Electronics Instruments & Control for Oil Exploration

Abstract

Various types of sophisticated electronic instruments and controls are used in the exploration for oil and natural gas.

The rapid growth in the use of digital methods for the recording, processing, storing and retrieving of different sub-surface geophysical data, during the past few years stems from two very important reasons, namely (i) Availability of high speed digital devices, such as micro-processor, analog to digital converters, multichannel multiplexers, memory chips both RAM and ROM etc. and (ii) Availability of very fast digital computers and peripherals for processing the data obtained with these recording units. These high speed recorders are used for the real time conversion of 24 or more channels of seismic data, logging data etc in the digital form.

The above data are processed by dedicated as well as general purpose digital computers for obtaining a clear picture of the sub-surface. Since all the sub-surface data obtained will have to be tested by carrying out actual drilling of the wells which cost several times more than for carrying out exploration from surface, the instruments used for collecting the data and the computers used for the processing the data obtained are required to be as accurate and sophisticated as possible. This is achieved by utilising the latest developments in the Electronic components, sub-assemblies and instruments in the geophysical equipment used for oil exploration.

After the drilling is carried out, the well is Surveyed with the sophisticated electrical logging system utilising minicomputers, micro-processors etc., so as to obtain the data in the well regarding the quality and quantity of the hydrocarbons present in the well.

In the same manner, the position location of the various surveys both onshore and offshore is carried out by utilising the integrated satellite navigation system which provides the means for accurate navigation in the marine surveys and which gives very good control and location of the survey points both onshore and offshore by utilising very accurate and sophisticated electronic controls and devices. The accuracy of such surveys can be within 30 meters or even less. In the offshore, the satellite system is integrated with Gyro-compass, four beam doeppler Sonar, satellite navigation receiver and a digital computer.

Even the accuracy of measurements with the electrical magnetic and gravitational methods of surveys have considerably improved by utilising, sophisticated electronic equipment and the processing techniques. Because of the advancement in the electronics, surveys on land can be carried out by utilising the imagery received from various satellites sent up by agencies in U.S.A., U.S.S.R., etc. By using all the above advanced techniques, the risks inherent with the oil exploration has been reduced to a large extent.

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Notes on contributors

M.A. Ganapathy

Shri M.A. Ganapathy holds a Bachelor of Science 1st class first in Physics (Gold Medalist) degree obtained in 1945 from the University of Madras and a Master of Science with Physics as main subject and Wireless as special subject, 1st class first in the University (Gold Medalist) degree obtained in 1947 from the University of Travancore (now University of Kerala).

From September 1957 to October 1958 Shri Ganapathy took a training in the Geophysical Instrumentation and Exploration techniques in U.S.A. under the US Aid Programme. In the year 1963 he visited U.S.A. and Japan as a Member of the Instruments Industry Team sponsored jointly by the US Aid mission and the National Productivity Council, New Delhi. He has also visited U.S.S.R., U.K., France and Switzerland in connection with the study of the geophysical instruments available in these countries for deployment in our country. In 1970 Shri Ganapathy had been to U.S.A. to undergo training in the operation and maintenance of the digital seismic units. During this period he studied the design and development of these instruments by visiting the various digital seismic instruments manufacturers in U.S.A. He also visited Canada and France to study the suitability or otherwise of the various types of digital seismic units being designed, developed and used in these two countries. He has participated in the Management Training programmes conducted by the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad for one week each.

After working in the design, development and installation of earthquake seismological instruments and equipment for nearly three years with the India Meteorological Department, he joined the Geological Survey of India as the Incharge of the Geophysical Instruments Labs, and workshop in May 1951.

When the Oil & Natural Gas Directorate was formed as a separate organization from the Geological Survey of India, Shri Ganapathy was appointed in May 1956 as Incharge of the Geophysical Instruments Laboratories and workshops of the ONGC. At present he holds the position of Director (Geophysics). After the reorganization of the Commission's Headquarters set up at Dehra Dun in May 1975, Shri Ganapathy has been posted first as the Head of the Instrumentation Division and later from Jan. 1979 as Director (Geophysics), ONGC in the Institute of Petroleum Exploration, ONGC formed after the merger of the Instruments sections of the erstwhile Directorates of Geophysics and the IPE. Thus in all Shri Ganapathy has got experience in the design, development, manufacture, maintenance and operation of various types of geophysical instruments and equipment used for the study of seismicity of the earth and exploration for oil, minerals and ground water for the past over 32 years, out of which he has been holding a post of responsibility for nearly 30 years.

Shri Ganapathy has designed and fabricated under his guidance a number of Geophysical Instruments and equipments including automatic electrologging units, tools and devices, seismic units, geophones, communication sets, seismic cables, etc. Shri Ganapathy is the recipient of awards for import substitution from the President of India on two occasions. He has contributed several technical papers and reports for publication in technical journals and has presented papers at the technical seminars and conferences in the instrumentation fields. He has recently been entrusted with the important job of indigenous development of electrologging units for ground water surveys by the Department of Electronics, Government of India.

He is a fellow of the Association of Exploration Geophysicists and a member of the Indian Science Congress Association.