MICROPULSE APPLICATION NOTE: BABELFISH SUPPORT

1. Setup instructions

With Firmware version 2.8.0, MicroPulse firmware has expanded support communicating with BabelFish and allows using up to 39 measurements from both BabelFish and PowerDrive for telemetry and real-time surface diagnostics.

This can be done by enabling or selecting BabelFish communications in the General Tab as shown: 

The BabelFish probe communicates at a baud rate of 125Kbps. Eclipse Touch will automatically attempt to switch over 125Kbps baud rate.

Figure 2: BabelFish Baud Rate

2. Mnemonics

MicroPulse Firmware version 2.8.0 supports telemetering 39 BabelFish & PowerDrive variables acquired from the BabelFish. These can be manually configured by adding them to a desired toolface / logging sequence(s). Support to include these variables in the Eclipse Touch keyboard are planned and shall be included in an upcoming release of Eclipse Touch. 

The variable mnemonics and example configurations are as shown below:

2.1.    PowerDrive Inclination

This variable returns the continuous survey inclination of the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.2.    PowerDrive  Azimuth 

This variable returns the continuous survey azimuth of the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.3.    PowerDrive Real-time Status Word 

This variable returns the real-time status word of the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.4.    PowerDrive Toolface Desired

This variable returns toolface the PowerDrive is trying to hold received over BabelFish.

2.5.    PowerDrive Toolface Actual

This variable returns the effective toolface being held by the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.6.    PowerDrive Toolface Hi-Res Actual

This variable returns the effective hi-resolution toolface being held by the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.7.    PowerDrive Positional Summary Power

This variable returns the indication PWM demand torquers of the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.8.    PowerDrive Downlink Confirmation

This variable returns the downlink confirmation of the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.9.    PowerDrive Shock Risk / Severity

This variable returns the shock levels reported by the PowerDrive received over BabelFish.

2.10.    PowerDrive Effective Steering Proportion

This variable returns the percentage of drill cycle the PowerDrive is steering, received over BabelFish.

2.11.    PowerDrive Desired Steering Proportion 

This variable returns the percentage of drill cycle the PowerDrive is attempting to steer, received over BabelFish.

2.12.    PowerDrive Target Inclination

This variable returns the Inclination PowerDrive is trying to hold, received over BabelFish.

2.13.    PowerDrive Target Azimuth

This variable returns the Azimuth PowerDrive is trying to hold, received over BabelFish.

2.14.    PowerDrive Upper Torquer RPM 

This variable returns upper torquer RPM of the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.15.    PowerDrive Lower Torquer RPM

This variable returns lower torquer RPM of the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.16.    Signal to Noise Ratio

This variable returns the SNR of last received wireless packet PowerDrive.

2.17.    Gamma Ray Up

This variable returns the Gamma Ray Up measurement received from BabelFish.

2.18.    Gamma Ray Left

This variable returns the Gamma Ray Left measurement received from BabelFish.

2.19.    Gamma Ray Down

This variable returns the Gamma Ray Down measurement received from BabelFish.

2.20.    Gamma Ray Right

This variable returns the Gamma Ray Right measurement received from BabelFish.

2.21.    Extended Gamma Ray Average

2.22.    Real Time Status Word #2

This variable returns Real Time Status Word #2 of the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.23.    Real Time Status Word #3

This variable returns Real Time Status Word #3 of the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.24.    Real Time Status Word #4

This variable returns Real Time Status Word #4 of the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.25.    Last Received Fast Downlink

This variable returns the Last Received Fast Downlink Command of the PowerDrive.

2.26.    PD Generic 3-bit d-point #3

This variable returns the Generic 3-bit data point #3 from PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.27.    Collar Control RPM

This variable returns Collar Control RPM from the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.28.   PowerDrive Integrated Clink Transmitter Status Word

This variable returns the PD Integrated Clink Transmitter Status Word, received over BabelFish.

2.29.    PowerDrive CU Temperature

This variable returns the PD CU Temperature measurement, received over BabelFish.

2.30.   Peak-normalized Barker correlation coefficient

This variable returns Peak-normalized Barker correlation coefficient of the last received PowerDrive data packet.

2.31.  Percentage of rejected PowerDrive data packet

This variable returns Percentage of rejected PowerDrive data packet over last 10 transmissions.

2.32.  Total number of rejected data packets received

This variable returns Total number of rejected data packets received from the PowerDrive.

2.33.  Total number of successful data packets received

This variable returns Total number of successful data packets received from the PowerDrive.

2.34.  Lateral Direction Peak Shock

This variable Peak Shock measurement for the lateral direction measured by the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.35.  Lateral Direction Vibration

This variable returns Peak Vibration measurement for the lateral direction measured by the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.36.  Axial Direction Peak Shock

This variable returns Peak Shock measurement for the axial direction measured by the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.37.  Axial Direction Vibration

This variable returns Peak Vibration measurement for the lateral direction measured by the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.38.  Stick-slip amplitude and frequency severity

This variable returns Stick-slip amplitude and frequency severity measured by the PowerDrive, received over BabelFish.

2.39.  RSS Warning (experimental)

This variable returns the Active Status of MicroPulse-BabelFish communications as a True or False value. Active Status represents if MicroPulse has received a response from BabelFish in the last 120 seconds.

3. Loading the Configuration onto the MicroPulse

Once changes are made and sequences are configured, save settings to the MicroPulse by using the COMMIT button in the MWD Tab. If Eclipse Touch is having trouble committing the configuration, try disconnecting BabelFish from the MWD string and programming the new configuration again.

Note: MicroPulse, by default uses a 500Kbps baud rate for CAN communication. In BabelFish Mode, MicroPulse is set up at 125Kbps to match BabelFish. While Eclipse Touch includes some error handling to alleviate potential communication issues, there may still be intermittent CAN communication while programming a configuration. Once MicroPulse is programmed to use the 125Kbps CAN baud rate, communication should be seamless between Eclipse Touch, MicroPulse and BabelFish.

After setting up BabelFish communication, you can validate that the MicroPulse and BabelFish tools are communicating through the BabelFish Diagnostics page in Eclipse Touch. 

To access this feature, open the Eclipse Touch Diagnostics screen and then select the BABELFISH tab on the left menu bar. This page updates real time while also providing connection status and time since last received updates from BabelFish.

Figure 5: BabelFish Diagnostic Screen in Eclipse Touch

Once set up and real-time validation is complete, the Live BabelFish Decode Display can be used to present the data at the surface. The Live BabelFish Decode Display can be pulled up by clicking the Eclipse Logo in the LIVE page, followed by a click on the BABELFISH button.

Note: Like all decoded data, the BabelFish specific variables can also be shared with 3rd party software using WITS protocol.

Figure 6: BabelFish Latest Value Display Button

Figure 7: Live BabelFish Values Screen

If you have a newer version of ET you might try selecting the RSS tab and selecting BabelFish as the Mode, currently this support has not been added but it will be in the future. 

In addition, to real-time communication and telemetry, MicroPulse also performs logging of data received from BabelFish for post-run diagnostics. The logging operation happens at an interval of 60 seconds, matching the rate at which BabelFish is queried for data. Logging happens continuously when flow is high, as long as MicroPulse and BabelFish are communicating. When Flow transitions to ow, MicroPulse continues to log for up to 10 minutes. This allows the comparison of BabelFish communication performance with the PowerDrive when the tool is telemetering.

The log file associated with BabelFish communication is named BABLFISH.LOG (refer to Figure 8 below).

Figure 8: MicroPulse Logs Screen

Authors: 

Saravanan Pandiyan - Firmware Developer

Cameron Basham - Firmware Developer

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