Baker Hughes, a Ge Compnay, LLC

Baker Hughes Corporation

Ingo Forstner

Christian Linke

Christian Herbig

Andreas Hohl

Hanno Reckmann

Oliver Hoehn

Hatem Oueslati

Wojciech Emmerich

Jens-Uwe Bruns

John D Macpherson

Christian Fulda

Ingo Roders

Morten Myhre

Gerald Becker

Troy A Miller

Kai Schoenborn

Angela Durkin

Mark A Jenkins

An embodiment of a method of detecting and correcting for spiraling in a downhole carrier includes: deploying the carrier in a borehole in an earth formation as part of a subterranean operation; acquiring time based data from at least one sensor disposed at the carrier; acquiring time and depth data, the time and depth data correlating time values with depths of the carrier; generating a depth based profile based on the time based data and the time and depth data; generating a frequency profile by transforming the depth based profile into the frequency domain; detecting a spiraling event based on an amplitude of the frequency profile; and taking corrective action based on detecting the spiraling event.

Automated spiraling detection

An embodiment of a method of performing aspects of a downhole operation includes receiving a measurement value from a first sensor configured to measure a parameter related to the downhole operation, receiving measurement data from a different sensor, the measurement data related to the downhole operation, and performing, by a sensor evaluation module, an evaluation of the first sensor. The evaluation includes determining a condition of the first sensor based on the measurement data from the different sensor, selecting a rule that prescribes a set of one or more measurement values of the parameter that are plausible if the condition is met, and determining whether the measurement value from the first sensor is plausible based on comparing the measurement value to the prescribed set of one or more measurement values.

Evaluation of sensors based on contextual information

An apparatus for estimating properties of an earth formation includes a carrier connected to a drilling assembly, and a sensor assembly configured to measure at least one return flow parameter of a return fluid at a surface location, the return fluid returning to the surface location from a borehole. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to perform receiving one or more return flow parameter values for a period of time after injection of fluid is stopped, analyzing the one or more return flow parameter values to identify a ballooning event, in response to identifying the ballooning event, estimating at least one of a location and a property of one or more fractures in the formation, and performing one or more aspects of at least one of the drilling operation and a subsequent operation based on at least one of the location and the property of one or more fractures.

Estimation of formation properties based on fluid flowback measurements

Methods and systems for automatically performing a sweep operation in a borehole penetrating an earth formation including conveying a drillstring through a borehole, the drillstring having one or more sensors located thereon, determining that a sweep operation should be performed based on information obtained from the one or more sensors, determining characteristics of a pill to be used for a sweep operation based on information obtained from the one or more sensors, preparing a pill in accordance with the determined characteristics, deploying the pill into the drillstring and conveying the pill through the drillstring, and monitoring the sweep operation while the pill is within the drillstring and verifying the sweep operation. At least one of the determination that a sweep operation should be performed, the determination of the pill characteristics, or the preparation of the pill is performed automatically.

Automatic triggering and conducting of sweeps

A method of determining when tool string parameters should be altered to avoid undesirable effects that would likely occur if the tool string were employed to drill a borehole includes, modeling portions or an entirety of the tool string in the borehole under steady state loading conditions, identifying deflections of the tool string with the modeling when buckling would occur for specific tool string parameters, and calculating whether whirl exhibiting similar deflections of the tool string to those identified during buckling would be undesirable.

Method of determining when tool string parameters should be altered to avoid undesirable effects that would likely occur if the tool string were employed to drill a borehole and method of designing a tool string

An embodiment of a method of drilling a secondary borehole from a primary borehole includes deploying a drilling assembly at a selected location in the primary borehole in an earth formation, and operating the drilling assembly and a drill bit to form an exit trough in a borehole wall. Operating includes controlling one or more operational parameters including at least a rate of lateral penetration of the drill bit into the formation as a function of time during formation of the exit trough based on at least one of a mathematical model and measurement data collected from one or more sensors, and in response to determining that the exit trough has exited the primary borehole, drilling the secondary borehole away from the primary borehole.

Monitoring control and/or optimization of borehole sidetracking

An apparatus for detecting over-torquing or un-torquing of a threaded connection between components in a borehole penetrating the earth includes: a string of components coupled in series by a threaded connection; a transmission line attached to each component; a signal coupler in communication with the transmission line and disposed on each component at each threaded connection, the signal coupler being configured to transmit the signal to an adjacent signal coupler on an adjacent coupled component in order to transmit a signal along the transmission line attached to the adjacent coupled component; a receiver configured to receive the signal; and a processor in communication with the receiver and configured to: (i) determine a difference between a characteristic of the signal and the characteristic of a reference signal and (ii) transmit an alert signal signifying that the threaded connection is over-torquing or un-torquing in response to the difference exceeding a threshold value.

Real time untorquing and over-torquing of drill string connections

A method for defining a permissible borehole curvature includes determining curvature characteristics of at least one of a borehole and a downhole assembly in the borehole and calculating an envelope of permissible borehole curvatures from a predetermined location in the borehole based on the curvature characteristics, a direction of the borehole at the predetermined location in the borehole, and a turning angle of the borehole relative to the direction of the borehole at the predetermined location.

System and method for defining permissible borehole curvature

A system, method and apparatus for using a tool in a borehole is disclosed. The tool is disposed in the borehole. The tool includes a member rotatable substantially independently of the tool. The member is slidably coupled to a wall of the borehole. The tool is conveyed through the borehole to produce a rotation of the member as a result of the slidable coupling between the member and the wall of the borehole. A parameter of axial motion is determined from an angle of rotation of the member.

Downhole depth measurement using tilted ribs

A drilling assembly supports a liner for making a wellbore. The BHA comprises a pilot bit and a reamer above it that is larger in diameter than the suspended liner. If the BHA needs to be pulled out, the reamer is brought into contact with the liner and a latch mechanism between the two engages as another latch that had held the reamer bit to the BHA is released. The reamer bit stays with the liner as the BHA is pulled and later reinserted. On the way in the BHA latches to the reamer bit which then unlatches from the liner bottom. Preferably, splines and a shoulder on the BHA are used to drive the reamer bit as opposed to any power being transmitted through the latch between the BHA and the reamer bit. However, the latch mechanism between the BHA and the reamer bit could also provide torque and weight on bit for drilling operations. The process may be repeated.

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Ahnsbeck, Germany

Ingo Forstner