Pulsed quality discriminator systems and methods to improve performance of a pulsed power drilling system

Abstract

A method to improve performance of a pulsed power drilling tool includes determining energy transferred to a bit of a pulsed power drilling tool. In response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, the method also includes monitoring voltage of a primary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool during a subsequent resonance cycle. In response to a determination that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above a voltage threshold, the method further includes toggling a primary switch that is electrically connected to the primary capacitor to maintain energy captured by the primary capacitor, charging the primary capacitor from a stored voltage to an operating voltage during a subsequent cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method to improve performance of a pulsed power drilling tool, comprising:
 determining energy transferred to a bit of a pulsed power drilling tool;   in response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, monitoring voltage of a primary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool during a subsequent resonance cycle;   in response to a determination that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above a voltage threshold, toggling a primary switch that is electrically connected to the primary capacitor to maintain energy captured by the primary capacitor; and   charging the primary capacitor from a stored voltage to an operating voltage during a subsequent cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: in response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, transferring energy from a secondary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool to the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein charging the primary capacitor from the stored voltage to the operating voltage comprises charging the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, turning off an input charging system of the pulsed power drilling tool after charging the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a current through the primary capacitor; and   determining that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above the voltage threshold in response to a determination that the current through the primary capacitor crosses 0.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy threshold is 500 Joules, and wherein the threshold period of time is five microseconds. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the energy transferred to the bit in real time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising categorizing an arc generated by the pulsed power drilling tool. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein categorizing the arc comprises categorizing the arc as one of a productive arc, an oil arc, a surface arc, or a resistive arc. 
     
     
         10 . A pulsed quality discriminator system, comprising:
 a storage medium; and   one or more processors configured to:
 determine energy transferred to a bit of a pulsed power drilling tool; 
 in response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, monitor voltage of a primary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool during a subsequent resonance cycle; 
 in response to a determination that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above a voltage threshold, toggle a primary switch that is electrically connected to the primary capacitor to maintain energy captured by the primary capacitor; and 
 charge the primary capacitor from a stored voltage to an operating voltage during a subsequent cycle. 
   
     
     
         11 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: in response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, transfer energy from a secondary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool to the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         12 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to charge the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         13 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to turning off an input charging system of the pulsed power drilling tool after charging the primary capacitor. 
     
     
         14 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine a current through the primary capacitor; and   determine that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above the voltage threshold in response to a determination that the current through the primary capacitor crosses 0.   
     
     
         15 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the energy threshold is 500 Joules, and wherein the threshold period of time is five microseconds. 
     
     
         16 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the energy transferred to the bit in real time. 
     
     
         17 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to categorize an arc generated by the pulsed power drilling tool. 
     
     
         18 . The pulsed quality discriminator system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to categorize the arc as one of a productive arc, an oil arc, a surface arc, or a resistive arc. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine readable medium containing instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining energy transferred to a bit of a pulsed power drilling tool;   in response to a determination that the energy transferred to the bit is not greater than an energy threshold within a threshold period of time, monitoring voltage of a primary capacitor of the pulsed power drilling tool during a subsequent resonance cycle;   in response to a determination that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above a voltage threshold, toggling a primary switch that is electrically connected to the primary capacitor to maintain energy captured by the primary capacitor; and   charging the primary capacitor from a stored voltage to an operating voltage during a subsequent cycle.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 19 , containing further instructions, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining a current through the primary capacitor;   determining that the voltage of the primary capacitor is above the voltage threshold in response to a determination that the current through the primary capacitor crosses 0; and   blocking the current through the primary capacitor in response to the determination that the current through the primary capacitor crosses 0.