Advanced geophysical sensing while drilling is getting renewed interest due to accelerating trend to automate and optimize drilling as well as drive to better characterize complex near surface and overburden in a desert environment. We present processing and initial applications results from the first field trial of DrillCAM system on an onshore well in a desert environment. DrillCAM combines a set of geophysical techniques from seismic-while-drilling to imaging ahead and around the bit to drillstring vibration health monitoring to the estimation of formation properties at the bit. In this study, we focus on seismic-while-drilling applications. Using a top-drive sensor as a pilot, we successfully retrieve a checkshot-while-drilling, make a kinematic look-ahead prediction, and obtain a VSP corridor stack that ties with the surface seismic. Robust near-offset checkshot signals were obtained from both rollercone and PDC bits above 7,200 ft after limited pre-processing of challenging single-sensor data with supergrouping. The real-time capabilities of the system make the data available for continuous data processing and interpretation, which in turn facilitates drilling automation and improve real-time decision-making.
Presentation Date: Monday, October 12, 2020
Session Start Time: 1:50 PM
Presentation Time: 3:55 PM
Location: Poster Station 2
Presentation Type: Poster
