Integrating Multiple Data Sources for Drilling Applications

Abstract

A drilling system makes measurements of at least one drilling parameter such as downhole weight on bit, bit torque, bit revolutions, rate of penetration and bit axial acceleration, and at least one measurement responsive to formation properties. One or more processors use the measurements of drilling parameters and formation properties to adjust drilling parameters.

1 . A method of conducting drilling operations, the method comprising:
 conveying a bottomhole assembly into a borehole in the earth formation;   making dynamic measurements of at least one drilling parameter at a downhole location;   using a formation evaluation (FE) sensor to make at least one FE measurement indicative of a property of the formation; and   controlling a drilling operation using the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one drilling parameter is selected from a group consisting of: (i) downhole weight on bit, (ii) downhole torque on bit, (iii) drill bit revolution, (iv) drill string revolution, (v) axial acceleration, (vi) tangential acceleration, (vii) lateral acceleration, (viii) torsional acceleration, (ix) borehole pressure, (x) lateral vibration, (xi) a bending moment, and (xii) an equivalent circulating density. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one FE measurement is selected from: (i) a resistivity measurement, (ii) a gamma ray measurement, (iii) a shear velocity measurement made by a logging tool, (iv) a shear velocity estimated using a vertical seismic profile, (v) a borehole image. (vi) a porosity measurement, and (vii) a density measurement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the at least one FE measurement is indicative of a property of the formation ahead of the drillbit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein controlling the drilling operation further comprises stopping further penetration of the BHA into the formation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein controlling the drilling operation further comprises at least one of: (i) selecting a mud weight, and (ii) adjusting a flow rate of mud. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein controlling the drilling operation further comprises at least one of: (i) controlling a direction of drilling, (ii) selecting a casing point, and (iii) selecting a coring point. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein using the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement for controlling the drilling operation further comprises comparing measurements made over a first time interval and measurements made over a second time interval of the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein comparing the measurements made over the first time interval and the measurements made over the second time interval further comprises performing a statistical analysis of the measurements. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the statistical analysis is selected from: (i) a t-test, and (ii) a cluster analysis. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement for characterizing a thief zone wherein a loss of drilling fluid is encountered. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising using an annular pressure in the borehole as an indication of a far-field minimum principal stress in the thief zone. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising using the annular pressure for calibrating a fracture gradient in the borehole. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for conducting drilling operations, the apparatus comprising:
 a bottomhole assembly configured to be conveyed into a borehole in the earth formation;   at least one first sensor configured to dynamically measure at least one drilling parameter at a downhole location;   at least one formation evaluation (FE) sensor configured to make at least one FE measurement indicative of a property of the formation; and   at least one processor configured to control a drilling operation using the measurement of the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the at least one drilling parameter is selected from a group consisting of: (i) downhole weight on bit, (ii) downhole torque on bit, (iii) drill bit revolution, (iv) drill string revolution, (v) axial acceleration, (vi) tangential acceleration, (vii) lateral acceleration, (viii) torsional acceleration, (ix) borehole pressure, (x) lateral vibration, (xi) a bending moment, and (xii) an equivalent circulating density. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one FE sensor is selected from: (i) a resistivity sensor, (ii) a gamma ray sensor, (iii) a shear velocity sensor, and (iv) a borehole imaging tool, (v) a porosity sensor, and (vi) a density sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drilling operation that the at least one processor is configured to control further comprises stopping further penetration of the BHA into the formation. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the drilling operation that the at least one processor is configured to control further comprises at least one of: (i) selecting a mud weight, (ii) controlling a direction of drilling, (iii) selecting a casing point, and (iv) selecting a coring point. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the drilling operation by further comparing measurements made over a first time interval and measurements made over a second time interval of the at least one drilling parameter and the at least one FE measurement. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compare the measurements made over the first time interval and the measurements made over the second time interval by further performing a statistical analysis of the measurements. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20  wherein the statistical analysis performed by the at least one processor is selected from: (i) a t-test, and (ii) a cluster analysis. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the at least one formation evaluation sensor further comprises a gamma ray sensor positioned above a steering unit. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the at least one formation evaluation sensor further comprises a wide-band gap photodiode positioned in a bit box.