Improved Communication and Autonomy with Downhole Memory Logging Tools

Abstract

Openhole logging tools have been used without wireline in memory logging for 20 years, in an important and growing market. A new system in field trials in Canada and Russia in 2019 further expands the operating envelope overlap between wireline and logging-while-drilling by making step changes in communications, autonomy, performance, and reliability. The new approach advances the logging of horizontal and challenging wells, and permits operations in managed pressure drilling and foam drilled wells.

The vast majority of openhole memory work is achieved with a hydro-mechanical system that indicates successful deployment but lacks two-way communication between the engineer at surface and the tools downhole. Pressure-pulse communications have been used for 10 years with a wide range of measurements including memory logging with wireline formation testers. The experience gained from operating these systems informed the development of a new system that uses drillpipe rotation to communicate to the tools, pressure pulses to reply for the uplink, and a more powerful downhole processor. These enhancements in autonomy and communication improve the outcome of logging jobs.

The system incorporates a new rotation downlink method which employs data from an angular rate sensor to identify a series of commands sent by rotating the drillstring. Control software in the downhole tools executes the commands, and replies are transmitted uphole by pressure pulses. The toolstring is released from a safe ‘garage’ position inside the drillpipe and deployed into openhole, with the top of the toolstring retained by a no-go. The engineer is supplied with far more diagnostic information than previously, including the axial position of the tools, with context sensitive encoding to provide maximum troubleshooting information to the surface over a limited bandwidth channel. The pressure-pulse downlink remains in place as a secondary method. Other material improvements include high data sampling rate, debris tolerance and downhole recovery strategies. All of these advances improve the autonomy of the downhole memory equipment as well as the real-time communication and control from the surface.

Autonomous memory logging toolstrings, with powerful downhole software and rotation downlink communications, are important components in improving the performance and reliability of these successful and innovative formation evaluation systems.