Method of, and a system for, drilling to a position relative to a geological boundary

• Main Author: McHugh, Charles Benjamin
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.11.2020
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; COUNTING; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL; MEASURING; MINING; MINING OR QUARRYING; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; TESTING

A system for drilling to a position relative to a geological boundary in a geological formation includes a sensor pack for sensing parameters associated with a drilling operation carried out in the geological formation by a drill. A data storage module stores a geological model of the geological formation and data relating to the sensed parameters, including data relating to the geological boundary. A processor module monitors the drilling operation using the sensed parameters data to locate the position of a drill bit of the drill in the geological formation and its corresponding position within the geological model. The processor module generates an end point at a defined position relative to the geological boundary. A drill controller communicates with the processor module, the drill controller controlling operation of the drill to cause the drill to cease drilling when the end point has been reached.