MEASUREMENT-WHILE-DRILLING (MWD)

THIS PROPOSAL SETS FORTH A RESEARCH PLAN WHICH WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR TELEMETERING INFORMATION FROM DOWNHOLE TO THE SURFACE DURING THE ACTUAL OIL-WELL DRILLING PROCESS. ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIAL ADVANCES HAVE BEEN MADE IN DOWNHOLE INSTRUMENTATION WHICH MEASURE DRILLING DIRECTION, WEIGHT-ON-BIT, TORQUE-ON-BIT, PRESSURE, AND NATURAL GAMMA DURING THE ACTUAL DRILLING PROCESS, FEW HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RELIABLE COMMERCIAL HIGH DATA RATE TELEMETRY SYSTEM. THE MOST COMMONLY USED TECHNIQUE, MID-PULSING, SUFFERS FROM VERY LOW DATA RATES ( < 1 HZ) AND QUESTIONABLE RELIABILITY IN POOR SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO SCENARIOS. THE PROPOSED TECHNIQUE HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER DATA RATES AND THE ABILITY TO OPERATE IN SEVERE SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO CONDITIONS WITH PROPER SIGNAL PROCESSING. THE TECHNIQUE DOES NOT SUFFER FROM THE TWO MOST COMMON PROBLEMS-UNRELIABILITY OR IMPRACTICALITY OR BOTH, WHICH HAVE PLAGUED ALL THE ALTERNATIVES TO MUD-PULSING WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THUS FAR: I.E., EM TELEMETRY, ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE DRILL PIPE OR INSULATED CABLES. FURTHERMORE, THIS TECHNIQUE IS EASILY COMMERCIALIZABLE, AT LOW COST, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT REQUIRE MAJOR MODIFICATION TO EXISTING MUD-PULSING MWD SYSTEMS. AS SUCH, THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO THE OIL INDUSTRY AND IN TURN TO THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY ARE SUBSTANTIAL.