System and method for acquiring information during underground drilling operations

Abstract

A preferred method for acquiring information during an underground drilling operation includes providing a sensing device capable of acquiring information concerning the underground drilling operation from a down-hole location on a selective basis in response to an input from the surface, and drilling for a first period of time. The preferred method also includes sending the input to the sensing device after drilling for the first period of time, and drilling during a second period of time while acquiring the information using the sensing device.

1 . A method for forming a bore in an earth formation, comprising:
 drilling on a straight-hole basis using a drill string comprising a sensing device configured to generate tool-face readings on a selective basis, and a telemetry system for transmitting the tool face readings to the surface, so that the drill string advances in to the earth formation, while the sensing device is in an inactive mode in which the sensing device does not generate the tool-face readings;   performing a static survey to determine drift of the bore after drilling on a straight-hole basis; and   if the drift of the bore exceeds a predetermined limit, drilling in the earth formation on a directional basis using the drill string, while the sensing device is in an active mode in which the sensing device generates the tool-face readings.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drilling in the earth formation on a directional basis using the drill string, while the sensing device is in an active mode in which the sensing device generates the tool-face readings further comprises drilling on a directional basis while the telemetry system is in an active mode in which the telemetry system transmits the tool face readings to the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drilling on a straight-hole basis, while the sensing device is in an inactive mode in which the sensing device does not generate the tool-face readings further comprises drilling on a straight-hole basis while the telemetry system is in an inactive mode in which the telemetry system does not transmit the tool face readings to the surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising resuming drilling on a straight-hole basis if the drift of the bore is within the predetermined limit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drilling in the earth formation on a directional basis using the drill string comprises drilling to return the drift of the bore to within the predetermined limit. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing a static survey to determine drift of the bore after drilling on a straight-hole basis comprises performing a static survey to measure inclination and azimuth of the bore. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein drilling in the earth formation on a directional basis using the drill string, while the sensing device is in an active mode in which the sensing device generates the tool-face readings comprises transmitting the tool face readings to the surface using mud-pulse telemetry. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein performing a static survey to measure inclination and azimuth of the bore comprises measuring the inclination of the bore using at least one accelerometer of the sensing device, and measuring the azimuth of the bore using at least one magnetometer of the sensing device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising recording information concerning the static survey. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the information concerning the static survey comprises information required for certification of the static survey. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein drilling on a straight-hole basis comprises drilling vertically. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising activating the sensing device to begin generating the tool-face readings by interrupting a flow of drilling mud within the bore for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than the amount of time required by the sensing device to generate and store information relating to the static survey. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting information associated with the static survey to the surface. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining whether the drift of the bore exceeds the predetermined limit based on the information associated with the static survey to the surface. 
     
     
         16 . A method for acquiring information during an underground drilling operation, comprising:
 providing a sensing device capable of acquiring information concerning the underground drilling operation from a down-hole location on a selective basis in response to an input from the surface;   drilling for a first period of time;   sending the input to the sensing device after drilling for the first period of time; and   drilling for a second period of time while acquiring the information using the sensing device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising performing a first type of the underground drilling operation during the first period of time, and performing a second type of the underground drilling operation during the second period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein drilling during a second period of time while acquiring the information using the sensing device comprises drilling during the second period of time while acquiring information required to perform the second type of the underground drilling operation using the sensing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising generating the input by stopping a flow of drilling mud associated with the underground drilling operation for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined period of time is less than an amount of time required by the sensing device to generate and store static survey information. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein drilling during a second period of time while acquiring the information using the sensing device comprises drilling during the second period of time while acquiring tool face readings. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first type of the underground drilling operation is vertical drilling, and the second type of the underground drilling operation is directional drilling. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising transmitting the information to the surface using mud-pulse telemetry. 
     
     
         24 . A method for allocating costs associated with the use of a system capable of generating and transmitting information concerning an underground drilling operation on a selective basis, the method comprising:
 providing the system to a user; and   charging a usage rate based on an amount of the information acquired by the sensing device during the underground drilling operation.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein charging a usage rate based on an amount of the information acquired by the sensing device during the underground drilling operation comprises charging a first usage rate based on an amount of a first type of information acquired by the sensing device during a first type of underground drilling operation, and charging a second usage rate based on an amount of a second type of information acquired by the sensing device during a second type of underground drilling operation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first type of information comprises tool face readings, and the second type of information comprises static survey data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first type of underground drilling operation comprises directional drilling, and the second type of underground drilling operation comprises vertical drilling. 
     
     
         28 . A system for providing information during an underground drilling operation, comprising:
 a sensing device comprising a sensor, and a signal processor communicatively coupled to the sensor, the sensing device generating static survey information concerning the underground drilling operation in response to a first predetermined criterion, and the sensing device generating tool face readings concerning the underground drilling operation on a substantially continuous basis in response to a second predetermined criterion; and   a telemetry system communicatively coupled to the sensing device for transmitting the static survey information and the tool face readings to the surface.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the sensor comprises a magnetometer and an accelerometer. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the first predetermined criterion comprises commencing drilling. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the second predetermined criterion comprises absence of the static survey information in a memory-storage device of the direction measurement unit upon commencing drilling. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the telemetry system comprises a pulser for generating pressure pulses in drilling mud associated with the drilling operation, an encoder communicatively coupled to the pulser for encoding information in the pulses, a transducer to sending the pressure pulses, and a decoder communicatively coupled to the transducer for decoding the information encoded in the pressure pulses. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising a pressure barrel for housing the sensing device and an encoder of the telemetry system. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising an output module communicatively coupled to the telemetry system for at least one of displaying, storing, and transmitting the static survey information and the tool face readings. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 28 , further comprising a switching device communicatively coupled to the sensing device for sensing flow of drilling mud associated with the underground drilling operation. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the sensing device stores the static survey information and causes the telemetry system to transmit the static survey information to the surface upon commencement of drilling. 
     
     
         37 . A system for providing information during an underground drilling operation that forms a subsurface bore, comprising:
 a sensing device capable of generating information at a location within the bore;   a telemetry system communicatively coupled to the sensing device for transmitting the information from the sensing device the surface; and   an output device communicatively coupled to the telemetry system for at least one of recording and displaying the information at a location on the surface, wherein at least one of the sensing device, the telemetry system, and the output device are configured to facilitate access to the information only upon at least one of entry of a password and insertion of a dongle.