Abstract:
An alert system for a downhole operation including a tubular string in a borehole. The tubular string having at least one sensor positioned in the borehole for measuring at least one parameter during operation of the tubular string. A unit in data communication with the tubular string and operatively arranged to enable an operator to obtain information regarding operation of the tubular string. A work area positioned proximate to the unit and operatively arranged to receive the operator when the operator is interfacing with the unit. A vibration module operatively arranged to vibrate the work area or a structure therein, wherein the vibration module is triggered in response to a first parameter being outside of a predetermined range set by a first threshold value. Also included is a method of alerting an operator during a drilling operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Previously in the downhole drilling industry, an operator had a mechanical connection to the drill string. This mechanical connection enabled the operator to “feel” problems occurring downhole based on behavior of the brake handle or other control mechanisms. For example, an operator may have been able to perceive conditions indicating that bit bounce, stick-slip, bit whirl, etc., was occurring and to take corrective measures to remedy any problems. With the advent of more advanced systems, this mechanical connection has been severed. While there are many benefits to remotely controlling a drilling operation, the operator has lost the ability to “feel” some potential problems downhole. The industry is accordingly desirous of advancements that improve an operator&#39;s ability to remotely control a drilling procedure. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     An alert system for a downhole operation, includes a tubular string in a borehole, the tubular string having at least one sensor positioned in the borehole for measuring at least one parameter during operation of the tubular string; a unit in data communication with the tubular string and operatively arranged to enable an operator to obtain information regarding operation of the tubular string; a work area positioned proximate to the unit and operatively arranged to receive the operator when the operator is interfacing with the unit; and a vibration module operatively arranged to vibrate the work area or a structure therein, wherein the vibration module is triggered in response to a first parameter being outside of a predetermined range set by a first threshold value. 
     A method of alerting an operator during a drilling operation includes measuring at least one parameter of operation of the tubular string with at least one sensor while performing a downhole operation with the tubular string; determining if the at least one parameter is in a predetermined range based on at least one threshold value; and vibrating a work area or a structure therein with a vibration module in response to the at least one parameter being outside of the predetermined range, the work area located proximate to a unit operatively arranged for enabling an operator to obtain information regarding operation of the tubular string. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a system for drilling a borehole; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic top view of a control unit for an operator to remotely control a drilling operation; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a set of reference axes. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a drilling system  10  is shown. The system  10  includes a control unit  12  for enabling an operator to control operation of a drill string  14 . The drill string  14  terminates in a bottom hole assembly (BHA)  16  having a drill bit  18  for forming a borehole  20 . By “operator” it is meant any person, user, worker, employee, driller, etc. who controls the system  10  for drilling the borehole  20  or desires or requires access to information concerning another downhole activity. The control unit  12  could be located in a trailer or the like proximate the borehole  20 . The control unit  12  is arranged to remotely control the operation of the drill string  14  via known means. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,730,967 (Ballantyne et al.) discloses a borehole drilling system, which Patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     The drill string  14  also includes a plurality of sensors  22  along its length. For example, the sensors  22  can measure: borehole pressure and temperature; drilling parameters, such as weight on bit, rotational speed of the drill bit and/or the drill string, the drilling fluid flow rate, etc.; bottomhole assembly conditions or parameters, such as mud motor differential pressure, torque, bit bounce and whirl, etc.; and any other conditions or parameters desired to be known (hereinafter, generally “parameters”). Exemplary sensors include temperature gages, strain gages, accelerometers, pressure transducers, magnetometers, electrical field strength sensors and other sensors known to one skilled in the art. For example, a plurality of accelerometers could be arranged to detect movement of the drill string  14  or a component or portion thereof along the X, Y, and Z axes (see  FIG. 3 ) or to sense other parameters indicative of downhole problems. These detected movements and other parameters could be compared, for example, to predetermined maximum and/or minimum threshold values for setting a predetermined range of acceptable values. A computer processor  23  or logic unit in the control unit  12 , in a sub of the drill string  14 , etc., could be arranged to perform the comparison with the threshold values, which values could be stored in any suitable form of memory or data storage. Problems such as bit bounce (i.e., axial movement of the drill string  14 ), bit whirl (i.e., lateral movement of the drill string  14 ), stick-slip (i.e., torque in the drill string  14 ), etc. are therefore detectable by the sensors  22  and processor  23 . 
     One embodiment of the control unit  12  is shown schematically in  FIG. 2 . The control unit  12  enables control of drilling operation and includes, for example, a display device  24 , a console  26 , and a work area  28  positioned near the display device  24  and/or console  26 . The display device  24  comprises, for example, a monitor, electronic display panel, etc. The display  24  provides the operator with information relating to drilling in various formats, e.g., pictorial, numeric, alphanumeric, etc. The console  26  includes various communication, input and/or interfacing devices for enabling the operator to communicate with the control unit  12 , e.g., a mouse, keyboard, keypad, joystick, etc. The work area  28  is arranged for receiving the operator when the operator is controlling, operating, or otherwise interfacing with the control unit  12 . For example, it may take the form of a portion, panel, plate, or section of flooring on which the operator stands to control the control unit  12 , a seat or chair in which the operator sits while controlling the control unit  12 , etc. In other words, the work area  28  is the component or structure on which the operator is physically located in order to operate the control unit  12 . For example, a floor section  30  and a seat  32  are shown in  FIG. 2  located in an area convenient for viewing, manipulating, and/or otherwise interfacing with the displays  24  and console  26 . Other related components and equipment of the unit  12  are well known in the art and are not described in detail herein. 
     While many benefits are achievable with current remotely controlled systems, the lack of a mechanical connection between the driller and the downhole equipment inherently removes one means in which the driller&#39;s used to sense potential problems downhole, i.e., through vibrations and the like in the drilling controls. In order to alert the operator of undesired or unsatisfactory downhole conditions, e.g., stick-slip, bit bounce, bit whirl, etc., one or more vibration modules are included in the work area  28 . In  FIG. 2 , vibration modules  34   a ,  34   b ,  34   c , and  34   d  are shown (collectively, the “vibrations modules  34 ”) for introducing vibrations, oscillations, or other detectable movements into the work area  28  for alerting the operator of a potential downhole problem or issue that requires correction. For example, the vibration modules may take any form for inducing movement, such as motorized cam shafts or unbalanced shafts, actuatable pistons or plungers, opposing electromagnets, etc. In one embodiment, the vibration modules  34  are arranged in data communication with the control unit  12 , the sensors  22 , and/or the processor  23  and triggered in response to one of the parameters measured by the sensors  22  exceeding or dropping below its corresponding threshold value. 
     With respect to the axes of  FIG. 3 , for example, undesirably high movement sensed by the sensors  22  in the X, Y, and Z directions, along with rotational movement (torque) R, can be communicated uniquely via ones of the vibration modules  34  to the operator. For example, the vibration module  34   a  is arranged to vibrate the flooring section  30  in the work area  28 . Since the operator must be positioned in the work area  28  in order to interface with the control unit  12 , vibrations in the floor section  30  will be felt by the operation, regardless of if the operator is standing or sitting on a seat, e.g., the seat  32 , located in the work area  28 . 
     The vibration modules  34   b ,  34   c , and  34   d  are arranged to vibrate the seat  32  instead of the floor general and can be configured to vibrate the seat differently in response to various downhole events or conditions. For example, in the event that stick-slip is detected (e.g., rotational movement or torque, R in  FIG. 3 , exceeds its threshold value) one of the vibrations modules  34   a  or  34   b  could be triggered to cause vibrations to correspondingly rotate the seat  32 . That is, by arranging the vibration modules  34   b  or  34   c  off-center with respect to the seat  32 , triggering only one of these modules will introduce vibrations that slightly rotate the seat  32 . This rotation of the seat  32  would indicate to the operator that impermissibly high rotation, torque, or stick-slip, is detected in the drill string  14 . Similarly, arranging the vibration module  34   d  under the seat to cause the seat  32  to rock back and forth due to its vibrations could be used to indicate that impermissibly high axial movement, or bit bounce, is detected. Triggering both modules  34   b  and  34   c  simultaneously would rock the seat  32  side to side and could indicate unacceptably high lateral movement of the drill string  14 , i.e., bit whirl. In this way, different forms of vibrations could be used to indicate different downhole problems, where the different vibrations mimic, imitate, relate to, correspond to, describe, or otherwise represent the condition occurring downhole. This enables the operator to immediately and intuitively recognize a variety of issues occurring downhole without having to focus attention on a display screen, interpret data, etc. 
     The strength and frequency of the vibrations should be set so that they do not interfere with the operator&#39;s ability to work, but also so that they are not easily missed or ignored. They could also be tuned for the operator&#39;s weight, preferences, sensibility, etc. When the operator has taken appropriate action to relieve the undesirable downhole condition, the vibration modules would be signaled to cease vibrating. The vibrations can be set to cause some degree of annoyance to the operator, such that the operator is provided with even further motivation to quickly take remedial actions in order to avoid damage to the drill string  14 , the BHA  16 , the bit  18 , etc. 
     In one embodiment, visual signals accompany the vibrations and are used to indicate to the operator that the system is operating outside of the predetermined norms, e.g., one of the parameters has exceeded or dropped below its corresponding threshold value. For instance, some portion of the display  24  could be shown in first color (e.g., yellow) for operation approaching the threshold value and with a second color (e.g., red) for operation outside of threshold value. In another example, the console  26 , the work area  28 , etc. could be illuminated by lights of these first and second colors. In another example, the colors or illumination could pulse or flash on and off, between two colors, etc. so that they are readily recognized and not easily missed or ignored. 
     In one embodiment, the control unit  12  additionally includes one or more audio devices  36  for playing a sound, series of sounds, sound bite, etc. in response to one of the downhole parameters exceeding its corresponding predetermined threshold value. Similar to some examples for the vibration modules  34  given above, a sound or series of sounds could be selected representative of or corresponding to potential issues downhole. That is, the sounds themselves would be selected such that they mimic, sound-like, define, or otherwise inherently represent the detected downhole problems. For example, a whirring noise could play for bit whirl, a knocking or jackhammering noise for bit bounce, etc. Thus, the operator would not just be hearing a generic alarm, but would instead hear sounds representative of the actual problem that needs to be rectified. Again, this reduces the operators need to focus attention on a display, interpret information, etc., as the association between the sound played and the problem would be intuitive. The audio device  36  could take the form of, or be incorporated into, a loud speaker, a headset, headphones, a speaker in data communication with the control unit  12 , etc. 
     Accordingly, a combination of the above embodiments would enable an operator to be informed of possible problems by use of three of the operator&#39;s primary senses. Further, the alert signals can be tailored to represent the actual events that are occurring so that the operator intuitively appreciates the problem without having to focus on a screen or display, interpret data, etc. In one embodiment, for example, a plurality of different conditions are uniquely communicated to the operator via a different one of the operator&#39;s senses, e.g., stick-slip by visual color changing, bit whirl by playing a whirring sound, and bit bounce by vibrations. 
     In addition to the foregoing, it is to be appreciated that the alert features of the current invention are applicable to any other downhole operation, such as circulation, tripping, reaming, etc. and that any appropriate tubular string could be utilized. Furthermore, the alerts as described above, whether vibratory, audible, and/or visual, could be transmitted according to the above embodiments to multiple locations, people, etc. simultaneously. For example, in some embodiments the feedback or alerts would be communicated to personnel who only monitor and do not control the downhole operations (as noted above, monitoring personnel and others also generally referred to herein as operators for ease of discussion). 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.