Downlink Control User Guide
Well Seeker Pro now has the integrated functionality to remotely send and monitor downlinks on a specified rig, utilizing the rig’s control system. Currently Well Seeker Pro can communicate with NOV’s DrillLink software and downlink by either the mud pumps, or top drive on rigs utilizing the Amphion and Cyberbase rig control systems. This document is intended to guide the user through the process of setting up Well Seeker Pro, so that it can communicate with DrillLink and send downlinks from either the rig site, or a remote location.
Security of the rig control system is of the utmost importance, as such this section will deal specifically with the security in place when using the Downlink Control system within Well Seeker Pro.
If the Well Seeker Pro laptop is present at the rig site then the security concerns are minimized hugely.
- The user will need to physically connect the laptop to the rig network
- The user requires the IP address and Port for the DrillLink device, or the hardware that is forwarding commands to DrillLink, whichever is applicable. These are required to be input in the Downlink Control dialog, before any communication can be made with DrillLink
- The Downlink Control functionality is a license enabled feature, meaning that only users with a valid license for the feature will be able to use it
- The driller at the rig site will have ultimate control as to whether the DrillLink system allows remote access or not, utilizing an override switch in the DrillLink console on the rig floor
The below system diagram depicts how Well Seeker Pro interacts with DrillLink to send downlinks from the rig site.
If the Well Seeker Pro laptop is not at the rig site then the security risks are innately higher, as this requires a way for an external source to access the rig network. These risks are negated in the following ways:
- Well Seeker Pro communication from a remote location is handled solely by the Innova Remote Client. This application will only deal with communication from Well Seeker Pro via the secure ICP API (Innova Cloud Portal API)
- All communication between Well Seeker Pro and the Innova Remote Client use TSL encryption (Transport Layer Security)
- Access to the Innova Remote Client requires a Username and Password for successfully communication to be established. These credentials can only be supplied by Innova
- Each rig will be specified by a randomly generated unique code (GUUID) from Innova, which must be known to communicate with the Innova Remote Client for a specific rig. This can only be handled when using Well Seeker Pro software
- The Downlink Control functionality is a license enabled feature, meaning that only users with a valid license for the feature will be able to use it
- The driller at the rig site will have ultimate control as to whether the DrillLink system allows remote access or not, utilizing an override switch in the DrillLink console on the rig floor
The below system diagram depicts how Well Seeker Pro interacts with DrillLink to send downlinks from a remote location.
The below steps lead the user through setting up and using the Downlink Control functionality and assume that the user has already created an actual well, survey and a BHA populated with data.
1. Open the survey for the well that you are drilling
2. Open the slide sheet dialog
3. Select the Send downlink icon from the toolbar, or select Tools > Send Downlink. This will open the Downlink Control dialog
4. In the Drill Link section, select the Connection as either Local connection, or Remote connection. For local connections go to step 5. For remote connections go to step 6.
5. Input the IP Address and Port for the DrillLink device, or the hardware that is forwarding commands to DrillLink, whichever is applicable. These will be acquired from the rig. The port will always be 8080. Proceed to step 8
6. Input the Username and Password credentials for the ICP API. These can be acquired from Innova, or your company focal point.
7. If using a remote connection select Get rigs. This will populate the rig listing and display the rig name and online status. Check the Select cell for the required rig. The Online status must read Yes in order to send a downlink
8. If not already connected select Connect. If successful the Connection cell will change from Disconnected to Connected
9. In order to be able to send a downlink the Switch cell must contain Enabled. If this contains Disabled then the driller at the rig must enable remote access on their DrillLink display. This gives the driller at the rig ultimate control over whether remote access to the DrillLink system for downlinking purposes is granted or not
10. Select from the dropdown list which channel corresponds to which pump and the top drive. If unsure of the channel mapping, verify with the rig. Ensure that all channels that will be used are checked as Active and that any top drive channel has RPM CH selected
11. In the Downlink Setup section, select the Tool Type from the drop down list
12. Select the Software Ver. from the drop down list if applicable
13. Depending upon the tool type and software version selection, the Rotary DL check box may, or may not be selectable. If un-selectable / unchecked then the downlink will be transmitted using the mud pumps, if selected it will be transmitted using the top drive
14. Select the Tool Mode / Tool Map from the drop down list. The naming convention changes based upon the Tool Type selection
15. Select the desired Downlink from the drop down list
16. Select the desired percentage reduction of the pump strokes, or top drive rpm from the drop down list
17. Select Preview. This will load the Downlink Sequence and the Downlink Parameters portions of the Downlink Control dialog with the relevant data for the downlink
18. Select Send to start the downlink sequence. The progress of the downlink will display on the Downlink Sequence chart at the bottom of the dialog. If WITS data is being imported to Well Seeker Pro, the blue trace will display the WITS flow or rpm values in real time
19. Leave the sequence to complete, or the downlink sequence can be aborted at any time by selecting the Abort option
20. The user can carry out further downlinks, or if finished with the downlinking for the time being, select Disconnect and close the Downlink Control dialog