Background

[0001] Directional drilling operations typically allow for greater recovery of hydrocarbons from reservoirs downhole. Drilling multiple directional wells in the same area may increase the possibility of collisions between boreholes.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0002] Fig. 1 illustrates a system for drilling operations.

[0003] Fig. 2 illustrates a situation in which there is a danger of a collision between a borehole being drilled and another borehole. [0004] Fig. 3 illustrates a computer that executes software for performing operations.

[0005] Fig. 4 illustrates components of an anti-collision workflow.

[0006] Fig. 5 illustrates the creation of a collision scan report.

[0007] Fig. 6 illustrates the transmission of the scan report.

[0008] Fig. 7 illustrates scan report processing. [0009] Fig. 8 illustrates data flow in anti-collision processing.

[0010] Figs. 9A-9C show examples of mobile devices receiving and displaying collision alerts.

[0011] Fig. 10 shows a flow chart.

Detailed Description

[0012] One embodiment of a system for drilling operations (or "drilling system"), illustrated in Fig. 1, includes a drilling rig 10 at the surface 12, supporting a drill string 14. In one embodiment, the drill string 14 is an assembly of drill pipe sections which are connected end-to-end through a work platform 16. In alternative embodiments, the drill string comprises coiled tubing rather than individual drill pipes. In alternative embodiments, the drilling system is sea based rather than land based. In one embodiment, a drill bit 18 couples to the lower end of the drill string 14, and through drilling operations the bit 18 creates a borehole 20 through earth formations 22 and 24. In one embodiment, the drill string 14 has on its lower end a bottom hole (BHA) assembly 26 which comprises the drill bit 18, a logging tool 30 built into collar section 32, directional sensors located in a non-magnetic instrument sub 34, a downhole controller 40, a telemetry transmitter 42, and in some embodiments a downhole motor/rotary steerable tool 28.

[0013] In one embodiment, the downhole controller 40 controls the operation of telemetry transmitter 42 and orchestrates the operation of downhole components. In one embodiment, the controller 40 processes data received from the logging tool 30 and/or sensors in the instrument sub 34 and produces encoded signals for transmission to the surface via the telemetry transmitter 42. In some embodiments telemetry is in the form of mud pulses within the drill string 14, and which mud pulses are detected at the surface by a mud pulse receiver 44. Other telemetry systems may be equivalently used (e.g., acoustic telemetry along the drill string, wired drill pipe, etc.). In addition to the downhole sensors, the system may include a number of sensors at the surface of the rig floor to monitor different operations (e.g., rotation rate of the drill string, mud flow rate, etc.). [0014] In some embodiments, the data from the downhole sensors and the surface sensors is processed for display, as described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0186687, which is assigned to the assignee of the instant application. The processor components that process such data may be downhole and/or at the surface. For example, one or more processors, including for example downhole controller 40, in a downhole tool may process the downhole data. Alternatively or in addition, one or more processors either at the rig site and/or at a remote location may process the data. Moreover, the processed data may then numerically and/or graphically displayed as described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0186687, referenced above.

[0015] In one embodiment, a field computer 46 receives data transmitted to the surface via the telemetry transmitter 42. In one embodiment, the field computer 46 processes some or all of the data transmitted via the telemetry transmitter 42, as described below. In one embodiment, the field computer 46 determines that the borehole 20 is in danger of colliding with a second borehole 202, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and sends a message to a mobile device 48 via one or more wireless network(s) 50. In one embodiment, the wireless network(s) 50 includes one or more cellular networks, one or more wireless wide area networks, one or more wireless local area networks, and/or one or more wired networks. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the wireless network(s) 50 is a third-party network, where a third- party network is owned by someone other than the owner or operator of the drilling system illustrated in Fig. 1. For example, if the drilling system is owned by an oil service company, then the cellular telephone system may be a third-party network.

[0016] In one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 3, the field computer 46 comprises processor(s) 302. In one embodiment, the field computer 46 also includes a memory unit 330, processor bus 322, and Input/Output controller hub (ICH) 324. In one embodiment, the processor(s) 302, memory unit 330, and ICH 324 are coupled to the processor bus 322. In one embodiment, the processor(s) 302 may comprise any suitable processor architecture. In one embodiment, the field computer 46 may comprise one, two, three, or more processors, any of which may execute a set of instructions in accordance with embodiments described herein.

[0017] In one embodiment, the memory unit 330 may store data and/or instructions, and may comprise any suitable memory, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In one embodiment, the field computer 46 also includes IDE drive(s) 308 and/or other suitable storage devices. In one embodiment, a graphics controller 304 controls the display of information on a display device 306.

[0018] In one embodiment, the input/output controller hub (ICH) 324 provides an interface to input/output (I/O) devices or peripheral components for the field computer 46. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 may comprise any suitable interface controller to provide for any suitable communication link to the processor(s) 302, memory unit 330 and/or to any suitable device or component in communication with the ICH 324. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 provides suitable arbitration and buffering for each interface.

[0019] In one embodiment, the ICH 324 provides an interface to one or more suitable integrated drive electronics (IDE) drives 308, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or compact disc read only memory (CD ROM) drive, or to suitable universal serial bus (USB) devices through one or more USB ports 310. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 also provides an interface to a keyboard 312, a mouse 314, a CD-ROM drive 318, one or more suitable devices through one or more firewire ports 316. In one embodiment, the ICH 324 also provides a network interface 320 through which the field computer 46 can communicate with other computers and/or devices. [0020] In one embodiment, the field computer 46 includes a machine-readable medium that stores a set of instructions (e.g., software) embodying any one, or all, of the methodologies for described herein. Furthermore, software may reside, completely or at least partially, within memory unit 330 and/or within the processor(s) 302. [0021] In one embodiment, an anti-collision workflow, illustrated in Fig. 4, includes an alert agent 402, which coordinates the other software components in the anti-collision workflow.

[0022] In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a database (DB) 404 that contains pertinent information about a drilling environment and well planning and drilling-relate applications for accessing that information. An example DB 404 is the ENGINEERING DATA MODEL™ available from Halliburton. In one embodiment, DB 404 is a suite of well planning and drilling-related applications coupled to a database. In one embodiment, DB 404 provides the well, wellbore, and survey data for anti-collision analysis.

[0023] In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a data management service (DMS) 406, which allows drilling and other rigsite data to be collected, transmitted, replicated, and managed in real time. An example DMS 406 is the INSITE® product available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.. In one embodiment, DMS 406 is a common platform that stores, transmits, and replicates data acquired from drilling systems. In one embodiment, DMS 406 allows replication of data between rig and office environments, allowing real time collaboration between teams and management of well site situations as they arise. In one embodiment, DMS 406 is the source of directional survey data for the anti-collision workflow. In one embodiment, after an engineer enters and validates survey information into DMS 406, a formatted data transfer application (FDT) 408, that coordinates data transfer according to a standard, such as WITSML ("WITSML" is an abbreviation of "Wellsite information transfer standard markup language"), copies the data to the DB 404, which is the source of data for the anti-collision analysis, as described below. In one embodiment, the FDT 408 writes the result of the anti-collision analysis from the DB 404 to the DMS 406 where it is stored for later use and reference.

[0024] In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes a data transfer application (DT) 410 that manages the transfer of data from multiple data source to multiple databases. An example DT 410 is the DECISIONSPACE® Data Server available from Landmark Graphics Corporation. In one embodiment DT 410 provides a uniform interface to access data from data stores such as DMS 406, DB 404, and OPENWORKS® (not shown) available from Landmark Graphics Corporation. In one embodiment, DT 410 provides access to well, wellbore, and survey data from DB 404. In one embodiment, FDT 408 uses DT 410 to write well, wellbore, and survey data into DB 404.

[0025] In one embodiment, the anti-collision workflow includes an anti-collision service 412 that creates a scan report that indicates how far the well being drilled (e.g., borehole 20) is from its neighboring or offset wells (e.g., second borehole 202, see Fig. 2) using conventional techniques, an example of which is described in PEARL CHU LEDER, D.P. MCCANN, and A. HATCH, "New Real-Time AnticoUision Alarm Improves Drilling Safety," Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition 1995 (SPE 30692). In one embodiment, the scan report provides the safety factor among other information that indicates the likelihood of a collision. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 uses well information and survey data from the current well and survey data from the offset wells to compute the scan report. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 retrieves data from the DB 404.

[0026] In one embodiment, an anti-collision advisor 414 is the front-end application that provides alerts of the possibility of a collision condition. In one embodiment, the anti-collision advisor 414 runs as part of the drilling dynamics advisor ("DDA") (not shown), which is a monitoring and advice application that provides alerts of real-time events that demand attention.

[0027] In one embodiment, a messaging service (MS) 416, such as an ACTIVEMQ® service available from The Apache Software Foundation, provides the ability to exchange messages among the anti- collision workflow components shown on Fig. 4 and among other processes and services running on the field computer 46.

[0028] In one embodiment, a configuration component 418 contains and manages the configuration for the alert agent 402, DT 410, the anti-collision service 412, and MS 416, as indicated by the lines on Fig. 4.

[0029] In one embodiment of creating a collision scan report, illustrated in Fig. 5, MS 416 notifies the alert agent 402 that the survey for the well being drilled in DB 404 has been modified. In one embodiment, a survey provides a three dimensional record of a path of a borehole (e.g., borehole 20, see Figs. 1 and 2, or second borehole 202, see Fig. 2) through the earth. In one embodiment, the current location of the drill bit 18 drilling borehole 20 or another part of the bottom hole assembly 26 is reported through telemetry and is stored in DB 404 as part of the survey for borehole 20. In one embodiment, upon receiving notification that the survey for the well being drilled has changed, the alert agent 402 invokes the anti-collision service 412 to generate a scan report for the survey. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 reads survey data for the well being drilled and for offset wells from DB 404, performs an anti-collision analysis, produces a scan report (or "collision report") 502. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 returns the scan report 502 to the alert agent 402.

[0030] In one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 6, the alert agent 402 reviews the scan report 50 to determine if it is the same as the most recent scan report that it received from the anti-collision service 412. In one embodiment, this is done to avoid sending duplicate scan reports to the anti-collision advisor 414.

[0031] In one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 7, the anti-collision advisor 414 reads the newly arrived scan report 502 and displays it on a display device, such as display device 306. In one embodiment, if there is an alarm condition in the scan report 502, the anti-collision advisor causes indications of the alarm to appear on the display device and sends an alarm to an alarm server 702, which in one embodiment is a component of DMS 406.

[0032] In one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 8, the interoperation of the anti-collision processes includes a flow of survey data, represented by the solid lines, a flow of anti-collision scan results, represented by fine dashed lines, an alert process flow represented by dash-dot lines, and systems communications represented by coarse dashed lines.

[0033] In one embodiment, illustrated in Fig. 8, tool real time telemetry 802 transmitted by the telemetry transmitter 42 is received by the field computer 46 and decoded 804, the latter typically being a function of the DMS 406. In one embodiment, MS 416 notifies the alert agent 402 that survey points in a survey have changed or have been updated. In one embodiment, the alert agent 402 invokes the anti-collision service 412, which performs an anti-collision analysis and produces a scan report 502. In one embodiment, the anti-collision service 412 returns the scan report 502 to the alert agent 402. In one embodiment, the alert agent 402 analyzes the scan report 502 to determine if it is different from a previous scan report (in one embodiment, the most recently received previous scan report). In one embodiment, if the scan report is different, the alert agent sends the report to DMS 406 and the anti- collision advisor 414 displays the scan report 502 on the display device 306. In one embodiment, if the scan report 502 indicates a danger of a collision (such as that shown in Fig. 2), the anti-collusion advisor 414 displays an alert announcement on the display device 306 and/or other display and sound devices (not shown). In one embodiment, the alert announcement includes the words "Collision Alert" or similar words and includes other visual, audible, and/or sensory indicators intended to draw the attention of operators, such as bright colors, flashing graphics, vibrations and/or alarm sounds.

[0034] In one embodiment, in addition to displaying the alert announcement on the display device 306, the field computer transmits an alert message to the mobile device 48 through the wireless network(s) 50 causing the mobile device 48 to display an alert announcement, as illustrated in Figs. 9A (in which mobile device 48 is a cellular telephone), 9B (in which mobile device 48 is a tablet), and 9C (in which mobile device 48 is a laptop computer). In one embodiment, the alert announcement includes the words "Collision Alert" or similar words and includes other visual, audible, and/or sensory indicators intended to draw the attention of users of the mobile device 48, such as bright colors, flashing graphics, alarm sounds, and/or vibrations. In one embodiment, the visual alert announcement is superimposed over other data from the well being drilled that is being displayed on the mobile device, as shown in Figs. 9A-9C.

[0035] In use, as illustrated in Fig. 10, a processor, such as field computer 46, coupled to instruments, such as one or more components in bottom hole assembly 26, in the well being drilled, such as borehole 20, receives survey data for the well being drilled, such as borehole 20, (block 1002) and determines that the well being drilled, such as borehole 20, is in danger of colliding with a second well, such as second borehole 202, (block 1004) and transmits a message warning of the danger to the mobile device, such as mobile device 48 (block 1006). In one embodiment, the transmission is over the wireless network(s) 50.

[0036] In one embodiment, the mobile device, such as mobile device 48, receives the message over the wireless network(s) 50 (block 1008). In one embodiment, the mobile device, such as mobile device 48, displays an announcement of the danger of the well being drilled colliding with a second well on a graphical user interface of the mobile device (block 1010).

[0037] The word "coupled" herein means a direct connection or an indirect connection.

[0038] The text above describes one or more specific embodiments of a broader invention. The invention also is carried out in a variety of alternate embodiments and thus is not limited to those described here. The foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.