Method and system for increasing effective data rate of telemetry for wellbore construction

Abstract

Methods and systems for predicting downhole measurement data at the earth surface include predicting a first estimate value of a property of interest using a first processor in a downhole tool using a first predictor and predicting a second estimate value of the property of interest using a second processor of a surface unit and using a second predictor, the second predictor including identical data processing as the first predictor. A measurement value of the property of interest is obtained using a sensor arranged in the downhole tool. The first processor compares the measurement value with the first estimate value and determines if the measurement value is within a predetermined threshold relative to the first estimate value. In response to the measurement value being within the predetermined threshold of the first estimate value, a wellbore operation based on the second estimate value is performed using the second processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for predicting downhole measurement data at the earth surface, the method comprising:
 predicting a first estimate value of a property of interest using a first processor arranged in a downhole tool in a borehole, the first processor executing a first predictor;   predicting a second estimate value of the property of interest using a second processor arranged in a surface unit at the earth surface and outside the borehole, the second processor executing a second predictor, the second predictor including identical data processing as the first predictor, such that when the same input is provided to each of the first predictor and the second predictor, the first estimate value predicted at the first processor is equal to the second estimate value predicted at the second processor;   obtaining, by a sensor, a measurement value of the property of interest, wherein the sensor arranged in the downhole tool;   comparing, at the first processor, the measurement value with the first estimate value predicted by the first predictor;   determining if the measurement value is within a predetermined threshold relative the first estimate value; and   performing a wellbore operation based on the second estimate value of the property of interest, using the second processor, in response to the measurement value being within the predetermined threshold of the first estimate value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting the measurement value from the downhole tool to the surface unit using the first processor in response to the measurement value being outside the predetermined threshold;   replacing, by the second processor, the second estimate value with the transmitted measurement value in response to receiving the transmitted measurement value at the surface unit; and   predicting a subsequent second estimate value with the second predictor based on the transmitted measurement value.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in response to the measurement value being within the predetermined threshold from the first estimate value, the downhole tool is configured to not transmit the measurement value to the surface unit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property of interest is one of a characteristic of a drilling operation and an earth formation property. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a set of preliminary data used by each of the first predictor and the second predictor to predict the first estimate value and the second estimate value. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first predictor is configured to use the preliminary data, and the preliminary data include data from two properties, wherein one of the two properties is the property of interest and the other one of the two properties is one of a characteristic of a drilling operation and an earth formation property, and wherein the two properties are different properties. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold is one of a predetermined percentage deviation between the first estimate value and the measurement value, and a predetermined absolute value deviation between the first estimate value and the measurement value. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 predicting a third estimate value of the property of interest, using a third processor arranged in the downhole tool; and   predicting a fourth estimate value of the property of interest using a fourth predictor,   wherein the third predictor includes identical data processing as the fourth predictor such that when the same input is provided to each of the third predictor and the fourth predictor the predicted third estimate value is equal to the predicted fourth estimate value, and   wherein the fourth estimated value is predicted using one of (i) the first processor or (ii) the second processor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first predictor includes one of a linear regression, a logistic regression, a decision tree algorithm, a gradient boosted model, and a neural network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a predetermined time window used by the second processor to wait for the measurement value to be transmitted from the downhole tool to the surface unit and, when the measurement value is not received at the surface unit within the predetermined time window, using the second estimate value to perform the wellbore operation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, using the first processor, from the downhole tool to the surface unit an indicator indicating to the second processor to use the second estimate value to perform the wellbore operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting from the downhole tool to the surface unit synchronization information. 
     
     
         13 . A data prediction system for use with downhole operations, the data prediction system comprising:
 a sensor configured to obtain a measurement value of a property of interest, the sensor arranged on a downhole tool located in a borehole;   a first processor arranged in the downhole tool; and   a second processor arranged in a surface unit at the earth surface and outside the borehole;   wherein the first processor is configured to:
 receive the measurement value of the property interest from the sensor; 
 predict a first estimate value of the property of interest by executing a first predictor; 
 compare the first estimate value with the measurement value; and 
 determine if the measurement value is within a predetermined threshold from the first estimate value; and 
   wherein the second processor is configured to:
 predict a second estimate value of the property of interest by executing a second predictor; and 
 perform a wellbore operation based on the second estimate value when the measurement value is within the predetermined threshold from the first estimate value; 
   wherein the first predictor and the second predictor are configured to perform identical data processing such that when the same input is provided to each of the first predictor and the second predictor, the first estimate value predicted at the first predictor is equal to the second estimate value predicted at the second predictor.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first processor is configured to cause transmission of the measurement value from the downhole tool to the surface unit in response to the measurement value being outside the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one of a mud pulser, an electromagnetic telemetry device, and an acoustic telemetry device configured to transmit the measurement value from the downhole tool to the surface unit in response to commands received from the first processor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the second processor is configured to replace, in the second predictor, the second estimate value with the transmitted measurement value and to predict a subsequent second estimate value with the second predictor based on the transmitted measurement value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein no cable connection exists between the first processor and the second processor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first predictor and the second predictor use preliminary data to predict the first estimate value and the second estimate value, respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined threshold is one of a predetermined percentage deviation between the first estimate value and the measurement value or a predicted absolute value deviation between the first estimate value and the measurement value. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a third processor arranged in the downhole tool and configured to predict a third estimate value; and   a fourth predictor executed by one of (i) the first processor or (ii) the second processor and configured to predict a fourth estimate value,   wherein the third predictor includes identical data processing as the fourth predictor, such that when the same input is provided to each of the third predictor and the fourth predictor, the predicted third estimate value is equal to the predicted fourth estimate value.