Rotary in-drilling alignment using an autonomous MEMS-based inertial measurement unit for measurement- while-drilling processes

The severe conditions of the drilling environment greatly limit technical options available to the equipment designer. Some desirable options cannot be used simply because they are too large for the restricted diameters available in drilling tools. Drilling would greatly benefit from inertial navigation solutions, but suitable conventional components cannot be used because of their physical size. This article describes work directed to the provision of improved navigation solutions for MWD applications.

[1]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  Modeling of Observability During In-Drilling Alignment for Horizontal Directional Drilling , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[2]  Aboelmagd Noureldin,et al.  Fundamentals of Inertial Navigation, Satellite-based Positioning and their Integration , 2012 .

[3]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  Accuracy limitations of FOG-based continuous measurement-while-drilling surveying instruments for horizontal wells , 2002, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas..

[4]  Alessandro Capra,et al.  Design of a Low-Cost GPS/Magnetometer System for Land-Based Navigation: Integration and Autocalibration Algorithms , 2011 .

[5]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  Quantitative Study of the Applicability of Fiber-Optic Gyroscopes for MWD Borehole Surveying , 2000 .

[6]  Erwin Peiner,et al.  Packaging of MEMS and MOEMS for harsh environments , 2012 .

[7]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  MATHEMATICAL MODEL AND SIMULATION OF A PNEUMATIC APPARATUS FOR IN-DRILLING ALIGNMENT OF AN INERTIAL NAVIGATION UNIT DURING HORIZONTAL WELL DRILLING , 2007 .

[8]  Arild Saasen,et al.  Drilling Fluid affects MWD Magnetic Azimuth and Wellbore Position , 2004 .

[9]  Fan Li,et al.  Accuracy improvements of gyro-based measurement-while-drilling surveying instruments by a laser testing method , 2009, Applied Optics and Photonics China.

[10]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  Experimental Feasibility of the In-Drilling Alignment Method for Inertial Navigation in Measurement-While-Drilling , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[11]  B. A. Sheikholeslami,et al.  Drilling and production aspects of horizontal wells in the Austin Chalk , 1990 .

[12]  Martin P. Mintchev,et al.  Observability Analysis for INS Alignment in Horizontal Drilling , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[13]  Keith K. Millheim,et al.  Applied Drilling Engineering , 1986 .

[14]  Vadim Bistrov.  Performance Analysis of Alignment Process of MEMS IMU , 2012 .

[15]  J. Borenstein,et al.  Personal Dead-reckoning System for GPS-denied Environments , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Workshop on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics.

[16]  Naser El-Sheimy,et al.  MEMS-Based Integrated Navigation , 2010 .

[17]  Pavel Ripka,et al.  Magnetic sensors and magnetometers , 2002 .

[18]  Chen Ming-hui.  Study of Zero Velocity Update for Inertial Navigation , 2008 .

[19]  Jan Skaloud,et al.  Detection and filtering of short-term (1/f) noise in inertial sensors , 1999 .

[20]  John L. Thorogood,et al.  Surveying techniques with a solid-state magnetic multishot device , 1990 .