Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sub-section of a pulse power drilling assembly including a transformer encircling a center flow tube through which a drilling mud is to flow for drilling a borehole into a subsurface formation based on periodic pulses of electrical discharges from the pulse power drilling assembly. The transformer comprises at least one primary winding that encircles the center flow tube; a core that encircles the at least one primary winding, wherein the core comprises an electrically non-conductive material; and at least one secondary winding that encircles the core.

Abstract: A downhole drilling system for drilling a wellbore through a subterranean formation and a method of obtaining data from a downhole location. A bottom hole assembly (BHA) is locatable in the wellbore. A gravity sensor is operable to measure the Earth's gravity local to the BHA in three gravity vector coordinates. A magnetic sensor is operable to measure a magnetic field local to the BHA in three magnetic vector coordinates. A downhole processor is locatable in the borehole and operable to, if the gravity or magnetic measurements are not taken at a selected orientation of the BHA, process the measurements downhole by rotating the measured gravity and the measured magnetic field around the z-axis to align a gravity vector or a magnetic vector with the selected orientation of the BHA.

Abstract: A first characteristic of a first discharge of electrodes of a pulse power drilling assembly in a borehole of a subterranean formation is determined. The first characteristic is based on a measurement of the first discharge. A second characteristic of a second discharge of the electrodes is determined. The second discharge occurs after the first discharge, and the second characteristic is based on a measurement of the second discharge. A difference between the first characteristic and the second characteristic is determined. A boundary layer of the subterranean formation is determined based on the difference.

Abstract: A power condition system is disclosed for conditioning power for charging of at least one capacitive element of a pulse power electrode, where the electrical power is received from at least one of a downhole alternator or generator. The received electrical power is rectified and controlled for both voltage and current amplitude. The electrical power is then split into two parallel square wave signals. The electrical power is then transformed, using parallel high frequency high voltage transformers, to a high voltage signal. The high voltage signals are rejoined and rectified to produce a high voltage DC signal. The DC signal is smoothed at a high capacity inductor and output via a switching element to at least one capacitive element of the pulse power electrodes.

Abstract: A configuration for cooling capacitors comprises a flow tube within a tool body of a pulse power drilling assembly. The flow tube is configured to provide a flow path for drilling fluid through one or more sub-assemblies of the pulse power drilling assembly. One or more capacitors are positioned between the flow tube and the tool body. Each of the one or more capacitors comprises a cooling tube embedded within the capacitor to provide a thermally conductive path for removal of heat associated with the one or more capacitors. Cooling capacitors comprises providing a flow of cooling fluid to a cooling tube embedded in a capacitor in the pulse power drilling assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an electrode assembly positioned at a bottom end of a pulse power drill string to be positioned in a borehole formed in a subsurface formation. The electrode assembly comprises multiple electrodes, wherein at least a subset of the multiple electrodes is to periodically emit a pulse of an electrical discharge into the subsurface formation to drill the borehole. The electrode assembly comprises a controller configured to alter a direction of drilling of the borehole based on selection of the subset from the multiple electrodes, wherein an effective attribute of at least one electrode of the multiple electrodes is different than the effective attribute of other electrodes of the multiple electrodes, wherein the effective attribute comprises at least one of a shape and a size.

Abstract: A method includes directionally drilling, with a pulse power drill string, of a borehole into a subsurface formation using pulse power. The directionally drilling comprises generating, by an electrical source, an electrical energy and storing, by a primary capacitor, the electrical energy. The method includes periodically discharging the electrical energy from the primary capacitor to be received by a switching device having a number of outputs, wherein each output of the number of outputs is electrically coupled to an electrode of a number of electrodes positioned on an electrode assembly; and unevenly distributing, by the switching device, the electrical energy across the number of electrodes based on selecting a subset of the number of electrodes to receive the electrical energy to alter a direction of the drilling of the borehole based on emitting of the electrical energy by the selected subset of the number of electrodes into the subsurface formation.

Abstract: A method is to perform pulse power drilling of a borehole into a subsurface formation. The method comprises altering drilling the borehole, based on the pulse power drilling, in a direction that is off-center from a center of the borehole, wherein the altering of the drilling of the borehole in the direction that is off-center comprises articulating at least one element of a drill string having a drill bit; and periodically emitting a pulse of electrical discharge into the subsurface formation from at least one electrode of an electrode assembly that is part of the drill bit.

Abstract: A method for supplying, via an electrical interface, an output electrical power to an electrical load that is downhole in a borehole formed in a subsurface formation, includes generating mechanical energy from a flow of a fluid being delivered into the borehole; converting the mechanical energy into an input electrical power; storing the input electrical power into a primary capacitor, wherein the input electrical power has a variance that is greater than a variance threshold. The method includes performing the following operations while continuing to generate the mechanical energy generated from the flow of the fluid, in response to determining that at least one load criteria is satisfied, discharging the input electrical power from the primary capacitor to the electrical load to power a downhole operation by the electrical load.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sub-section of a pulse power drilling assembly including a transformer encircling a center flow tube. The transformer comprises at least one primary winding that encircles the center flow tube and a core that encircles the at least one primary winding. The core comprises an insulative material and an electrically conductive material, wherein the insulative material is positioned relative to the electrically conductive material to create at least one break to prevent an electrical path for current within the electrically conductive material during operation of the transformer. The transformer comprises a secondary winding that encircles the core.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sub-section of a pulse power drilling assembly including a transformer encircling a center flow tube through which a drilling mud is to flow for drilling a borehole into a subsurface formation based on periodic pulses of electrical discharges from the pulse power drilling assembly. The transformer comprises at least one primary winding that encircles the center flow tube; a core that encircles the at least one primary winding, wherein the core comprises an electrically non-conductive material; and at least one secondary winding that encircles the core.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a sub-section of a pulse power drilling assembly including a transformer encircling a center flow tube. The transformer comprises at least one primary winding that encircles the center flow tube and a core that encircles the at least one primary winding. The core comprises an insulative material and an electrically conductive material, wherein the insulative material is positioned relative to the electrically conductive material to create at least one break to prevent an electrical path for current within the electrically conductive material during operation of the transformer. The transformer comprises a secondary winding that encircles the core.

Abstract: A downhole drilling system for drilling a wellbore through a subterranean formation and a method of obtaining data from a downhole location. A bottom hole assembly (BHA) is locatable in the wellbore. A gravity sensor is operable to measure the Earth's gravity local to the BHA in three gravity vector coordinates. A magnetic sensor is operable to measure a magnetic field local to the BHA in three magnetic vector coordinates. A downhole processor is locatable in the borehole and operable to, if the gravity or magnetic measurements are not taken at a selected orientation of the BHA, process the measurements downhole by rotating the measured gravity and the measured magnetic field around the z-axis to align a gravity vector or a magnetic vector with the selected orientation of the BHA.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of determining a wellbore position in a subterranean formation by using gravity sensors to detect a gravity anomaly related to a presence of the wellbore, contents within the wellbore, and or fluid flowing through an interface of the wellbore. A model of the subterranean formation predicts a gravity profile, including the gravity anomaly, and the model may be constrained with a depth of the gravity anomaly as calculated with at least one of a known dimension or a known gravitational field change related to the gravity anomaly. The wellbore position is determined within the model by changing model input data until the gravity profile converges with the gravity anomaly.

Abstract: A system for drilling a wellbore into an earth formation includes a logging tool in the wellbore having at least one near-range measurement sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, at each depth along the wellbore, near-range measurement data and reference data related to a density of the formation, determine one or more near-range earth models that include a density model of a layer at each depth based on the near-range data constrained by the reference data, receive surface gravitational data from multiple surface locations, determine a mid-range or far-range formation model based on the near-range earth model and the surface gravitational data, and provide the mid-range or far-range formation model to a well driller for geosteering a drill bit into the earth formation.

Abstract: Surface tracking systems and methods for tracking a first wellbore relative to a non-geological target in a subterranean formation by determining characteristics of gravity anomalies related to the first wellbore and the non-geological target. The system includes a gravity sensor located at the Earth's surface and an information handling system operable to analyze the first and second gravity anomalies to determine a position and the trajectory of the first wellbore relative to the non-geological target. The systems and methods may also include the ability steer a trajectory of the first wellbore relative to the non-geological target.

Abstract: Methods and system for controlling downhole pulse power operation are disclosed. A method may include detecting a pulse signal discharged between pulse power drilling (PPD) electrodes and determining an arc characteristic of the pulse signal. The method may further include adjusting pulse power applied to the PPD electrodes based, at least in part, on the determined arc characteristic of the pulse signal.

Abstract: A method of communication along a shared voltage line is disclosed. In pulse power drilling, a generator charges applies voltage to a shared voltage line, which capacitively charges electrodes for formation drilling. While the generator controls the charging rate, charge voltage, and post-delay time between the charging cycles, a pulse power controller determines the pre-delay time by firing electrodes to discharge the stored voltage. Communication from the pulse power controller to the generator is encoded in the pre-delay time, where pre-delay times longer than a minimum pre-delay time correspond to time bins with pre-determined communications between the pulse power controller and the generator. The generator can also communicate to the pulse power controller via manipulation of the post-delay time.

Abstract: A method and system method for determining motion of a downhole tool and feeding back drilling performance. The method may comprise taking a synchronous tool face measurement of the downhole tool, taking a synchronous pulse-echo acquisition to estimate a shape of a borehole, inputting at least the shape of the borehole, the center trajectory of the downhole tool, the rotational time of the downhole tool, the position of the downhole tool, and the one or more measurements of the downhole tool into an information fusion for drilling dynamics, identifying at least one of a whirl, a vibration, or a stick-slip of the downhole tool, and identifying one or more borehole condition and a drilling efficiency. A system may comprise a downhole tool, at least two transducers, and an information handling system.

Abstract: A configuration for cooling capacitors comprises a flow tube within a tool body of a pulse power drilling assembly. The flow tube is configured provide a flow path for drilling fluid through one or more sub-assemblies of the pulse power drilling assembly. One or more capacitors are positioned between the flow tube and the tool body. Each of the one or more capacitors comprises a cooling tube embedded within the capacitor to provide a thermally conductive path for removal of heat associated with the one or more capacitors. Cooling capacitors comprises providing a flow of cooling fluid to a cooling tube embedded in a capacitor in the pulse power drilling assembly.