Determining angular offset between geomagnetic and gravitational fields while drilling wellbore
US10641077B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2017 |
| Grant date | May 5, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01V7/00
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
An apparatus is directed relative to geomagnetic and gravitational fields of reference while advancing with rotation in a borehole by determining angular position of the apparatus during the rotation and correcting the angular position of the apparatus relative to an offset of a toolface of the apparatus. To do the correction, a magnetic toolface of the apparatus during the rotation is determined based on geomagnetic readings of the apparatus in each of a plurality of divisions of the rotation relative to the geomagnetic field, and a gravitational toolface of the apparatus during the rotation is determined based on gravitational readings of the apparatus in each of the divisions of the rotation relative to the gravitational field. The offset of the toolface is then calculated as a difference between the magnetic toolface and the gravitational toolface. The corrected angular position can then be used in directing the apparatus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.