Well Depth Monitor Software Design Based On Laser Distance Measuring Device

Well depth is one of the most valuable parameters in drilling engineering. Commonly well depth is calculated by the absolute difference in height based on the revolution of drawwork sensor, which is a pulse encoder or incremental optical encoder. Both encoders have complicated calibration process, and the measurement is easily disturbed. Different from the traditional indirect measurement from the drawwork sensor, the direct measurement provided by laser distance device can simplify the process and decrease the systemic error. The principle of the measurement is to calculate the distance by the product of the atmospheric refraction coefficient and the speed of light. In our design, we fixed the laser distance device on the hook and placed the reflector under the crown to measure the height variant. Modern industrial laser distance device with high accuracy can finish multiple measurements per unit time and calculate the average to reduce the measurement error effectively. The well depth measurement system software based on laser distance measuring device can shorten and simplify the calibration process or even realize automatic calibration. The laser distance measuring device can be used effectively in the severe weather, such as strong winds, and minimize the error caused by manual operation. We completed the optimization of laser distance sensor and selected Sick DL 100 as the main laser sensor, as well as a laser measurement prototype in lab. After thousands of trials and errors, it turns out to be applicable. In order to be compatible with the new well depth measurement system, we developed a corresponding software by .Net Framework and WPF. With the help of .Net framework and WPF, UI and core codes of the software are separated in physical isolation, which can improve the development efficiency and make preparation for further extension and optimization. The software supports portal communication and ethernet, which can connect with the laser distance device conveniently. By the well depth measurement system software based on laser distance measuring device, we simplified the well depth measurement calibration, reduced the system error and improved the accuracy of measurement. The application of this system contributes to the drilling operation and shortens the drilling period.