Patent attributes
Downhole drilling fluid measurements are made as a function of time or as a function of depth. A change in the downhole drilling fluid measurements is correlated to a feature of a formation penetrated by a drill bit or to a feature of fluids in the formation. The downhole drilling fluid measurements may include density, photoelectric factor, hydrogen index, salinity, thermal neutron capture cross section (Sigma), resistivity, slowness, slowing down time, sound velocity, and elemental composition. The feature may include fluid balance, hole-cleaning, a kick, a shallow water flow, a formation fluid property, formation fluid typing, geosteering, geostopping, or an environmental correction. A downhole system has a measurement-while-drilling tool or a logging-while-drilling tool and a processor capable of obtaining the downhole drilling fluid measurements and correlating the change in the downhole drilling fluid measurements.
