Azimuth correction system of an inclinometer

Abstract

The paper is devoted to azimuth correction system of an inclinometer used for well drilling in high latitude areas. In these areas, ordinary types of navigation equipment (gyroscopic and magnetic sensors) are ineffective because of small horizontal component of the Earth rotation velocity and significant values of magnetic declination. In the paper, an approach to the correction system study is described. The system consisting of two vibrational sources shifted from the wellhead to a certain distance in the direction of projected drilling and spaced to same distance from the specified direction is characterized.

Special attention is given to investigation of a motion model of a flexible shaft, which is proposed as the vibrational source of the system. On the basis of experiments and calculations, it is shown in the paper that in a complex mechanical system with a flexible shaft of vibrational source, a consistent multi-resonant effect can be observed when the shaft starts rotating. Moreover, a simulation model and results of estimation of the vibrational source power are presented. A possibility of use a compact “handheld” vibrational source with flexible shaft for azimuth correction system operation is shown