Granted Patent B2

US 12,378,871 · App. 17/952,785 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Inventors: Zhengchun Michael Liu (Sugar Land, TX); Robello Samuel (Cypress, TX)

Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation

E21B47/003G01V20/00E21B2200/20

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. A system comprising:

a processing device; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory device that includes instructions executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to perform operations comprising:

determining, based on an accumulation of geological material in a wellbore, a pack off indicator that includes a pack off volume percent, the pack off volume percent indicating a likelihood of a downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, wherein the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore comprises cuttings resulting from an action of the downhole tool positioned in the wellbore and settled cavings resulting from instability in the wellbore, and wherein determining the pack off indicator comprises:

estimating the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore, the estimated accumulation comprising a respective estimated accumulation with respect to the cuttings and the settled cavings, wherein the estimated accumulation with respect to the settled cavings is outputted by a data-driven model trained using log data obtained from one or more logging tools; and

dividing the estimated accumulation by a volume of a wellbore annulus defined by a first set of wellbore piping and a second set of wellbore piping positioned in the wellbore; and

automatically adjusting a wellbore operation using the pack off indicator, the automatically adjusting comprising:

controlling a flow of circulating fluid in response to the pack off volume percent; and

outputting, via a user interface, the pack off indicator, wherein the user interface comprises a plot of the pack off volume percent horizontally offset with respect to a depth of the wellbore.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the log data is obtained from at least one wellbore operation.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

substantially contemporaneously receiving buffered wellbore data and wellbore pressure data, the buffered wellbore data comprising field data and data from a content database;

determining, by a simulation, the pack off volume percent using the buffered wellbore data, the wellbore pressure data, and a plurality of cuttings measurements; and

outputting, via the user interface, the pack off volume percent and the plurality of cuttings measurements for use in adjusting the wellbore operation.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises:

a plurality of columns;

labeling for the plurality of columns positioned at a top area of the plurality of columns; and

a first scale and a second scale for each column of the plurality of columns, wherein the first scale is a first numerical scale associated with output for each column and the second scale is a second numerical scale associated with the depth of the wellbore.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the user interface includes a plurality of color indicators for an output of the pack off volume percent to indicate the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, and wherein the output of the pack off volume percent includes a plurality of colored regions with color corresponding to the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein a plurality of colored regions with color corresponding to the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore are positioned adjacent to each other and proximate to the first scale, and wherein the plurality of colored regions extends along a first length that corresponds to a second length of the second scale.

7. A method comprising:

determining, based on an accumulation of geological material in a wellbore, a pack off indicator that includes a pack off volume percent, the pack off volume percent indicating a likelihood of a downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, wherein the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore comprises cuttings resulting from an action of the downhole tool positioned in the wellbore and settled cavings resulting from instability in the wellbore, and wherein determining the pack off indicator comprises:

estimating the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore, the estimated accumulation comprising a respective estimated accumulation with respect to the cuttings and the settled cavings, wherein the estimated accumulation with respect to the settled cavings is outputted by a data-driven model trained using log data obtained from one or more logging tools; and

dividing the estimated accumulation by a volume of a wellbore annulus defined by a first set of wellbore piping and a second set of wellbore piping positioned in the wellbore; and

automatically adjusting a wellbore operation using the pack off indicator, the automatically adjusting comprising:

controlling a flow of circulating fluid in response to the pack off volume percent; and

outputting, via a user interface, the pack off indicator, wherein the user interface comprises a plot of the pack off volume percent horizontally offset with respect to a depth of the wellbore.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the log data is obtained from at least one wellbore operation.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

substantially contemporaneously receiving buffered wellbore data and wellbore pressure data, the buffered wellbore data comprising field data and data from a content database;

determining, by a simulation, the pack off volume percent using the buffered wellbore data, the wellbore pressure data, and a plurality of cuttings measurements; and

outputting, via the user interface, the pack off volume percent and the plurality of cuttings measurements for use in adjusting the wellbore operation.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the user interface comprises:

a plurality of columns;

labeling for the plurality of columns at a top area of the plurality of columns; and

a first scale and a second scale for each column of the plurality of columns, wherein the first scale is a first numerical scale associated with output for each column and the second scale is a second numerical scale associated with the depth of the wellbore.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes a plurality of color indicators for an output of the pack off volume percent to indicate the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, and wherein the output of the pack off volume percent includes a plurality of colored regions with color corresponding to the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, the plurality of colored regions being positioned adjacent to each other and proximate to the first scale such that the plurality of colored regions extend along a first length that corresponds to a second length of the second scale.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by a processing device for causing the processing device to perform operations comprising:

determining, based on an accumulation of geological material in a wellbore, a pack off indicator that includes a pack off volume percent, the pack off volume percent indicating a likelihood of a downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, wherein the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore comprises cuttings resulting from an action of the downhole tool positioned in the wellbore and settled cavings resulting from instability in the wellbore, and wherein determining the pack off indicator comprises:

estimating the accumulation of geological material in the wellbore, the estimated accumulation comprising a respective estimated accumulation with respect to the cuttings and the settled cavings, wherein the estimated accumulation with respect to the settled cavings is outputted by a data-driven model trained using log data obtained from one or more logging tools; and

dividing the estimated accumulation by a volume of a wellbore annulus defined by a first set of wellbore piping and a second set of wellbore piping positioned in the wellbore; and

automatically adjusting a wellbore operation using the pack off indicator, the automatically adjusting comprising:

controlling a flow of circulating fluid in response to the pack off volume percent; and

outputting, via a user interface, the pack off indicator, wherein the user interface comprises a plot of the pack off volume percent horizontally offset with respect to a depth of the wellbore.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

substantially contemporaneously receiving buffered wellbore data and wellbore pressure data, the buffered wellbore data comprising field data and data from a content database;

determining, by a simulation, the pack off volume percent using the buffered wellbore data, the wellbore pressure data, and a plurality of cuttings measurements; and

outputting, via the user interface, the pack off volume percent and the plurality of cuttings measurements for use in adjusting the wellbore operation.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wellbore operation comprises a drilling operation or a tripping operation.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the user interface comprises:

a plurality of columns;

labeling for the plurality of columns positioned at a top area of the plurality of columns; and

a first scale and a second scale for each column of the plurality of columns, wherein the first scale is a first numerical scale associated with output for each column and the second scale is a second numerical scale associated with the depth of the wellbore.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the user interface includes a plurality of color indicators for an output of the pack off volume percent to indicate the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore, and wherein the output of the pack off volume percent includes a plurality of colored regions with color corresponding to the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein a plurality of colored regions with color corresponding to the likelihood of the downhole tool being immobile in the wellbore are positioned adjacent to each other and proximate to the first scale, and wherein the plurality of colored regions extends along a first length that corresponds to a second length of the second scale.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (28)