Other

Noralis Limited

Welltronics Applications, LLC

David Close

George W Troy

Steve C Owens

Paul Deere

The method for drilling includes extending a borehole from a surface location to a borehole end with a drill string having a bottom hole assembly with a drill bit. A surface sensor and a downhole sensor take measurements used to project borehole features, like the borehole end. The measurements are used to project the borehole end so that the drill bit can be steered through the rock formation. The downhole sensor is separated from the bit location by a plurality of segments. The method includes corrections when the measurements at the downhole location are not the measurements at the bit location. As the drill bit travels, the types of corrections change, including applying an initial Kalman filter, a first adjusted Kalman filter, a second adjusted Kalman filter, and a third adjusted Kalman filter, according to the plurality of segments between the downhole sensor and the bit location.

Method for drilling with projections based on adjusted Kalman Filters

The method and system for determining position with improved calibration allows a device to initiate activity at the proper location, such as navigating a drill bit through a rock formation. A pair of position sensors in opposite orientations generates position data signals. A temperature sensor detects temperature and duration of the temperature. An adjusted plastic bias value is determined by a processor module based on the temperature data signal, the duration of the temperature, and the position data signals so as to account for bias and hysteresis errors and error correction based on the opposing orientations of the pair of position sensors. A position value is set according to the adjusted plastic bias value so that the position value is more accurate. The activity of the terminal device is initiated or maintained according to the position value calibrated by the adjusted plastic bias value.

Method for determining position with improved calibration with opposing sensors

The method and system for determining position with improved calibration allows a device to initiate activity at the proper location, such as navigating a drill bit through a rock formation. A position sensor having an oscillation element with a range of displacement in a set direction according to gravity generates a position data signal based on an amount of displacement in the set direction. A temperature sensor detects temperature and duration of the temperature. A plastic bias value is determined by a processor module based on the temperature data signal, the duration of the temperature, and the position data signal so as to account for bias and hysteresis errors. A position value is set according to the plastic bias value so that the position value is more accurate. The activity of the terminal device is initiated or maintained according to the position value calibrated by the plastic bias value.

Method for determining position with improved calibration

A method for a pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location includes positioning a valve and a brake in a drilling mud circulation system, initiating flow of drilling mud through the system, sensing flow through the valve and setting the brake at predefined pressure levels, sensing downhole conditions and releasing corresponding percentages of pressure across the valve at time intervals, and determining the downhole conditions at the surface by analyzing those associated time intervals. The method includes activation of the encoding system using drilling mud flow and setting predefined pressure levels, so that the pressure drops in the encoding process are from predefined levels at equilibrium and independent of fluid flow.

Method for a pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location

A pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location include a downhole tool with a valve for providing a fluid restriction to fluid passing in the wellbore, a sensor positioned in the wellbore for sensing a downhole condition in the wellbore, a brake cooperative with the valve for moving the valve between at least two positions in timed relation to the downhole condition sensed by the sensor, and a detector positioned at the surface location for providing a measurement value at the surface location correlative to the time between the changes of the pressure of the fluid in the wellbore. The system associates position of the valve with pressure transduction. The sensor is an inclination sensor for sensing an angle of inclination of the wellbore.

Pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location

A pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location has a valve for providing a fluid restriction to fluid passing in the wellbore, a sensor positioned in the wellbore for sensing a downhole condition in the wellbore, an actuator cooperative with the valve for moving the valve between at least two positions in timed relation to the downhole condition sensed by the sensor, and a detector positioned at the surface location for providing a measurement value at the surface location correlative to the time between the changes of the pressure of the fluid in the wellbore. The sensor is an inclination sensor for sensing an angle of inclination of a drill bit in the wellbore.

System for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location

A well survey system comprising and electronic survey tool for determining the inclination of a wellbore is disclosed herein with methods of use. In some embodiments, the electronic survey tool includes an electrolytic tilt sensor adapted to measure a first tilt angle within a first plane and a second tilt angle within a second plane of the electrolytic tilt sensor. The electronic survey tool also includes a system processor for determining the inclination of the wellbore based on the first and second tilt angles. As such, a drop-in replacement and improvement on a mechanical critical vertical drift (CVD) tool is provided herein. The electronic survey tool of the present invention also improves upon and overcomes the disadvantages of prior art electronic survey tools. Due to the stability of the improved survey tool over time and with changes in ambient temperature, for example, the improved survey tool does not require periodic recalibration or correction of measurements for errors and biases.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

David Close