US 12,117,580 B2
Evaluation of rock physical properties from drill sounds through minimizing the effect of the drill bit rotation
Yunlai Yang, Dhahran (SA); Wei Li, Beijing (CN); Maher I. Almarhoon, Qatif (SA); and Fahd A. Almalki, Dammam (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jun. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/902,622.
Prior Publication US 2021/0389492 A1, Dec. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. G01V 1/50 (2006.01); E21B 49/00 (2006.01); G01V 1/46 (2006.01); G06F 17/14 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 1/50 (2013.01) [E21B 49/003 (2013.01); G01V 1/46 (2013.01); G06F 17/142 (2013.01); G01V 2210/3246 (2013.01); G01V 2210/3248 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
detecting, using one or more first acoustic sensor, top drive rotation generated traces of top drive rotation sounds generated by a drill rig on surface, wherein the one or more first acoustic sensor is attached directly to a drive shaft or to an extension of the drive shaft of the drill rig on surface;
detecting, using one or more second acoustic sensor, drill sounds, wherein the one or more second acoustic sensor is positioned in a downhole subassembly adjacent to a drill bit at a drilling location;
receiving, in real time, drilling acoustic signals during a drilling operation through rock at the drilling location, wherein the drilling acoustic signals are based at least on the drill sounds detected by the one or more first acoustic sensor and the drill sounds detected by the one or more second acoustic sensor;
generating, in a frequency domain, transformed data from the drilling acoustic signals, the transformed data including frequency and amplitude information for the drilling acoustic signals;
tuning a sample-specific dynamic filter based on the detected top drive rotation generated traces of top drive rotation sounds generated by a drill rig on surface;
generating de-noised transformed data from the transformed data by applying the tuned sample-specific dynamic filter to the transformed data to remove the detected top drive rotation generated traces of top drive rotation sounds generated by a drill rig on surface from the transformed data;
determining, from the de-noised transformed data, a lithological significant frequency range;
determining, from the de-noised transformed data and based on the determined lithological significant frequency range, a plurality of de-noised significant data points; and
determining, in real time, physical properties of the rock using drill bit rotation rates and amplitudes of the determined plurality of de-noised significant data points.