Today, drilling instruments are extremely important to any drilling operation. Drilling instruments play a critical role in providing information about the drilling environment so that drilling personnel can understand and respond to potential problems quickly and efficiently.
Drilling instruments are used to measure the pressure, temperature and flow of fluids both during and after the drilling process. Probes are used to measure the temperature of fluids that are injected into the hole and a second instrument, called a pressure transducer, is used to measure the pressure at the wellhead. Finally, a flow meter measures fluid flow in the drilling fluid.
Proper operation of these instruments requires continual monitoring by drilling personnel in order to identify any abnormalities or irregularities. Early detection of anomalies can help avoid or reduce drilling costs or other losses.
In addition to measuring pressures, temperatures and flows, drilling instruments can also provide information about the geologic formations that the drill is passing through. It is possible to identify various layers of the earth’s sedimentary strata and recognize the concentrations of various minerals, such as gold, silver, zinc and lead. This is done using either gamma-ray or neutron logging as the drill passes through each geological formation.
Drilling instruments are also used to determine the location of the drill head and assess the progress of the drilling process. Various types of sensors can be placed at different depths to measure the orientation of the drill string and to detect any deflections of wellbore centerline. Bottom hole pressure, inclination and azimuth measurements are also important data points for any drilling operation.
Other drilling instruments include the orientation subsystem, which is used to provide the orientation of the drill string relative to the earth’s surface, and the depth gauge, which displays the depth at which the drill is working.
In order to be able to interpret the data that the instruments provide, there are control rooms located at the site of the drilling operation. These control rooms contain devices such as computers, displays, instruments and data storage systems, as well as communication systems used to monitor the well in real-time and adjust the drill program.
In summary, drilling instruments are essential for any drilling operation. They provide information about the pressures, temperatures, flows and geologic structures encountered along the wellbore, as well as the location and orientation of the drill string, which helps the crew understand and respond to the different environmental conditions encountered at each stage of the drilling operation.
