초록 ▼

This invention describes methods and apparatus for identifying potentially hazardous events during the drilling or production of hydrocarbon reservoirs where such events include kick detection in a well, fluid influx from a drilled formation, sticking pipe in a borehole, pipe washouts or formation f

This invention describes methods and apparatus for identifying potentially hazardous events during the drilling or production of hydrocarbon reservoirs where such events include kick detection in a well, fluid influx from a drilled formation, sticking pipe in a borehole, pipe washouts or formation fracture generation, according to measurements made by instruments such as flowmeter paddles, electro-chemical transducers or MWD parameter sensors. Measured signals are compared to a number of possible signals and the probability for said measured signals representing such an event are determined.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A detection system for detecting potentially hazardous drilling conditions in terms of a set of drilling operation parameters that can be related to subterranean events, said system comprising:a monitoring system adapted to monitor drilling operation parameters representing at leas

[ We claim:] [1.] A detection system for detecting potentially hazardous drilling conditions in terms of a set of drilling operation parameters that can be related to subterranean events, said system comprising:a monitoring system adapted to monitor drilling operation parameters representing at least part of the status of a hydrocarbon drilling operation;a buffer for storing the monitored drilling operation parameters as a time series;a time series generator adapted and configured to generate a plurality of possible time series of drilling operation parameters, said generated time series representing potential values for said monitored drilling operation parameters, wherein at least some of said generated time series being associated with potentially hazardous drilling conditions;a normalizer adapted to compensate for differences between said stored time series of monitored drilling operation parameters from said buffer and said generated time series from said time series generator;a comparator adapted to compare said stored time series of said monitored drilling operation parameters with said plurality of generated time series to calculate a set of residual values;a probability calculator adapted and configured to create a normalized probability value for each generated time series by utilizing the calculated residual values, said probability value being the probability that the generated time series represents the stored monitored time series; andan alarm indicator adapted to generate a visible and/or audible signal if a resultant probability based on said probability values exceeds a predetermined threshold regarded to be indicative of a potentially hazardous drilling condition.