Methods and systems for monitoring directional drilling

Abstract

Various embodiments of the systems and methods for monitoring, for example passively monitoring and controlling, a directional drilling operation are disclosed. In one example, a system regulates access and use of the system based on a user's position in a hierarchy and based on previous commands given by those above the user in the hierarchy. Methods of using predetermined window corridors to keep a well bore on track are discussed. Methods and systems designed to increase accountability and transparency in the drilling operation are discussed. Methods of calculating drilling instructions based on survey data are discussed. Methods of drilling with a mud motor are discussed.

1 . A control system for one or more aspects of a directional drilling operation, the control system comprising:
 one or more inputs configured to receive commands; and   one or more computing units connected to the one or more inputs and having a) a conflict module for determining if a conflict exists between a command received from a first user of a hierarchy of users and a previous command from a relatively higher ranked user of the hierarchy of users, and b) an execution module for executing the command if no conflict exists.   
     
     
         2 . The control system of  claim 1  in which the control system is a monitoring system of survey sensor data obtained from one or more sensors monitoring progress of the directional drilling operation, and in which the one or more computing units comprise an analysis and display module for survey sensor data. 
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the survey sensor data comprises one or more of survey depth, hole depth, inclination, azimuth, course length, and slide and rotate data. 
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the monitoring system is a passive system for a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the command is an enter survey sensor data command. 
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the analysis and display module is configured to compare one or more characteristics of the orientation of a portion of a drill string in the earth, obtained from the survey sensor data, with a predetermined well plan. 
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 6  in which the one or more computing units further comprise a well planning module for the directional drilling operation, in which the command is a re-plan well plan command. 
     
     
         8 . The control system of  claim 7  in which the change well plan command is a sidetrack well plan command. 
     
     
         9 . The control system of  claim 6  in which the analysis and display module is configured to output drilling instructions. 
     
     
         10 . The control system of  claim 9  in which the command is a deviate from drilling instructions command. 
     
     
         11 . The control system of  claim 9  in which the drilling instructions comprise proposed settings for drilling equipment. 
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 6  in which the analysis and display module is configured to determine if a breach has occurred as indicated by a deviation, beyond a predetermined window, of a characteristic from a respective expected characteristic from the predetermined well plan. 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 12  in which the command is a change predetermined window corridor parameter command. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 11  in which the one or more computing units further comprise an alert module for sending an alert to one or more of the users of the hierarchy of users in the event of a predetermined condition. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 14  in which the predetermined condition includes determining a breach in a characteristic across successive iterations of survey data input. 
     
     
         16 . The control system of  claim 14  in which the predetermined condition includes completion of a portion of a well. 
     
     
         17 . The control system of  claim 14  in which the alert module is configured to send the alert to all users of the hierarchy of users. 
     
     
         18 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the previous command is to send an alert to one or more superiors in the hierarchy of users in the event of a predetermined type of command from the first user. 
     
     
         19 . The control system of  claim 2  in which the previous command is to wait for superior approval in the event of a predetermined type of command from the first user, in which the conflict module is configured to find a conflict if the predetermined type of command is entered by the first user. 
     
     
         20 . The control system of  claim 19  in which the predetermined type of command is a change command. 
     
     
         21 . The control system of  claim 18  in which the one or more computing units has an alert module for sending the alert. 
     
     
         22 . The control system of  claim 21  in which the predetermined type of command is a change command. 
     
     
         23 . The control system of  claim 1  further comprising a storage medium containing a command database, in which the one or more computing units are configured to store each command in the command database along with an identifier of the respective user initiating the command. 
     
     
         24 . The control system of  claim 23  in which the command database is stored in a read-only format. 
     
     
         25 . The control system of  claim 23  in which the one or more computing units are configured to store each change command in the command database along with a reason for the change command. 
     
     
         26 . The control system of  claim 1  further comprising an identification module for confirming the identity of a user of the hierarchy of users. 
     
     
         27 . The control system of  claim 26  in which the identification module is configured to recognize a user by input by the user of a unique identifier associated with the user. 
     
     
         28 . The control system of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of user terminals, including one or more remote terminals connected to the control system through a network. 
     
     
         29 . The control system of  claim 28  in which one or more remote terminals are located at a headquarters of an oil and gas company. 
     
     
         30 . The control system of  claim 1  in which the hierarchy of users comprises an oil and gas company representative at or near the top of the hierarchy of users. 
     
     
         31 . A method of monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation, the method comprising:
 measuring a plurality of characteristics of the orientation of a portion of a drill string in the earth;   for each measured characteristic, determining, with one or more computing units, if a breach has occurred as indicated by a deviation, beyond a predetermined window, of the measured characteristic from a respective expected characteristic from a predetermined well plan; and   initiating an alert event, using the one or more computing units, if one or more breaches are determined.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  being a method of passively monitoring the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31  in which the expected characteristics are derived by the one or more computing units from the predetermined well plan based on a length of drill string inserted into the earth. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31  in which measuring comprises one or more of measuring with a survey sensor or processing, with the one or more computing units, survey sensor data. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31  in which the portion of the drill string comprises a drill bit. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31  in which initiating further comprises sending an alert to one or more of a plurality of users of the one or more computing units. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31  in which the plurality of characteristics include inclination, azimuth, and at least one three dimensional coordinate of the portion of the drill string. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  in which the three dimensional coordinate is true vertical depth. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  in which the plurality of characteristics include the three dimensional position of the portion of the drill string. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37  in which the plurality of characteristics include absolute distance from a predetermined well plan path. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37  in which the plurality of characteristics include hole depth and survey depth. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37  carried out through a build section of the directional drilling operation, in which the plurality of characteristics include one or more of an achieved dog leg or build rate of a mud motor connected to a drill bit on the drill string, and further comprising:
 determining, with the one or more computing units, if a breach has occurred as indicated by a deviation, beyond a predetermined window, of one or both of the achieved dog leg or build rate from a respective expected dog leg or build rate of the mud motor. 
 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37  in which the three dimensional coordinates include the position of the portion of the drill string projected in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31  carried out through a build section of the directional drilling operation, the method further comprising repeating the stages, in which the respective predetermined window for one or more characteristics is reduced based on progress through the build section. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44  in which the one or more characteristics for which the respective predetermined window is reduced is true vertical depth. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44  in which the one or more characteristics for which the respective predetermined window is reduced is the position of the portion of the drill string projected in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44  in which the respective predetermined window is reduced in proportion to progress through the build section. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47  in which the respective predetermined window is reduced at a ratio of 1:1 percentage progress through the build section: percentage reduction. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44  in which the respective predetermined window is not reduced below a minimum threshold. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 31  in which:
 determining further comprises assigning a grade associated with major, minor, or no deviation, in which a breach corresponds to a major deviation; and 
 the method further comprises outputting the grades to a display. 
 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  in which the grades are represented on the display by the percentage value of the predetermined window taken up by a deviation of a measured characteristic from the respective expected characteristic. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 50  in which the grades are represented on the display by colors on a spectrum of colors indicating at least no, minor, or major deviation. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising:
 repeating the measuring and determining stages with the one or more computing units; and 
 in the event of a predetermined condition, at least partially locking out, with the one or more computing units, one or more users from repeating the measuring or determining stages. 
 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  in which the one or more users are locked out at the measuring stage from entering survey sensor data into the one or more computing units. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 53  in which the predetermined condition includes determination of a breach in two successive cycles of measuring followed by determining. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55  in which the breach found in two successive cycles is a breach of the same characteristic. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 53  further comprising unlocking the one or more users on receipt by the one or more computing units of a permission signal initiated by a supervisory user. 
     
     
         58 . A method of monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation through a build portion, the method comprising:
 measuring, with the one or more computing units, a motor output efficiency by comparing an achieved dog leg or build rate of a mud motor connected to a drill bit in the earth with a respective expected dog leg or build rate of the mud motor; and   initiating an alert event, using the one or more computing units, if the motor output efficiency is outside of a predetermined range.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  being a method of passively monitoring the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58  in which initiating further comprises initiating if the motor output efficiency falls outside of the predetermined range. 
     
     
         61 . A method of monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation, the method comprising:
 measuring the orientation of a portion of a drill string in the earth;   determining, with one or more computing units, one or more drilling equipment parameters required to guide the portion of the drill string from the orientation to a selected target on a predetermined well plan; and   repeating the measuring and determining stages, in which the selected target is switched to a subsequent target on the well plan when the portion of the drill string comes within a predetermined positive distance of the selected target.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61  being a method of passively monitoring the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61  in which drilling equipment parameters include one or more of inclination, azimuth, tool face setting, slide distance, slide start point, rotate distance, and rotate start point. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61  in which the directional drilling operation is a mud motor directional drilling operation, and the drilling equipment parameters comprise mud motor parameters. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61  in which the predetermined positive distance is 10 meters or 32.8 feet. 
     
     
         66 . A method of logging decisions made during a directional drilling operation, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of users with access to a computing unit interface for monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation against a predetermined well plan and displaying drilling instructions;   receiving at the computing unit interface a change command, from a user of the plurality of users, of a parameter of the computing unit interface, well plan, or drilling instructions; and   storing the change command along with a user identifier in a database that cannot be edited by the user from the computing unit interface.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  in which the computing unit interface is for passively monitoring and controlling the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66  in which the change command is to a parameter that is a target on the predetermined well plan. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 66  in which the computing unit interface is configured to determine if a breach has occurred as indicated by a deviation, beyond a predetermined window, of a characteristic, of the orientation of a portion of a drill string, from a respective expected characteristic from the predetermined well plan, in which the change command is to the size of the predetermined window. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 66  in which the change command is a command to sidetrack or re plan the well plan. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 66  in which storing further comprises storing a reason for the change command. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 66  in which each of the plurality of users has access to the computing unit interface using a unique code. 
     
     
         73 . A method of monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation, the method comprising:
 measuring a plurality of characteristics of the orientation of a portion of a drill string in the earth; and   outputting, with one or more computing units, at least some of the plurality of characteristics to a display in a read only format.   
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73  being a method of passively monitoring the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 73  further comprising:
 repeating the measuring stage; and 
 executing user-initiated edit commands of only the plurality of characteristics measured in the preceding iteration of the measuring stage. 
 
     
     
         76 . A method comprising:
 inputting sensor data into one or more computing units, the sensor data obtained from one or more survey sensors monitoring the progress of a directional drilling operation;   measuring with the one or more computing units the elapsed time of an event forming part of the directional drilling operation; and   outputting from the one or more computing units to a display the elapsed time or a measurement made using the elapsed time.   
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76  being a method of passively monitoring the progress of a mud motor directional drilling operation. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 76  in which the event is drilling time, and the measurement outputted is rate of penetration. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 76  in which the event is one or more of slide time, rotate time, tool face orientation time, and connection time. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 76  in which inputting is done by manual entry by one or more users through a computing unit interface. 
     
     
         81 . The control system of  claim 1  in which each computing unit has a central processing unit and associated circuitry and memory.