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9.2 Oilfield Applications – A Brief History
In the early years of oil well drilling the process of drilling the borehole was more of an art than a science. The general principals of geology and exploration were understood and followed but the effects of formation changes and dip on bit deflection and hence borehole trajectory were not clearly understood and largely ignored. This perpetuated state of ignorance lead to many unresolved lease disputes, where wells drilled and brought on stream, close to an adjacent lease, would often result in diminished production rates on the adjacent lease wells. However, as now, wells already in production were cased and the magnetic compass based survey instruments available, could not provide post completion trajectory data. Throughout this time, many inclination-only devices were developed, later versions of which were accurate to 1 or 2 degrees throughout their operating range. In 1928 Alexander Anderson published a study of Borehole Survey Inclination Data obtained from a significant population of wells from various locations. Anderson had developed a Pendulum Instrument, the position of which was recorded on film as the tool was lowered in the borehole. This publication, illustrating universal and significant wellbore deviation, brought focus on the extent of the problem within the industry. As a direct result of Andersons study, J. N. Pew, then the Vice President of Sun Oil Co. instructed a team of Engineers working out of the Sun Research Laboratory in Dallas, to design and develop instruments which would provide the Inclination of the borehole and the Direction of that Inclination within casing. h 5.5” WE Gy o ns um n nco po d Gy o omp ss F c superimposed over a Bubble Level Unit with the permanent record obtained with a Camera. The Sperry Gyroscope Co. was chosen as the Gyro supplier and with each company holding a 50 per cent stake in the new company, the Sperry-Sun Well Surveying Company was formed and gyro referenced borehole surveying became a reality on 9th October 1929. 9.3 Chronology of gyro development 1920’s: Several designs of Inclinometers and very basic Magnetic Compasses are in use. Companies of note operating Directional Survey Services are H. John Eastman, Hewitt Kuster and Alexander Anderson. 1929: First Gyro Survey Tool designed and built by Sperry-Sun Well Surveying Company, a joint venture between Sun l nd p yGyoscop o. h gyoh d o o sp d of 14,000 M nd w s 5.5” . 1930: Gyro Survey Tool Data used in settlement of many Lease Line violation cases in East Texas and California. In- Run and Out-Run Data were recorded. 1936: Gyro Tool Intercardinal Error and Drift Curve Corrections, refined to improve accuracy of survey data in inclined boreholes. Survey Tool True Centre Correction methodology developed using a two dimensional Polar Coordinate System Calculation. 1939: 1st K Monel Non Magnetic Drill Collar designed (Not a gyro but notable) 1945: Humphrey (Gyro) provides Instrumentation to Directional Service Companies for the first time (Post WW11 manufacturing surplus) 1947: Transistors developed but not yet used by industry.
Sperry-Sun buys out Sperry Gyroscopes interest in Sperry-Sun Well Surveying Company. 1950’s: yl 1940’sw llbo sg d p ndsm ll w h5” sngf qu nlyus dn c ss ng
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for smaller Gyro Tools. 1960: East Texas Railroad Commission Scandals again encourage tool development. Many wellbores are small d m (5” sng) ndsom h >65d g ncln on. 1961: Use of Solid State Electronics for first time in Instrument Timers and Solenoids for Film Advance mechanisms. Computers used for Survey Calculations at the Office. Field Data continued to be hand calculated until mid- seventies. 1961: A omcEn gy ommsson(AE ) n h Aus sGy o u y ools n4”–144” . s Hol s,d ll d800– 6000 ft deep, in Nevada and Alaska. Project ends in 1976. 1962: 3” . u w ll Gy o bu l u l z ng 40,000 pm A o o . 1964: Counter Claims made against Gyro Survey accuracy related to numerous Law Suits. A Test Pipe is laid down the Hurricane Messa in Utah. Over 2000ft of Aluminium Irrigation Pipe is fixed down the hillside on a continuously irregular course. The first 200ft was near vertical with sections of the pipe path reaching 60-70
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