Drilling System and Associated System and Method for Monitoring, Controlling, and Predicting Vibration in an Underground Drilling Operation

Abstract

A drilling system and associated systems and methods for monitoring, controlling, and predicting vibration of a drilling operation. The vibration information can include axial, lateral or torsional vibration of a drill string.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for predicting vibration information for a drilling system having a drill string, the drill string includes a drill bit that is configured to form a borehole in an earthen formation during a drilling operation, the method comprising the steps of:
 accessing, via the computer processor, drilling system component information, the drilling system component information including one or more characteristics of the drill string;   accessing, via the computer processor, expected operating information for the drilling operation, the expected operating information including at least a weight-on-bit (WOB), a rotational speed of the drill bit, a borehole diameter, and a vibration damping coefficient; and   predicting vibration information for the drill string via the computer processor, the predicted vibration information including at least an amplitude for each of an axial vibration, a lateral vibration, and a torsional vibration of the drill string, the prediction of the vibration information being based on the drilling system component information and an energy balance of the drill string operating according to the expected operation information for the drilling operation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of predicting vibration information includes determining the amplitude for each of the lateral vibration, the axial vibration, and the torsional vibration of the drill string where energy supplied to drilling operation is equal to the energy dissipated during the drilling operation due to vibration of the drilling system components. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of predicting vibration information defines a model, the model being frequency domain type of finite element model that applies the energy balance to the drill string. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the predicted vibration information includes the mode shape for at least one of axial, lateral and torsional vibration. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining critical speeds for the drill string based on the expected operating information and the predicted vibration information of the drill string. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step determining the critical speeds of the drill string includes determining the critical speeds based on at least one of the weight-on-bit and a of rotary speed. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the drill string include drill string geometry, material properties of the drill string, location and number of stabilizers on the drill string, inclination of the drill string, and drill bit geometry. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving, via a communications system, the drilling system component information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving, via a communications system, the expected operating information for the drilling operation. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein computer executable instructions for a method for predicting vibration information for a drilling system having a drill string, the drill string including a drill bit that is configured to form a borehole in an earthen formation during a drilling operation, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. accessing drilling system component information, the drilling system component information including one or more characteristics of the drill string;   b. accessing expected operating information for the drilling operation, wherein the expected operating information includes at least a weight-on-bit (WOB), a rotational speed of the drill bit, a borehole diameter, and a vibration damping coefficient; and   c. defining a drilling system model that includes the drilling system component information and the expected operating information;   d. predicting, via the drilling system model, vibration information for the drill string, the predicted vibration information including an amplitude for each of an axial vibration, a lateral vibration, and a torsional vibration of the drill string, wherein the prediction of the vibration information is based on the drilling system component information and an energy balance of the drill string operating according to the expected operation information.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the step of predicting vibration information includes determining the amplitude for each of the lateral vibration, the axial vibration, and the torsional vibration of the drill string where energy supplied to drilling operation is equal to the energy dissipated during the drilling operation due to vibration of the drilling system components as function of one or more forces applied to the drill string. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the step of predicting vibration information uses frequency domain type of finite element model by applying the energy balance to the drill string as a function of one or more forces applied to the drill string. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the predicting vibration is the mode shape for at least one of axial, lateral and torsional vibration along the drill string. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of determining critical speeds for the drill string based on the expected operating information and the vibration information of the drill string. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein the step determining the critical speeds of the drill string includes determining the critical speeds as a function of at least one of the weight-on-bit and a rotary speed. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium  claim 10 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the drill string include a drill string geometry, material properties of the drill string, location and number of stabilizers on the drill string, inclination of the drill string, and drill bit geometry. 
     
     
         17 . A drilling system configured to form a borehole in an earthen formation during a drilling operation, the drilling system comprising:
 a drill string supporting a drill bit, the drill bit configured to defined the borehole;   at least one computing device including a memory portion having stored thereon drilling system component information, the drilling system component information including one or more characteristics of the drill string, the memory portion further including expected operating information for the drilling operation, the expected operating information including at least a weight-on-bit (WOB), a rotational speed of the drill bit, a borehole diameter, and a vibration damping coefficient; and   a computer processor in communication with the memory portion, the computer processor configured to predict vibration information for the drill string, the predicted vibration information including at least an amplitude for each of an axial vibration, a lateral vibration, and a torsional vibration of the drill string, wherein the prediction of the vibration information being based on the drilling system component information and an energy balance of the drill string operating according to the expected operation information for the drilling operation.   
     
     
         18 . The drilling system of  claim 17 , wherein the predicted of vibration information is based on the amplitude for each of the lateral vibration, the axial vibration, and the torsional vibration of the drill string where energy supplied to the drilling operation is equal to the energy dissipated during the drilling operation due to vibration of the drilling system components as function of one or more forces applied to the drill string. 
     
     
         19 . The drilling system of  claim 17 , wherein the predicted vibration information is based on a frequency domain type of finite element model by applying the energy balance to the drill string as a function of one or more forces applied to the drill string. 
     
     
         20 . The drilling system of  claim 17 , wherein the predicted vibration is the mode shape for at least one of axial, lateral and torsional vibration along the drill string. 
     
     
         21 . The drilling system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more characteristics of the drill string include a drill string geometry, material properties of the drill string, location and number of stabilizers on the drill string, inclination of the drill string, and drill bit geometry.