Apparatus and method for measuring a borehole

Claim 1

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse, and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; and a comparator receiving said threshold signal and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal, and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal.

Claim 2

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse, and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; and a comparator receiving said threshold signal and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal, and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal.

Claim 19

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) actuating said sensors for a selected time period during said drilling operation to provide at least one output pulse from each of said sensors; (c) amplifying and filtering said output pulses to generate filtered signals; (d) generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (e) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signals; (f) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; and (g) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate dimensional signals.

Claim 20

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) actuating said sensors for a selected time period during said drilling operation to provide at least one output pulse from each of said sensors; (c) amplifying and filtering said output pulses to generate filtered signals; (d) generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (e) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signals; (f) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; and (g) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate dimensional signals.

Claim 42

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse, and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; a comparator receiving said threshold signal and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal, and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; and a programmed central processing unit for processing said time-of-flight signals to generate: an eccentricity signal E representative of an eccentricity vector of said logging tool as a function of an intermediate variable signal α and a radius signal R representative of an effective radius of said borehole in accordance with the following relationship: ##EQU7## an angle of eccentricity signal θ representative of an angle between said eccentricity vector and a vector passing through a center of said logging tool and a sensor having a time-of-flight signal with a smallest magnitude of said time-of-flight signals as a function of said radius signal R, said eccentricity signal E, and a smallest radii signal r 1 representative of a smallest radial distance along a vector directed from a center of said logging tool through a centerline of a sensor to an opposing wall of said borehole in accordance with the following relationship: ##EQU8## a motion signal representative of a motion of said logging tool as a function of a banging frequency signal representative of a frequency with which said logging tool is banging laterally in said borehole, a rotational frequency signal representative of a rate of change of an angle of eccentricity, and a percent standard deviation signal representative of a percent standard deviation of a rate of change of said angle of eccentricity in accordance with the following relationships: said motion signal indicates normal motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates less than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; said motion signal indicates banging motion by said drilling assembly when said banging frequency signal indicates at least 90 revolutions per minute; said motion signal indicates sticking motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates greater than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; and said motion signal indicates whirling motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates greater than 90 revolutions per minute and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute.

Claim 43

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse, and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; a comparator receiving said threshold signal and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal, and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; and a programmed central processing unit for processing said time-of-flight signals to generate: an eccentricity signal E representative of an eccentricity vector of said logging tool as a function of an intermediate variable signal α and a radius signal R representative of an effective radius of said borehole in accordance with the following relationship: ##EQU7## an angle of eccentricity signal θ representative of an angle between said eccentricity vector and a vector passing through a center of said logging tool and a sensor having a time-of-flight signal with a smallest magnitude of said time-of-flight signals as a function of said radius signal R, said eccentricity signal E, and a smallest radii signal r 1 representative of a smallest radial distance along a vector directed from a center of said logging tool through a centerline of a sensor to an opposing wall of said borehole in accordance with the following relationship: ##EQU8## a motion signal representative of a motion of said logging tool as a function of a banging frequency signal representative of a frequency with which said logging tool is banging laterally in said borehole, a rotational frequency signal representative of a rate of change of an angle of eccentricity, and a percent standard deviation signal representative of a percent standard deviation of a rate of change of said angle of eccentricity in accordance with the following relationships: said motion signal indicates normal motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates less than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; said motion signal indicates banging motion by said drilling assembly when said banging frequency signal indicates at least 90 revolutions per minute; said motion signal indicates sticking motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates greater than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; and said motion signal indicates whirling motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates greater than 90 revolutions per minute and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute.

Claim 44

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: a central processing unit generating a first timing signal, a second timing signal, a third timing signal, and sensor selection signals; a decoder receiving said sensor selection signals and said first timing signal and generating an input pulse for transmission to a selected one of said sensors; signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator receiving said second timing signal and generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; and a comparator receiving said third timing signal, said threshold signal, and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal and generating a registered signal in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal, and comparing said registered signal with said third timing signal to generate a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors; and a surface control unit in communication with said control circuitry.

Claim 45

An apparatus for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising: a drill bit; a logging tool coupled to said drill bit; at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced relative to said logging tool, each of said sensors adapted for generating an output signal in response to an input pulse and generating an output pulse in response to an input signal; and control circuitry in communication with said sensors, said control circuitry comprising: a central processing unit generating a first timing signal, a second timing signal, a third timing signal, and sensor selection signals; a decoder receiving said sensor selection signals and said first timing signal and generating an input pulse for transmission to a selected one of said sensors; signal conditioning circuitry receiving said output pulse and amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; a threshold generator receiving said second timing signal and generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; and a comparator receiving said third timing signal, said threshold signal, and said filtered signal, comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal and generating a registered signal in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal, and comparing said registered signal with said third timing signal to generate a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by one of said sensors; and a surface control unit in communication with said control circuitry.

Claim 46

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) actuating said sensors for a selected time period during said drilling operation to provide at least one output pulse from each of said sensors; (c) amplifying and filtering said output pulses to generate filtered signals; (d) generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (e) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signals; (f) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; (g) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate at least one standoff signal for each of said sensors, said standoff signal representative of a radial distance from a face of a sensor to an opposing wall of said borehole; wherein a magnitude of said standoff signal is directly proportional to a magnitude of said time-of-flight signal for said sensor; (h) processing said standoff signals to generate at least one radii signal for each of said sensors, said radii signal representative of a radial distance along a vector directed from a center of said drilling assembly through a centerline of a sensor to said opposing wall of said borehole; wherein a magnitude of said radii signal is directly proportional to the magnitude of said standoff signal of said sensor; (i) processing said radii signals to generate an intermediate variable signal; wherein a magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal is directly proportional to each of the following: the summation of the magnitudes of said radii signals; and the product of the magnitudes of said radii signals; and wherein the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal is inversely proportional to the summation of the permutations of the magnitudes of said radii signals; (j) processing said radii signals and said intermediate variable signal to generate a radius signal representative of an effective radius of said borehole; wherein a magnitude R of said radius signal is functionally related to the magnitude of said radii signals and the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal; (k) processing said radius signal and said intermediate variable signal to generate an eccentricity signal representative of an eccentricity vector of said drilling assembly; wherein a magnitude E of said eccentricity signal is related to the magnitude R of said radius signal and the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal by the following relationship: ##EQU9## (l) processing said radius signal, said eccentricity signal, and a radii signal having a smallest magnitude of said radii signals to generate an angle of eccentricity signal representative of an angle between said eccentricity vector and a vector passing through a center of said drilling assembly and a sensor having a time-of-flight signal with a smallest magnitude of said time-of-flight signals; wherein a magnitude θ of said angle of eccentricity signal is related to the magnitude R of said radius signal, the magnitude E of said eccentricity signal, and the magnitude r, of said radii signal having the smallest magnitude by the following relationship: ##EQU10## (m) processing said eccentricity signal to generate a banging frequency signal representative of a frequency with which said drilling assembly is banging laterally in said borehole; (n) processing said angle of eccentricity signal to generate a rotational frequency signal representative of a rate of change of said angle of eccentricity; (o) processing said rotational frequency signal to generate a percent standard deviation signal representative of the percent standard deviation of said rate of change of said angle of eccentricity; (p) processing said frequency of banging signal, said rotational frequency signal, and said percent standard deviation signal to generate a motion signal representative of a motion of said drilling assembly within said borehole; wherein said motion signal indicates normal motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates less than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates banging motion by said drilling assembly when said banging frequency signal indicates at least 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates sticking motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates greater than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates whirling motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates greater than 90 revolutions per minute, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; and (q) communicating said dimensional signals and said motion signal to a surface control unit.

Claim 47

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) actuating said sensors for a selected time period during said drilling operation to provide at least one output pulse from each of said sensors; (c) amplifying and filtering said output pulses to generate filtered signals; (d) generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (e) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signals; (f) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; (g) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate at least one standoff signal for each of said sensors, said standoff signal representative of a radial distance from a face of a sensor to an opposing wall of said borehole; wherein a magnitude of said standoff signal is directly proportional to a magnitude of said time-of-flight signal for said sensor; (h) processing said standoff signals to generate at least one radii signal for each of said sensors, said radii signal representative of a radial distance along a vector directed from a center of said drilling assembly through a centerline of a sensor to said opposing wall of said borehole; wherein a magnitude of said radii signal is directly proportional to the magnitude of said standoff signal of said sensor; (i) processing said radii signals to generate an intermediate variable signal; wherein a magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal is directly proportional to each of the following: the summation of the magnitudes of said radii signals; and the product of the magnitudes of said radii signals; and wherein the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal is inversely proportional to the summation of the permutations of the magnitudes of said radii signals; (j) processing said radii signals and said intermediate variable signal to generate a radius signal representative of an effective radius of said borehole; wherein a magnitude R of said radius signal is functionally related to the magnitude of said radii signals and the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal; (k) processing said radius signal and said intermediate variable signal to generate an eccentricity signal representative of an eccentricity vector of said drilling assembly; wherein a magnitude E of said eccentricity signal is related to the magnitude R of said radius signal and the magnitude α of said intermediate variable signal by the following relationship: ##EQU9## (l) processing said radius signal, said eccentricity signal, and a radii signal having a smallest magnitude of said radii signals to generate an angle of eccentricity signal representative of an angle between said eccentricity vector and a vector passing through a center of said drilling assembly and a sensor having a time-of-flight signal with a smallest magnitude of said time-of-flight signals; wherein a magnitude θ of said angle of eccentricity signal is related to the magnitude R of said radius signal, the magnitude E of said eccentricity signal, and the magnitude r, of said radii signal having the smallest magnitude by the following relationship: ##EQU10## (m) processing said eccentricity signal to generate a banging frequency signal representative of a frequency with which said drilling assembly is banging laterally in said borehole; (n) processing said angle of eccentricity signal to generate a rotational frequency signal representative of a rate of change of said angle of eccentricity; (o) processing said rotational frequency signal to generate a percent standard deviation signal representative of the percent standard deviation of said rate of change of said angle of eccentricity; (p) processing said frequency of banging signal, said rotational frequency signal, and said percent standard deviation signal to generate a motion signal representative of a motion of said drilling assembly within said borehole; wherein said motion signal indicates normal motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates less than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates banging motion by said drilling assembly when said banging frequency signal indicates at least 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates sticking motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute, said percent standard deviation signal indicates greater than 10 percent, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; wherein said motion signal indicates whirling motion by said drilling assembly when said rotational frequency signal indicates greater than 90 revolutions per minute, and said banging frequency signal indicates less than 90 revolutions per minute; and (q) communicating said dimensional signals and said motion signal to a surface control unit.

Claim 48

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) generating a first timing signal and sensor selection signals; (c) selecting one of said sensors for generation of an output signal as a function of said sensor selection signals and said first timing signal; (d) receiving an input signal and generating an output pulse; (e) amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; (f) receiving a second timing signal and generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (g) receiving a third timing signal, said threshold signal, and said filtered signal; (h) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal and generating a registered signal in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; (i) comparing said registered signal with said third timing signal and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor; (j) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors; (k) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate dimensional signals.

Claim 49

A method for determining dimensions of a borehole during a drilling operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a drilling assembly having at least three distance determining sensors circumferentially spaced around the exterior of said assembly; (b) generating a first timing signal and sensor selection signals; (c) selecting one of said sensors for generation of an output signal as a function of said sensor selection signals and said first timing signal; (d) receiving an input signal and generating an output pulse; (e) amplifying and filtering said output pulse to generate a filtered signal; (f) receiving a second timing signal and generating a threshold signal whose magnitude decays exponentially with elapsed time; (g) receiving a third timing signal, said threshold signal, and said filtered signal; (h) comparing the magnitude of said threshold signal with a magnitude of said filtered signal and generating a registered signal in response to filtered signals having a magnitude greater than the magnitude of said threshold signal; (i) comparing said registered signal with said third timing signal and generating a time-of-flight signal representative of an elapsed time between transmission of said output signal and receipt of said input signal by said sensor; (j) generating at least one time-of-flight signal for each of said sensors; (k) processing said time-of-flight signals to generate dimensional signals.