1/21/2021 MWD Tool Basic Components

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MWD Tool Basic Components

Djalu Suwondo Follow
Measurement/Logging While Dri… 28 5 0

Measurement While Drilling (MWD) tool is used to measure whatever sensed by the tool s’
sensors, such as temperature, inclination, azimuth and tool’s vibration during drilling and
transmit all those data to the surface. The main components to do those jobs are power,
controller, sensors and transmitter.
 
Power
Power is needed to power up electronic components (controller, sensor and transmitter). It
can be battery or turbine. The common battery type used is lithium battery. Battery supplies
stable power and is not affected by pulser movement and LCM (loss circulating material).
Limited battery capacity makes it not flexible when used for a long drilling operation. Battery
doesn’t have moving parts which doesn’t need regular part checking but it poses danger
when shorted or in contact with water which may explode and/or produce poisonous gas.
Special training on battery handling must be taken.
Turbine is more flexible when long drilling operation is needed. It supplies power
continuously as long as there is mud flow inside the string. The components of a turbine are
stator and rotor. Stator directs the mud flow to hit rotor and thus rotor rotates generator to
produce electrical power. Its power output depends on the mud flow thus power regulator is
needed to stabilize power before it is distributed to all electronic components. Regular
checking and maintenance on its moving parts must be done to keep the turbine operational
life. Fibrous LCM is the turbine’s main enemy since the fibre may snare rotor. High sand
contain in the mud causes rotor and stator washed out.
 
Controller
It is also called as master which controls all electronic operations. Once it is powered up, it
checks health status of each electronic sensors and other electronic parts and then tell them
to work in certain order. To support its capability, a firmware must be programmed into
master. Data gathered from sensors are routed to transmitter to be sent to surface and also
stored in internal memory to be downloaded later after drilling is finished. Prior to drilling,
the controller is configured by the operator to operate as required. For example, the operator
may choose which data should be transmitted realtime and which data should be stored in
internal memory. Configuring MWD tool’s controller needs a computer connected to the
tool’s programming port via an interface.
 
Sensors
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There are lots of sensors planted into MWD tool, such as temperature, accelerometer,
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magnetometer (they are used to measure inclination and azimuth) and vibration Sign
sensor. All ofin
those sensors also need firmware to control their operation. Sometimes this firmware is
integrated into master firmware. The sensors work according to the programmed firmware
configuration or whenever there is a request from master. For example, the sensors that
measure directional data such as accelerometer, magnetometer and temperature work if
master request the data. In the other hand vibration sensors measure drill string vibration in a
timely manner, e.g. 5 seconds.
 
Transmitter
As its name, it transmits data supplied by master to surface. In the market, various
transmitters are available. Three main transmitter types are electromagnetic wave, mud pulse
and wired pipe. There is also sound wave transmitted via drill string, but there are lots of
disadvantages associated with it which make it unpopular.
Electromagnetic wave or radio wave that emitted by transmitter propagates through
borehole and formation and captured by surface antennae. Surface receiver is tuned in to the
same frequency the transmitter is transmitting. Formation conductivity affecting greatly in the
transmission of radio wave.
The most common transmission type is mud pulse that uses mud in the drill string as media
to transmit data. This type of transmitter is known as pulser since it creates pulses that travel
from downhole to surface. Pulser is similar to a valve inside the MWD tool. It blocks mud flow
temporarily and hence it creates mud pulse. At the surface, one (or a pair of) pressure
transducer captures this mud pulse and sends it to surface computer to be decoded.
The most recent transmitter development now is wired pipe. It is drill pipe which has wire to
transmit data and the wire is directly connected to surface computer. Wired pipe offers the
fastest data transmission rate in order of kilobit per second, also able to transmit from a deep
well.

Djalu Suwondo
Measurement/Logging While Dri… Follow

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