Methods and systems for evaluating rock cuttings using rfid tags

Abstract

A method for evaluating rock cuttings using RFID tags involves injecting a first batch of RFID tags through a drill pipe to a first depth, attaching of at least a subset of the RFID tags to rock cuttings resulting from drilling activity, transporting the rock cuttings uphole, detecting the subset of the RFID tags attached to the rock cuttings, by an RFID sensor, determining well composite data based on the rock cuttings, and labeling the well composite data as being associated with the first depth.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for evaluating rock cuttings using RFID tags, the method comprising:
 injecting a first batch of RFID tags through a drill pipe to a first depth;   attaching of at least a subset of the RFID tags to rock cuttings resulting from drilling activity;   transporting the rock cuttings uphole;   detecting the subset of the RFID tags attached to the rock cuttings, by an RFID sensor;   determining well composite data based on the rock cuttings; and   labeling the well composite data as being associated with the first depth.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing a formation evaluation, based on the well composite data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 injecting a second batch of RFID tags through the drill pipe to a second depth;   attaching of at least a subset of the RFID tags in the second batch to rock cuttings generated by drilling activity at the second depth; and   detecting the subset of the RFID tags, attached to the rock cuttings from the second depth, by the RFID sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the RFID tags in the second batch are distinguishable from the RFID tags in the first batch, by the RFID sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising optimizing future injections of RFID tags, based on results obtained from the injection of the first batch of RFID tags. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching of at least a subset of the RFID tags to rock cuttings generated by drilling activity comprises:
 adhering of a flexible and sticky substrate of the RFID tags to the rock cuttings upon contact.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transporting the rock cuttings uphole is provided by a flow of drilling mud. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the subset of the RFID tags by the RFID sensor comprises:
 measuring, for an RFID tag in the subset, a complex impedance of a coil of the RFID tag.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein detecting the subset of the RFID tags by the RFID sensor further comprises:
 detecting an error associated with a damaged RFID tag.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the RFID tags in the first batch comprises a coil with a same resonance frequency. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the well composite data comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of determining resistivity measurements, ultrasonic measurements, X-ray fluorescence measurements, and chemical composition measurements. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rock cuttings are evaluated in a closed loop system of an underbalanced drilling scenario using coiled tubing. 
     
     
         13 . A system for evaluating rock cuttings using RFID tags, the system comprising:
 an RFID sensor configured to perform an in-line detection of RFID tags attached to rock cuttings resulting from drilling activity at a first depth;   an inline sensor system configured to determine well composite data based on the rock cuttings; and   a computing system configured to label the well composite data as being associated with the first depth, based on the in-line detection of the RFID tags.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the RFID sensor comprises an impedance analyzer configured to measure a complex impedance associated with the RFID tags. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the inline sensor system comprises measurement equipment configured to perform at least one of resistivity measurements, ultrasonic measurements, X-ray fluorescence measurements, and chemical composition measurements. 
     
     
         16 . An RFID tag for evaluating rock cuttings, the RFID tag comprising:
 an adhesive and flexible substrate; and   carbon nanotubes disposed on the substrate to form a coil for wireless passive radio frequency identification of the RFID tag.   
     
     
         17 . The RFID tag of  claim 16 , wherein the coil has a particular resonance frequency governed by a geometry of the coil. 
     
     
         18 . The RFID tag of  claim 16 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are arranged in a rectangular form. 
     
     
         19 . The RFID tag of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is a polymer substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The RFID tag of  claim 16 , further comprising an insulating film between the substrate and the carbon nanotubes.