Abnormal pressure loss during a drilling operation signals a failure in the fluid hydraulics-circulating system. This could be the result of a washout in the drillpipe (either in the body or connection), a problem with a bottomhole assembly (BHA) component or connection, a downhole tool failure, a surface mud pump problem, or losses into the formation. This paper describes a machine-learning approach to accurately flag abnormal pressure losses and identify the root causes.
Methodology for Detecting Abnormal Pressure Loss
The method for detecting abnormal pressure loss builds on a previously developed probabilistic approach to detecting washouts and pump failure. Abnormal-pressure-loss belief combines pump-failure belief and washout belief.
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