Drilling systems automation requires a downhole digital backbone for closed-loop control, as do many other real-time drilling, completion and production operations. The absence of a reliable, high data bandwidth, bi-directional communication method between surface and downhole is a barrier to digitalization and automation of the oil field. This paper describes the development and successful drilling field trial of a micro-repeater wired pipe – effectively "smart pipe" – that removes this barrier. The developed system uses battery-powered micro-repeaters (a fail-safe signal booster) placed within the box of each tubular and fully encapsulated dual RF-resonant antennas to transmit data between tubulars. The current system delivers 1-Mbps backbone data rate with a maximum payload of 720 kbps, and with a very low latency of 15 μsec/km, making it ideal for control-loop applications. The system design focusses on reliability: failure of multiple components will not affect telemetry. The prototype system has been rigorously field tested during drilling in Oklahoma. Testing occurred on a drilling rig in Beggs, Oklahoma. The first trial (2016) covered drilling operations, the second (2017) covered controlling downhole technology; both were successful. The drilling trial demonstrated fitting the system to pipe with conventional API connections, standard rig-floor pipe handling, reliable wireless transmission between surface receivers and wired pipe network, the use of multiple along-string measurements of temperature and vibration, and simulated component failure. Of particular note was the surface system: it is wireless and no modification to the drilling rig was required. Conventional tubulars can be refit with the system, which removes a barrier to the use of wired pipe for automation and LWD/MWD measurements in lower cost onshore operations. There is a benefit for drilling operations: all pipe joints contain a micro-repeater and are addressable for "smart pipe" applications such as an electronic pipe tally, and pipe condition monitoring. Drilling operations are the first users of the system, but it serves other operations, for example tubing conveyed wireline operations. The smart wired pipe concept is truly innovative. It enables drilling systems automation and logging-while-drilling applications, such as seismic-while-drilling with along-string sensors, by providing a fully open acquisition and control platform to the industry.
Direct feedback from the drilling process will be key to enhance overall drilling performance further, improve steering and will help detect drilling dysfunctions early. This is especially true for demanding drilling applications, such as drilling in difficult geological formations. Faults, hard stringers or borehole instabilities can have a negative impact on rate of penetration (ROP) or even worse can damage equipment and cause non-productive time (NPT). This gets pronounced for extended reach drilling, where long drill strings delay the received feedback from the drilling process or effects along the drill string (e.g friction) skew the results. To overcome these obstacles a near bit sensor was developed to provide real time weight-on-bit (WOB), torque-on-bit (TOB), bending and bending orientation data. It is directly integrated into the steering unit of the rotary steerable system (RSS) with the goal to be simplistic, cost efficient and robust. To discuss potential uses and limitations of the load sensor, the basic design and operational principle are shown. Different usage scenarios of the system are presented in theoretical terms and backed by real-world data. One scenario is the possibility to diagnose reasons for low ROP, for instance weight transfer issues can be distinguished from bit damages if WOB and TOB real time data is available. For early detection of unwanted deflections in directional drilling, for instance due to faults or tilted beds, near bit bending and bending orientation measurements of the RSS system can be used. The near bit sensor design proves to be reliable and cost efficient. It shows high potential to increase ROP and reduce NPT and overall drilling cost.
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