Electrical controller for anti-stall tools for downhole drilling assemblies and method of drilling optimization by downhole devices

Abstract

A method of operating a bottom hole assembly having a drill pipe, an anti-stall tool, a motor and a drill bit in real-time including entering an upper torque threshold and a lower torque threshold as operating parameters for the bottom hole assembly into the anti-stall tool, continuously sensing torque of the bottom hole assembly by a torque sensor in the bottom hole assembly, electronically determining if the sensed torque has exceeded the upper torque threshold or the lower torque threshold for a specified duration of time requiring an intervention by the anti-stall tool, and communicating instructions to the anti-stall tool for proper hydro-mechanical adjustment of the anti-stall tool.

what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a bottom hole assembly in real-time including a drill pipe, an anti-stall tool, a motor and a drill bit comprising the steps of:
 entering an upper torque threshold and a lower torque threshold as operating parameters for the bottom hole assembly into the anti-stall tool;   continuously sensing torque of the bottom hole assembly by a torque sensor in the bottom hole assembly,   electronically determining if the sensed torque has exceeded the upper torque threshold or the lower torque threshold for a specified duration of time requiring intervention by the anti-stall tool; and   communicating instructions to the anti-stall tool for proper hydro-mechanical adjustment of the anti-stall tool.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of adjusting weight on the drill bit to maximize a rate of penetration of the drill bit or reduce stick-slip. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 monitoring torque in a communications loop until the sensed torque has not exceeded the upper torque threshold or the lower torque threshold; and 
 recording the sensed torque and hydro-mechanical adjustments of the anti-stall tool. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the sensed torque decreases below the lower threshold limit for the specified duration of time, the step of communicating instructions to the anti-stall tool for proper hydro-mechanical adjustment includes signaling a motor sequence of the anti-stall tool to place the anti-stall tool in an extend mode. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of initiating a communications loop to feed back to a processor in the anti-stall tool to resolve motor actuation, verify position and record movement. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the step of communicating instructions includes signaling a valve in the anti-stall tool to direct pressurized fluid flow into hydraulic cylinder volumes of the anti-stall tool to extend telescopic pistons. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the sensed torque remains within a range of the upper torque threshold and the lower torque threshold for the specified duration of time, the step of communicating instructions to the anti-stall tool for proper hydro-mechanical adjustment includes signaling a motor sequence for the anti-stall tool to place the anti-stall tool in a lock mode. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of initiating a communications loop to feedback to a processor in the anti-stall tool to resolve motor actuation, verify position and record movement. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the step of communicating instructions include signaling to a valve to prevent pressurized fluid into or out of hydraulic cylinder volumes of the anti-stall tool to hydraulically lock the anti-stall tool. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein when the sensed torque increases above the upper torque threshold for the specified duration of time, the step of communicating instructions to the anti-stall tool for proper hydro-mechanical adjustment includes signaling a motor sequence of the anti-stall tool to place the anti-stall tool in a retract mode. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of initiating a communications loop to feedback to a processor in the anti-stall toll to resolve motor actuation, verify position and record movement. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of communicating instructions include signaling a valve in the anti-stall tool to direct pressurized fluid into hydraulic cylinder volumes of the anti-stall tool to retract telescopic pistons. 
     
     
         13 . A method of operating a bottom hole assembly to provide optimization of rate of penetration by manipulation of weight on a drill bit to prevent the bottom hole assembly from exceeding operational limits comprising the steps of
 operating a self-contained, automatic feedback, real-time downhole tool to sense at least one of torque, weight-on-bit, vibration, differential pressure or rpms of the bottom hole assembly to generate a sensed signal;   operating a computerized downhole computation device within the downhole tool to determine whether the sensed signal is within a pre-programmed operating range; and   adjusting a controlled downhole weight modification section of the downhole tool depending on the determination of the computerized downhole computation device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the downhole tool is an anti-stall tool. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the computerized downhole computation device is a pre-programmed processor on the anti-stall tool. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of adjusting the control downhole weight modification section includes at least one of a tool extension mode, to a lock mode and to a retraction mode. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the downhole tool is pre-programmed with upper and lower operating thresholds.