Active Vibration Control for Subterranean Drilling Operations

Abstract

An active vibration control device improves drilling by actively applying a dampening profile and/or a controlled vibration to a drill string and/or bottomhole assembly (BHA). Embodiments of the present invention control the behavior of a drill string and/or BHA in order to prevent or minimize the occurrence of harmful drill string/BHA motion and/or to apply a vibration to the drill string/BHA that improves one or more aspects of the drilling process. Measurements of one or more selected parameters of interest are processed to determine whether the undesirable vibration or motion is present in the drill string or BHA and/or whether the drill string and/or BHA operation can be improved by the application of a controlled vibration. If either or both conditions are detected, corrective action is formulated and appropriate control signals are transmitted to one or more devices in the drill string and/or BHA.

1 . An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
 an active vibration control device configured to be coupled to a tubular for use in the wellbore, the active vibration control device including a member configured to selectively oscillate along one of an axial direction and a torsional direction to add energy to the tubular to improve efficiency of a downhole operation.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active vibration control device adds energy to improve a drilling efficiency. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active vibration control device is coupled to a tubular and the added energy causes a beneficial vibration in a drill bit coupled to the tubular. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the added energy improves a drilling parameter selected from a group consisting of: rate of penetration, drilling efficiency and borehole quality. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active vibration control device includes one of a smart fluid and a smart material configured to selectively couple the member to the drill string. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active vibration control device includes: the member selectively coupled to the tubular by a coupling device; and an excitation device that causes the member to oscillate along one of the axial and torsional directions. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the member comprises a first disk selectively coupled to a second disk using a controllable fluid, wherein changing a property of the fluid controls a rate of disk slippage between the first and second disks. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active vibration control device includes a fluid torque conversion device controlling a torsional coupling between a first section and a second section of the tubular using a controllable fluid having a property that can be adjusted. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the member comprises a spinning-member device in a section of the tubular and a controllable fluid selectively coupling the spinning-member device to the tubular. 
   
   
       10 . An method for improving a wellbore operation, comprising:
 conveying an active vibration control device coupled to a tubular in the wellbore, the active vibration control device including a member; and   selectively oscillating the member along one of an axial and torsional directions to add an energy to the tubular to improve efficiency of a downhole operation.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member comprises adding the energy to improve a drilling efficiency. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member comprises creating a beneficial vibration in a drill bit coupled to the tubular. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein conveying an active vibration control device, comprises including in the active vibration control device one of a smart fluid and a smart material configured to selectively couple the member to the tubular. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member includes: selectively coupling the member to the tubular by a coupling device; and exciting the member by an excitation device causing the member to oscillate along one of the axial and torsional directions. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member includes controlling a torsional coupling between a first section and a second section of the tubular using a fluid torque conversion device and a controllable fluid having a property that can be adjusted. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member includes selectively coupling a spinning-member device to the tubular via a controllable fluid, wherein the spinning-member device is located in a section of the tubular. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising improving a drilling parameter selected from a group consisting of: rate of penetration, drilling efficiency and borehole quality. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selectively oscillating the member includes selectively coupling the member comprising a first disk to a second disk using a controllable fluid, wherein changing a property of the fluid controls a rate of disk slippage between the first and second disks. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for use in a wellbore, comprising:
 a tubular configured to be conveyed into the wellbore;   an active vibration control device configured to be coupled to the tubular, the active vibration control device including a member and one of a smart fluid and a smart material, wherein the active vibration control device is configured to add an energy to the tubular to improve one of: (i) rate of penetration, (ii) drilling efficiency; and (iii) borehole quality.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the member is one of: a mass, a fluid torque conversion device and a coupling device, configured to selectively oscillate along one of an axial direction and a torsional direction.