US 12,188,351 B2
Active magnetic ranging while drilling
Ben Hawkinson, Paso Robles, CA (US); Jamie Dorey, Houston, TX (US); and Douglas Ridgway, Edmonton (CA)
Assigned to SCIENTIFIC DRILLING INTERNATIONAL, INC., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Scientific Drilling International, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Sep. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/242,509.
Application 18/242,509 is a continuation of application No. 17/726,388, filed on Apr. 21, 2022, granted, now 11,761,264.
Application 17/726,388 is a continuation of application No. 17/538,930, filed on Nov. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,634,950, issued on Apr. 25, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/119,531, filed on Nov. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0407705 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E21B 7/04 (2006.01); E21B 47/04 (2012.01); E21B 47/13 (2012.01); G01C 19/00 (2013.01); G01D 5/14 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 7/04 (2013.01) [E21B 47/04 (2013.01); E21B 47/13 (2020.05); G01C 19/00 (2013.01); G01D 5/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic ranging system for use with a drilling assembly in a borehole in a formation, the drilling assembly including a drill string, a drill bit and a bottomhole assembly (BHA) connected to the drill bit, the magnetic ranging system comprising:
first and second gradient magnetometer arrays incorporated into the BHA and each having three cross-axis coplanar tri-axial magnetometers evenly spaced around an axis of the BHA to define a cross-borehole plane, wherein the first and second gradient magnetometer arrays are configured to collect ranging measurements from behind the drill bit and transmit measurement data;
an injection electrode configured to inject current into the formation; and
a return electrode above the injection electrode, wherein at least one of the first and second gradient magnetometer arrays are below the injection and return electrodes.