casing involves the injection of a fluid into the wellbore casing or the pumping of a fluid from the wellbore casing, and the monitoring in real-time of the fluid properties in two downhole fluid volumes separated by a packer. A detection system utilizes a pipe string equipped with a telemetry that is capable of transmitting fluid property data to a surface monitor while the pipe string remains in the wellbore casing, and preferably while the packer remains set against the wellbore casing.

Detection of a barrier behind a wellbore casing

A combined telemetry system that can be used while drilling a wellbore consists of a multi-hop telemetry method and a single-hop telemetry method combined in parallel. The multi-hop and single-hop methods can be operated in parallel, for example, so that each telemetry method caries data concurrently from the Measuring-While-Drilling tool located in the Bottom-Hole-Assembly. The multi-hop and single-hop methods can also be operated in series, for example, so that data from the Measuring-While-Drilling tool located in the Bottom-Hole-Assembly are first carried with the single-hop telemetry method and then transferred to the multi-hop telemetry method at one or more node(s) close to the surface. Preferably, the multi-hop telemetry method can also carry data from along-string sensors. Another combined telemetry system that can be used while drilling a wellbore consists of two single-hop telemetry methods combined in parallel.

Telemetry system combining two telemetry methods

A method for optimizing drilling operations. The method includes providing an earth model of a volume having a well, obtaining petrotechnical data about the volume while drilling the well, comparing the petrotechnical data with the earth model, updating the earth model with the petrotechnical data based on the comparison, and modifying a drilling plan of the well using the updated earth model.

Optimizing drilling operations using petrotechnical data

A technique provides a methodology for improving surveys of subterranean regions. The methodology comprises estimating macro anisotropy and an intrinsic or micro anisotropy of an overburden. A surface electromagnetic survey is conducted, and the data from the survey is inverted based on or including information gained from estimating the macro anisotropy and/or intrinsic anisotropy. A processor system can be used to conduct the inversion with the adjustments for anisotropy to improve the information provided by the survey.

System and method for improving surface electromagnetic surveys

Aspects of the inventions generally provide a method and apparatus for coupling a communication sub to a wired drill pipe. In one aspect, a surface of a coupler head is non threaded and configured to provide a retaining force. In another aspect, a coupler head is coupled to a body, and a support mechanism is coupled to the body and configured to secure the coupler head within a receiving end of the wired drill pipe. In another aspect, a method of placing a communication sub involves inserting the communication sub into the receiving end of the wired drill pipe, adjusting the position of the communication sub until an indication of signal communication between the communication sub and the wired drill pipe is observed, and after the indication of signal communication is observed, retaining the communication sub within the receiving end until removal of the communication sub is desired.

Apparatus, system, and method for communicating while logging with wired drill pipe

A method and system for fluid characterization in an underground formation surrounding a borehole are provided. Acoustic signals are transmitted and received in the borehole. The received acoustic signals are processed to obtain at least one attribute of formation mobility. Formation fluid is characterized based on a change of the at least one attribute. A decision is made based on the characterization output.

Fluid characterization from acoustic logging data

A method for obtaining high-quality well logging data acquired during a drilling operation includes acquiring well logging data during a pump-off period when a mud pump is turned off; and extracting a subset of data from the acquired well logging data, wherein the subset of data corresponds to a quiet period within the pump-off period, wherein the quiet period is substantially free of interference from turning the mud pump on or off.

Pump off measurements for quality control and wellbore stability prediction

Techniques are presented for determining the drift of a clock adapted for subsurface disposal. Seismic signals are transmitted through the subsurface medium from an uphole location at selected times, acoustic signals associated with the transmitted seismic signals are received with acoustic sensors at identified downhole locations. First and second transit times for acoustic signals received at an identified downhole reference location are determined using the clock. A time difference between the first and second signal transit times at the reference point is calculated to determine the clock drift.

System and method for determining downhole clock drift

Growing community of inventors

Missouri City, TX, United States of America

Andrew Hawthorn