US 12,312,937 B2
Methods for monitoring solids content during drilling operations
Sergey Safonov, Moscow (RU); Dmitry Kovalev, Moscow (RU); and Arturo Magana-Mora, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jun. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/844,340.
Application 17/844,340 is a continuation of application No. PCT/RU2021/000620, filed on Dec. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0203934 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 44/02 (2006.01); E21B 47/002 (2012.01)
CPC E21B 44/02 (2013.01) [E21B 47/002 (2020.05); E21B 2200/20 (2020.05)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring solids content and modifying mud parameters, drilling operational parameters, or both during drilling operations, the method comprising:
collecting real-time cuttings image data at a surface outlet of a natural resource well;
determining cuttings characteristics data based on the real-time cuttings image data, wherein the cuttings characteristics data comprises cuttings size distribution, cuttings volume, cuttings velocity, cuttings orientation, cuttings area, or combinations thereof;
collecting real-time surface mud data, wherein the real-time surface mud data comprises inlet mud parameters, drilling operational parameters, well planning parameters, or combinations thereof;
determining real-time, one-dimensional downhole cuttings information based on a multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model, wherein the determining of the real-time, one-dimensional downhole cuttings information comprises
converting the multi-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model into a one-dimensional continuous cuttings transport model, and
computing an integrated one-dimensional continuous cuttings transport model from the one-dimensional continuous cuttings transport model, wherein inputs to the integrated one-dimensional continuous cuttings transport model comprise the cuttings characteristics data and the real-time surface mud data; and
modifying the mud parameters, the drilling operational parameters, or both in response to the integrated one-dimensional continuous cuttings transport model, wherein:
modifying the drilling operational parameters comprises increasing or decreasing drill pipe revolutions per time, increasing or decreasing a weight on bit, increasing or decreasing a rate of penetration, or combinations thereof, and
modifying the mud parameters comprises increasing or decreasing a viscosity of the drilling fluid, thereby altering the mud rheology, increasing or decreasing a mud density, or both.