Information Transmitted By MWD Drilling Software

By Karina Frost


MWD which in full is Measurement While Drilling is measurement taken when drilling on an angle of inclination to the vertical line. These measurements are taken by the MWD Drilling Software. This data is used to produce a 3-D plot of the path of the oil well. This software will transmit crucial information to the operator during operations.

One of the information transmitted by the software is on the direction of the well. They are able to directional surveys and transmitting them in real time. The magnetometers and accelerometers in it are utilized to measure the azimuth and also the angle at which the hole drilled incline at that location. This data is then transmitted immediately to the surface.

Analysis of data is done on the surface before calculation of the location of the wellbore after data transmission which takes data from 10m to 500m in intervals. This information is as crucial as it being prove enough that the company is not doing any operation outside its permitted site or circumference. It may not be used when creating vertical holes or near vertical direction because it is quite expensive.

The core use of the surveys is in directional-drilling. The well may be located at a certain zone and this information helps the driller in steering the process towards that target zone. MWD provides toolface measurements using downhole mud motors with bent housing or bent subs to aid in directional operations.

Information on the drilling mechanics on the drill bit is also send by the software. Downhole temperature, smoothness of rotation, and operation speed of the rotation are some of the measurements taken. Weight and torque of the bit information aid in operating more efficiently. The driller monitors the tools used from this information to make sure they are working as per the technical specifications. Geologists have a use for this information which is to determine the rock formation of that area.

Drillers use information from the MWD tools for performing geosteering to the zones targeted. The software sends formation properties of the area being drilled at that moment. This kind of information will be on porosity, inclination of the drill bit, the resistivity and the acoustic-caliper which is very important to the driller.

The MWD tool is fitted with gamma ray sensors on the inside which are used to measure the natural gamma rays occurring at the well. They are very compact and cheap and can take measurements of unmodified drill collars during the process. The lifespan of drill bits in greatly increased when using the software and costs of creating the hole reduced.

There are two types of transmission of data on drilling; either mud-pulse telemetry method or electromagnetic telemetry. The functioning of the mud-pulse telemetry method is where the mud valve deep down the hole restricts the flow of slurry thus brings about the differences in pressure which are sent to the surface for further analysis. There are three types of pulses; positive, negative pulse or continuous wave.

In electromagnetic telemetry method by the MWD software, altered voltage is generated in the upper and lower part of the electrical insulator then incorporated in the drillstring. There is a wire from both thewellhead on the surface and the rod which form the electrodes of a dipole antenna. These electrodes provide information from analysis of the voltage signals.




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