Patent Publication Number: US-11651483-B2

Title: Shale shaker imaging system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/263,452, filed on Dec. 4, 2015 and United States patent application Ser. No. 14/982,510 filed on Dec. 29, 2015. The entirety of both applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     In the wellbore construction process, in-situ rocks are broken down by a drill bit to generate a wellbore. These rock cuttings are then carried to the surface by a fluid called drilling mud. The drilling mud is then passed through sieves mounted on equipment called a “shale shaker” where the rock cuttings are separated from the drilling mud. The sieves on the shale shaker are vibrated to improve the efficiency of the separation process. The separated rock cuttings fall over the edge of the sieve into an appropriate disposal mechanism. 
     There are several factors that affect the size, shape, and amount of rock cuttings during the wellbore construction process. These include the type of drill bit used, the mechanical parameters used during the drilling operation, the compressive strengths of the rocks, and other parameters dictated by geomechanics. 
     A phenomenon called “caving” may also be observed during the drilling of the wellbore. Caving refers to large rock masses that have failed through naturally-occurring weak planes or through the disturbance of an in-situ pressure regime that may exist within the rocks. As the drilling process alters the stress regimes of the rock, it may trigger an instability in the wellbore causing the rocks to cave in. 
     Some types of rocks (e.g., shale) are sensitive to their chemical environment. For example, when the rocks contact the drilling fluid, the rocks may swell, weaken, and eventually collapse in the wellbore. The above-mentioned process may affect the characteristic shape of some of the rock cuttings. For example, the shape, size, and amount of a first portion of the rock cuttings may be driven by the cutting structure of the drill bit while a second portion of the rock cuttings generated by fractured caving may exhibit flat and parallel faces with differing bedding planes. Angular-shaped rock cuttings with curved surfaces having a rough texture and/or splintered-shape rock cuttings may indicate a higher stress regime in rocks. Thus, by having a continuous analysis on the shape of the rock cuttings, a user may be able to establish a situation with regards to wellbore stability and may take corrective actions. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A method for identifying a wellbore condition is disclosed. The method includes capturing a first image of cuttings on (or downstream from) a shale shaker using a first camera. A size, shape, texture, or combination thereof of the cuttings in the first image may be determined. A wellbore condition may be identified based on the size, shape, texture, or combination thereof of the cuttings in the first image. 
     In another embodiment, the method includes capturing visual data of cuttings in a visible light spectrum using a first camera and capturing visual data of the cuttings in an infrared light spectrum using a second camera. At least a portion of the visual data from the first camera is combined with at least a portion of the visual data from the second camera to generate a common image. The common image is compared to images stored in a database. A wellbore condition that corresponds to the common image is identified in response to comparing the common image to the images. 
     A system for identifying a wellbore condition is also disclosed. The system includes a shaker that separates cuttings from a drilling mud. A first camera is positioned proximate to a downstream edge of the shaker and captures a first image of the cuttings. A computer system receives the first image from the first camera, determines a size, shape, texture, or combination thereof of the cuttings in the first image, and identifies a wellbore condition based on the size, shape, texture, or combination thereof of the cuttings in the first image. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present teachings and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present teachings. In the figures: 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a top view of a shaker assembly having one or more visual capture devices coupled thereto, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a side view of the shaker assembly and the first visual capture device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a rear view of the first visual capture device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a top view of the first visual capture device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a front view of the first visual capture device, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    illustrates a back view of the first visual capture device including two sets of cameras, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a top view of the shaker assembly and the visual capture devices, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a flow chart of a method for identifying a wellbore condition based upon visual data of a cutting, according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    illustrates a computing system for performing the method disclosed herein, according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and figures. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments. 
     It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first object or step could be termed a second object or step, and, similarly, a second object or step could be termed a first object or step, without departing from the scope of the invention. The first object or step, and the second object or step, are both, objects or steps, respectively, but they are not to be considered the same object or step. 
     The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Further, as used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on the context. 
     Attention is now directed to processing procedures, methods, techniques, and workflows that are in accordance with some embodiments. Some operations in the processing procedures, methods, techniques, and workflows disclosed herein may be combined and/or the order of some operations may be changed. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a top view of a shaker assembly  100  having one or more visual capture devices (two are shown:  210 ,  220 ) coupled thereto, according to an embodiment. The shaker assembly  100  may include an inlet line  110  configured to introduce a drilling mud  112  from a wellbore into initial distribution tank (also called “Header box”)  120 . The drilling mud  112  from the wellbore may have a plurality of cuttings  114  dispersed therein. 
     The shaker assembly  100  may also include one or more shakers (two are shown:  130 ). The drilling mud  112  may flow from the initial distribution tank  120  into the shakers  130 . Each of the shakers  130  may be or include a sieve (e.g., a wire-cloth screen) having a plurality of openings formed therethrough, and each opening may have an average cross-sectional length (e.g., diameter) from about 780 microns to about 22.5 microns. The drilling mud  112  (with the cuttings  114  therein) may flow along the shakers  130  in the direction  134  (i.e., away from the initial distribution tank  120 ). 
     The fluid in the drilling mud  112 , and any solid particles having a cross-sectional length less than the cross-sectional length of the openings in the shaker  130 , may flow through the openings in the shaker  130 . Solid particles (e.g., cuttings  114 ) having a cross-sectional length greater than or equal to the cross-sectional length of the openings in the shaker  130  may not flow through the openings in the shaker  130 . Rather, these cuttings  114  may pass over a downstream edge  136  of the shaker  130  and into a cuttings holding tank  150  (see  FIG.  2   ). Thus, the shaker assembly  100  may be configured to separate the cuttings  114  from the drilling mud  112 . In at least one embodiment, a slide may be positioned at the downstream edge  136  of the shaker  130 . The cuttings  114  may travel down the slide after flowing over the downstream edge  136  of the shaker  130 . The slide may not vibrate. 
     The visual capture devices  210 ,  220  may be positioned proximate to (e.g., within 5 meters) and/or coupled to the shaker assembly  100 . As shown, the first visual capture device  210  may be positioned in front of the downstream edge  136  of one of the shakers  130 , and the second visual capture device  220  may be positioned in front of the downstream edge  136  of the other shaker  130 . 
       FIG.  2    illustrates a side view of the shaker assembly  100  and the visual capture device  210 , according to an embodiment. A settling tank  140  may be positioned underneath the shaker  130 . The drilling mud  112  that flows through the openings in the shaker  130  may fall into the settling tank  140 . From there, the drilling mud  112  may be repurposed. As shown, the visual capture device  210  may be positioned beneath a walkway  230  and/or a railing  232 . The visual capture device  210  may also be laterally-offset from the downstream edge  136  of the shakers  130 . 
       FIGS.  3  and  4    illustrate a back view and a top view of the visual capture device  210 , according to an embodiment. The visual capture device  210  may include a rectangular metal box  240  having the front and bottom surfaces removed. The back side  242  of the box  240  may include a bracket, and opposing sides  244 ,  246  of the box  240  may be or include metal protective plates. 
     The visual capture device  210  may include one or more cameras (two are shown:  212 ,  214 ). The cameras  212 ,  214  may be coupled to the bracket on the back side  242  of the box  240 . The cameras  212 ,  214  may have an ingress protection of 67. The cameras  212 ,  214  may have a speed ranging from about 1 Hz to about 400 Hz, and a resolution ranging from about 320×256 pixels to about 1280×1024 pixels. 
     The cameras  212 ,  214  may capture visual data of the cuttings  114  as the cuttings  114  are on the shaker  130 , as the cuttings  114  are falling from the shaker  130 , or when the cuttings  114  are in the cuttings holding tank  150 . In one embodiment, the cuttings  114  may fall through the field of view  213 ,  215  of the cameras  212 ,  214  as they fall toward the cuttings holding tank  150 . 
     The first camera  212  may be configured to capture visual data in the visible light spectrum (e.g., wavelengths from about 380 nm to about 700 nm). The second camera  214  may be configured to capture visual data in the thermal/infrared spectrum (e.g., wavelengths from about 700 nm to about 1 mm). The visible light spectrum images may be useful in determining cutting size. The thermal images may be particularly useful in determining surface texture and/or geometry, as the cuttings  114  may be hotter than the background. The visual data from the cameras  212 ,  214  may be or include one or more images and/or a (e.g., continuous) video stream. The cameras  212 ,  214  may transmit this visual data to a processing resource  250  either via a cable  252  or wirelessly (see  FIG.  1   ) or process the data in-situ. The processing resource  250  may be a computer system, a flash drive, a microprocessor, a combination thereof, or the like. 
     A distance between the downstream edge  136  and the cameras  212 ,  214  may be from about 10 cm to about 100 cm or from about 20 cm to about 60 cm. As a result, a distance between the cuttings  114  and the cameras  212 ,  214 , as the cuttings  114  are falling into the cuttings holding tank  150 , may be from about 5 cm to about 95 cm or from about 15 cm to about 55 cm. In some embodiments, one or both of the cameras  212 ,  214  may include an optical zoom up to about 10×. 
       FIG.  5    illustrates a front view of the visual capture device  210 , according to an embodiment. The area in front of the cameras  212 ,  214  may be illuminated by one or more light sources  260 . The light sources  260  may be positioned above, below, in front of, behind, and/or on the side(s) of the cameras  212 ,  214 . In at least one embodiment, a wall or curtain of liquid  262  may be in the field of view  213 ,  215  of the cameras  212 ,  214 . The liquid may be water or diesel (e.g., with oil-base-mid). For example, the curtain of liquid  262  may be positioned such that the cuttings  114  fall between the curtain of liquid  262  and the cameras  212 ,  214 . The curtain of liquid  262  may create a uniform background noise that may be removed during processing of the visual data. The liquid  262  may be recycled by a small pump  264 . The temperature of the liquid may be measured by a temperature sensor and varied in order to obtain the desired contrast for thermal imaging. In at least one embodiment, the light source  260  may be or include a strobe light configured to emit pulses of light. This may help to freeze the movement of the cuttings  114  and to better illuminate the surfaces of the cuttings  114 . In at least one embodiment, the light source  260  may project a structured light. More particularly, the light source  260  may project a known pattern of light on the cuttings  114  (e.g., in an infrared spectrum). The deformation of the pattern may allow the visual capture device  210  to identify and calculate geometrical information of the cuttings  114 . A calibration pattern may be projected to remove distortion created by optics and visual capture device perspective 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a back view of the visual capture device  210  including two sets of cameras  212 A,  212 B,  214 A,  214 B, according to an embodiment. The shaker  130  may include an upper deck  131  and a lower deck  133 . In this instance, two or more first cameras  212 A,  212 B and two or more second cameras  214 A,  214 B may be used. As shown, one of the first (e.g., visual spectrum) cameras  212 A may be positioned axially-adjacent to the upper deck  131 , and another of the first (e.g., visual spectrum) cameras  212 B may be positioned axially-adjacent to the lower deck  133 . Similarly, one of the second (e.g., thermal spectrum) cameras  214 A may be positioned axially-adjacent to the upper deck  131 , and another of the second (e.g., thermal spectrum) cameras  214 B may be positioned axially-adjacent to the lower deck  133 . The cameras  212 A,  212 B,  214 A,  214 B may be positioned above the walkway  230 , as shown. More particularly, the cameras  212 A,  212 B,  214 A,  214 B may be coupled to the railing  232  that extends upwards from the walkway  230 . For example, the cameras  212 A,  212 B,  214 A,  214 B may be coupled to a bracket  234  that is coupled to the railing  232 . 
       FIG.  7    illustrates a top view of the shaker assembly  100  and the visual capture devices  210 ,  220  coupled, according to an embodiment. A structure may be placed in front of the shakers  130 . The structure may include one or more vertical poles (two are shown:  272 ,  273 ) and one or more horizontal poles (one is shown:  274 ). As shown, the visual capture devices  210 ,  220  may be coupled to the vertical poles  272 ,  273 . For example, the first visual capture device  210  (e.g., including the cameras  212 ,  214 ) may be coupled to the first vertical pole  272 , and the second visual capture device  220  (also including visual and/or thermal cameras) may be coupled to the second vertical pole  273 . A light source  260  may be coupled to the horizontal pole  274  between the two vertical poles  272 ,  273 . As discussed above, the light source  260  may be a projector that projects light downward in a structured light and/or calibration pattern. 
     The light may shine on the cuttings  114  as the cuttings  114  are on the shakers  130 , as the cuttings  114  fall over the downstream edge  136  of the shakers  130 , or as the cuttings rest in the cuttings holding tank  150 . In at least one embodiment, the cameras (e.g., cameras  212 ,  214 ) in the first visual capture device  210  may have a field of view  216  that captures the cuttings  114  as they fall through the light. The field of view  216  shown in  FIG.  7    may be or include the fields of view  213 ,  215  shown in  FIG.  3   , or the field of view  216  may be different. Similarly, the cameras in the second visual capture device  220  may have a field of view  226  that captures the cuttings  114  as they fall through the light. As shown, the fields of view  216 ,  226  may at least partially or completely overlap. This may facilitate a detection of the size and/or shape of the cuttings  114 . For example, the same field from two different perspectives may enhance depth perception in the analysis of the images, thereby providing greater accuracy in the analysis of the cuttings  114 . In at least some embodiments, three-dimensional relief images may be produced by analysis of the two images captured by the visual spectrum cameras (e.g., camera  212 ) in the two visual capture devices  210 ,  220 . 
     In at least one embodiment, a motion detector  276  may be positioned proximate to the shakers  130  and detect motion of the shakers  130  (e.g., as the shakers vibrate), the drilling mud  112 , the cuttings  114 , or a combination thereof. The motion detector  276  may cause the light sources  260  and/or the curtain of water  262  to turn or remain on when motion is detected, and the light sources  260  and/or the curtain of water  262  may be turned off or remain off when no motion is detected. In another embodiment, the power supply for the shaker assembly  100  may be linked to the light sources  260  and/or the curtain of water  262  such that the shaker assembly  100 , the light sources  260 , and/or the curtain of water  262  may be turned on and turned off together (e.g., with a single flip of a switch). 
       FIG.  8    illustrates a flow chart of a method  800  for identifying a wellbore condition based upon visual data of wellbore cuttings, according to an embodiment. The method  800  may be performed using the visual capture device(s)  210 ,  220  shown in  FIGS.  1 - 7   ; however, in other embodiments, the method  800  may be performed using other components. The method  800  may begin by introducing a drilling mud  112  into a shaker  130 , as at  802 . A first portion of the drilling mud  112  may pass through openings in the shaker  130  and into a settling tank  140  (see  FIG.  2   ). A second portion of the drilling mud (e.g., cuttings  114 ) may fall over the downstream edge  136  of the shaker  130  and into a cuttings holding tank  150 . 
     The method  800  may then include illuminating the cuttings  114  using a light source  260 , as at  804 . The cuttings  114  may be illuminated while they are still on the shaker  130 , as they are falling from the shaker  130  into the cuttings holding tank  150 , when they are resting in the cuttings holding tank  150 , or a combination thereof. As discussed above, in at least one embodiment, the light source  260  may backlight a curtain of water  162 . In another embodiment, the light source  260  may be configured to project structured light onto the cuttings  114 , which may be used to identify geometrical information (e.g., shape, position, etc.) about the cuttings  114 , as described in greater detail below. 
     The method  800  may also include capturing visual data of the cuttings  114  in a visible light spectrum using a first camera  212 , as at  806 . The method  800  may also include capturing visual data of the cuttings  114  in an infrared light spectrum (i.e., thermal imaging) using a second camera  214 , as at  808 . The visual data in the visual light spectrum may be captured before, simultaneous with, or after the visual data in the infrared light spectrum. As discussed above, in some embodiments, two or more first (e.g., visual spectrum) cameras  212 A,  212 B may be used, with one being positioned adjacent to an upper level deck of the shaker  130  and another being positioned adjacent to a lower deck  133  of the shaker  133 . In another embodiment, two or more first (e.g., visual spectrum) cameras  212 A,  212 B may be used to capture the same cuttings  114  from different, but at least partially or completely overlapping, perspectives. 
     The captured images may cover a defined length of the shaker  130  or the slide. This corresponds to a slice/portion of the global view of the shaker  130 . The length of the visual slice may be larger than the longest cutting  114 . As this slice has a certain extent, the same “small” cutting  114  may appear in multiple images at different positions. The analyzing (introduced below) may not count the same cutting  114  multiple times in the histogram of cutting size. In one embodiment, two images may be taken at different times, and the time between the images may be large enough so that the same cutting  114  is not present in both images. This time may be predefined based on the setting of the shaker  130  and/or mud and drilling conditions. This allows the system and/or the user to estimate the time for the cutting  114  to travel over some zone of the shale shaker sieve. In another embodiment, the images may be captured with a short time between the images so that the analyzing may recognize the same (i.e., a common) cutting  114  travelling along the image slice in both images. This cutting  114  may then be counted a single time in the histogram. 
     The method  800  may include transmitting the visual data from the first camera(s)  212  and the second camera(s)  214  to a processing resource  250 , as at  810 . The method  800  may then include analyzing the visual data from the first camera(s)  210 , using the processing resource  250 , to detect one or more reliefs in the cuttings  114 , as at  812 . As used herein, the term “relief” refers to the variation of elevation on the surface of the cuttings  114 . More particularly, analyzing the visual data from the first camera(s)  210  may include applying one or more edge detection techniques to the cuttings  114  to detect the reliefs. The processing resource  250  may also analyze the visual data from the first camera(s)  210  to determine the size, shape, and/or number of the cuttings  114 . The processing resource  250  may then compile the statistics of the reliefs, size, shape, and/or number to generate a particle size distribution of the cuttings  114 . 
     The method  800  may also include analyzing the visual data from the second camera(s)  220 , using the processing resource  250 , to detect isometric lines for defining the surface features of the cuttings  114 , as at  814 . In one embodiment, the visual data from the second camera(s)  220  may be analyzed to detect isometric lines of substantially equal temperature in the cuttings  114 . As used herein, “substantially equal temperature” refers to a difference in temperature (e.g., thermal sensitivity) that is greater than or equal to about 0.05° C. The processing resource  250  and/or the user may use this information to define the morphology of the cuttings  114 . 
     In at least one embodiment, the analyzing at  812  and  814  may include distinguishing cuttings  114  generated by the drill bit from cuttings not generated by the drill bit (e.g., cuttings generated by caving, etc.). This may also include determining a percentage of the cuttings  114  that are generated by the drill bit and a percentage of the cuttings  114  that are not generated by the drill bit. 
     In another embodiment, the analyzing at  812  and  814  may include separately analyzing the visual data from the upper deck  131  and the lower deck  133 . More particularly, the cuttings  114  contained in the visual data from the upper deck  131  may be filtered out of the visual data from the lower deck  133 . Then, one particle distribution may be generated using the statistics from the cuttings  114  from the upper deck  131 , and a separate particle distribution may be generated using the statistics from the cuttings  114  from the lower deck  133 . This information may be used to evaluate the efficiency of the shaker  130  for a given shaker screen size. In another embodiment, the analyzing at  812  and  814  may include analyzing the visual data from two or more first (e.g., visual spectrum) cameras  212  and/or from two or more second (e.g., infrared light spectrum) cameras  214 . 
     The method  800  may also include combining at least a portion of the visual data from the first camera  212  and at least a portion of the visual data from the second camera  214  into a common image, as at  816 . More particularly, an image from the visual data from the second camera  214  may be superimposed into/onto or overlap with an image from the visual data from the first camera  212  to generate a common three-dimensional relief image. 
     The method  800  may then include comparing, using the processing resource  250 , the (e.g., three-dimensional relief) image to a plurality of three-dimensional relief images stored in a database, as at  818 . The plurality of three-dimensional relief images stored in the database may be linked to and/or be indicative of a particular wellbore condition. More particularly, the cuttings shown in the plurality of three-dimensional relief images may be known to be from a portion of a subterranean formation that experienced a particular wellbore condition. Illustrative wellbore conditions may include a mechanical wellbore instability condition, a rock-chemical interaction wellbore instability condition, a drilling practice related wellbore instability condition, or the like. 
     The method  800  may then include identifying a wellbore condition that corresponds to the (e.g., three-dimensional relief) image based at least partially upon the comparison, as at  820 . The method  800  may then include varying a drilling parameter in response to the identified wellbore condition, as at  822 . The drilling parameter may be or include the density of the fluid (e.g., drilling mud) being pumped into the wellbore, the rheological properties of the fluid (e.g., drilling mud), the weight on the drill bit (“WOB”), the rotation rate of the drill string, or a combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the methods of the present disclosure may be executed by a computing system.  FIG.  9    illustrates an example of such a computing system  900 , in accordance with some embodiments. The computing system  900  may include a computer or computer system  901 A, which may be an individual computer system  901 A or an arrangement of distributed computer systems. In at least one embodiment, the computer system  901 A may be the processing resource  250  described above. The computer system  901 A includes one or more analysis modules  902  that are configured to perform various tasks according to some embodiments, such as one or more methods disclosed herein. To perform these various tasks, the analysis module  902  executes independently, or in coordination with, one or more processors  904 , which is (or are) connected to one or more storage media  906 . The processor(s)  904  is (or are) also connected to a network interface  907  to allow the computer system  901 A to communicate over a data network  909  with one or more additional computer systems and/or computing systems, such as  901 B,  901 C, and/or  901 D (note that computer systems  901 B,  901 C and/or  901 D may or may not share the same architecture as computer system  901 A, and may be located in different physical locations, e.g., computer systems  901 A and  901 B may be located in a processing facility, while in communication with one or more computer systems such as  901 C and/or  901 D that are located in one or more data centers, and/or located in varying countries on different continents). 
     A processor may include a microprocessor, microcontroller, processor module or subsystem, programmable integrated circuit, programmable gate array, or another control or computing device. 
     The storage media  906  may be implemented as one or more computer-readable or machine-readable storage media. Note that while in the example embodiment of  FIG.  9    storage media  906  is depicted as within computer system  901 A, in some embodiments, storage media  906  may be distributed within and/or across multiple internal and/or external enclosures of computing system  901 A and/or additional computing systems. Storage media  1406  may include one or more different forms of memory including semiconductor memory devices such as dynamic or static random access memories (DRAMs or SRAMs), erasable and programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasable and programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs) and flash memories, magnetic disks such as fixed, floppy and removable disks, other magnetic media including tape, optical media such as compact disks (CDs) or digital video disks (DVDs), BLURRY® disks, or other types of optical storage, or other types of storage devices. Note that the instructions discussed above may be provided on one computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium, or alternatively, may be provided on multiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage media distributed in a large system having possibly plural nodes. Such computer-readable or machine-readable storage medium or media is (are) considered to be part of an article (or article of manufacture). An article or article of manufacture may refer to any manufactured single component or multiple components. The storage medium or media may be located either in the machine running the machine-readable instructions, or located at a remote site from which machine-readable instructions may be downloaded over a network for execution. 
     In some embodiments, the computing system  900  contains one or more comparison module(s)  908 . In the example of computing system  900 , computer system  901 A includes the comparison module  908 . In some embodiments, a single comparison module may be used to perform one or more embodiments of the method  800  disclosed herein. In other embodiments, a plurality of comparison modules may be used to perform the method  800  herein. The comparison module(s)  908  may be configured to compare the visual data of the cuttings  114  to the previously-captured images of cuttings to help determine which wellbore condition(s) may correspond to the cuttings  114  in the visual data. 
     It should be appreciated that computing system  900  is only one example of a computing system, and that computing system  900  may have more or fewer components than shown, may combine additional components not depicted in the example embodiment of  FIG.  9   , and/or computing system  900  may have a different configuration or arrangement of the components depicted in  FIG.  9   . The various components shown in  FIG.  9    may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both hardware and software, including one or more signal processing and/or application specific integrated circuits. 
     Further, the steps in the processing methods described herein may be implemented by running one or more functional modules in information processing apparatus such as general purpose processors or application specific chips, such as ASICs, FPGAs, PLDs, or other appropriate devices. These modules, combinations of these modules, and/or their combination with general hardware are all included within the scope of protection of the invention. 
     The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Moreover, the order in which the elements of the methods described herein are illustrate and described may be re-arranged, and/or two or more elements may occur simultaneously. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principals of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.