IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,222,308
Granted Patent B2
US 9,222,308 · App. 13/530,016 · Granted Dec 29, 2015

Detecting stick-slip using a gyro while drilling

Inventors: Firas Zeineddine (Bristol, GB); Maja Ignova (Cheltenham, GB)
Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
E21B7/00E21B44/00E21B44/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,222,308
App. No.
13/530,016
Granted
Dec 29, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for drilling operation in a subterranean formation, including calculating, by a hardware processor and in response to determining that an magnitude of gyro data representing rotations of a drill bit in a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and a time derivative of the gyro data are within a pre-determined range, a drift parameter of the gyro data, analyzing, by the hardware processor, the gyro data based on the drift parameter to generate a stick-slip alert, and presenting the stick-slip alert.

Claims (67)

1. A method for drilling operation in a subterranean formation, comprising:

calculating, by a hardware processor and in response to determining that an magnitude of gyro data representing rotations of a drill bit in a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and a time derivative of the gyro data are within a pre-determined range, a drift parameter of the gyro data;

analyzing, by the hardware processor, the gyro data based on the drift parameter to generate a stick-slip alert; and

presenting the stick-slip alert.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the gyro data comprises:

adjusting the gyro data based on the drift parameter that is calculated at least once during each of a plurality of consecutive time periods; and

generating a plurality of histograms of the gyro data, wherein at least one of the plurality of histograms corresponds to at least one of the plurality of consecutive time periods.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein analyzing the gyro data further comprises:

generating a three dimensional (3D) contour of the gyro data by combining the plurality of histograms; and

identifying at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick phase, a transition phase, and a quick rotation per minute phase based on a shape of the 3D contour.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

presenting the 3D contour to a user; and

receiving an input from the user to identify the at least one selected from a group consisting of the stick phase, the transition phase, and the quick rotation per minute phase.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein analyzing the gyro data further comprises:

generating a waterfall representation of the gyro data by combining the plurality of histograms; and

identifying at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick phase, a transition phase, and a quick rotation per minute phase based on a pattern of the waterfall representation.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

presenting the waterfall representation to a user; and

receiving an input from the user to identify the at least one selected from a group consisting of the stick phase, the transition phase, and the quick rotation per minute phase.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the pre-determined range by comparing historical gyro data of a historical stick-slip event of the BHA and historical magnetometer data of the historical stick-slip event.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining the gyro data from a gyro sensor of the BHA; and

initiating, in response to generating the stick-slip alert, a corrective action for at least one selected from a group consisting of preventing and removing a stick-slip condition of the drilling operation, wherein the stick-slip alert comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick-slip precursor alert and a stick-slip occurrence alert,

wherein the stick-slip alert is generated within a pre-determined time window of obtaining the gyro data, and

wherein the corrective action comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of increasing a torque of the drilling operation and reducing a load of the drilling operation.

9. A stick-slip detector for drilling operation in a subterranean formation, comprising:

a processor;

a repository configured to store gyro data representing rotations of a drill bit in a bottom hole assembly (BHA); and

a gyro data analyzer executing on the processor and configured to:

calculate, in response to determining that an magnitude of the gyro data and a time derivative of the gyro data are within a pre-determined range, a drift parameter of the gyro data;

analyze the gyro data based on the drift parameter to generate a stick-slip alert; and

present the stick-slip alert.

10. The stick-slip detector of claim 9 , wherein analyzing the gyro data comprises:

adjusting the gyro data based on the drift parameter that is calculated at least once during each of a plurality of consecutive time periods; and

generating a plurality of histograms of the gyro data, wherein at least one of the plurality of histograms corresponds to at least one of the plurality of consecutive time periods.

11. The stick-slip detector of claim 10 , wherein analyzing the gyro data further comprises:

generating at least one selected from a group consisting of a three dimensional (3D) contour of the gyro data and a waterfall representation of the gyro data by combining the plurality of histograms; and

identifying at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick phase, a transition phase, and a quick rotation per minute phase based on at least one selected from a group consisting of a shape of the 3D contour and a pattern of the waterfall representation.

12. The stick-slip detector of claim 11 , wherein the gyro data analyzer is further configured to:

present the at least one selected from a group consisting of the 3D contour and the waterfall representation to a user; and

receive an input from the user to identify the at least one selected from a group consisting of the stick phase, the transition phase, and the quick rotation per minute phase.

13. The stick-slip detector of claim 9 , wherein the gyro data analyzer is further configured to:

identify the pre-determined range by comparing historical gyro data of a historical stick-slip event of the BHA and historical magnetometer data of the historical stick-slip event.

14. The stick-slip detector of claim 9 , wherein the processor comprises:

a first portion located on the BHA and configured to calculate the drift parameter; and

a second portion located in a surface unit and configured to analyze the gyro data.

15. The stick-slip detector of claim 9 ,

wherein the processor and the gyro data analyzer are located on the BHA.

16. The stick-slip detector of claim 9 , further comprising:

a gyro sensor located on the BHA and configured to obtain the gyro data,

wherein the stick-slip alert is generated within a pre-determined time window of obtaining the gyro data,

wherein the stick-slip alert comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick-slip precursor alert and a stick-slip occurrence alert,

wherein the stick-slip alert is presented to the BHA to initiate a corrective action for at least one selected from a group consisting of preventing and removing a stick-slip condition of the drilling operation, and

wherein the corrective action comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of increasing a torque of the drilling operation and reducing a load of the drilling operation.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for drilling operation in a subterranean formation, the instructions when executed causing a processor to:

calculate, in response to determining that an magnitude of gyro data representing rotations of a drill bit in a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and a time derivative of the gyro data are within a pre-determined range, a drift parameter of the gyro data;

analyze the gyro data based on the drift parameter to generate a stick-slip alert; and

present the stick-slip alert.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the gyro data comprises:

adjusting the gyro data based on the drift parameter that is calculated at least once during each of a plurality of consecutive time periods; and

generating a plurality of histograms of the gyro data, wherein at least one of the plurality of histograms corresponds to at least one of the plurality of consecutive time periods.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein analyzing the gyro data further comprises:

generating at least one selected from a group consisting of a three dimensional (3D) contour of the gyro data and a waterfall representation of the gyro data by combining the plurality of histograms; and

identifying at least one selected from a group consisting of a stick phase, a transition phase, and a quick rotation per minute phase based on at least one selected from a group consisting of a shape of the 3D contour and a pattern of the waterfall representation.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

identify the pre-determined range by comparing historical gyro data of a historical stick-slip event of the BHA and historical magnetometer data of the historical stick-slip event.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2012
From: ZEINEDDINE, FIRAS; IGNOVA, MAJA
To: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029259/0410 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130341090A1 · Dec 26, 2013