Computer Vision Technology Monitors Safety Zones and Automates Drillpipe Tally

Abstract

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 208764, “A Better Set of Eyes: Computer Vision Technology To Monitor Safety Zones and Automate Drillpipe Tally,” by Douglas Watson, Helmerich and Payne; Kenneth Morton, CoVAR; and Sarah Kern, SPE, Helmerich and Payne, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. An indispensable item for every roughneck is the tally book, used to measure and count the drillpipe entering and exiting the wellbore. Traditional manual entry is prone to error, leading to potential mistakes in the calculated drilling depth and poorly sequenced lithologies. Computer vision technology has shown promise in other industries with its ability to automate similar recognition and counting tasks. A dual-use system has been developed in which the same cameras for pipe counting can be used for red-zone-entry detection, potentially enhance the safety of the drilling process. A Dual-Use System: Monitor Safety Zones and Automate Drillpipe Tally Drilling-depth measurement commonly is performed using the drillpipe itself, and it happens in two places. It is first measured using a tape measure or pipe strap as the pipe lies on the pipe delivery system (PDS) rack before it is loaded into the stands. Then, the pipe segments are counted above the rig floor as the pipes enter and exit the borehole. This count, combined with the pipe-tally measurements, is used to determine the depth of the hole. These two work locations—ground-level PDS and rig floor—also are areas where existing procedures are in place to reduce the likelihood of serious injury. In the case of the PDS area, where pipe lengths are measured, it is dangerous to enter any time the PDS is in operation. This dangerous red zone is defined as 45 ft on each side of the PDS. Numerous industry advances over the years have made the area safer. These methods, including buffer zones (creating an understood area not to be entered or to be avoided for personal safety) and barricades (a physical block or reminder to manage entry into a high-risk buffer zone), communicate visually the potential for hazardous situations. While proper inspection, planning, and buffer-zone and barricade procedure development does communicate the safety-critical nature of the PDS environment, the potential remains for dropped-object events and tubular-handling events that can cause significant injuries or fatalities.