Numerical simulation and dimension reduction analysis of electromagnetic logging while drilling of horizontal wells in complex structures

Electromagnetic logging while drilling(LWD)is one of the key technologies of the geosteering and formation evaluation for high-angle and horizontal wells.In this paper,we solve the dipole source-generated magnetic/electric fields in 2D formations efficiently by the 2.5D finite diff erence method.Particularly,by leveraging the field’s rapid attenuation in spectral domain,we propose truncated Gauss–Hermite quadrature,which is several tens of times faster than traditional inverse fast Fourier transform.By applying the algorithm to the LWD modeling under complex formations,e.g.,folds,fault and sandstone pinch-outs,we analyze the feasibility of the dimension reduction from 2D to 1D.For the formations with smooth lateral changes,like folds,the simplified 1D model’s results agree well with the true responses,which indicate that the 1D simplification with sliding window is feasible.However,for the formation structures with drastic rock properties changes and sharp boundaries,for instance,faults and sandstone pinch-outs,the simplified 1D model will lead to large errors and,therefore,2.5D algorithms should be applied to ensure the accuracy.

Logging-while-drilling formation dip interpretation based on long short-term memory

Azimuth gamma logging while drilling(LWD)is one of the important technologies of geosteering but the information of real-time data transmission is limited and the interpretation is difficult.This study proposes a method of applying artificial intelligence in the LWD data interpretation to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of real-time data processing.By examining formation response characteristics of azimuth gamma ray(GR)curve,the preliminary formation change position is detected based on wavelet transform modulus maxima(WTMM)method,then the dynamic threshold is determined,and a set of contour points describing the formation boundary is obtained.The classification recognition model based on the long short-term memory(LSTM)is designed to judge the true or false of stratum information described by the contour point set to enhance the accuracy of formation identification.Finally,relative dip angle is calculated by nonlinear least square method.Interpretation of azimuth gamma data and application of real-time data processing while drilling show that the method proposed can effectively and accurately determine the formation changes,improve the accuracy of formation dip interpretation,and meet the needs of real-time LWD geosteering.

Self-adaptive inversion method of electromagnetic-propagation resistivity logging while drilling data

Because of the constraint mode of the inversion objective function in the traditional resistivity-inversion method of electromagnetic-propagation resistivity logging while drilling(EPR-LWD),obvious differences appear in the radial and vertical investigation characteristics between the amplitude-ratio and phase difference,which affect the practical application of EPR-LWD data.In this paper,according to the EPR-LWD data,a self-adaptive constraint resistivity-inversion method,which adopts a self-adaptive constraint weighted expression in the objective function to balance the contributions of the phase difference and amplitude attenuation,is proposed.A particle swarm optimization algorithm is also introduced to eliminate the dependence of the accuracy and convergence on the initial value of the inversion.According to the inversion results of multiple classical formation models for EPR-LWD,the differences between the adaptive constraint inversion-resistivity logs with the traditional amplitude-ratio and the phase difference of the resistivity logs are discussed in detail.The results demonstrate that the adaptive resistivity logs take into account the advantages of the amplitude-ratio logs in the radial investigation and phase difference logs in the vertical resolution.Further,it is superior in thin-layer identification and invasion-effect appraisal compared with the single-amplitude-ratio and phase difference logs.The inversion results can provide a theoretical reference for research on the resistivity-inversion method of electromagnetic wave LWD.

Response analyses on the drill-string channel for logging while drilling telemetry

Downhole acoustic telemetry(DAT),using a long drill string with periodical structures as the channel,is a prospective technology for improving the transmission rate of logging while drilling(LWD)data.Previous studies only focused on the acoustic property of a free drill string and neglected the coupling between pipes and fluid-filled boreholes.In addition to the drill-string waves,a series of fluid waves are recorded in the DAT channel,which has not been investigated yet.Unpredictable channel characteristics result in lower transmission rates and stability than expected.Therefore,a more realistic channel model is needed considering the fluid-filled borehole.In this paper,we propose a hybrid modeling method to investigate the response characteristics of the DAT channel.By combining the axial wavenumbers and excitation functions of mode waves in radially layered LWD structures,the channel model is approximated to the 1-D propagation,which considers transmission,reflection,and interconversion of the drillstring and fluid waves.The proposed 1-D approximation has been well validated by comparing the 2-D finite-difference modeling.It is revealed that the transmitted and converted fluid waves interfere with the drill-string wave,which characterizes the DAT channel as a particular coherent multi-path channel.When a fluid-filled borehole surrounds the drill string,the channel responses exhibit considerable delay as well as strong frequency selectivity in amplitude and phase.These new findings suggest that the complexity of the channel response has been underestimated in the past,and therefore channel measurements on the ground are unreliable.To address these channel characteristics,we apply a noncoherent demodulation strategy.The transmission rate for synthetic data reaches 15 bps in a 94.5 m long channel,indicating that the acoustic telemetry is promising to break the low-speed limitation of mud-pulse telemetry.

Logging while drilling electromagnetic wave responses in inclined bedding formation

For real-time inversion and fast reconstruction of formation true resistivity, the forward modeling of electromagnetic wave logging while drilling is usually based on the transversely isotropic formation model with vertical symmetry axis(VTI medium), but it only considers the horizontal and vertical resistivity. It has certain limitation during practical application. This paper presents a forward calculation method of electromagnetic wave logging while drilling in transversely isotropic(TTI) strata with inclined symmetry axis based on the Dyadic Green’s function. Anisotropic angle and azimuth are used to characterize TTI formation. The proposed algorithm is verified by numerical examples, the half-space electromagnetic wave reflection and transmission characteristics with different media are analyzed, and the necessity to use the new algorithm is pointed out. Numerical simulation also shows that there exist a critical borehole dip and critical anisotropic angle in TTI formation. Electromagnetic wave logging while drilling responses follows opposite rule before and after these two critical angles. Besides, the 'horns' at the interface are not only related to well deviation, resistivity contrast, but also related to anisotropic angle and anisotropic azimuth.

Generalized collar waves in acoustic logging while drilling

Tool waves, also named collar waves, propagating along the drill collars in acoustic logging while drilling （ALWD）, strongly interfere with the needed P- and S-waves of a penetrated formation, which is a key issue in picking up formation P- and S-wave velocities. Previous studies on physical insulation for the collar waves designed on the collar between the source and the receiver sections did not bring to a satisfactory solution. In this paper, we investigate the propagation features of collar waves in different models. It is confirmed that there exists an indirect collar wave in the synthetic full waves due to the coupling between the drill collar and the borehole, even there is a perfect isolator between the source and the receiver. The direct collar waves propagating all along the tool and the indirect ones produced by echoes from the borehole wall are summarized as the generalized collar waves. Further analyses show that the indirect collar waves could be relatively strong in the full wave data. This is why the collar waves cannot be eliminated with satisfactory effect in many cases by designing the physical isolators carved on the tool.

THE HAIF-SPACE RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF DUAL-INDUCTION LOGGING WHILE DRILLING BASED ON COMSOL

The response characteristics of the dual-induction logging tool while drilling in a half-spaceare computed and analyzed when the instrument slots opening direction, instrument height, ground conductivity is changed respectively. The results show that the haJ^-space response of the different opening direction of instrument slots has a nonlinear change with the increase of the ground conductivity. The effect of half-space response on the instrument slots downward opening direction is greatest and the upward is minimal The half-space response of the deep induction reaches the maximum near the 0.4m height when tool is above ground. The peak position does not change with the ground conductivity changes.These results have a practical significance to determine accurately the sonde error of the dual-induction logging tool while drilling.

Rock fracture density characterization using measurement while drilling(MWD) techniques

Accurate determination of rock mass properties is a critical part of open-pit mine planning activities to enable more prescriptive blast designs to achieve improved loading and hauling and downstream process efficiency. Better and more accurate blast practice that delivers enhanced outcomes(better fragmentation, improved diggability, less dilution, etc.) is a critical and fundamental element of being able to achieve an effective Mine-Mill approach at a mining operation. Based on previous work, it has been demonstrated that an accurate representation of the rock mass properties can be obtained from the analysis of variations in blasthole drill performance as derived from measurement while drilling(MWD) systems when using tricone bits. This paper further investigates how monitored rate of penetration,pulldown force, rotary torque, rotary speed and bailing air pressure responses can be used to determine the presence of open and partially open fractures having varying dip angles. Based on a correlation of geophysically measured fracture logs and monitored drill performance variables in the same blastholes, the results show that the latter responses can accurately determine open versus closed fractures. The results also identified that variations in rate of penetration and rotary torque show the most sensitivity in the presence of open fractures that intersect a vertical blasthole at near orthogonal angles.

Pressure relief, gas drainage and deformation effects on an overlying coal seam induced by drilling an extra-thin protective coal seam

Numerical simulations and field tests were used to investigate the changes in ground stress and deformation of, and gas flow from, a protected coal seam under which an extra-thin coal seam was drilled. The geological conditions were: 0.5 meter mining height, 18.5 meter coal seam spacing and a hard limestone/fine sandstone inter-stratum. For these conditions we conclude: 1) the overlying coal-rock mass bends and sinks without the appearance of a caving zone, and 2) the protected coal seam is in the bending zone and undergoes expansion deformation in the stress-relaxed area. The deformation was 12 mm and the relative defor- mation was 0.15%. As mining proceeds, deformation in the protected layer begins as compression, then becomes a rapid expansion and, finally, reaches a stable value. A large number of bed separation crannies are created in the stress-relaxed area and the permeability coefficient of the coal seam was increased 403 fold. Grid penetration boreholes were evenly drilled toward the protected coal seam to affect pressure relief and gas drainage. This made the gas pressure decrease from 0.75 to 0.15 MPa, the gas content decrease from 13 to 4.66 m3/t and the gas drainage reach 64%.

Effects of pressure relief holes on coal burst:Insights from true-triaxial unloading tests

Drilling pressure relief is one of the methods to reduce the risk of coal bursts in deep mines.However,the effect of the drill hole orientations has not been studied well enough to understand their impact on the burst failure mechanism.In this study,we investigated two designs of drill hole orientations.The first design includes drill holes located on the upper free face of the rectangular samples and labelled as upper hole(UH)and centre hole(CH)e the long axes of the drill holes are aligned with minor principal stress,s3,direction.The second design includes drill holes at the top(TH)and the side(SH)of the rectangular samples in which the long axes of the drill holes are aligned with the maximum,s1,and intermediate principal stress,s2,directions,respectively.The coal samples with the proposed drill hole orientations were subjected to the true-triaxial unloading coal burst tests.The results show that the drill holes reduce the risk of coal bursts.However,we found that the intensity of coal burst was significantly reduced with the SH-type,followed by the CH-types.We also observed that the coal burst intensity is reduced better for the CH,UH,TH,and SH-type drilling patterns.However,it was found that the orientations of drill holes have little influence on the failure mode(splitting).The acoustic emission(AE)activities for coal with drill holes noticeably decreased,especially for the UH and CH layouts.The drill holes reduced the upper limit of the AE entropy(chaos of microcracks generation).However,regarding reducing the coal burst risk,the TH and SH are less effective than UH and CH.

Application of Seismic Inversion Using Logging Data as Constraints in Coalfield

Seismic inversion and basic theory are briefly presented and the main idea of this method is introduced. Both non-linear wave equation inversion technique and Complete Utilization of Samples Information (CUSI) neural network analysis are used in lithological interpretation in Jibei coal field. The prediction results indicate that this method can provide reliable data for thin coal exploitation and promising area evaluation.

A Study on the Classification and Well-Logging Identification of Eclogite in the Main Hole of Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project

Eclogite, one of the important lithologies in the main hole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling （CCSD） Project, exists above the depth of 3 245 m and has distinctive responses of gamma-ray, compensating density and neutron well-logging, and so on. In this study, according to the diversities of minerals and chemical components and well-logging responses, edogites are classified from three aspects of origin, content of oxygen, and sub-mineral. We studied the logging identification method for eclogite sub-classes based on multi-element statistics and reconstructed 11 kinds of eclogite. As a result, eclogites can be divided into 6 types using well logs. In the light of this recognition, the eclogite in the main hole is divided into 20 sections, and the distribution characters of all sub-classes of eclogite are analyzed, which will provide important data for geological research of CCSD.

Interest of Electrical Logging in Implementation of Technical Equipment for Water Drilling: Case of the Abrobakro Collecting Field (South-East Ivory Coast)

This work concerns the collecting field of the Abrobakro site, the objective of which is to determine the thickness of the layers crossed during drilling from electrical logging in order to propose the equipment plan for the various boreholes. The electrical logging data sheets, particularly those on resistivity and expeditious granulometry using a 1.25 mm and 2 mm mesh sieve, were used. The layer thicknesses are determined with the inflection points on the graphs. The electrical logging shows that the sands in the study area have resistivity values between 400 and 5000 Ω.m. The decrease in resistivity observed at 50 m for all boreholes shows that the static level of the groundwater is at this depth. The results of the accelerated granulometry show that the first 20 meters contain more fine particles and coarse to very coarse sands from 20 m. The granulometry of the screen laying areas shows that the 1.5 mm slot openings are best suited for all drilling in the Abrobakro collecting field. The diameter d10 of the aquiferous sands of the collecting field is close to 1.25 mm.

Acoustic reflection well logging modeling using the frequency-domain finite-element method with a hybrid PML

In this paper, we propose a hybrid PML （H-PML） combining the normal absorption factor of convolutional PML （C-PML） with tangential absorption factor of Mutiaxial PML （M-PML）. The H-PML boundary conditions can better suppress the numerical instability in some extreme models, and the computational speed of finite-element method and the dynamic range are greatly increased using this HPML. We use the finite-element method with a hybrid PML to model the acoustic reflection of the interface when wireline and well logging while drilling （LWD）, in a formation with a reflector outside the borehole. The simulation results suggests that the PS- and SP- reflected waves arrive at the same time when the inclination between the well and the outer interface is zero, and the difference in arrival times increases with increasing dip angle. When there are fractures outside the well, the reflection signal is clearer in the subsequent reflection waves and may be used to identify the fractured zone. The difference between the dominant wavelength and the model scale shows that LWD reflection logging data are of higher resolution and quality than wireline acoustic reflection logging.

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of methane drainage by high-level drill holes in a lower protective coal seam with a “U” type face

Different drill-hole positions may produce different drainage results in low protective coal seams.To investigate this possibility,a 3D stope model is established,which covers three kinds of drill holes.The FLUENT computational fluid mechanics software is used to solve the mass,momentum and species conservation equations of the model.The spatial distributions of oxygen and methane was obtained by calculations and the drainage results of different drill-hole positions were compared.The results show that,from top to bottom,methane dilution by oxygen weakens gradually from the intake to the return side,and methane tends to float;methane and oxygen distribute horizontally.The high-level crossing holes contribute to better methane drainage and a greater level of control.Around these holes,the methane density decreases dramatically and a "half circle"distribution is formed.The methane density decreases on the whole,but a proportion of the methane moves back to deep into the goaf.The research findings provide theoretical grounds for methane drainage.

Numerical analysis on coal-breaking process under high pressure water jet

Based on the theory of nonlinear dynamic finite element,the control equation ofcoal and water jet was acquired in the coal breaking process under a water jet.The calculationmodel of coal breaking under a water jet was established;the fluid-structure couplingof water jet and coal was implemented by penalty function and convection calculation.The dynamic process of coal breaking under a water jet was simulated and analyzed bycombining the united fracture criteria of the maximum tensile strain and the maximal shearstrain in the two cases of damage to coal and damage failure to coal.

Technique of coal mining and gas extraction without coal pillar in multi-seam with low permeability

Aimed at the low mining efficiency in deep multi-seams because of high crustalstress,high gas content,low permeability,the compound 'three soft' roof and the trouble-somesafety situation encountered in deep level coal exploitation,proposed a new idea ofgob-side retaining without a coal-pillar and Y-style ventilation in the first-mined key pressure-relieved coal seam and a new method of coal mining and gas extraction.The followingwere discovered:the dynamic evolution law of the crannies in the roof is influenced bymining,the formative rule of 'the vertical cranny-abundant area' along the gob-side,thedistribution of air pressure field in the gob,and the flowing rule of pressure-relieved gas ina Y-style ventilation system.The study also established a theoretic basis for a new miningmethod of coal mining and gas extraction which is used to extract the pressure-relievedgas by roadway retaining boreholes instead of roadway boreholes.Studied and resolvedmany difficult key problems,such as,fast roadway retaining at the gob-side without a coalpillar,Y-style ventilation and extraction of pressure-relieved gas by roadway retainingboreholes,and so on.The study innovated and integrated a whole set of technical systemsfor coal and pressure relief gas extraction.The method of the pressure-relieved gasextraction by roadway retaining had been successfully applied in 6 typical working faces inthe Huainan and Huaibei mining areas.The research can provide a scientific and reliabletechnical support and a demonstration for coal mining and gas extraction in gaseous deepmulti-seams with low permeability.

Determining the fluorescent components in drilling fluid by using NMR method

Fluorescent additives can reduce drilling operation risks, especially during high angle deviated well drilling and when managing stuck pipe problems. However, they can affect oil discovery and there is a need to reduce the level of fluorescents or change the drilling fluids to prevent loss of drilling velocity and efficiency. In this paper, based on the analysis of drilling fluids by NMR with high sensitivity, solid and liquid additives have been analyzed under conditions with different fluorescent levels and temperatures. The results show that all of the solid additives have no NMR signal, and therefore cannot affect oil discovery during drilling. For the liquid additives with different oil products, the characterizations can be quantified and evaluated through a T2 cumulated spectrum, oil peak(T2g), and oil content of the drilling fluids. NMR can improve the application of florescent additives and help us to enhance oil exploration benefits and improve drilling operations and efficiency.

Deep-detection of formation boundary using transient multicomponent electromagnetic logging measurements

The maximum distance at which an electromagnetic(EM)logging while drilling(LWD)tool detects an approaching boundary is defined as the depth of detection(DOD).Ultra-deep detection capability of the transient multicomponent EM logging measurement is investigated here.First,we adopt sine and cosine transform to calculate the transient multicomponent responses.Compared to the cosine transform,sine transform is more accurate in solving late-time responses.Then,a time-domain geosignal is introduced to sense the boundary.Results show that DOD of this transient EM measurement can be up to tens of meters,including directionally sensitivity.Additionally,by studying the decay characteristics of different components with time,cross component is confirmed to decay much faster than the coaxial/coplanar components in the formation coordinate system.A pseudo-inversion is thereby proposed to determine the dip angle of anisotropic stratified formation.Theoretical simulation results indicate that this algebraic method can determine the true dip at some particular moments.It is still stable and valid even when considering random measurement errors.Moreover,we establish the linear relationship between the time at which the half-point of geosignal curve appears and the distance to boundary(DTB),which would assist in the quick determination of DTB.