Real-time downhole data improves drilling efficiency

Judy Maksoud
International Editor
Offshore

The drilling industry is pushing the edge of technology. "We know where the edge is, and we know where we are in relation to the edge," Gerald Heisig of Baker Hughes told participants at the Offshore West Africa conference in Abuja, Nigeria.

A sensor unit designed by Baker Hughes is one of the keys to knowing where the edge is, Heisig said. The sensor feeds real-time data to surface so crews can better manage drilling operations. A rig floor display allows drillers to have a visual presentation of the data the sensor is collecting.

Collected data includes weight on bit, torque, bending moment, annulus pressure, annulus temperature, and downhole string RPM.

Heisig presented cases studies to illustrate the usefulness of downhole feedback and its value in controlling the drilling process.

Baker Hughes' sensor has been used in the field to detect and resolve a weight transfer problem with a steerable motor system, Helsig said, the potential cost of which if it had gone unaddressed would have been considerable.

A series of case studies from the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea examined maintaining integrity of the bottom hole assembly (BHA). According to Heisig, the new tool allows bending stresses in the BHA to be calculated. "The bending stresses in the BHA are the most critical stresses," he said.

The alternating stresses cause extreme fatigue, which can result in tool failure. Data from the sensor allows drillers to monitor the BHA and can improve directional drilling control, Heisig said.

According to Heisig, "This is the edge of drilling technology." The new sensor allows insight into the downhole drilling environment. It allows drilling improvement, reduces risk, and accelerates learning through knowledge capture, he said.

3/21/05