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Algerian Petroleum Institute IAP-CU

August 2 0 1 2


Drilling & Well Engineering
Cohort 7

Measurement While Drilling
(MWD)


Prepared by: TALHAOUI Ahmed
Supervised by: Mr .T.HACHEMI
Mr .B.ELIKER
Contents


Contents




1 Introduction 1
2 Downhole systems 2
2.1 Power Sources 2
2.1.1 Batteries
2.1.2 Turbine-alternator
2.2 MWD Sensors 3
2.2.1 Directional Sensors
2.2.2 Gamma Ray Sensor
2.2.3 Resistivity Sensor
2.2.4 Temperature Sensor
2.2.5 Downhole WOB/Torque Sensors
3 Telemetry Channel 7
3.1 Negative-pulse systems 7
3.2 Positive-pulse systems 8
3.3 Continuous-wave systems 8
4 Surface systems 9
5 Conclusion 10
6 References 11
Table of Figures




Figure 1 MWD tool using battery pack 2
Figure 2 MWD tool using turbine-alternator 3
Figure 3 Inclination and hole direction 4
Figure 4 Accelerometer 4
Figure 5 Resistivity Sensor 5
Figure 6 Negative pulse system 7
Figure 7 Positive pulse system 8
Figure 8 Continuous wave systems 8
Figure 9 Main components of surface system 9
Introduction

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1 Introduction
Early in the history of oil drilling, drillers and geologists often debated how to obtain
downhole information without interrupting normal drilling operations. Later, the advances in
electronics and material science enabled drillers and geologists to make measurements at the
the bottom of the hole and transmit data to the surface. The first measurements were
directional, single shots in which well orientation was taken by an instrument that measured
azimuth and inclination at only one point. This method was used in offshore directional
drilling. It took a lot of rig time while running slick line in hole and then retrieving it.
Measurement While Drilling (MWD) systems measure formation properties (e.g. resistivity,
natural gamma ray, porosity), wellbore geometry (inclination, azimuth), drilling orientation
(toolface) and mechanical properties of the drilling process. Traditionally MWD has fulfilled
the role of providing wellbore inclination and azimuth in order to maintain directional control
in real time. Since early 1980s, formation evaluation by using MWD has been widely used.
Initially, the measurements were stored in a tool memory, but with the introduction of 2 MHZ
resistivity, neutron porosity, and gamma density, measurements are transmitted to the surface
in real time. Consequently, horizontal drilling has become more feasible and reliable. Recent
developments in measurement while drilling (MWD) includes sensors that measure the
formation acoustic velocity and provide electrical images of deep formations.
Systems in MWD can be divided into three categories: downhole systems, telemetry channel
and surface systems.
1. Downhole systems: consist of power source, sensors, transmitter and control system.
2. Telemetry channel: it is the channel through which pulses are sent to the surface.
3. Surface systems: detect pulses; decode the signals and present results.
The aim of this mini project is to give a brief description of MWD systems and the
relationships between them. After that, it deals with downhole systems and sensors. Next it,
describes Telemetry Channel. Then, it indicates surface systems. Finally, this work ends with
a conclusion.

Downhole Systems

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Downholesystem
2.1 Power sources
There are two sources of power in MWD located downhole; battery and turbine-alternator.
Both of them have advantages and drawbacks, a combination of these two types of power
systems are used to offer power to MWD tools.
2.1.1 Batteries
Batteries can provide power with or without drilling fluid circulation. Lithium-thionyl
chloride are commonly used in MWD systems because of their reliability even in the end of
their service life, but their limited instantaneous power output is not suitable for multisensor
tools that require a high current drain (figure 1).

Figure 1 MWD tool using battery pack
2.1.2 Turbine-alternator
Turbine-alternator is the second source of abundant power generation, it uses drilling fluid
flow. The drilling fluid flow is used to rotate the turbine rotor blades, which rotates a common
shaft connected to an alternator. The power generated by the alternator is not normally used
without a voltage regulator, so an electronic circuit is required to rectify the alternating
current (AC) to usable direct current (DC). Although this system provides more power and
longer operation life than the batteries, power failure might occur in case of turbine damage.
To protect the turbine, a screen is installed in turbine upstream to filter out any mud debris
(figure 2).

Downhole Systems

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Figure 2 MWD tool using turbine-alternator
2.2 MWD sensors
Picking up measures from the downhole requires rugged tool to withstand the harsh
environment. The information is gathered and transmitted to the surface by relevant sensors
and transmission equipment which are housed in a non magnetic drill collar in the bottom
hole assembly. These sensors differ according to the application they stand for. The MWD
sensors are used to detect directional data, gamma ray, formation resistivity, downhole
weight-on-bit and torque.
2.2.1 Directional Sensors:
The directional sensors which currently used are made up of tensor triaxial magnetometers
and tensor triaxial accelerometers; they provide the required data of inclination angles,
azimuth and toolface. These sensors are mounted in a non-magnetic drill collar.
Inclination: is the angle, measured in degrees, by which the wellbore or survey instrument
axis varies from a true vertical line. Therefore, inclination of 0 will be true vertical, whereas
90 will be true horizontal.




Downhole Systems

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Hole direction: is the angle measured in degrees, of the horizontal component of the borehole
or survey instrument axis from a known north reference. This reference is true north or grid
north, and is measured clockwise by convention ( figure 3)

Figure 3 Inclination and hole direction
Azimuth: is the direction of the wellbore relative to true or grid north in the horizontal plane.
We measure this angle by measuring the direction of the earth's magnetic field relative to the
tool.
Toolface data: is a dynamic data which gives the directional driller the position of the bend
of the mud motor.
The Tensor Tri-axial Accelerometer measures three orthogonal axes of inclination (Gx, Gy,
and Gz) and also includes a temperature sensor (figure 4).

Figure 4 Accelerometer
Downhole Systems

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The Tensor Tri-axial Magnetometer measures three orthogonal axes of magnetic bearing (Bx,
By, and Bz) as well as temperature.
2.2.2 Gamma Ray Sensor:
Gamma rays are emitted by radioactive elements such as isotopes of potassium, thorium and
uranium. These elements are found more commonly in shales than in other rocks. The
measuring of gamma-ray emission from a sequence of rocks identifies shale zones. A
gamma-ray sensor mounted in an MWD tool can detect this radiation as the bit drills
through the formation. To be most effective in detecting changes of lithology, the
gamma-ray sensor should be positioned as close as possible to the bit , so that only a few
feet of a new formation are drilled before the tool responds. For practical reasons, the
distance between the bit and the gamma-ray sensor is about 6 ft. It is worth to mention
that only a small percentage of the gamma-rays being emitted will actually be detected,
owing to attenuation in the mud and the drill collar.
2.2.3 Resistivity Sensor:
Resistivity is a measure of the formations resistance to the flow of electric current. The
response from the formation depends on the fluid content of the pore space (oil and gas
act as insulators, while brine is a conductor).The resistivity sensor on an MWD tool
has been adapted from the equivalent wire line logging tool . Two electrodes are
mounted on an insulating rubber sleeve on the outside of the MWD tool. The electric
current emitted by the upper electrode passes through the formation and is detected
by the lower electrode. The resistivity sensor (figure 5) Should be installed close to the bit
to give a fast response to formation changes.

Figure 5 Resistivity Sensor

Downhole Systems

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2.2.4 Temperature Sensor:
The temperature sensor is usually mounted on the outside wall of the drill collar, and
therefore monitors the annulus mud temperature. The sensing element may be a strip of
metal (e.g. platinum) which electrical resistance changes with temperature. The sensor can be
calibrated to measure temperatures ranging from 50 to 350F.
2.2.5 Downhole WOB/Torque Sensor:
These measurements are made by a system of sensitive strain gauges mounted on
a special sub placed close to the bit. The strain gauges will detect axial forces for
WOB and torsional forces for torque. By placing pairs of gauges on opposite sides of the
sub, any stresses due to bending can be eliminated. The sub must also be designed to
compensate for the effects of temperature and pressure.

Telemetry Channel

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3 Telemetry Channel
Although several different approaches are used to transmit data to the surface, mud-pulse
telemetry remains the standard method in commercial MWD systems. These systems are
named for the way their pulses are propagated in the mud volume.
3.1 Negative-pulse systems
Negative-pulse system tools open and close the valve to release mud from the drillstring out
to the annulus. This creates a decrease in pressure that can be seen at the surface (figure 6)

Figure 6 Negative pulse systems







Telemetry Channel

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3.2 Positive-pulse systems
Positive pulse system tools open and close the valve to restrict the mud flow within the drill
string. This creates produces an increase in pressure that can be transmitted to the surface as
shown in (figure 7).

Figure 7 Positive pulse
3.3 Continuous-wave systems
Continuous wave system tools gradually close and open the valve to generate
sinusoidal pressure fluctuations within the drilling fluid. It creates a carrier
frequency that is transmitted through the mud and encoded data using phase
shifts of the carrier .see (figure 8).

Figure 8 Continuous wave systems
Surface System

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4 Surface System
4.1 Signal Treatment Equipment
Most MWD companies use a fairly similar set of surface equipment, they use
sophisticated decoders and computers usually assembled in cabin to interpret, record and
display the data measured by the downhole sensors. The surface equipment used depends
on the company and the number of different parameters being measured. The basic
components of the surface system are shown in (Figure 9).

Figure 9 Main components of Surface System

Conclusion

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5 Conclusion
To sum up, Measurement While Drilling (MWD) is a technical challenge to get downhole
measurements in real time and transmit them to the surface for analysis and interpretation. It
helps geologists, geophysicists directional and drillers to decide changes on wellbore path.


References

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6 References

Baker Hughes INTEQs Guide To Measurement While Drilling Information
Guide 750-500-077 Rev. A September 1997
MWD Mud pulse Telemetry and Noise and Filtering Introduction (D&M
Learning Centers Updated J une 9
th
, 2008)
Petroleum Engineering and Development Studies Volume 2 Directional Drilling
T. A. Inglis
Precision Drilling Directional Services Sonatrach Training Course (MWD
Module) February 2004
Standard handbook of petroleum and natural gas engineering volume1; William
c . Lyons, PhD., p.e. editor
Weatherford MWD and surveying services 2010
www.spec2000.net
www.slb.com
www.oilfield.com

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