A Method for Applying the Use of a Smart 4 Controller for the Assessment of Drill String Bottom-Part Vibrations and Shock Loads

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The research work of this paper is lack of  innovative.  The innovative work highlighted by the authors is to proposed an economically accessible way of monitoring the dynamic mode of drill  string operation. However, the true work is to design a vibration measurement instrument with a gyro and three accs. This article is not innovative enough to publish in Vibration. 

there are some advice

1. The title should be simplified and the distinction of this study should be highlighted. For example, the  lithium thionyl chloride battery should be deleted. 

2.The abstract should be rewrote. it not only contains all the research work of the paper, but also highlight the innovation of the research. 

3.The introduction should be simplified.

4. Materials and methods, 2.1 Case reports of the vibration impact on the BHA elements, which caused complications or emergencies, should be deleted. 

5. Figure 10, 15, 16 and so on, they are all the screen shot of a data acquisition software. it should contains the analysis result of the authors.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The English language is good enough to make the reader understand.  however, there are some writing errors : for example, in abstract, line 27, "For for recording shocks and ......."

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1. The introduction section comprises a significant portion of the paper, and it is advisable to streamline it for conciseness. The aim should be to provide a succinct overview of the subject matter, setting the stage for the main arguments and analysis.

2. The author cites a total of 60 articles in the paper, with 58 of them being referenced in the introduction alone. This imbalance in citations is questionable, as it fails to effectively support the author's arguments in the core sections of the paper. It is essential to distribute citations evenly throughout the paper, particularly in the analysis and discussion sections, to strengthen the credibility of the arguments.

3.  The font size of the graphs and curves presented in the paper is too small and lacks clarity. It is recommended that the author re-create these charts with a larger font size and improved readability to ensure that the data and trends are easily discernible to the reader.

4. The logical structure of the conclusion is unclear, making it difficult for readers to quickly grasp the main points. The author should reorganize the conclusion into 3 to 4 concise points that highlight the key findings, implications, and limitations of the research. This structured approach will enable readers to obtain a clear understanding of the paper's conclusions at a glance.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

(1) In Table 1, SDM (rarely seen) should be PDM, short for Positive displacement motor;

(2) The qualities of Fig.2, Fig.4, Fig.6 are low.

(3) The author should discuss the designs they have implemented to achieve a temperature resistance of up to 180 degrees Celsius.

(4) What is the correlation between the drill string or drilling parameters and vibrations? How can they be adjusted based on the vibration levels?

Comments on the Quality of English Language

There are some minor grammatical flaws that need further improvement. For instance, in the abstract, "When constructing a well, an important indicator of the drilling stage is the mechanical speed, which significantly depends on the final cost 17 of the well." What do you mean by "depends on"? Here, the logic seems to be reversed.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Congratulations to the authors for their innovative and practical approach to a problem in the drilling industry. The study ”A method to apply use a Smart 4 controller with a lithium thionyl chloride battery for assessment of drill string bottom part vibration and shock loads” demonstrates a deep understanding of the challenges in the field and presents a promising solution with the potential to significantly improve the safety and efficiency of drilling operations.

The main question addressed by the research is how to effectively monitor and mitigate drill string vibrations during deep oil and gas well construction to reduce complications, emergencies, and costs. It focuses on developing an inexpensive method for recording downhole vibrations to adjust the dynamic operation mode of the drill string and prevent equipment damage.

Original or relevant aspects of the paper include:

• The detailed analysis of real case reports of drill string vibration failures in the Dnipro-Donetsk Basin, highlighting the causes and consequences of such vibrations.
• The proposal to use the Smart 4 controller, a low-cost device with a three-axis accelerometer and gyroscope, for measuring and recording downhole vibrations.
• The design of a compact module for integrating the Smart 4 controller into the drill string, enabling data collection in harsh downhole conditions.
• The field testing and validation of the proposed device, comparing its data with a high-cost telemetry system.

The paper addresses a specific gap in the field by providing a cost-effective solution for monitoring downhole vibrations, which is particularly relevant for operators in the Ukrainian market who may not be able to afford expensive telemetry systems.

Compared to other published material, this paper offers a practical and accessible approach to drill string vibration monitoring. It combines a detailed analysis of real-world failure cases with the development and testing of a novel, affordable monitoring device. This adds to the subject area by providing a valuable tool for drilling operators to optimize drilling processes, reduce equipment damage, and improve the safety and efficiency of deep well construction.

Regarding methodology, the authors could consider the following improvements (maybe further directions):

• A more extensive field testing campaign involving a wider range of drilling conditions and well types to further validate the reliability and accuracy of the Smart 4 controller under diverse scenarios.
• Incorporating additional sensors into the module, such as temperature and pressure sensors, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of downhole conditions and their impact on vibrations.
• Developing a more complex data analysis and interpretation methodology that can automatically identify patterns and anomalies in vibration data, providing actionable insights for drilling operators.

The conclusions are consistent with the evidence and arguments presented in the paper. The authors provide detailed case reports of drill string failures caused by vibrations, highlighting the need for effective monitoring and mitigation strategies. The development and successful field testing of the Smart 4 controller-based module demonstrate a viable solution to this problem. The paper addresses the main questions posed, namely the identification of vibration causes, the development of a monitoring device, and its validation through field testing.

The references are appropriate and relevant to the subject area.

The tables and figures in the paper are generally clear and informative. However, some figures could benefit from clearer labeling and captions to enhance their interpretability. The quality of the data appears to be sufficient to support the authors' conclusions, although a more extensive field testing campaign would further strengthen the validity of the findings.

In conclusion, this study offers a valuable contribution to the field of drilling, however, the suggested improvements could further strengthen its impact.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English is fine.

Author Response

On behalf of the authors, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for your in-depth review of our research. We truly appreciate your thorough understanding of the study and the detailed feedback you provided. Your valuable recommendations will significantly contribute to improving the quality of our work.

 For ease of response, we have divided the reviewer's overall comment into four parts.

 Сomments

Regarding methodology, the authors could consider the following improvements (maybe further directions):

Сomments 1

A more extensive field testing campaign involving a wider range of drilling conditions and well types to further validate the reliability and accuracy of the Smart 4 controller under diverse scenarios.

Response 1

The main goal of our research, the results of which are presented in the manuscript, is to propose an inexpensive device for measuring and recording downhole vibrations, develop a special module for using the proposed device to record shocks and vibrations of the lower part of the drill string, and conduct industrial testing of the proposed innovations. Now that the performance of the Smart 4 controller and the module for its placement in the desired area of the drill string has been verified, we are starting large-scale field tests. These tests involve the collection and detailed analysis of data from different fields, where the sections are represented by rocks with different physical and mechanical properties. It is planned to compare the efficiency of drill string layouts with and without vibration protection devices. The results of such studies will be presented in the next publication.

 

Сomments 2

Incorporating additional sensors into the module, such as temperature and pressure sensors, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of downhole conditions and their impact on vibrations.

Response 2

The proposed system includes an electronic temperature measurement sensor. In our study, we did not focus on this, since the main task was to study the dynamics of the layout of the lower part of the drill string. We usually use a pressure sensor to study the properties of formations in terms of petrophysics and to control the course of drilling processes. Other drilling monitoring systems are usually equipped with such a sensor. Although it would be nice to have a pressure sensor directly in the controller, we will consider this issue for future research.

Сomments 3

Developing a more complex data analysis and interpretation methodology that can automatically identify patterns and anomalies in vibration data, providing actionable insights for drilling operators.

Response 3

Currently, we are working on integrating WellCad software to make it easier to present the results of field vibration measurements and analyze them in detail. This is a multifunctional software environment that allows converting numerical data into graphs and overlaying and comparing various parameters, including geophysical logs, drilling modes, dynamic behavior, lithological composition of the section, and much more. We hope that using such software, we will be able to clearly track trends and dependencies of changes in certain values and influence the efficiency of drilling operations.

 

Сomments 4

The tables and figures in the paper are generally clear and informative. However, some figures could benefit from clearer labeling and captions to enhance their interpretability.

Response 4

 First of all, we would like to note that the PDF document provided to reviewers is compressed. Therefore, when enlarging images, drawings may lose quality and become blurred. Unfortunately, the interface of the software we used today does not allow you to programmatically change the font size or color saturation. At the same time, we do not have the right to make manual corrections of illustrations (for example, using Adobe Photoshop), as this can be interpreted as correcting the research results. However, we do not see this as a serious problem for the following reason: The mdpi publishing house presents its articles in such a way that the reader can open the drawings on the entire monitor screen and examine the smallest details.

Thank you once again for your time and effort.

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1.The word "assessment" in the title of the article is imprecise, and there is little information in the text on how to assess the drilling situation based on the measurement data.

2.Too many keywords, did not highlight the key content of the article

3.The introduction should add the current state of research on drill string bottom part vibration and shock loads using sensors.

4.It is necessary to increase sensor parameters. As can be seen from Figure 10, the frequency of the collected vibration and other data is very low, and whether the actual drilling vibration can be effectively measured.

5.In Figure 12(d), it is best to add a schematic diagram of the installation location of the vibration sensor.

6.In Figure 21, where the orange and blue curves are closer together, the orange curve seems to cover more, making the blue curve indistinguishable. For example, there is no way to see if the blue curve has the same eigenvalues ​​near the highest point of the orange curve. The names of the axes need to be added to the plot.

Comments on the Quality of English Language   The English is sufficient for readers to understand.

 

Author Response

Comments 1.

The word "assessment" in the title of the article is imprecise, and there is little information in the text on how to assess the drilling situation based on the measurement data.

Response 1.

Thank you for your comments and remarks on our article. We realize that the use of the word “assessment” in the title may not seem accurate at first glance. We agree that another term could have been used, such as “analysis” or “monitoring”. However, we preferred to keep the current title as it captures the essence of our study aimed at assessing the magnitude of vibration and shock. We stated in the paper that this was a pilot study and its main objective was to evaluate the suitability of the proposed low-cost Smart 4 controller and its associated specialized module for estimating the magnitude of dynamic loads during deep drilling. We compared the estimates obtained with the results obtained with an expensive telemetry system. Regarding the lack of information on how to assess the drilling situation based on the measured data, we would like to emphasize that in the text of the paper we described the methodology for analyzing the collected data, including the use of an integrated accelerometer and gyroscope to record vibrations. We also mentioned that the data can be correlated with drilling modes and other parameters, allowing operators to make informed decisions based on the measurements. In the future, as part of further research, we plan to take a closer look at the data analysis methodology, which will improve understanding of the drilling situation and increase drilling efficiency.

 

Comments 2.

Too many keywords, did not highlight the key content of the article

Response 2.

Thank you for pointing that out. When selecting keywords, we primarily used the recommendations for authors offered by the scientific journal: “We recommend that the keywords are specific to the article, yet reasonably common within the subject discipline”. In addition, we tried not to repeat word combinations that are already present in the title of the article in order to broaden the range of words by which potential readers will find the article. Taking into account the reviewer's comment, we removed the last keyword and also replaced the keyword “downhole motor” with “positive displacement motor”.

 

Comments 3.

The introduction should add the current state of research on drill string bottom part vibration and shock loads using sensors.

 Response 3.

Thank you for your valuable feedback regarding our article. We appreciate your suggestion to enhance the introduction with information on the current state of research concerning drill string bottom part vibration and shock loads using sensors.

We would like to highlight that the first section of our article already addresses this question. Specifically, we discuss recent advancements in sensor technology and their applications in monitoring vibrations and shock loads in drilling operations. This includes the use of three-axis accelerometers and gyroscopes, as well as the integration of these sensors into drilling systems to provide real-time data for analysis. We believe that this information establishes a solid foundation for understanding the context of our research and the relevance of our findings within the broader field.

Taking into account the reviewer's comments, we have expanded the preliminary version of the review by adding ten new citations. The added text and citations are presented below.

 

Inserting into text

Recent studies have extensively investigated the dynamics of drill string vibrations and shock loads, emphasizing the critical role of sensor technology in this area [54]. Researchers have explored various types of sensors, including accelerometers, strain gauges, and fiber optic sensors, to monitor the behavior of drill strings in real-time. For instance, works [55, 56] highlights the effectiveness of accelerometers in detecting vibration patterns that indicate potential failures in drilling operations. The development of wireless sensor networks allows for the real-time transmission of data from remote drilling sites, facilitating immediate analysis and decision-making. In the research [57, 58] demonstrated how integrating wireless sensors with advanced telemetry systems can optimize drilling parameters by providing continuous feedback on operational conditions. Additionally, innovations in miniaturization and energy harvesting have made it feasible to deploy sensors in challenging environments, ensuring that data collection is both comprehensive and reliable [59]. The practical applications of sensor technology in drilling operations are numerous. Case studies, such as those conducted by in the study [60], illustrate how real-time monitoring of vibrations and shock loads can lead to proactive maintenance strategies, reducing the risk of equipment failure. Machine learning algorithms and signal processing methods are increasingly employed to analyze complex datasets generated by sensors. Research by [61–63] highlights the potential of machine learning models to predict drill string failures based on vibration patterns, allowing for timely interventions.

54. Tian, J.; Wei, L.; Yang, L. Research and experimental analysis of drill string dynamics characteristics and stick-slip reduction mechanism. J Mech Sci Technol 2020, 34, 977–986. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0201-9
55. Li, Y.; Xue, Q.; Wang, J.; Chong Wang, C.; Shan, Y. Pattern recognition of stick-slip vibration in combined signals of DrillString vibration. Measurement, 2022, 204, 112034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2022.112034
56. Hassan, I.U.; Panduru, K.; Walsh, J. An In-Depth Study of Vibration Sensors for Condition Monitoring. Sensors 2024, 24, 740. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24030740
57. Zhang, J.; Liang, H.; Chen, Z. The technology of intelligent recognition for drilling formation based on neural network with conjugate gradient optimization and remote wireless transmission. Computer Communications. 2020, 156, 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2020.03.033
58. Liu, J.; Pan, G.; Wu, C.; Feng, Y. Research on Hybrid Vibration Sensor for Measuring Downhole Drilling Tool Vibrational Frequencies. Appl. Sci.2024, 14, 5014. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125014
59. Wang, R.; Ren, J.; Ding, W.; Liu, M.; Pan, G.; Wu, C. Research on Vibration Accumulation Self-Powered Downhole Sensor Based on Triboelectric Nanogenerators. Micromachines2024, 15, 548. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15040548
60. Liu, Z.; Lei, K.; Song, J.; Li, L.; Li, T. A Designed Calibration Approach for the Measurement-While-Drilling Instrument. Appl. Sci.2023, 13, 61. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010061
61. Wang, H.; Huang, H.; Wu, C.; Liu, J. A Ring-Shaped Curved Deformable Self-Powered Vibration Sensor Applied in Drilling Conditions. Energies2022, 15, 8268. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15218268
62. Yu, Y.; Liu, Q.; Han, B.S.; Zhou, W. Application of Convolutional Neural Network to Defect Diagnosis of Drill Bits. Appl. Sci.2022, 12, 10799. https://doi.org/10.3390/app122110799
63. Senjoba, L.; Sasaki, J.; Kosugi, Y.; Toriya, H.; Hisada, M.; Kawamura, Y. One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network for Drill Bit Failure Detection in Rotary Percussion Drilling. Mining2021, 1, 297-314. https://doi.org/10.3390/mining1030019

 

Generalized comment.

In general, the following changes were made to the text of the manuscript on the recommendation of the reviewer:

- keywords were edited;

- the text of the first chapter was edited and the review of the use of sensors in drilling was expanded;

- the literature section was expanded (ten new sources were added).

 

Thank you once again for your insightful comments.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript is acceptable now.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

On behalf of the author team, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your comprehensive review of our article. We truly appreciate the time and effort you dedicated to providing such valuable comments and insights. Your thoughtful feedback has significantly enhanced the quality of our work and has encouraged us to explore further avenues in our research. Your expertise and suggestions have not only improved our current study but have also inspired us to delve deeper into related topics. We are grateful for your contribution to our academic journey.

Best regards,

The Author Team