RivCross Operating Manual

RIVCROSS
OPERATING MANUAL
JULY 2021
Vector Magnetics +1.607.273.8351

236 Cherry St. mail@vectormagnetics.com
Ithaca, NY 14850 vectormagnetics.com
United States
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Last Modified:July 6, 2021

RivCross Operating Manual
i
CONTENTS
DOWNHOLE TEST..................................................................................... 12
ROLL TEST IN SOFTWARE........................................................................ 12
RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING................................. 12
01 — INTRODUCTION AND GETTING STARTED 1 RULES OF THUMB.................................................................................... 12
BASIC CONCEPTS..............................................................................2 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................. 13
COORDINATE SYSTEM.............................................................................. 2 ADVANCED INTERFACE TROUBLESHOOTING......................................... 16
BASELINE AZIMUTH.................................................................................. 2 03 — PRESSURE MODULE AND ORIENTING SUB 17

TRACKING MEASURED DISTANCE............................................................ 2 SPECIFICATIONS.............................................................................. 18
SURVEYS................................................................................................... 2 PRESSURE MODULE COMPONENTS.............................................. 18
JOB FILES.................................................................................................. 2 USER-REPLACEABLE PARTS.................................................................. 18
INSTALLING RIVCROSS......................................................................3 PRESSURE/ORIENTING SUB.................................................................... 19
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS......................................................... 3 RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING................................ 20
BASIC INSTALLATION................................................................................ 3 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................ 20
INSTALLATION NOTES............................................................................... 3 04 — HARDWARE KEY AND UTILITY 21
GETTING STARTED.............................................................................4 HARDWARE KEYS............................................................................22
STARTING A NEW JOB............................................................................... 4 DRIVERS.................................................................................................. 22
NEW JOB WIZARD..................................................................................... 5 HASP........................................................................................................ 22
RODS TABLE.............................................................................................. 5 FLE........................................................................................................... 22
COM PORTS............................................................................................... 5
HWKEY UTILITY................................................................................22
JOB INFORMATION WINDOW..................................................................... 6
SERVICES TAB......................................................................................... 22
OPENING AN EXISTING JOB....................................................................... 6
EXPIRED HARDWARE KEY LICENSES.................................................... 24
02 — PARATRACK TOOL AND INTERFACE 7 EXPIRED LICENSE................................................................................... 24
PARATRACK STEERING TOOL............................................................8 PRODUCT LICENSES AND UPDATES...................................................... 24
SPECIFICATIONS....................................................................................... 8 NOTES...................................................................................................... 25
DIGITAL TOOLS.......................................................................................... 8 TROUBLESHOOTING....................................................................... 25
PARATRACK2 INTERFACE.................................................................9 CHECKING USB CABLE........................................................................... 26
SPECIFICATIONS....................................................................................... 9 REINSTALLING DRIVERS......................................................................... 26
SETUP AND OPERATION........................................................................... 9 05 — GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUPPLIES 29
CONNECTIONS........................................................................................... 9
HARDWARE..................................................................................... 30
GROUNDING OF INTERFACE...................................................................... 9
GUIDANCE POWER SUPPLY.................................................................... 30
FRONT PANEL........................................................................................... 10
GUIDE WIRE DESIGN (THEORY)....................................................... 31
GAIN SELECTION...................................................................................... 10
BASIC ELECTROMAGNETISM FOR RIVCROSS ....................................... 31
TOOL TESTING...................................................................................11
COIL (CLOSED LOOP) VS. SINGLE WIRE (OPEN LOOP)........................... 31
8-POINT ROLL TEST IN SHOP...................................................................11
TYPICAL WIRE LAYOUT............................................................................ 31
FIELD WIRE TEST......................................................................................11

Vector Magnetics
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COILS (CLOSED LOOPS)........................................................................... 31 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION ...................................................................57

SELECTING WIRE GAUGE........................................................................ 32 MAXIMUM AND EFFECTIVE RANGES.......................................................57
WIRE RANGES AND GUIDELINES............................................................ 33 EQUIPMENT SETUP..........................................................................57
GROUNDING THE GUIDE WIRE................................................................ 33 STANDARD BTS....................................................................................... 58
WORKING UNDER OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES........................... 34 TRIPOD BTS............................................................................................. 58
DEFINING WIRES IN RIVCROSS...................................................... 35 LARGE FIELD BTS (LFB).......................................................................... 59
IMPORTING WIRES.................................................................................. 36 SOFTWARE SETUP......................................................................... 59
EXPORTING WIRES.................................................................................. 36 DEFINING BEACON TRACKERS IN RIVCROSS........................................ 59
TAKING PARATRACK2 AND PARATRACK1 SHOTS.................................. 36 EDITING BEACON TRACKERS................................................................. 60
RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING................................ 36 IMPORTING BEACON TRACKERS............................................................ 60
RULES OF THUMB................................................................................... 36 EXPORTING BEACON TRACKERS........................................................... 60
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE WIRES.........................................................37 RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING................................. 61
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDANCE POWER SUPPLY..................................37 RULES OF THUMB.................................................................................... 61
ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................ 38 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................. 61
APPENDIX A: ADVANCED WIRE LAYOUT THEORY.................................. 40 APPENDIX........................................................................................ 63
06 — PARATRACK GYRO MODULE 41 APPENDIX A: PACKING LIST.................................................................... 63
IMPORTANT NOTES .........................................................................42 APPENDIX B: USING A BTS NEAR AIRPORTS, ILS, AND IFR �� 63
SOFTWARE CONTROLS...................................................................42 08 — LARGE FIELD BEACON 65

GYRO SETUP WINDOW............................................................................ 42 HARDWARE OVERVIEW.................................................................. 66
GYRO INPUT WINDOW............................................................................. 44 SOLENOIDS.............................................................................................. 66
SURFACE TEST/PRE-JOB SETUP.................................................... 46 EQUIPMENT SETUP..........................................................................67
GYRO SETUP............................................................................................ 46 SOLENOID LEVELING................................................................................67
TAKING A GYRO SHOT............................................................................. 48 ELECTRONICS BOX ................................................................................. 68
VIEWING GYRO SHOTS............................................................................ 49 LFB HAND HELD CONTROLLER.............................................................. 68
GYRO DISTURBANCES............................................................................ 50 RADIO MODEMS ..................................................................................... 69
TYING GYRO AND MAGNETIC SURVEYS.................................................. 51 SOFTWARE SETUP..........................................................................70
GYRO QA.................................................................................................. 52 MAKE BEACON ACTIVE............................................................................70
TROUBLESHOOTING....................................................................... 53 09 — BTS/LFB RADIO MODEMS 75
BEST PRACTICES.................................................................................... 53
HARDWARE OVERVIEW...................................................................76
CONTACT FOR SUPPORT:....................................................................... 54
MODEM TYPES.................................................................................76
07 — BEACON TRACKER SYSTEM 55 COMPUTER-SIDE MODEM........................................................................76
HARDWARE OVERVIEW.................................................................. 56 REPEATER MODEM..................................................................................76
STANDARD BTS....................................................................................... 56 BTS-SIDE MODEM....................................................................................76
TRIPOD BTS ............................................................................................ 56 ANTENNAS....................................................................................... 77
LARGE FIELD BEACON (LFB)................................................................... 56

iii
MODEM OPERATION........................................................................ 77 PMR WINDOW.........................................................................................109
10 — PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION 79 RULES OF THUMB...........................................................................115

TOOLBARS...................................................................................... 80 APPENDIX: PMR THEORY...............................................................115
USING TOOLBARS................................................................................... 80 13 — AT BIT INCLINATION ASSEMBLY 117
TOOLBAR DETAILS.................................................................................. 80 HARDWARE.....................................................................................118
PROGRAM SETTINGS...................................................................... 82 SPECIFICATIONS.....................................................................................118
SUMMARY OF TABS................................................................................ 82 SOFTWARE SETUP.........................................................................119
DETAILED EXPLANATION OF TABS......................................................... 83 PROGRAM SETTINGS..............................................................................119
USING JOB TEMPLATES.......................................................................... 92 ABIA INPUT WINDOW..............................................................................119
11 — TAKING SHOTS 95 TAKING AN ABIA SHOT...........................................................................120
COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION............................................. 96 ABIA SUMMARY WINDOW.......................................................................121
TOOL POSITION....................................................................................... 96 ABIA INCLINATION PLOT......................................................................... 122
STEERING TOOL ORIENTATION............................................................... 96 HARDWARE SETUP........................................................................ 123
OTHER TOOL DATA...................................................................................97 USING THE STOP PLUG..........................................................................123
PRESSURE................................................................................................97 CHARGING..............................................................................................123
MAGNETIC DATA.......................................................................................97 TESTING.................................................................................................. 124
ACTIVE PLOT SERIES...............................................................................97 ASSEMBLY.............................................................................................. 124
CALIBRATION VALUE AND DATA INDICATORS.........................................97 RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING............................... 125
STEERING TOOL SHOTS................................................................. 98 RULES OF THUMB..................................................................................125
TAKING A STEERING TOOL SHOT............................................................ 98 TROUBLESHOOTING...............................................................................125
ALTERNATIVE TO STEERING TOOL WINDOW: TOOLBARS..................... 98 14 — VIEWING MWD DATA 127
PARATRACK2 SHOTS...................................................................... 98 DRILLER DISPLAY AND RELATED VIEWS...................................... 128
PARATRACK2-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION.............................. 98 DRILLER DISPLAY MOBILE DEVICE APPS............................................. 128
TAKING A PARATRACK2 SHOT................................................................ 99 ENHANCED DRILLER DISPLAY WINDOWS............................................. 128
BTS SHOTS....................................................................................100 TOOLFACE (HIGH SIDE) INDICATOR.......................................................129
BTS-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION............................................100 PRESSURE DIALS...................................................................................130
TAKING A BEACON TRACKER SHOT......................................................102 PRESSURE GRAPHS..............................................................................130
PARATRACK1 SHOTS..................................................................... 104 WEIGHT ON BIT (WOB) DIAL...................................................................130
PARATRACK1-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION.............................104 RPMS DIAL..............................................................................................130
TAKING A PARATRACK1 SHOT................................................................104 PRESSURE POPUP.................................................................................130
MANUAL SHOTS............................................................................. 105 GRAPHING HISTORICAL PRESSURE/WOB DATA...........................131
12 — PASSIVE MAGNETIC RANGING 107 PRESSURE/WOB VS. TIME..................................................................... 131
PRESSURE AND ELEVATION VS. MD..................................................... 132
PROCEDURE DETAILS....................................................................109
SOFTWARE.....................................................................................109 AC SIGNAL ANALYSIS.................................................................... 132

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GENERATING DATA................................................................................133 IMPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS......................................................159

INCLINATION PLOT......................................................................... 134 EXPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS......................................................159
15 — VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS 135 POSITION UNCERTAINTY PLOT.....................................................160

SHOT DATA SUMMARY TABLE....................................................... 136 USING THE PLOT.....................................................................................160
AVAILABLE COLUMNS............................................................................136 SIGNAL STRENGTH PLOT................................................................161

BUTTON FUNCTIONS..............................................................................139 USING THE PLOT..................................................................................... 161
ADDITIONAL TABLE FEATURES.............................................................140 WIRE TABLE................................................................................... 162

SURVEY SUMMARY TABLE........................................................... 142 USING THE TABLE..................................................................................162
AVAILABLE COLUMNS............................................................................ 142 18 — WEB DRILLER DISPLAY 165

ADDITIONAL TABLE FEATURES............................................................. 142 SETUP............................................................................................. 166
SHOT DATA WINDOW..................................................................... 143 CONNECTING TO THE DRILLER DISPLAY WEB APP..............................166
VIEWING SHOTS.....................................................................................143 SETTINGS MENU..................................................................................... 167
EDITING SHOTS......................................................................................143 ADDITIONAL FEATURES.........................................................................168
GRAPH VIEWS................................................................................ 143 EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS..................................... 169
PLAN VIEW..............................................................................................143 SETTINGS EXPORT.................................................................................169
SECTION VIEW........................................................................................146 TROUBLESHOOTING...................................................................... 169
END VIEW................................................................................................146 19 — DRILLER DISPLAY APPS FOR MOBILE DEVICES 171
BTOTAL/DIP PLOT................................................................................... 147
INSTALLATION AND SETUP............................................................ 172
TYING TO BASELINE/INCLINATION................................................ 147 ANDROID................................................................................................. 172
HOW TO USE TTBL/TTIN......................................................................... 147 IPHONE/IPAD........................................................................................... 174
USING GRAPHICAL AXIAL MISMATCH........................................... 148 APP SETTINGS............................................................................... 175
THEORY..................................................................................................148 OPENING THE SETTINGS MENU............................................................. 175
USE.........................................................................................................148 SETTINGS - DETAILED EXPLANATION................................................... 176
TWEAK WINDOW............................................................................ 152
20 — MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS 179
16 — WITS IN RIVCROSS 153 IMPORTING AND EXPORTING SHOT DATA..................................... 180
WITS SETUP................................................................................... 154 EXPORTING NORMAL SHOTS/SURVEYS...............................................180
SENDING SURVEY DATA................................................................ 155 IMPORTING SURVEYS............................................................................ 181
ABIA SHOTS............................................................................................155 EXPORTING SHOTS – SINGLE SHOT...................................................... 181
SENDING MWD DATA..................................................................... 155 EXPORTING MGT DATA........................................................................... 181
DATA FORMAT................................................................................ 155 IMPORTING AND EXPORTING RODS...............................................181
17 — SURVEY SIMULATION AND PLANNING 157 IMPORTING RODS................................................................................... 181
SIMULATION SURVEYS.................................................................. 158 EXPORTING RODS.................................................................................. 182
DEFINING SIMULATION SURVEYS IN RIVCROSS...................................158 UPGRADING OLD JOBS.................................................................. 182

EDITING SIMULATION SURVEYS............................................................158 OPENING AN OLD JOB............................................................................ 182

v
REPORTING.................................................................................... 182
SURVEY REPORT.................................................................................... 182
DAILY REPORT........................................................................................183
PARATRACK REPORT.............................................................................183
GYRO SURVEY REPORT.........................................................................183
GYRO DAILY REPORT..............................................................................183
SIDETRACKING............................................................................... 183
MAKING CHANGES AFTERWARD...........................................................184
MESSAGE LOGGING....................................................................... 184
EDITING PLOT SERIES.................................................................... 185
USING PLOT SERIES TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE..............................185
EDITING SURVEYS......................................................................... 187
21 — BEST PRACTICES 189
KNOWING AND USING AZIMUTHS.................................................190
USE A BASELINE AZIMUTH....................................................................190
AN APPROXIMATE BASELINE IS BETTER THAN NO BASELINE ��190
DON’T PLUG EVERYTHING.....................................................................190
USE CALCAZ...........................................................................................190
TIE TO THE BASELINE............................................................................190
TIPS, TRICKS AND OTHER BEST PRACTICES...............................190
SPEED TIPS.....................................................................................191
22 — MAGNETIC TOOLFACE 193
PROCEDURE................................................................................... 194
PERFORMING THE ROLL TEST...............................................................195
DATA EXPORT................................................................................. 195
EXPORT VIA COPY/PASTE......................................................................195
EXPORT VIA THE EXPORT MENU OPTION; ADVANCED.........................195
DATA ANALYSIS.............................................................................. 196
23 — GLOSSARY 197
GLOSSARY..................................................................................... 198
24 — LICENSES 205
LICENSES...................................................................................... 206
THE BSD 2-CLAUSE LICENSE............................................................... 206
GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE............................................ 206

Vector Magnetics
vi

01
INTRODUCTION AND
GETTING STARTED
BASIC CONCEPTS
INSTALLING RIVCROSS
GETTING STARTED
Vector Magnetics
2
INTRODUCTION rence, the baseline azimuth is the azimuth

the Steering Tool would read. The traditio-
nal baseline is from the entry point to the
RivCross is a steering and guidance software package that is used for exit point. When defined in this manner,
drilling horizontal bores for HDD applications. It is a unified software envi- note that the Right coordinate at the exit
ronment that integrates guidance and survey data from steering tools and point is the same as the Right coordinate
various guidance sources, and provides the driller with a graphical view of of the entry point.
the drilling job.
RivCross supports both the Vector Magnetics ParaTrack Steering Tool and TRACKING MEASURED DISTANCE
third party steering tools, as well as several tracking systems provided by RivCross tracks the total amount of pipe
Vector Magnetics, including: in the borehole. This length is called Mea-
sured Distance (MD), and is the length
• ParaTrack2, AC wire guidance system along the drill pipe from the surface entry
Figure 1-1: RivCross Coordinate System
to the Steering Tool’s magnetic sensors.
• ParaTrack Gyro Module
RivCross maintains a table of pipe (a.k.a.
• Beacon Tracker System (BTS) rod) lengths, the “Rod Table,” in order to
aid the driller in calculating where the
• ParaTrack1, DC wire guidance system Steering Tool sensors are at any time.
The Rod Table displays the length of each
These tracking systems determine the underground location of the Para- piece of drill pipe and the total length
Track Steering Tool (Steering Tool) by measurement and analysis of magne- of all drill pipe in the bore at each con-
tic fields from a guide wire or magnetic beacon. More specialized drilling nection. A sample Rod Table is shown in
assistance systems, such as At-Bit Inclination Assembly (ABIA), Pressure Figure 1-2.
Module (PM) and Passive Magnetic Ranging (PMR), are supported as well.
This chapter covers only the most basic information needed to start SURVEYS
running RivCross. In later chapters, the various tracking and other drilling
RivCross uses the surveyed (i.e. calcu-
assistance systems mentioned above, as well as RivCross’ many features,
lated from borehole direction readings)
will be covered in detail.
coordinate as a first guess for all track-
ing calculations. For this reason, it is
BASIC CONCEPTS imperative that the RivCross user always
keeps the survey up to date and adjus-
ted so it is reasonably close to the actual
COORDINATE SYSTEM Steering Tool location.
RivCross uses the conventional HDD coordinate system of “Away, Elevati- Figure 1-2: Sample Rod Table
on, Right.” The Away axis is horizontal and points in the direction of drilling. JOB FILES
The Elevation axis is up (i.e. opposite of gravity). The Right axis is also ho-
RivCross stores all data for a particular crossing, or “job,” in a .job file. This
rizontal and points to the right of the Away axis. The Away, Elevation, and
allows the job to be reloaded if the RivCross program is shut down. A .job
Right axes are all perpendicular to one another, and form a right-handed
file keeps track of all information relating to that job. See GETTING STAR-
orthogonal coordinate system (Figure 1-1).
TED later in this document for details.
BASELINE AZIMUTH
The Baseline Azimuth is the angle between the Magnetic North measu-
rement at your location and the Away axis. If the Steering Tool were laid
down along the Away axis in an environment free of any magnetic interfe-
Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

3
INSTALLING RIVCROSS Ports

Three USB ports; four or more are recommended. Avoid using USB hubs.
The RivCross 4 installer generally allows for a simple installation proce-
dure. Vector Magnetics distributes flash drives containing the RivCross If using a Serial Only ParaTrack2 Interface, a COM port is also required. In
installer with Hardware Keys, and the most current installer is always avai- this case, if the computer has no built-in COM port, a USB to Serial adapter
lable for download at vectormagnetics.com. will be required.
RivCross requires a valid, Hardware Key to run. All current generation
Hardware Keys have serial numbers that are either four digits long or start
BASIC INSTALLATION
with an “a.” A standalone Hardware Key Utility program is automatically 1. If a previous version of RivCross is installed, it must be removed through
installed with RivCross. The utility program is required to update new hard- the Add/Remove Programs interface before continuing.
ware keys. See HARDWARE KEY AND UTILITY for more information. 2. Right click on the installer package, named RivCross4xx_Setup.exe
(where the x’s are digits). Choose Run
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS as Administrator. The window in Figure
Below are the minimum requirements supported by Vector Magnetics for 1-3 will appear within a few moments.
computers running RivCross. It is recommended to use computers that 3. Click Next. If any supporting software
exceed these specifications (particularly the hard disk and monitor specifi- is required the installer will require you
cations), since they will often improve user efficiency. to follow the instructions and install the
Note that these requirements were designed under the assumption that packages. Restarting the computer may
the survey engineer will be running RivCross, AutoCAD, Excel, Internet, be required. Once all the prerequisite
email, company software and other personal software on the computer all files have been installed you can select
at the same time. a different installation folder if desired,
and click Next again.
Operating System 4. Click Install to begin installing both
Windows 10 64 bit required. RivCross and the Hardware Key Utility.
Click OK/continue/etc. on all additional
windows that appear.
Screen
5. Click Finish to exit the installer.
Minimum resolution 1440x900 and a 14” display. Note that not all win-
dows in RivCross will fit on the screen when using a resolution lower than 6. Restart computer.
Figure 1-3: Installer Main Window
1440x900. More resolution and a larger display recommended. 7. If there were no error messages with
the installation, plug hardware key into computer. See HARDWARE KEYS
Hard Disk for more information on first-time setup for hardware keys.
Hard disk no more than 80% full. A SSD (Solid State Disk) with a capacity of
at least 100 GB is highly recommended. INSTALLATION NOTES
Please reboot after the installation completes – as noted above. If the pro-
Memory gram asks you to reboot in the middle of the installation don’t do it – defer
2 GB RAM (4 GB or more recommended). until the entire program is installed.
Processor
Dual-core (or more) processor of at least 2 GHz.

Vector Magnetics
4
GETTING STARTED The main RivCross win-

dow will now appear,
It is important to become familiar with the basic hardware used in conjunc- Figure 1-7. Two forms
tion with RivCross, and related best practices, before running the program. should be visible inside
Refer to the following chapters for detailed information about hardware. the main RivCross form.
The form in the upper left
• PARATRACK TOOL AND INTERFACE corner is the New Job
Wizard, and the form in
Figure 1-6: COM Setup
• GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUPPLIES (if using ParaTrack1 or Para- the middle of the screen is
Track2) the Steering Tool input
window.
• BEACON TRACKER SYSTEM (if using BTS)
STARTING A NEW JOB

After starting RivCross, the
window in Figure 1-4 will
appear.
If this is the first time running
RivCross, click on the New
Job button or press Ctrl-N to
start. The program will ask for
a name and location for the
new job file. Enter a name for
this job, select an appropriate Figure 1-4: Create/Load Job Window
location, and click on “Save.”
The program will append a “.job” file suffix auto-
matically to the entered name. Click Browse to
find a job from a previous version of RivCross.
Figure 1-7: New Job Window
RivCross will ask what type of job this will be,
see Figure 1-5. The job type is used for reporting See STEERING TOOL SHOTS in TAKING SHOTS for more information about
purposes and does not affect how RivCross func- the Steering Tool input window).
tions. Select the most appropriate category.
The selected “template” on the Job Setup window
determines how RivCross initializes certain pro-
gram settings.
For more information, see JOB TEMPLATES in
PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZA-
TION Figure 1-5: Job Setup Window
RivCross will ask if you want to set the serial COM

port as in Figure 1-6.
“Yes” will open Program Settings and let you select a port on your comput-
er. Select “No” or “Cancel” if you are using the Interface’s USB port.

5
NEW JOB WIZARD RODS TABLE

The New Job Wizard; Figure 1-8, is a simple This table, Figure 1-9 lists all rods and their lengths for a given job. Column
checklist of things that must be set up before 1 is a rod index number that begins at 0, column 2 is the length of each
starting a job. If a communication port has not section of drill pipe, and column 3 is the total Measured Distance at the end
been specified, as mentioned above and seen of each rod.
in Figure 1-6, you will be prompted to choose a To add a new rod length to the
port. You can say no or cancel and set one later. table, left click in column 2 on
Proceed down the list by clicking on each button the bottom line (marked with
in sequence. After each setup item, close each the * character) and enter the
form to return to the wizard and then complete rod length. This will create a
the next item in the checklist. new entry in the table. To edit
Go to the sections highlighted below for more an existing entry’s length, left
information. Items in the list are as follows: click on the text in column 2 and
modify it. Only column 2 can be
• Units – Choose Feet/Fahrenheit or Meters/ edited; the other columns are
Celsius. If using a Pressure Module, also always calculated automatical-
click the Pressure tab and choose PSI, Bar, ly. To delete a rod, click the gray
or Kilopascals. Figure 1-8: New Job Wizard
row header to the left of the
Rod # box and press the delete
• Entry Point – The coordinates and orientation of the steering tool at the key (not the backspace key).
start of the borehole. You must also set the Exit Point.
• Wires – Coordinates of wire vertices if ParaTrack1 or ParaTrack2 is Importing Rods

being used. See GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUPPLIES for more infor- A rod table can also be import-
mation. Click the Ok button to close the wire screen to continue. ed from another RivCross job
via the Import/Export Rods
• If a Beacon Tracker System (BTS) is being used instead, skip this button at the lower left. See
step and go to Edit > Beacon Trackers (Solenoids) to enter coor- IMPORTING RODS in MISCEL-
dinates, magnetic moments, and other parameters relating to BTS LANEOUS TOPICS for more
locations. See BEACON TRACKER SYSTEM for more information. information. Figure 1-9: The Rods Table
• Rods – Table of drill rod lengths used to automatically calculate the

Measured Distance. See the Rods Table section below for information COM PORTS
on how to enter rod lengths. If the ParaTrack2 Interface is connected to the computer with a serial
RS232 cable, it is necessary to select the correct COM port for the steer-
• Baseline Azimuth – The Azimuth of the away axis with respect to mag- ing tool. Go to File > Program Settings, click the Communication (Ports) tab,
netic north. and select which port should be used for it with the Steering Tool drop-
down menu.
• Tool Type – The maker of the steering tool (Vector Magnetics or other).
Additionally, if using a radio modem kit (which is part of typical BTS setup),
If the New Job Wizard is closed by accident, it can be opened again using select the COM port to use for it under BTS Modem as well. See TAKING A
the Help > New Job Wizard menu option. BEACON TRACKER SHOT in the TAKING SHOTS chapter for more informa-
tion on how to set up radio modem kits.

Vector Magnetics
6
JOB INFORMATION WINDOW

Go to Logs > Job Informa-
tion to enter various kinds
of additional information
about the job, as shown in
Figure 1-10. All fields are
optional and for clients’
record-keeping purposes
only. The fields with stars
next to them are included
in generated PDF reports –
see REPORTING in MISCEL-
LANEOUS TOPICS for more
information.
OPENING AN EXISTING
JOB
Figure 1-10: Job Information Window
In order to load an existing
job instead of creating a
new job, click Browse or
press CTRL-O and select
the job file to load. Alterna-
tively, if a job was recently
created or opened in this
version of RivCross, simply
choose that job from the
Figure 1-11: Opening a Recent Job
list of recent jobs and click
Open. See Figure 1-11.
If an older version of
RivCross has been used on
this computer, the jobs can
be opened. The program will
recognize that the job from
an older version will need to
be upgraded. Once opened
with the new version of
RivCross, previous versions Figure 1-12: Upgrade Job to New RivCross Version
will not be able to open the
job.
Jobs can also be removed individually from the list by selecting them and
hitting the delete key.
Note that if a job was created in an earlier version, upgrading is required.
See UPGRADING OLD JOBS for details.

02
PARATRACK TOOL
AND INTERFACE
PARATRACK STEERING TOOL
PARATRACK2 INTERFACE
TOOL TESTING
RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Vector Magnetics
8
INTRODUCTION
Figure 2-1: The ParaTrack Steering Tool

• Internal Operating Temperature Range 0° - 85°C for standard tools
PARATRACK STEERING TOOL • Internal Operating Temperature Range 0° - 125°C for high temp tools
The ParaTrack Steering Tool, (Steering Tool, or Tool), is the central hard- • Pressure rating: 17,000psi (1200 bar)
ware component of the ParaTrack Guidance System. It reports magnetic
azimuth, inclination, roll angle (toolface), and temperature from its own • DC Magnetometer 0 – 1 Gauss (0-100,000nT) for standard tools
sensors. It receives signals from a variety of tracking sources (e.g. Guide
• DC Magnetometer 0 – 3 Gauss (0-300,000nT) for high field tools
Wires, Beacon Trackers, Rotating Magnet), providing an external reference
verifying the position of the borehole. It also connects to various add-ons • AC Magnetometer Ranges
which extend the capabilities of the Guidance System. These include the
ParaTrack Gyro Module (PGM), At-Bit Inclination Assembly (ABIA), Pressure • High Gain 5x10-3 uA/m peak to peak
Module (PM), etc.
• Low Gain 2.0 uA/m peak to peak (400x < High Gain)
The Tool collects the signals from these various sources and transmits
them over wireline to RivCross software at surface for data analysis. • Internal over-voltage protection circuit (crowbar)
The Tool has sensors located at both ends of the tool chassis. Accelerome-
ters (gravity sensors) are located at the top of the tool, near the connection • G1 Accelerometer: +/- 2g
head, and magnetometers are positioned towards the lower end of the
tool, approximately 6 inches from the end. Newer tools may have acceler- • G2 Accelerometer: +/- 8g
ometers positioned closer to the center of the sonde.
• Pressure Connection at Foot: 13/8 x 12 UNF. Accepts Vector Magnetics
Pressure Module
SPECIFICATIONS
• Sonde Tube Material: Beryllium Copper
• Outside Diameter: 1.75 in (4.45cm)
• Head and Foot: 303 Stainless Steel
• Length: Head to Foot : 52.8 in (1.34m), Head to Sensors: 41” (1.04m)
• O-Rings for Head and Foot: Viton 216
• Electrical Connection, 1-3/16, 12 tpi female (wet connect)
• Bottom Thread on Foot : 1 ¼ - 8 UNF male DIGITAL TOOLS

More recent ParaTrack tools use digital amplifiers and have improved
• Operating voltage 46VDC telemetry and a new data stream. The digital components within the new
ParaTrack tools meet or exceed the analog tool response. Digital tools
• Operating current 68mA
Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface
9
require RivCross version 4.3.4 DT or higher to operate. If you are using • RS-232 Serial and USB (choose one) for data from Interface to com-
RivCross prior to 4.3.4 DT with a digital probe you will notice that all values puter
received jump all over the place continuously. Please upgrade your version
of RivCross! • RS 232 connection for old-style Driller’s Displays (optional).
• AC line cord
PARATRACK2 INTERFACE Connect the Interface to the Tool by attaching a wet connect to the Tool
and soldering wire to the wet connect. The other end of the wire should
The ParaTrack2 Interface (Figure 2-4) is used to power the Tool and con-
be attached to one
nect to the user’s computer. Additionally, the interface can be used to pow-
of the interface’s
er an external Driller’s Display. The Interface requires a grounded standard
positive terminals.
electrical AC power source (110v or 220v AC), a USB or serial port connec-
The interface’s cor-
tion to the computer, and a pair of insulated wires for the connection to the
responding negative
Tool.
terminal should be
grounded (e.g. to the
SPECIFICATIONS pipe).
• Output: 46V nominal; set screw adjustable to 54V for high-resistance To connect the Inter-
wire and/or electrical leaks in wire. face to the computer,
use either a standard
• Output: 60-80mA for normal tool operation RS-232 serial cable Figure 2-2: The Right Side of an Interface
or a standard USB
• Output: Data on RS232 or USB to computer cable.
• Output (optional): Data on RS232 to Tensor/cube/computer with VMDis- To connect the Interface to a power source, use a standard three-prong
play AC power cable.
• Selectable 1000mA/100mA meter display (typically 100mA is used) GROUNDING OF INTERFACE

• Dimensions: 5 1/4” x 8 1/4” x 11” An improperly grounded or ungrounded ParaTrack2 Interface may mal-
function, particularly when using USB. It is important to note that grounding
SETUP AND OPERATION the interface and grounding the Tool are both critical and are two separate
steps.
Before operating the Interface, connect the AC plug to power, the two
wires to the Tool and either a USB or serial cable to the computer. Also,
Checking Ground
ensure that the Interface has a proper ground connection to avoid damage
to the Tool, Interface, and computer. Grounding is especially important be-
cause USB connections are very sensitive to poor grounds and may cause ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD. USE CAUTION!
communication issues with the computer. To check the ground of the AC line providing power to the Interface, use a
digital volt meter (DVM) to display AC volts and check voltage across the
CONNECTIONS power receptacle:
The following connections can be made to the Interface (all of which are on • Place one meter lead in ground plug of receptacle. Place other lead in
the right side, as shown in Figure 2-2): one of the two remaining sockets.
• Banana jack and wing nut connections (choose one) for Tool to Inter- • Record the value.
face
• Move the non-ground lead to the remaining socket.

Vector Magnetics
10
• Record the value. Tool Switch

One of the values should be very close to the standard AC voltage and the Supplies power to the Tool (once the Interface power switch has been
other value should be 1V or less. If not, follow the steps in Suggest Ground- turned on). Under ideal conditions, with a Tool connected, the meter will
ing Methods below. jump to 70-80mA and then come down to 60-70mA when this switch is
turned on. The green LED should light as soon as the Tool is powered on.
DC to AC Inverters This switch is a combination switch/circuit breaker rated at 500mA. If it
trips (i.e. it won’t stay on), please refer to TROUBLESHOOTING. Note that
True sine wave DC to AC inverters (expensive) usually work better than
the green LED should stay on even if the Interface is not connected to the
inexpensive inverters, but there is no guarantee. Therefore, it is critical to
computer.
test a DC to AC inverter in its jobsite configuration prior to going out to the
field. Surface checks of the system, prior to running the Tool into the bore With all connections made (as described in CONNECTIONS) and the Tool
is recommended. switch green light lit, RivCross should first indicate on the ParaTrack2 input
form that cals (calibration values stored in each tool) are being received
Suggested Grounding Methods from the tool. After that, data should be received from the Tool continuous-
ly with no “Bad Checksum” messages.
• Ground the generator supplying power
Current Meter
• Ground the DC to AC inverter supplying power
Displays current being output from the Interface to the Tool. Under ideal
• A ground lift adapter like the one shown in Figure conditions, the Interface powers the Tool with 62mA of current at 46V, as
2-3 can be useful when placed between the read on this meter.
interface and the AC power source. Connect the
ground tab to an outside grounding source such Meter Range Switch
as a grounding stake. Figure 2-3: Ground lift
adapter Determines the amount of cur-
rent to supply to the Tool. For
FRONT PANEL normal operations, this should
be set to 100mA. The Interface
Power Switch is capable of supplying up to
Supplies power to the 500mA in cases where there
interface (universal is excessive current leakage.
110/220v 50-60Hz AC), Set the meter range switch
and (if in use) the old- to the 1000mA setting if the
style driller’s display current is above 100mA.
connected to the inter-
face via serial port. The GAIN SELECTION
yellow LED should light The RivCross software allows
when turned on. This the user to switch from normal
switch is a combination High Gain mode where the
switch/circuit breaker AC magnetometers operates
with the power switch at maximum sensitivity to a
rated at 1.0A. If it trips Figure 2-4: The Front of an Interface Figure 2-5: Click to Change Gain When Saturation is
Low Gain mode, where the Detected
(i.e. it won’t stay on), AC magnetometer sensitivity
please refer to TROUBLESHOOTING. Note that the yellow LED should stay is reduced by a factor of 400. The default for the Tool, when first powered
on even if the Interface is not connected to the Tool or the computer. on, is High Gain mode.
The AC sensors may saturate when the Tool is close to a guidance wire or
11
Beacon Tracker System. The user would normally turn down the current 2. Level the Tool using a bubble level and wooden shims.
to the magnetic source reducing the AC magnetic field magnitude enough
to prevent saturation. If the current can’t be turned down the Tool can 3. Open RivCross and turn on the Tool.
be switched to low gain. RivCross will display warning messages when
saturation is detected. Switch to low gain mode to avoid saturation of the 4. Go to Guidance > Steering Tool and roll the Tool so that Angle High
AC magnetometer. To switch between gain modes, use the toggle button on Side to Toolface (AHSx) = 0.
the ParaTrack2 or Beacon Tracker input forms in RivCross. See Figure 2-5.
5. Open the Windows/Etc > Roll Test window to record Inclination and
When gain switching occurs, the green tool light on the front of the Inter-
Azimuth (see ROLL TEST IN SOFTWARE).
face should turn off for about 5s.
6. Wait for incoming Tool data to settle.
TOOL TESTING 7. Capture data in the Roll Test window to take inclination and azimuth
There are several tests that can be done to check the Tool for nominal op- readings, then roll the Tool 45°. Continue capturing data and rolling ev-
eration. Tests in the field may have more variation than readings acquired ery 45° until there are 8 values for inclination and azimuth.
in the shop because of external noise caused by many sources such as
8. For a nominally operating Tool, the averaged answers will fall into
heavy machinery or unstable testing stands.
the standards below:
A roll test should be performed at each of the following phases during a
job: Threshold Tolerance Average Tolerance
Inclination 90° +/- 0.25°; max-min <0.50° 90° +/- 0.15° of average
• In the shop before loading equipment
Azimuth +/- 0.75°; max-min <1.5° +/- 0.50° of average
• In the field before placing the Tool in the BHA
If the Tool is significantly outside of these tolerances, contact your distrib-
• Down hole once the Tool is in the BHA (see below for more info). utor.
8-POINT ROLL TEST IN SHOP FIELD WIRE TEST

A simple roll test should be A field wire test will check the accuracy of AC magnetometers before
performed in a magnetically entering the hole. This test requires a guide wire first be laid out, surveyed
clean environment before and entered into RivCross. See GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUPPLIES.
loading out equipment. The
1. Open RivCross and create a new wire file with the survey data (Edit
purpose of the test is to
> Wires). Make that wire active.
verify gravity and DC mag-
netic sensors in the Steering 2. Position the Tool in a stable location parallel to and at a known
Tool are functioning prop- distance from the wire (~6ft is recommended). Keep the Tool as far as
erly. Follow these steps to possible from magnetic interference.
gather data for the test:
3. Ensure the Tool is located as far as possible from large bends or
1. Place the Tool on a corners of the guide wire.
stable plastic or wood-
en saw horse or other Figure 2-6: Performing a Roll Test 4. Turn on the Tool and verify cals are loaded properly.
non-magnetic stand,
as in Figure 2-6. Ensure 5. Open the Baseline Azimuth tab (File > Program Settings). Enter the
there are only two immobile points of contact between the Tool and the Baseline Azimuth currently read by the Tool (parallel to the wire).
stands.
6. Choose an entry and exit point along the section of the wire that is

Vector Magnetics
12
parallel to the Tool. If ParaTrack1 or ParaTrack2 shots were taken to perform the roll test
instead of using the Roll Test input window, those shots can be exported
7. Turn on guide wire. Adjust current to wire appropriately to ensure as a roll test to a .csv file (an Excel-readable format). Refer to EXPORTING
magnetometer is not saturating. NORMAL SHOTS/SURVEYS in MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS for more informa-
tion.
8. Take a ParaTrack2 shot. Roll Tool 45° and take another shot. Repeat
until there are 8 shots.
9. In a perfect environment, the calculated distance to the wire (DW)

should be +/-2% of the measured distance to the wire. It will have less
accuracy with magnetic interference. Use judgment of location and
desired borehole accuracy to decide if the Tool is within acceptable
accuracy levels.
A job location may not always provide ample means for stabilizing the Tool
during a test. If a sawhorse or non-magnetic tool stands are not available,
the use of a piece of wood or other improvised non-magnetic material may
be necessary. Variability of results will increase with unstable Tool support
and uncontrolled environments.
Ensure that this test is performed on every job before placing Tool in the
Monel.
DOWNHOLE TEST
The purpose of the test is to determine if the wet-connect and Steering
Tool are operational after the wet-connect is installed, the Tool is placed in
the Monel, and the Monel has traveled a short distance into the hole. Read-
ings of azimuth and inclination may not be accurate during this test due to
proximity of large machinery.
Ensure that this test is performed on every job before spudding. Figure 2-7: Roll Test Input Window
ROLL TEST IN SOFTWARE

The Roll Test input window (Figure 2-7) can be opened with the Windows/ RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING
etc > Roll Test menu option.
The fields on the left display real-time data from the Tool. Click the Capture
button every time the Tool is rotated (once the real-time data have settled).
RULES OF THUMB
RivCross will automatically calculate the range of values and average value 1. Check the Steering Tool in a magnetically clean environment before
for each field, which are displayed as the last two rows in the table. To de- using it in the field.
lete a data row, simply click the gray row header to the left of the Comment
column and press the Delete key. 2. Check the Tool before placing it in the BHA by performing a field
When enough data has been collected in the table, click the Export button test (see FIELD WIRE TEST).
at the bottom of the window to export all data to a .csv file (an Excel-read-
3. Check the Tool in the BHA and prior to running BHA in the hole.
able format), and/or click the Print button to print it out.
4. Ensure the rig has a good electrical ground.
Exporting Shots as a Roll Test
13
5. To check the Tool serial number and calibration date in RivCross, Symptom Solution
use the Logs > Steering Tool Info menu option (only works once
RivCross has started receiving data from the Tool). • If Tool is on the surface, try to run
a power line to it from the Interface
directly (see CONNECTIONS).
TROUBLESHOOTING
This guide is intended for field personnel to diagnose and fix problems with • Ensure that the Interface shows cur-
the Tool and Interface while in the field. As such, detailed diagnosis and rent on the meter on the front panel.
repair are not covered.
• Ensure that voltage can be measured
General Troubleshooting at the output jacks (should read
~46V).
Symptom Solution
• Interface voltage to Tool may be too
Interface does not power This indicates that there is no main AC power
low due to excessively resistive wire.
up (Power switch is on, but coming to Interface, or there is a failure in the
Interface. Try these steps and check whether Try increasing output voltage to Tool
yellow Power light is off) (see ADJUSTING OUTPUT VOLTAGE).
the problem persists after each one:
• Ensure that AC line cord is connected Interface does not provide There may be excessive Tool current due
securely to outlet/power source and power to Tool (Power switch to one of the following: an external short,
Interface. is on, but Tool switch does an internal voltage limit, Tool crowbar,
not stay in the on position) or Interface failure. Try these steps and
• Ensure that AC power is the correct check whether the problem persists
voltage and frequency. after each one:
• Try a different Interface. If it turns • Check wire to the Tool for an external
on, the first Interface may need to be short. This most commonly occurs at
repaired/replaced. the slip ring.
Interface does not provide There may be a break in the electrical • If the Interface voltage has been
power to Steering Tool (Pow- connection to the Tool. Try these steps turned up above the standard 46V
er and Tool switches are on, and check whether the problem persists (see ADJUSTING OUTPUT VOLTAGE),
but green Tool light is off) after each one: turn the power switch off, adjust the
voltage back down and then turn the
• Ensure that Tool is electrically con-
power back on. If the voltage limiter
nected to Interface.
is triggered, the voltage will go on
• If Tool is downhole, try to run a and off repeatedly until the voltage is
power line from the Interface as di- lowered.
rectly as you can to the wire going
to the wet connect. Typically, this
wire should be connected directly
from the red post to the wireline as
it comes out of the pack off.

Vector Magnetics
14
Symptom Solution Symptom Solution

Green Tool light is on, but This could mean: Green Tool light is on, but This could mean:
Interface does not communi- Interface does not communi-
cate with computer (Interface • Communication issue in RivCross cate with computer (Interface • Communication issue in RivCross
connected to computer via connected to computer via
USB) • Bad ground (See GROUNDING OF IN- RS232) • Wrong serial port in RivCross
TERFACE). This is the most frequent
cause of issues - always check for • Bad or non-existent driver for USB to
good ground! serial adapter
• Bad cable • Bad cable or USB to serial adapter
• Bad switch card • Using a null modem cable instead of a

standard RS232 cable
Try these steps and check whether the
problem persists after each one: • Bad switch card
• Ensure that Windows recognizes the Try these steps and check whether the
Interface as a USB device (i.e. when problem persists after each one:
plugging Interface into computer,
Windows shows a message stating • Select the Edit > Reset Tool COM Port
that a new USB device was found menu option in RivCross.
and that a driver was found for it).
• Check the port settings in RivCross
• Select the Edit > Reset Tool COM Port and Windows Device Manager to
menu option in RivCross. make sure the correct serial port is
selected.
• Power down the Interface, unplug the
power cord, wait 30s, plug it back in, • Make sure that another program is
and turn it on again. not using the same serial port.
• Repeat the previous step while also • If the serial cable is a null modem
unplugging USB cable from Interface, cable, replace with a standard RS232
restarting computer, and plugging cable.
USB cable back in afterward.
• Reboot computer with Interface
serial cable disconnected from
computer.

15
Symptom Solution Symptom Solution

Wet Connect does not thread Look at threads inside head. Threads Interface meter fluctuates. The most common cause is dirt/mud on
in Tool. may need to be cleaned. If using a bot- the collector ring while rotating. If the
toming tap (1 3/16-12) to clean threads, do Tool is not resetting or changing gain on
not go too deep! The o-ring surface can its own, and RivCross does not report
be easily damaged. bad checksums on Tool data, no action
Interface meter shows Tool is taking too much current and may is probably necessary. Otherwise, try
100mA when powered up. be shorted. Try these steps and check these steps and check whether the prob-
whether the problem persists after each lem persists after each one:
one:
• Clean the collector ring.
• Switch to 1000mA scale on meter
• Ensure that all electrical connections
and read current.
going to the Tool are properly insulat-
• Test Tool on the surface with a wet ed and have no continuity issues.
connect. With a meter that measures
• If a Pressure Module is attached,
resistance, check between the brass
disconnect it.
piece in the middle of the head insert
and the outside of the Tool. Resis- • Increase output voltage (refer to AD-
tance between brass insert and out- JUSTING OUTPUT VOLTAGE).
side of Tool should be approximately
20,000 Ohms. If resistance is signifi-
cantly less, some internal connection
Tool has power, but the green Voltage may be set too high. Refer to
has been broken or shorted.
Tool light is off. ADJUSTING OUTPUT VOLTAGE.
Interface shows no current Try these steps and check whether the
when powered up. problem persists after each one:
• Ensure that Tool is connected cor-

rectly and securely to Interface.
• Ensure that wires connecting Tool

and Interface are not broken.

Vector Magnetics
16
ADVANCED INTERFACE TROUBLESHOOTING
Adjusting Output Voltage

Under most circumstances,
the default 46V output does not
need to be adjusted. However,
the output voltage of the Inter-
face is adjustable up to 54V DC
to overcome high resistance or
an electrical leak in the wire that
causes current loss.
• Use a potentiometer adjust-

ment (trim pot) tool1 through
the access hole on the back
panel (see Figure 2-8). The
trim pot is a plastic screw Figure 2-8: Adjusting the Output Voltage
that makes ½ of a revolution.
DO NOT use a metal screwdriver. DO NOT overturn in either direction.
These can break the potentiometer screw!
Figure 2-9: Inside of ParaTrack2 Interface showing position of circuit boards
• Carefully turn clockwise to decrease output voltage. The inside of the box (Figure 2-9) contains the following boards:
• Carefully turn counterclockwise to increase output voltage. • Analog Board – This board is mounted to the bottom, right behind the
front power switches. It has a small, daughter board mounted to it with
• Fully clockwise will return Interface to the default 46V DC output. a green LED in the back corner (Astrodyne power supply). The LED
indicates that the front power switch is on.
• Verify output voltage with a meter across the Banana Jack or wing nut
terminals. • Demodulator Board – Mounted vertically right behind the Analog board.
• Put a piece of tape on the interface with a note saying that the voltage • Switch Board – Mounted vertically in back of the Demodulator board.
has been adjusted, in order to remember to turn it back down after
completing the current bore. • Power Supply – Mounted to the back.
Internal Components Notes on Boards

Boards used in the ParaTrack2 Interface have gone through various revi-
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD. USE CAUTION! sions to correct flaws and add performance and features. Problems can
sometimes be fixed by a board upgrade. It is Vector Magnetics’ general pol-
DO NOT OPEN AN INTERFACE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED BY icy to replace boards with current-level versions when they are returned
YOUR DISTRIBUTOR OR VECTOR MAGNETICS. to the factory for servicing. The current versions:
Internal checks should only be done with the power line cable disconnect-
ed. To do an internal check, remove the top four screws and pry off top • Switch Card – Rev. 4k, adds updated FTDI usb chip.
panel. Check card seating and connectors. Try wiggling the cards and
• Analog Card – Rev. 8H or 8K
connectors to make sure that their connections are good.
1 Such as GC Electronics #AS 8608 • Demodulator – Rev. 4D

03
PRESSURE MODULE
AND ORIENTING SUB
SPECIFICATIONS
PRESSURE MODULE COMPONENTS

Vector Magnetics
18
INTRODUCTION PRESSURE MODULE COMPONENTS

Figure 3-1 illustrates the components of the Pressure Module. This module
The ParaTrack Steering Tool is available with an optional pressure sensing does not generally require disassembly, except for removal of the bulkhead
system that can be used to monitor pipe and annular pressure. It consists trap for periodic replacement of the centralizer. Torque all connections
of a Pressure Module, which connects directly to the Steering Tool, and a to 250 ft/lbs. To connect the Pressure Module, remove the foot from the
Pressure/Orienting Sub that connects to the Pressure Module. The pres- Steering Tool and screw the two together.
sure orienting sub has standard API threads to connect to a non-magnetic
drill collar.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Length: 35.5” (90.17cm)
• Sonde Diameter: 1.75” (3.85cm)
• Centralizer Width: Centralizers are available in the following sizes: 2

3/4”, 3”, 3 1/2” - Standard size is 2 3/4” (7cm). Others sizes available by
special order.
Figure 3-1: Pressure Assembly Components
• Threads: At Male Rotary Connector: 1 3/8 x 12 UNF (fits into end of
Steering Tool sonde)
USER-REPLACEABLE PARTS
• At Pressure Foot: 1 1/4 x 8 TPI (Fits into orienting sub) Pressure Modules are equipped with a Delrin centralizer and Delrin male
rotary connector. The centralizer may need to be replaced if it has become
• O-rings: Male Rotary Connector side: Viton 216 (Same as Steering Tool too worn or damaged, or if the user has decided to use a different style
foot) of centralizer. The male rotary connector may also need to be replaced if
damaged.
• At Pressure Foot: Viton 211
Figure 3-2 shows an example of a centralizer that should be replaced,
• Borehole Annulus Pressure Sensor: 0-1,000 psi Full Scale, 3,000 psi because the gap between the bulkhead and the end of the centralizer is too
survival, 5,000 psi burst. large. A good centralizer will have about a .100” gap, or will fit snugly with a
Viton 220 O-ring.
• Drill Pipe Pressure Sensor: 0-3,300 psi Full Scale, 10,000 psi survival,
10,000 psi burst.
• Non-linearity: +/- 0.1% FS
• Hysteresis: +/- 0.015% FS
• Repeatability: +/- 0.01% FS
• Internal Operating Temperature Range: 0-85°C

Note: For pressure sensors, Full Scale is the maximum pressure that the
sensor can detect, and Burst is the pressure at which the sensor experi-
Figure 3-2: A centralizer that should be replaced
ences complete failure and tool flooding.
Chapter: 03 Pressure Module and Orienting Sub

19
Follow this procedure to replace the centralizer and/or the male rotary drilling fluid and contaminants. Apply a thin layer of lithium grease to
connector correctly without damaging internal wires: surface.
1. Loosen the two allen head set screws (Figure 3-3), then pull out the 5. Install a new centralizer with a Viton 220 O-ring. The O-ring goes
male rotary connector. between the centralizer and the bulkhead trap and should be slightly
compressed when the bulkhead trap is torqued.
6. Install the bulkhead trap. Make sure to watch the coil cable, since it
can be crushed if it is not centered. If desired, a piece of string can be
tied around the Molex connector (Figure 3-6), then placed through the
bulkhead trap. Pull the string somewhat tight to keep the coil cable
centered and out of the way of the threads. Take care not to pinch the
cable on the inner shoulder of the Bulkhead Trap.
Figure 3-3: Allen Head Set-Screws on Male Rotary Connector
2. Remove the electrical tape, cut waxed string connecting the

connector halves, then disconnect the male rotary connector from the
coil cable (Figure 3-4). Figure 3-6: Using a String to Avoid Damage to the Coil Cable
7. Once the bulkhead trap has been hand tightened, the male rotary
connector can be re-connected. Make up the Molex connector, and
secure with coated string if available. Wrap the connection with electri-
cal tape to ensure it does not come undone. Place the rotary connector
back in the trap and tighten the set screws. Use blue Loctite 243 to
secure them.
Figure 3-4: Coil Cable

PRESSURE/ORIENTING SUB
The Pressure/Orienting Sub connects to the Pressure Module on the up-
3. Remove the stainless steel bulkhead trap that holds the centralizer
hole end and to a non-magnetic drill collar on the down-hole end. There
in place (the bulkhead trap has been removed in Figure 3-5). The Viton
are two annular pressure ports, one on each side of the sub (Figure 3-7). A
216 0-rings must also be removed for the removal of the centralizer.
bolt with a small hole allows pressure from the annulus to reach the sensor
housed in the Pressure Module sonde.
Figure 3-5: Bulkhead Trap Removed
4. Remove old o-rings. Thoroughly clean o-ring surfaces, removing Figure 3-7: Pressure/Orienting Sub Diagram

Vector Magnetics
20
It is important to keep this pathway (indicated by the red area in Figure 3-7) packed with lithium grease before use. If using a grease gun, do not
filled with a light grease (e.g. white lithium grease). Pump grease as indicat- pump grease too hard or it may damage sensors.
ed in Figure 3-8 until the grease expelled from the two pressure ports is
clean. It is important that the grease used is very lightweight to prevent a • Always set pipe and annular pressure zero corrections in RivCross
pressure drop from occurring between the annulus and the sensor. The before putting the Steering Tool in the ground (see SET ZERO CORREC-
Drill Pipe Pressure Port should also be filled with grease. This port can’t be TION in PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION).
filled using a gun, and should be packed full of grease by hand instead. The
grease gun can create a pressure greater than the rating of the pressure TROUBLESHOOTING
sensor.
Symptom Solution
Steering Tool shows no response to Check rotary connector to ensure
pressure after Pressure Module is that it is clean and not cracked or
attached. damaged.
ParaTrack2 Interface meter fluctu- The Pressure Module might have
ates. a broken board or sensor. In this
case, it will need to be repaired at
Vector Magnetics. Otherwise, this
issue is most likely unrelated to the
Pressure Module; refer to PARA-
TRACK TOOL AND INTERFACE for
additional information.
Pressure is reported from one sen- Ensure that the pressure ports are
sor, but not the other. not blocked (with mud, for exam-
ple). If problem persists, pipe or an-
nular sensor may be broken; send
to Vector Magnetics for repair.
Male Rotary Connector cracked or Replace rotary connector.
broken.
Figure 3-8: Pressure Ports on Pressure/Orienting Sub
Rules of Thumb
• Always use thread protectors when Pressure Module is not attached

to Steering Tool and Pressure/Orienting Sub.
• Grease all connections with lithium grease before torquing. Do not use
pipe dope anywhere on Pressure Module.
• Always check Pressure Module pressure ports to ensure they are

04
HARDWARE KEY
AND UTILITY
HARDWARE KEYS
HWKEY UTILITY
TROUBLESHOOTING
Vector Magnetics
22
INTRODUCTION HASP
The SafeNet Inc driver version 6.56.0.0 or greater is required. This is in-
stalled with RivCross and is also directly available from SafeNet. If there is
The Hardware Key is used to allow only licensed users to run RivCross
an older SafeNet driver installed on the key, typically the driver update can
software. It consists of both the physical key and the software. This chap-
be obtained on the Optional Updates tab of Windows Update. Bear in mind
ter documents how to use it, update it when it expires, and troubleshoot
that the key must be attached for this to succeed.
problems with it.
Note for versions 4.8.4 and 4.9.7 - When updating to 4.9.7 a Hardware Key FLE
update is required to activate the ‘New Gyro’ service. The previous ‘Gyro’
service will be deprecated within months of this publication and 4.8.4 will The signed FTDI driver version 2.8.28.0 or greater is required. This is
no longer be Gyro compatible. Additionally, note that upgrading a Gyro job installed with RivCross and is also available for download at vectormagnet-
from 4.8.4 to 4.9.7 is not supported. Complete any in-process Gyro jobs ics.com/support.
prior to upgrading to 4.9.7.
HWKEY UTILITY
HARDWARE KEYS The RivCross Installer will automatically install HWKey Utility, which is used
The Hardware Key must be connected to the computer in order to run to view and manage the Hardware Key (Figure 4-1). It can be found in the
RivCross and use any of the licensed guidance services (ParaTrack1/2, RivCross program menu under Logs > Hardware Key, or using the shortcut
Gyro, BTS, PMR, MGT, etc.). Never disconnect the Hardware Key while HWKey Utility 4 created on the desktop.
running RivCross.
SERVICES TAB
The Hardware Key consists of a license module (HASP) and a memory
module (FLE). When a key is attached for the first time to the computer, it is This tab contains all information needed for normal use of the key (see
necessary to install the appropriate drivers for these modules. All drivers below).
must be fully installed, up to date, and operational in order to run RivCross
or the HWKey Utility in any way.
After installing drivers, the key should work automatically when it’s at-
tached to the computer via USB. If the key is operating normally, the LED
on the side will blink a few times and then remain on after attaching the key
to the computer. If this does not happen, or any other problem with the key
occurs, refer to TROUBLESHOOTING for assistance.
DRIVERS
Use the RivCross Installer to do the initial driver installation. The comput-
er should then be able to find the drivers automatically if the key is con-
nected after installing RivCross (unlike in earlier versions of RivCross, the
RivCross 4 installer should copy these drivers to the correct location with-
out user input). Otherwise, install the drivers manually from the provided
RivCross installation media, or browse to C:\Program Files\Vector Magnet-
ics\RivCross n.n.n\Drivers\HWKey and run VM_HWKey_SignedDrivers.EXE
and HASPUserSetup.exe. The drivers are not found in Windows Update.
Figure 4-1: Licenses in good standing – RivCross on left and RMRS on right
Chapter: 04 Hardware Key and Utility

23
Fields Apply Update

This will apply the update codes from the .upd file received from Vector
Minimum required RivCross version Magnetics to the key and perform the actual update.
Lowest RivCross version that functions with this key. Earlier versions of
RivCross than displayed will not function and must be updated to the latest Advanced Tab
version. The latest version of RivCross is always available for download at The information on the Advanced tab
vectormagnetics.com. (Figure 4-2) can be useful if an error oc-
curs. Do not use this tab unless direct-
Service ed by Vector Magnetics.
Each ranging service is individually enabled or disabled in each Hardware
Key. Each enabled service will have an expiration date. HASP number
The Key’s HASP serial number.
Authorized?
A check indicates that this key is authorized to take ranging shots with this FLE number
service. The Key’s FLE serial number. HASP,
FLE, and OSN (overall serial number)
Last Day Authorized must all match the numbers on record.
Date that it will no longer be possible to take ranging shots with the service
indicated. Expiration is at the end of the day shown in GMT (NOT local time). DLL Version
Keys with expired services can be updated via e-mail message from Vector Version number of the FLE DLL.
Magnetics. If RivCross shows as expired, that program will not open – it will
ask you to update the key and it will open the HWKey Utility.
Firmware Version
Figure 4-2: Advanced Tab of HWKey Utility
Serial Number FLE firmware version in decimal.
Each Key is assigned a unique serial number.

Download Entire Key
Download Key Data This will download all data on the Hardware Key, not just data collected
since the last update. DO THIS ONLY IF DIRECTED BY VECTOR MAGNETICS.
Downloads data from the Key to the user specified location. After down-
loading, a message at the bottom of the window will remind you to email
Save V2C (Vendor to Consumer) on error
the data file to keyupdates@vectormagnetics.com. Email this file only once.
An automated verification of receipt of the key download should appear Use if there is an error in updating the HASP. This will save a file to the
from keyupdates@vectormagnetics.com within about 5 minutes. Check desktop. Try to update the HASP from this file on the desktop.
spam/junk folders if this verification doesn’t appear within 8 hours.
Read Key Again

Click this to verify that the Key was in fact updated or to re-populate the
fields on this screen.

Vector Magnetics
24
EXPIRED HARDWARE KEY LICENSES Key. Each enabled service will have an expiration date. To update the key
and expiration dates, follow these
When the Hardware Key License is expired, it is not possible to open
steps:
RivCross.
8. Download key data. This
Finding the License Expiration Date downloads drilling data since
Use the HWKey Utility or RivCross to see when a key will expire. In the last update for license
RivCross, the expiration date appears directly in the title bar (see Figure billing. The data file must be
4-3). The email received with the updated license will also contain the new e-mailed back to Vector Mag-
license expiration date. netics before update codes
will be emailed back to com-
plete the update. Depending
on the amount of data on the
key, this process may take
anywhere between a few
Figure 4-3: Expiration Date in RivCross Title Bar
seconds and several minutes
to complete.
LICENSE EXPIRATION WARNING
9. Email data to Vector Mag-
When the license is near-
netics. Email the download-
ing its expiration date and
ed data file to keyupdates@
a user attempts to open
vectormagnetics.com. Email
RivCross, the program will
this file only once. Normally,
prompt the user with a
an automated verification of
message like in Figure 4-4.
receipt of the email should
An answer of Yes opens be sent from keyupdates@ Figure 4-5: Key Utility and Expired Key
the HWKey Utility (Figure vectormagnetics.com within 5
4-1) so that the user can minutes.
download key data and Figure 4-4: Key Expired Warning
send it to Vector Magnet- 10. Apply update. A second email with a subject line that begins [Vec-
ics, and an answer of No tor Magnetics Key Update] and an attachment named Key xxx Para-
will continue loading RivCross as normal. Track Key Update on <date/time>..upd normally appears within 24
hours (although it may be sent to a different email address, such as a
EXPIRED LICENSE distributor). Save this attachment. Click ‘Apply Update’ and select the
attachment to perform the actual update to the Key. The new service
When a user’s Hardware Key licenses have all expired and they attempt to expiration dates should appear automatically. If they don’t, click Read
open RivCross, the HWKey Utility will appear instead and indicate that the Key Again to reconfirm that the key was in fact updated.
Hardware Key has expired, as in Figure 4-5. The service expiration dates
are highlighted to indicate that they are in the past. a. If the update file can’t be selected after clicking ‘Apply Update’
At this point, it is necessary to download key data and wait for an updated because the file has an .rc4u extension instead of an .upd extension,
license before any RivCross services can be used. For details on the pro- make sure to use HWKey Utility version 3.2.0 or greater to apply the
cess of updating the license, see PRODUCT LICENSES AND UPDATES. update. Earlier versions will not work.
PRODUCT LICENSES AND UPDATES

Each ranging service is individually enabled or disabled in each Hardware

25
NOTES TROUBLESHOOTING
• Job data are coded such that all job data must be present to receive a If a Hardware Key error occurs when running RivCross or HWKey Utility,
new update code. check the table below for recommended troubleshooting steps.
• Update codes are NOT interchangeable between Keys. Symptom Solution

• Expiration Dates are in GMT, NOT local time. LED on key does not light Verify that the USB cable works (see CHECKING
USB CABLE). If error persists, check whether FLE
and HASP key drivers are missing/corrupt and
• Do not wait until the last minute to update a Key!
reinstall them if necessary (see REINSTALLING
DRIVERS).
• Allow up to 24 hours for Vector Magnetics to process a key download.
Error code A01 Reboot. If it still gives this error, reinstall
• If a Service not previously authorized is required, please request this RivCross.
before sending in your download by sending an email to keys@vector-
magnetics.com. If a change to authorized Services is requested after Error code A02 Reinstall RivCross and reboot. If it contin-
receiving an update, a new key download will need to be submitted. ues to give this error, uninstall RivCross and
completely delete the RivCross program
• Similarly, if any other change is requested - such as an extended directory. Reinstall and reboot.
expiration date, etc. please make this request prior to sending in your Error code A03 Key programming is incorrect – contact dis-
download tributor for assistance.
• If you are not current on your account with Vector Magnetics, your Error code A04 Reboot. If it still gives this error, reinstall FLE
update may be further delayed. key drivers (see REINSTALLING DRIVERS).
Error code A05 or A07 Update key to run RivCross 4.5
Error code A06 Reboot. If it still gives this error, contact dis-
tributor for assistance.
Error code H0007 • Make sure the key is plugged in securely

and restart the program.
• “No HASP key found”
• Verify that the USB cable works (see
• “Waiting until a valid CHECKING USB CABLE).
Sentinel LDK License
is available” • Check whether FLE and HASP key
drivers are missing/corrupt and reinstall
• “Can’t connect to FLE them if necessary (see REINSTALLING
key” DRIVERS).
• If the drivers don’t appear to need to be

reinstalled, but the error keeps occur-
ring, the drivers are most likely out of
date. Follow the directions for error code
H0050.

Vector Magnetics
26
distributor for further troubleshooting or replacement.

Symptom Solution
Error code H0039 Make sure the key is plugged in securely. If CHECKING USB CABLE
the error persists, verify that the USB cable
“Can’t get 1st time: Bro- Vector Magnetics supplies a USB A to B cable with every Hardware Key.
works (see CHECKING USB CABLE).
kenSession” To verify that this cable works, try attaching it to the ParaTrack2 Interface
Error code H0050 • Keep the key connected, open Windows instead of the key and turning on power to the Interface. If the computer
Update, go to “Optional Updates” and makes a sound indicating that a USB device has been plugged in, the cable
• “Device driver soft- install anything that says “HASP” or is good. If there is no sound, try switching to a different USB port on the
ware was not suc- “SafeNet.” computer. If there is still no sound, the USB cable may need to be replaced.
cessfully installed”
• Reinstall FLE and HASP key drivers (see REINSTALLING DRIVERS
• "The program can’t REINSTALLING DRIVERS).
start because FT-
D2XX.dll is missing • Reinstall FLE key drivers (see REIN- Checking Driver
Status
from your computer" STALLING DRIVERS).
The primary way to
• “Can’t update HASP • This key update has already been applied confirm that drivers
UpdateTooOld” to update the key – the latest update sent need reinstallation is to
by Vector Magnetics must be applied open the Windows De-
• “Can’t update HASP instead. vice Manager and look
UpdateTooNew” for the following devic-
• There is an older update for this key that es in Figure 4-6.
• “Key ids don’t match – was skipped. Please contact distributor
can’t update” for assistance – it may be necessary to Note two Vector Mag-
send in a new download. netics (FLE) devices
• “Invalid update object” in the COM and USB
• This update is intended for a different sections, and three
• “This looks like a don- key. Please apply the update to that key HASP devices in the
gle and not a full key” instead. USB section. If the FLE
or HASP drivers are not
• "Can't get 1st time: " • Make sure to use the most recent ver- installed or the corre-
sion of HWKey Utility to apply updates. sponding device has
If the error persists, ask Vector Magnet- failed, one or more of
ics to resend the update file in a com- these devices will be
pressed (zip) format. missing, or show up
with warning or error
• Click no, wait until the key LED stops icons, like the NETGEAR
flashing and remains on, and click Read device in Figure 4-7.
Key Again.
However, if none of the
• Contact your distributor for a replace- devices indicated in
ment Hardware Key. Figure 4-6 are present,
there is likely a con-
If all of the above options are exhausted (all key drivers are installed and nection problem rather
up to date, USB cable is good, etc.) but the Hardware Key is still not func- than a driver problem.
Refer to CHECKING Figure 4-6: Hardware Key devices in Device Manager
tioning, and/or the Hardware Key rattles when shaken, please contact your
USB CABLE for more
27
information. DRIVERS FROM VECTOR MAGNETICS).

It should also be possible to open a web Note that Administrator Privileges are required to install the drivers.
browser to see if the key is installed. Downloading Drivers from Vector Magnetics
Browse to http://localhost:1947/_int_/ Figure 4-7: Improperly installed device
devices.html and confirm that an entry in Device Manager • Download the latest driver packages online at vectormagnetics.com/
with a location of “Local” appears in the support. This requires creating a user account and waiting for it to be
authorized for access. Authorization may take several days – please do
not leave testing your Hardware Key to the last minute before leaving
on a job.
• On the Support page, expand the Drivers section and download the
FLE Hardware Key Driver and Safenet HASP Driver packages.
• Unzip the files.
• Open the Windows Device Manager.
• Browse to the VectorMagnetics Hardware key (it should be easy to find

as it will be listed as an unknown device or will be otherwise flagged as
Figure 4-8: Hardware Key in Admin Control Center not having a driver).
• Right click on it and select “update device driver” from the menu.
table, as in Figure 4-8. • Browse to the driver folder that was just unzipped and select that.
Finally, it is possible to check whether drivers need to be reinstalled by
• The driver should update, the LED should light, and RivCross should
testing the Hardware Key on a different computer, or testing a second
run.
Hardware Key on the same computer. If the key works in either case, driv-
ers will need to be updated or reinstalled.
Reinstalling Drivers
If the drivers need to be reinstalled, try one of the following to reinstall
them:
• Install/reinstall RivCross 4. The drivers will be installed with RivCross

automatically.
• If RivCross 4 is already installed, browse to C:\Program Files\Vector

Magnetics\RivCross n.n.n.\Drivers\HWKey and run VM_HWKey_Signed-
Drivers.EXE for the FLE drivers and HASPUserSetup.exe for the HASP
drivers.
• Manually update drivers in device manager. Go to the previous directo-

ry and extract the files from HWKey_SignedDrivers.zip to your desktop
then direct the device manager to install those.
• Download drivers from Vector Magnetics website (see DOWNLOADING

Vector Magnetics
28

05
GUIDE WIRES AND
POWER SUPPLIES
HARDWARE
GUIDE WIRE DESIGN (THEORY)
DEFINING WIRES IN RIVCROSS

Vector Magnetics
30
WARNINGS HARDWARE
Lightning poses a severe risk both to users of this equipment GUIDANCE POWER SUPPLY
and electronics in or near this equipment. It can induce a cur- The Guidance Power Supply (also
rent on the guide wire from a great distance and does not need known as GuidePS, Power Sup-
to strike the wire to cause injury to personnel or damage to ply, or PS) supplies AC power in a
equipment. It is recommended to: 60/40 waveform to the guide wire.
Because of this waveform, polar-
• Use safety ground stakes on all guide wire set-ups (see GROUNDING ity must always be observed in
FOR SAFETY). set-up. The guide wire is connect-
ed to the outputs on the front of
• Physically disconnect the guide wire from the Guidance Power Supply
the Power Supply (Figure 5-1).
when lightning is present.
Figure 5-1: Front panel of Guidance Power Supply
Guidance Power Supplies have
• Physically disconnect the guide wire from the Guidance Power Supply several revisions. They are identi-
whenever personnel leave location, to prevent lightning from damaging fied on the back with the serial number (i.e. GUIDPS G000 = Revision G).
electronics while the rig is shut down.
Overhead transmission lines (OTL’s) can also induce current on guide Specifications
wires, causing a potential shock hazard. See WORKING UNDER OVERHEAD
TRANSMISSION LINES for details. Revisions A and B
• Input: Universal 105/230v 50-60Hz AC

INTRODUCTION
• Output: fixed output voltage as either:
Guide wires produce the magnetic field used as independent verification of • 6 amps/24 volts or
the underground position of the bore in HDD. The Vector Magnetics Para-
Track Guidance System offers two methods of powering guide wires: • 3 amps/48 volts (labeled on front of supply)
• ParaTrack1 uses DC current delivered by an off the shelf DC power • Current supplied to the wire can be adjusted with resistor packages.
supply (generally a welder) and is compatible with both the ParaTrack
Steering Tool (PST or Tool) and Tensor surveying tools. Revision C or Higher
• ParaTrack2 uses AC current delivered by a Vector Magnetics Guidance • Input: Universal 105/230v 50-60Hz AC
Power Supply.
• Output: 0-7 amps (dial adjustable)/48 volts
After the wire is laid out on or in the ground, its location must be surveyed
and entered into RivCross. This provides the known location from which • Variable output voltage adjusted with a knob on the front display panel.
all steering decisions are made. The accuracy provided by the guide
wire is directly related to the accuracy of the survey of the wire Fault Light
as laid out.
The Guidance Power Supply incorporates an over-current protection
Refer to SURVEY SIMULATION AND PLANNING for more detailed instruc- switch that illuminates the Fault LED when tripped. To reset fault switch:
tions on how to plan a guide wire setup.
• Turn off power to Guidance Power Supply
• Turn down current to guide wire on Rev C. (or higher), or add more
Chapter: 05 Guide Wires and Power Supplies

31
resistance between the Guidance Power Supply and the guide wire.
• Turn power on. Fault light should be out and switch reset.
GUIDE WIRE DESIGN (THEORY)
BASIC ELECTROMAGNETISM FOR RIVCROSS

When current is on, the entire length of wire creates a magnetic signal that
the Steering Tool will detect. Magnetic field strength increases with in-
creasing current and decreases with increasing distance.
COIL (CLOSED LOOP) VS. SINGLE WIRE (OPEN LOOP)

A guide wire can be laid either as a coil (closed loop) or as a single wire
(open loop) with ground stakes at either end. See Figure 5-2 and Figure 5-3
for diagrams of typical layouts for these setups. A coil generally provides
greater accuracy at a greater distance than a single wire, since return cur-
rent is guaranteed, but it may not be possible for all situations.
TYPICAL WIRE LAYOUT

One common and effective way to lay out a coil is to set it up in a rectan-
gular shape, in which the planned borehole is located halfway between the
outbound leg and the return leg. This layout allows for very accurate an-
swers and is relatively easy to set up and survey correctly. As a variation
on this layout, one of the legs may be placed directly over the borehole,
with the other leg a fair distance away. Single wires are most often placed
directly over the borehole1.
Figure 5-2: A typical coil layout
See the WIRE TABLE section in SURVEY SIMULATION AND PLANNING for
assitance with planning the layout for a guide wire.
average roughly one and a quarter times as wide as the borehole is deep,
The wires that go from the Guidance Power Supply to the nearest wire sur- in order to obtain the most accurate answers. Inaccuracies are further
vey point should be very close together, even twisted around each other, reduced by:
allowing them to cancel out each other’s signals, minimizing the effect on
guidance. • Improving accuracy of wire survey
COILS (CLOSED LOOPS) • Ensuring that both legs of the coil continue well past the exit point of
the borehole
As mentioned above, the outbound and return legs are typically placed
equidistant from the borehole, or with the outbound leg directly over the • Increasing the distance of the return leg from the borehole, when using
borehole and the return leg relatively far away (as shown in Figure 5-2). If the layout where the outbound leg is placed directly over the borehole
using the former method, the distance between the two legs should be on
1 There are other wire layouts that theoretically allow for slightly more accu-
Single Loop vs. Multiple Loops
rate answers, but at the potential cost of being significantly more difficult to set up
and survey. See APPENDIX A: ADVANCED WIRE LAYOUT THEORY for a more detailed • Single wire loop – one loop of wire used to create a coil. This is the eas-
explanation. iest way to create a closed loop.
Vector Magnetics
32
• Multiple wire loops – two or more loops of wire used to create a coil. running a return leg is otherwise difficult or impossible. The single wire
Each loop doubles the current in the coil. This is useful for increasing (open loop) layout is also followed when using an existing pipeline in the
the range at which the magnetic signal can be reliably detected. ground as the outbound leg, instead of a guide wire.
Single Wire (Open Loops) SELECTING WIRE GAUGE

The single wire (open loop) layout has only a single wire along the path of Generally, wire gauge is chosen to maximize output amperage of the
the borehole, which terminates at a ground stake at each end. In this case, Guidance Power Supply. Selecting wire gauge for a job requires balancing
the earth acts as the electrical return of the loop. For best results, place several factors:
the rig-side ground stake, point #1 in Figure 5-3, relatively far away from the
borehole. Current will flow in all directions from a single wire’s exit point- • Output current of the Guidance Power Supply needed, given borehole
side ground stake (point #9), so this minimizes the amount of return current tolerances
that flows down the drill pipe. The rig-side ground stake can be away to the
side, as in Figure 5-3, or behind the rig. • Length of the wire
Using a single wire is an option for narrow rights of way, or where • Cost of wire
• Strength of wire to surface disturbance (cattle, moving water, human,

etc.)
• Ease of handling/installing wire

The graph in Figure 5-4 gives an overview of maximum amperage for var-
ious wire gauges and wire length. For a more detailed analysis, see WIRE
TABLE in SURVEY SIMULATION AND PLANNING. Note that current output of
the Guidance Power Supply is maxed (“optimal”) with 15 ohms resistance
on the wire, as measured between the outbound and return legs of the
guide wire.
Figure 5-4: Amperage vs. wire length for various wire gauges
Figure 5-3: A typical single wire layout

33
WIRE RANGES AND GUIDELINES highly recommended because of potential injury and equipment damage
due to lightning. However, grounding the wire does not guarantee protec-
AC signal strength read by the Steering Tool is directly proportional to cur-
tion from lightning. If a lightning storm is imminent, disconnect the wire
rent on the guide wire, and inversely proportional to distance between the
from the guide wire’s power supply. A nearby lightning strike can create an
wire and Tool. Since a high signal to noise ratio is desirable; it is generally
induced voltage that will overwhelm any type of grounding system.
best to increase output current on the Guidance Power Supply as much as
possible without saturating the magnetometers. Figure 5-6 illustrates the recommended technique for attaching ground
stakes to the guide wire. Grainger Supply offers a Ground Rod kit that
Adjustability introduces the question of how much current is needed.
includes two 4 ft. ground stakes. The stakes should be pounded into the
The following chart (Figure 5-5) is a guideline to determine recommended
ground as deep as possible and should be 2 to 4 ft. apart. Before connect-
output current relative to the distance from the guide wire. This chart is
ing a wire between the two stakes, use an analog multimeter (Simpson
a starting point and should not be used in place of actual readings in the
meter) to measure the resistance between the stakes. Reverse the leads
field. Always manually set output current just below the saturation point. At
and measure the resistance again. The average of the two readings is
distances where the Tool is out of range of saturation (generally six meters
the combined resistance of the two stakes. The ideal value should be 100
or more), the current should be set to its maximum.
ohms or less.
A digital multimeter will not give an accurate resistance reading.
Additional ground stakes can be added to reduce the resistance. Ground
stakes should be electrically wired to each other (one wire between each
stake) and only a single wire from one electrode should be connected to
the guide wire. Under normal circumstances, the grounds should not have
any effect on the magnetic field created by the guide wire. Take readings
with the ground connected and compare to readings with the ground
disconnected.
Figure 5-5: Output current vs. distance from guide wire
Example: At a distance of three meters, magnetometers will saturate at

four amps, so set the Guidance Power Supply to provide just under four
amps of current. Take readings with the Steering Tool and verify that the
magnetometers are not saturated. If they are, reduce the current (or as a
last resort, switch the tool to low gain mode), and take new readings.
If the magnetometers become saturated with AC signal, any cal-
culated answers in RivCross will be incorrect.
GROUNDING THE GUIDE WIRE

Establishing an effective ground of 100 ohms or less for the guide wire is Figure 5-6: How to ground the Guide Wire

Vector Magnetics
34
Grounding for Safety

It is critical to understand that grounding the guide wire will not provide
protection from a lightning strike. Grounding only reduces the possibility of
damage and injury. Always disconnect the wires from the Guidance Power
Supply when lightning is observed and when not using the guide wire.
Grounding for Single Wire (Open Loop)

When using a single wire, keep the ground stakes away from the conduc-
tive materials running along the bore path (i.e. keep the ground stakes
away from the entry and exit points as the drillstring can conduct the wire Figure 5-7: A 10 ohm 225 watt resistor, for use on guide wires under OTL’s
current). Using two ground stakes creates the ability to verify that the
grounding resistance is 100 ohms or less. ohms). This should provide significantly more current than the induced
current from the OTL. However, keep in mind that the Tool still needs to be
WORKING UNDER OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES far enough away from the guide wire to prevent saturating the magnetom-
eters.
If a guide wire must pass under overhead transmission lines (OTL’s), as-
sume that it is carrying current and is a potential shock hazard until proven The resistor at full current can become very hot – do not touch and keep
otherwise. If possible, orient the guide wire perpendicular to the OTL direc- away from flammable objects when in use.
tion to reduce the chance of induced current. Figure 5-7 shows a photograph of the resistor and all the attachments re-
In addition to being a potential safety hazard, OTL’s can negatively affect quired to mount the resistor on a dry wooden board2.
the accuracy of the PST due to induced current on the guide wire (i.e. the Note that experienced field operators place a gap in the guide wire loop
Guidance Power Supply indicates that there’s current even when it’s been and use grounding stakes
turned down to 0 Amps). On surface prior to drilling, acquire some shots (as shown in Figure 5-8) to
with the Tool in a known location to determine the level of background create additional resistance
noise created by the induced current. Note that even though the frequency similar to the recommended
from the OTL is 60 Hz, the Guidance Power Supply will rectify the 60 Hz resistor (10 ohm 225 watts).
current to 3 Hz when connected to the guide wire. This method is not recom-
Grounding stakes should always be used in guide wire setups when work- mended because the effects
ing under OTL’s to reduce the risk of damage or injury. However, grounding on the guide wire loop are
stakes will not stop an OTL from inducing current onto the guide wire loop. variable, difficult to deter-
See GROUNDING FOR SAFETY for details. mine, and can be affected
by the stray ground cur-
Whenever a guide wire under OTL’s is not in use, disconnect it from the rents caused by the OTL’s. If
Guidance Power Supply, short the two ends to each other, and cover the grounding stakes are used
ends of the wire to prevent accidental contact. in this method, place them
as far away from the Steer-
Using a Resistor ing Tool as possible.
Attaching a 10 ohm 225 watt resistor to the guide wire can be useful in Note that the Steering Tool
improving Steering Tool accuracy by minimizing the effect of the OTL con- electronics and sensors
tribution to the current on the guide wire. Adding the resistor will make it are not affected by the Figure 5-8: Adding resistance with grounding stakes
easier to set the current to the precise amount required to account for the OTL’s 60 Hz electricity. and a gap
OTL’s induced current, and also allow the Guidance Power Supply to run
close to the maximum 48 volts (since typical resistance on a guide wire
is 2 ohms, and the optimal resistance for a Guidance Power Supply is 15 2 Mouser part numbers: 71-HL225-07Z-10 ohm (resistor) and 71-BRACK-
ET103225E29 (metal bracket).

35
DEFINING WIRES IN RIVCROSS desired for the wire layout).

Follow these steps to set up a new wire:
In order to take Para-
Track shots in RivCross, 1. Give the wire a unique name, if desired.
it is necessary to define
one or more guide 2. Enter the AER coordinates of each vertex, by clicking on a blank
wire layouts within the box in the row with an * and typing. When creating a coil (closed loop),
program. Only one wire there should be a minimum of five vertices, where the first vertex is
can be active at a time the beginning of the wire and the last vertex matches the first vertex,
in RivCross, and all new in order to close the loop. If the first and last vertices are not identical,
ParaTrack shots use the RivCross will interpret the wire as an open loop and ask if this is OK.
currently active wire for
their calculations. The 3. If you need to edit a vertex after creating it, simply click on any box
wires are managed via in its row and enter a new value.
Figure 5-9: The list of wires in RivCross
the Edit > Wires menu
selection (Figure 5-9).
New: Allows the user to define a new wire in RivCross. See EDITING
WIRES for details.
Edit: Allows the user to edit the selected wire. See EDITING WIRES for
details.
Copy: Creates a copy of the selected wire and adds it to the list of wires.
If the selected wire is the active wire, the copy becomes the active wire.
The new name is “Copy of…” the wire that was copied.
Delete: Removes the selected wire from the list. Note that wires that have
ever been active when a new ParaTrack shot was taken cannot be deleted,
even if that shot is marked bad.
Import: Read a text file containing wire vertex coordinates and create a
new wire containing that vertex data. See IMPORTING WIRES for details on
the expected format of the text file.
Export: Write a text file containing wire vertex coordinates from the se-
lected wire. See EXPORTING WIRES for details on the format of this file.
Make Active: This makes the selected wire the active wire. Only one wire
may be active at a time. New ParaTrack shots use the active wire for all
calculations. The current active wire’s name is shown in the Active Wire
text box at the bottom of this window, as well as in the ParaTrack input
windows.
Editing Wires
Figure 5-10: Editing a wire in RivCross
Clicking the New or Edit button opens the Edit Wires form (Figure 5-10).
In RivCross, wires are represented by a series of two or more vertex co-
ordinates. A vertex is a surveyed location where the wire has a significant 4. If you need to delete a vertex, click on the gray box to the left of
change in direction (what counts as significant will depend on the accuracy the corresponding row in the table and press the Delete key on your

Vector Magnetics
36
keyboard. character used as the delimiter in the textbox.

Click OK to import the wire. The Edit Wires form (Figure 5-12) will appear
5. If desired, enter descriptions for any vertices under the Descrip-
with the new wire vertices if the import was successful. Note that the wire
tion column.
will be converted to AER coordinates if it was imported in a different for-
6. By default, the wire will be shown in Plan, Section, and Polar (End) mat. Edit as necessary and click OK to finish adding the imported wire, or
View. Deselect the appropriate checkboxes in order to hide it in one or click Cancel to cancel the import.
all of these views.
EXPORTING WIRES
7. Give the wire a unique color, if desired. This determines what the
Click Export to export the selected wire to
wire looks like in Plan and Section Views.
a .csv or .txt file so that it can be imported
8. Confirm that the wire looks OK in the plan and section view pre- into any RivCross job at a later point.
views on the right side of the window, then click OK. After clicking Export, a window appears
that allows the choice of delimiting char-
9. The new wire will appear at the bottom of the list on the Wires win- acter for the wire file to be created (Figure
dow. Select it and click Make Active in order to use it to take ParaTrack 5-12). It is identical in function to the De-
shots. limiting Options section in the Wire Import
window. Select a delimiter, click OK, and
IMPORTING WIRES choose a location for the wire export file.
It is also possible to import any All wire exports use the AER coordinate Figure 5-12: The export wire window
wire previously exported to file format.

from RivCross. After clicking
Import and selecting a .csv or TAKING PARATRACK2 AND PARATRACK1 SHOTS
.txt file containing wire vertex Refer to TAKING SHOTS for information on how to take ParaTrack2 and
data, a window appears that ParaTrack1 shots, respectively.
displays the contents of the file
and provides options for how
the file should be read (Figure RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING
5-11). Each line should consist
of three numbers that repre-
RULES OF THUMB
sent the coordinates for a wire
vertex, followed by an optional 1. The accuracy provided by the guide wire is directly related to the
comment. accuracy of the survey of the wire as laid out.
Under “Coordinate system,” se-
lect the vertex coordinate for- 2. Increasing lateral separation of guide wire’s return leg from cen-
mat used in the file, which can terline decreases contribution of return wire to magnetic signal and
be Away/Elevation/Right, Away/ Figure 5-11: Editing a wire in RivCross reduces need for accuracy in surveying return leg.
Right/Elevation, or TVD/North/
3. Tie a knot in (or otherwise mark) the ‘+’ wire (outbound leg) while
East. If using the last option, make sure that both the baseline azimuth and
laying out guide wire so that it is easy to determine which end to recon-
magnetic declination are set correctly before importing (on the Baseline Az
nect to the Guidance Power Supply each morning (reminder: discon-
tab of Program Settings).
nect the guide wire every day when you leave the site).
Under “Delimiting Options,” confirm that the correct type of delimiting
character is selected. This should be the character used to separate all 4. Measure and record the guide wire resistance and continuity. This
coordinate values and comments in the file. If ‘Other’ is selected, enter the information can be important when troubleshooting problems with the

37
Guidance Power Supply. TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDANCE POWER SUPPLY

5. Use two ground stakes and check resistance using an analog me- This is a quick reference to diagnose and fix simple problems with the
ter. Guidance Power Supply. If problems persist after using it, please contact
your distributor.
6. Physically disconnect guide wire from the Guidance Power Supply
when lightning is present. Symptom Solution
No current on front panel display – The unit is in shutdown mode due
7. Physically disconnect guide wire from the Guidance Power Supply Fault LED is lit to over-current and must be reset.
whenever personnel leave location to prevent lightning from damaging
electronics while rig is shut down. 1. Turn unit off, turn Amps
knob off (fully counter-clock-
8. Refer to Simulations > Wire Table before laying out guide wire. wise) and turn back on again.
9. When using a single wire (open loop) layout, make sure not to place 2. Slowly bring up current us-
the rig-side ground stake too close to the rig. ing the Amps knob until desired
current is reached.
10. The ends of the coil need to be surveyed in, too – they contribute to
the field as much as any other segment. 3. If Fault LED lights again,
loop wire could have too low a
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE WIRES resistance and it is “shorting”
Wire issues usually occur because there is a problem with either insulation the output. Add ground stakes
or continuity. Disconnect the guide wire from the ground stakes and mea- or a load resistor to the guide
sure the insulation and continuity. Insulation between wire with no ground wire loop. Recommended guide
stakes and ground should be perfect (greater than 2 MOhms). If it isn’t, wire resistance plus a load
physically check the wire for breaks in the insulation or connections that resistor is 5-15 ohms.
make contact with the ground.
4. If high tension (OTL) wires
Compare the continuity reading with the data calculated in the Simulations are present, there could be
> Wire Table menu option. (See WIRE TABLE in SURVEY SIMULATION AND very large induced current.
PLANNING). The measured resistance should be within a few ohms of the Check the voltage and am-
calculated value based on wire length and wire gauge. If the resistance is perage, and do not touch the
10’s of ohms greater than the calculated value, there may be a poor con- wires. See WARNINGS.
nection between wire segments. This poor connection could become an
No current on front panel display – 1. Verify Guidance Power
intermittent open or could leak to ground, which may cause inaccurate
Fault LED NOT lit Supply is plugged in and the unit
results from the software.
is turned on.
2. Disconnect power. Nev-

er place hand or conductive
material inside Guidance Power
Supply with power connected
or when unit operating.
3. Remove top cover of Guid-

ance Power Supply (screw at
each corner).

Vector Magnetics
38
Symptom Solution ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING

4. Verify all connectors and cables Don’t open your Guidance Power Supply unless instructed to
are firmly seated. do so by Vector Magnetics!
5. Try tugging and pushing on con- Description of Internal Components

nectors to make sure they are proper-
The Guidance Power Supply is housed in an aluminum box. The top of the
ly seated.
box can be removed by removing four screws. Inside the box (Figure 5-13)
6. Connect power (with cover off) are the following boards:
and turn unit on. If unit still doesn’t
• Control board – This board has 4 diagnostic LEDS as well as a separate
supply power, proceed to the next
“daughter” board with 1 LED.
step.
Check the fan Fan – On bottom of the box, should be • FET driver board – This board supplies the FET devices that supply
running power to the wire. This has 3 diagnostic LEDS.
Current turned all the way If high tension wires are present, there • Power Supply Module – Supplies internal 48V power. It has 1 green LED
down, but display still could be induced current. See GROUND- on top to indicate normal operation.
shows a current ING THE GUIDE WIRE and WORKING UN-
DER OVERHEAD TRANSMISSION LINES.
Figure 5-13: Top view of Guidance Power Supply with top cover off

39
Fault Failure Fault Failure

No current and connections have FET driver board – This board has a No current - check Control Board Control board LED’s (5)
been checked – check FET driver red and a green LED that alternate- Red – On edge of board close to
board ly blink at a 3 Hz rate. There is also the front, right above the small dip
a yellow LED that lights up when switch, this LED is connected to the
there is a fault, like the front panel oscillator and should blink at the 3
LED (Figure 5-14). Hz rate.
Green – On bottom of board located
on the “daughter” card, this should
glow steady. Flashing indicates a
short, not illuminated indicates no
12 volt supply.
Yellow – Above daughter card, this
Figure 5-14: FET driver board with FETs and
load resistors on back panel indicates whether in 60/40 duty
cycle mode (on) or 50/50 (off).
No current – check Power Supply With unit powered on (cover off) White – Middle of board, glows
Module and wire coil connected (or dummy brighter as more current is sup-
load), check the internal diagnostic plied. It is connected to the pulse
LEDS. width modulator.
Never place hand or conductive Green – Towards the back of unit
material inside Guidance Power close to white LED, this also glows
Supply with power connected or dim to bright, depending on current.
when unit operating. This LED is connected to the gate
Power Supply Module LED (1) drive that drives the FET board.
Power supply module green LED – If any of these LED’s are not func-
Located on top of board next to the tioning as above, the Guidance
front panel Power Supply needs to be returned
Figure 5-15: Control board on inside
to the distributor for service.
of Guidance Power Supply with LEDs LED should glow green (constant)
glowing to indicate a good power supply
module.
If this LED is blinking or not on, turn
off power, disconnect load, and
power back up.
If LED is still blinking or off, then
power supply module is bad and
needs to be replaced.

Vector Magnetics
40
APPENDIX A: ADVANCED WIRE LAYOUT THEORY the standard rectangular layout is expected to be marginal at best in
practice. In the vast majority of (if not all) cases, a rectangular wire layout
Below in Figure 5-16 is a graph that shows how much the measured axial
allows for more than sufficiently accurate answers.
field of a coil changes for small changes in direction, given a ratio of out-
bound-return leg separation distance (S) to depth of the borehole (Z):
Figure 5-17: End view of a borehole and wire
Figure 5-16: Change in measured axial field over width to depth ratio
The red line in this graph indicates the threshold below which a single wire
layout is more effective than a coil (i.e. more sensitive to measurements of
lateral displacement). In other words, for situations where a coil would be
less than ¼ or more than 3.5 times as wide as it is deep, a single wire layout
will typically give answers that are just as accurate, if not more so.
Notice also that the graph peaks at about 1.2, which means that in an ideal
coil layout, S should be about 1.2 times Z. See Figure 5-17 for an illustration
of this, as a cross-sectional end/polar view at a single point along a bore-
hole.
Keep in mind that S should be about 1.2 times Z at not only this single point,
but at all points along the borehole. Thus, in a section of a job where the
borehole steadily decreases in elevation (such as just prior to crossing
under a river, for example), the ideal coil layout will look like a trapezoid,
when shown in a plan view (Figure 5-18). Figure 5-18: Plan view of an ideal coil
However, the difference in accuracy between this trapezoidal layout and

06
PARATRACK
GYRO MODULE
IMPORTANT NOTES
SOFTWARE CONTROLS
SURFACE TEST/PRE-JOB SETUP
TROUBLESHOOTING
Vector Magnetics
42
INTRODUCTION SOFTWARE CONTROLS

The main Gyro controls are accessed via the Guidance menu. Two win-
The ParaTrack Gyro Module (PGM) provides a gyroscopic drilling azimuth dows are available – Gyro Setup and Gyro.
that can be used for guidance in areas of significant magnetic interference
or when drilling beyond the reach of surface coils or Beacons. The PGM GYRO SETUP WINDOW
must be run in conjunction with the ParaTrack Steering Tool and is placed
Choose Guidance > Gyro
in a 3.5” collar directly behind the Steering Tool in the drillstring.
Setup from the top menu.
RivCross has been updated to include a full set of tools for collecting, The following warning will
analyzing and reporting the gyroscopic azimuthal changes recorded by the appear. Make sure your
PGM. units are set correctly be-
Gyro shots are compiled into a separate survey from magnetic data and fore continuing (Figure 6-1).
the two cannot be directly integrated in RivCross. While the two surveys The Setup window allows
may be graphically and numerically compared, the Gyro survey should the user to configure the
never be treated as the sole source of data for a bore. Gyro prior to starting a job. Figure 6-1: Gyro Setup warning dialog
Generally, these values
should be set at the beginning of a job and not changed again. (Figure 6-2).
IMPORTANT NOTES
• The ParaTrack Gyro Module requires use of RivCross 4.8.3 or higher.
Note that RivCross jobs created in earlier versions of RivCross cannot
be upgraded for use with the Gyro, and Gyro jobs cannot be opened
by earlier versions of RivCross. If you are bringing the PGM on to an
existing job with an earlier version of RivCross, you will need to update
to 4.8.3 or higher and create a new job.
• An E series ParaTrack2 Interface is required to run a PGM. The serial

number on the back will be preceded by an E (RCXFC EXXX).
• Use of the PGM requires an active license. Please verify with your
HWKey Utility that your Gyro license is active. See HARDWARE KEY
AND UTILITY.
• Sidetracking Gyro surveys is not supported in this version of the soft-

ware. Vector Magnetics discourages editing Gyro surveys in RivCross
4.8.3 except as outlined in this document.
• Azimuths reported by the PGM are always in degrees from True North
and are thus expected to differ from the magnetic azimuth reported by
the Steering Tool.
• The PGM has an OD of 2.75” and the recommended collar ID is 3.5” or

greater. This will allow for approximately equal flow rate as the 1.75”
Steering Tool in a standard 2-13/16” ID collar.
Figure 6-2: Gyro Setup window
Chapter: 06 Paratrack Gyro Module

43
Survey Name ulated, the Calculate

button will calculate the
Give the Gyro survey a unique name to identify it for graphing and report-
Gyro Baseline. (Azimuth
ing.
between Entry and Exit
points). Note this may be
Survey Calc Method different than the Gyro
Selects the method used for calculating the Gyro survey. Azimuth at Gyro Entry.
Display Main Gyro Survey In Entry/Azimuth Figure 6-3: Gyro Input window
Determines whether the Main Gyro survey is plotted in the Plan and Sec- Select this radio button to
tion views. The Main Gyro Survey is an average of the three Component calculate Exit Point coordinates from a specified Gyro Baseline and Hori-
Surveys. zontal Span. (Straight line distance between Entry and Exit Points).
Survey Color
Determines the color for used for plotting.
Gyro Channel (Sub) Surveys

Determines whether the individual Component Gyro surveys are plotted in
the Plan and Section Views.
Component Survey Colors

Determines the colors of the Component surveys for plotting.
Gyro Entry/Tie
Determines the location where the Gyro Survey will be tied to the Magnetic
Survey. See TYING GYRO AND MAGNETIC SURVEYS.
Gyro to Probe
The physical distance between the sensors of the Gyro and ParaTrack
Steering Tool. This value is subtracted from the ParaTrack Tool’s MD to
obtain the value saved for the shot so that the MD of the Gyro survey is
relative to the actual Gyro position.
Entry Point
The latitude and longitude of the Entry Point. Note that these values are
required for the PGM to function properly. If these fields are left blank a
warning message will be presented.
Entry/Exit
Select this radio button to calculate the Gyro Baseline based on the spec-
ified Exit Point coordinates. With the Latitude and Longitude fields pop-

Vector Magnetics
44
GYRO INPUT WINDOW Estimated Inclination/Azimuth

Choose Guidance > Gyro from the top menu. This window controls switch- The user’s best estimate of the Gyro’s current inclination and azimuth.
ing between the Steering Tool and the Gyro, and displays data coming from These must be approximately correct. These values will be auto-filled
the Gyro in real time. based on the previous shot, however, depending on exact bore conditions,
the values may need to be manually adjusted to a more reasonable esti-
mate.
Send Config
This button becomes active once the Estimated Inclination and Azimuth
fields have been populated. Clicking this button transmits that information
to the Gyro. The Configuring status bar will cycle in green while the config-
uration is transmitting.
Tool Position
Sets the current MD of the Steering Tool. Tool Position here functions the
same as in other parts of RivCross. See TAKING SHOTS for more info.
The Gyro Measured Distance will be automatically calculated by subtract-
ing the GYRO TO PROBE value defined in the GYRO SETUP WINDOW from
the Measured Distance value here.
Tool Readings
Information in this section is updated continuously as data is received from
the Gyro.
Figure 6-4: Gyro Input window Inclination

The current inclination angle of the Gyro.
Controls
Gyro Roll Angle
Enable Gyro
Previously Gyro High-side. The angle between the internal chassis of the
Switches from the magnetic ParaTrack Steering Tool to the Gyro Module.
tool and gravity. This may be used as a quality control factor.
Enabling Gyro One of two values x and x+180 is selected for each shot. Selection between
the two values (x and x+180) is random. The value x should be consistent
A status bar that will update as the Gyro is enabled. When this bar is solid
from shot to shot, yet will change slowly over the length of the bore. Note
green the Gyro is successfully Enabled and ready to be Configured.
that at ~90° inclination it is expected that the value may have a shift in value
that persists as long as the tool remains at ~90°. Large shifts in this value at
Configuring any other time (or between surveys at 90°) may indicate a tool problem.
A progress bar that will update as the current configuration is transmitted
to the Gyro. When this bar is solid green the Gyro is successfully Config- Alignment Deviation
ured. Sending the configuration is necessary for the Gyro to begin operat-
Measures the variance between the configured azimuth of the Gyro and
ing.
the theoretically optimal configuration for the measured values. Used as
a quality control factor. This box will change from green to yellow to red

45
depending on the amount of estimated deviation from the expected angle.
Std. Dev. Of Differences

The standard deviation value of the differences in the raw data between
flips. Another quality control factor. Values should be small and stable for
good survey quality.
Component Azimuths
The most recent azimuth reading for each Component Gyro.
Combined Azimuth Figure 6-5: The graph options in the Gyro Input window
The most recent azimuth reading based on the average of all flips in the
current set. Reset
Clears the contents of the currently active plot.
Channel Filter
Allows the operator to turn off individual channels to eliminate noise on one +/- 180 Check Box
or more channels. Changes the sign of the Y-axis on graphs.
Displayed Info Enable All Flips Button

This drop-down menu allows the user to choose what information to plot Marks all flips to good.
on the real-time graph on the right half of the Gyro Input window (Figure
6-5). The choices are: Averaging
• Standard Deviation Progress bar that completes as component azimuth values are averaged.
• Azimuth (average of selected component channels) Create New Gyro Shot

• Tool Roll Angle (useful for determining if the Gyro is stationary) Takes a Gyro shot and writes it to the job file.
• Differences (in raw data between flips)
• Raw Gyro Values (Gyro AC sensor data as used in calculating shots)

All graphs update continuously in real time as RivCross receives data from
the Gyro.

Vector Magnetics
46
SURFACE TEST/PRE-JOB SETUP Enabling the Gyro

Open the Gyro Input window via the Guidance > Gyro menu (Figure 6-7).
Prior to running the PGM in the hole, a surface test should be performed to
verify system functionality.
GYRO SETUP
Open the Gyro Setup
form via the Guidance
> Gyro Setup menu
option (Figure 6-6).
• Enter the Gyro En-

try/Tie values
• See TYING GYRO

AND MAGNETIC
SURVEYS for
more info.
• Enter the Entry

Point coordinates
in Latitude and Lon-
gitude. Note: These
are the surface co-
ordinates at actual
Figure 6-7: Gyro Input window
Entry Point regard-
less of how the
Gyro survey will be • Enter an estimated inclination and azimuth for the Gyro in the yellow
used as described boxes.
above.
Figure 6-6: The Gyro Setup Window • Enter ParaTrack Tool position using the Tool is at the end of rod# menu.
• Set Gyro Baseline
manually by enter- • Set up the Gyro/ParaTrack tool string on the ground according to the
ing the Exit Point coordinates and allowing the software to calculate the diagram in Figure 6-8.
baseline (Entry/Exit choice), or by entering the Gyro Baseline and Hori-
zontal Span and allowing the software to calculate the Exit Point coor-
dinates (Entry/Azimuth choice). Verify the calculated value is logical.
• Set Gyro to Probe Distance (typically 2m, 6.5 ft.) The zero point for the
Gyro sensors is 24.5 in. (2.04 ft.) from the top of the tool head.
• Click OK to save changes and close the form.
Figure 6-8: Gyro connection schematic
• Set Potentiometer dial to 0.

47
• Power on Interface. • Ensure the Estimated Inclination and Azimuth values are approximately
correct for the current Gyro position.
• Power on Tool.
• Click the Send Config Button (will not be available until at least 5 sec-
• Verify ParaTrack tool operation. onds after Enabling).
• Click the Enable Gyro button. • The component Gyros will start flipping and data will begin plotting on
the graphs indicating configuration is complete.
• The software will display a “configuring” dialog.
• The Enabling Gyro line will show a green progress bar and the text to Verify Gyro Readings
the right of the Enable button will update current activity. Once Enabled After successfully Configuring the Gyro, verify the values it returns are log-
the status bar will be solid green. ical. Switch the graph to the Raw Gyro Values view under Displayed Info.
• On the Interface analog dial, verify Gyro Current is ~110mA (1,000 mA The Gyro Module will display “flips” of data (represented by the colored
scale) rectangles) as the component Gyros collect data. If a flip is marked bad
(automatically by the software or manually by the user), it will be repre-
• Verify current briefly rises to ~190-215 mA and drops back to ~110mA sented by a red X.
every 15 seconds or so corresponding to flips
Configuring the Gyro

Once the Gyro has been successfully Enabled, the user must transmit the
Estimated Inclination and Estimated Azimuth values to the Gyro prior to
taking a shot.
Figure 6-10: Collection of Gyro flips prior to taking a shot
Allow for 10-15 flips of data, then:
• Verify the Combined Azimuth value is logical under Tool Readings.
• Verify 3 channels of data on Azimuth graph

Figure 6-9: Configuring the Gyro

Vector Magnetics
48
• Verify the Alignment Deviation value settles into green and is below 10 Final Steps Before Spudding
• Verify Std. Dev. of Differences and Component Azimuths give no zero • Complete all standard setup for RivCross jobs – enter wire coordi-
values nates, enter rod lengths, set distance and temperature units, etc.
• Verify Standard Deviation plot has: • Once the Steering Tool/Gyro Module is fully assembled and in the NMDC
– on the rig but before spudding, establish a good Gyro entry point
• 3 channels with values ~ 100-500 in a vibration free environment, azimuth. Let the Gyro run undisturbed. Wait at least until the Gyro input
values up to 3,000-5,000 are acceptable while tool is vibrating. window shows that it is OK to take a shot – approximately 3 minutes.
• Verify Tool Roll Angle plot • When satisfied with the accuracy of the calculated azimuth, open the
Gyro Setup window, set the Gyro azimuth in the Gyro AER entry box.
• shows tool not moving (+/- 0.025° of variation in data)
• Verify distance to probe. This is the distance between the Gyro and
• responds to manually rolling the tool (slowly)
Steering Tool sensors.
• settles down after rolling the tool (+/- 0.25° of variation in data)
• The distance to probe will be automatically used when calculating the
• Verify Differences plot (advanced – use in consultation with Vector Gyro survey – it will be subtracted from the Steering Tool MD and will
Magnetics) thus generate Gyro survey shots at another MD.
• Verify Raw Gyro plot • Surveys too close to the entry point cannot be calculated. If the
Steering Tool MD minus the distance to probe is under 2m (6.5 ft.), do
• has 3 channels not take a Gyro shot at that depth.
• values ~+/-1700 • Click Save to save all job setup parameters.
• Any data above that is in the hundreds of thousands, millions or zeroes TAKING A GYRO SHOT
is suspect.
• Clamp drillstring prior to taking Gyro data. Tool rotation while taking
• Any data that shows no data can have large effect on data quality. This is especially true while
change over multiple flips or drilling on an east/west axis.
values that do not show a
slight change with time are • Verify that the Gyro is Enabled and operating. Ensure that the tool is
suspect. Configured with the appropriate Inclination and Azimuth.
• Save ~10-15 flips of data • Select the measured distance by selecting the correct rod end in the
“Tool is at end of rod#” menu. If needed, edit the Rods Table first in the
• Verify return to Steering Tool Edit > Rods menu.
(P2) after disabling Gyro (Fig- Figure 6-11: Disable Gyro button
ure 6-11). • Add any additional distance onto the rod distance in the “Additional
Distance” box. This value can be either positive or negative and will be
• If all values appear good, move on to the next section. added to the distance from the selected rod to form the final Measured
Distance for the shot.
• Verify that the Gyro azimuth data as displayed is logical and settled.
Click the “Create New Gyro Shot” button. The Gyro Avg. shot will be
displayed as a GY type shot in the Shot Summary table.

49
• Individual flips that make up the average can be viewed by de-selecting View/Edit Shot
the “hide GC shots” in the display options for the Shot Summary table.
Each Gyro shot also appears in the View/Edit Shot window (Data/Tables
Note that 12-15 flips of data are typically used in a Gyro survey shot.
> Shot Data – see Figure 6-14). The Gyro shot’s description is shown in
the center of the window, and otherwise the interface is the same as for
VIEWING GYRO SHOTS viewing/editing Steering Tool and manual shots. See VIEWING AND EDITING
SHOTS.
Shot Data Summary Table
If one of the Gyro channels is known to be bad, the individual channel may
Results for all Gyro shots be excluded from the shot calculation by removing the check mark next to
will appear in the Shot the bad channel and clicking Save. The Gyro Azimuth will be re-calculated
Data Summary Table using only the good channels.
(Data/Tables > Shot Data
Summary Table). If the
“Mark New Shots Final”
flag is set in the Shots/
Surveys tab in File >
Program Settings, the
shot will automatically
be added to the current Figure 6-12: Gyro shots in the SDST
Gyro survey as well.
Gyro shots may have the Type GY (average of all component shots) or GC
(individual component shot). GC shots are hidden by default. In Figure 6-12,
the Gyro shot at MD = 24.8 is colored gray (rather than white like the other
shots at MD = 5), and the Gyro shot at MD = 32.8 is colored a darker yellow.
The shot Type “GY” of both Gyro shots can also be seen.
Figure 6-14: Editing a Gyro shot
Plan/Section View
Figure 6-13: The Description column The Gyro survey is displayed in the standard Plan/Section View windows
(Graphs > Plan View or Section View). In Figure 6-15, the purple line is the
To view the number of Gyro flips recorded with the shot, simply add the Gyro survey, and the blue line is the main survey.
Description column to the table by right-clicking in the header column, The plotted survey is by default the average of the 3 Gyro channels. It is
choosing Add Column > Description (Figure 6-13). Gyro Survey data may possible to view the individual channel surveys on these plots by check-
be viewed by adding the Survey Away, Survey Elevation, and Survey Right ing the required boxes in the Gyro Setup form. See GYRO CHANNEL (SUB)
columns to the table. SURVEYS.
If the Gyro to Probe value has been set in the Gyro Setup form, Gyro shots The right click menu has also been modified to show the name of the
will appear with a MD that’s offset by that distance in the SDST. survey. In Figure 6-15, the Gyro survey has been right clicked, showing the
menu with the name of the survey at the top.
Vector Magnetics
50
Handling a Disturbance
Two options are avail-
able in case of a
disturbance while
taking a Gyro shot.
Individual flips can be
marked bad by left
clicking on the blue av-
erage data point. These
points will no longer be
used in final shot data.
Alternatively, clicking
the Reset button in the
upper left of the graph
will reset the entire Figure 6-17: Data set after the disturbance
Gyro shot (Figure 6-18).
All data not yet saved by clicking the Create New Gyro Shot button will be
discarded.
Figure 6-15: Plan view of standard and Gyro surveys
GYRO DISTURBANCES
The accumulated Gyro dataset on the Gyro input window is sensitive to
physical disturbances to the Gyro. Certain techniques can be helpful in
fixing the dataset when this happens.
Detecting a Disturbance
Figure 6-16 shows a
good Gyro dataset with
no disturbance to the
data. Figure 6-17 shows
the same dataset just
after the Gyro made
a sudden movement.
There are a couple
of signs that this has
occurred: there is a
large, irregular spike in
the Raw Gyro Values Figure 6-18: Resetting Gyro plots
graph at the top and
the Alignment Deviation
increases, Watch out
for similar events while Figure 6-16: Data set before the disturbance
receiving Gyro data.

51
TYING GYRO AND MAGNETIC SURVEYS • Enter the data from

the chosen Tie MD
Prior to taking a Gyro shot, the user must specify where the Gyro Survey
in the Gyro Entry/Tie
data will “tie” to the Magnetic Survey. It is suggested the surveys be tied as
fields in the Guid-
close to surface entry as possible. However, it is recognized this may not
ance > Gyro Setup
always be practical. Thus, two options are provided.
window (Figure
• Entry Method: The Gyro will be used to survey immediately from sur- 6-20)
face entry. The Gyro Entry/Tie values in the Gyro Setup window (Figure
• The Gyro Survey
6-20) will be the same as those defined in File > Program Settings >
is now tied to the
Entry Point. The Gyro Az value must be set as a real-world, accurate
Magnetic Survey
value of the Gyro’s azimuth at surface entry.
and Gyro shots may
• Tie Method: The Gyro will not be used to survey until after some be taken.
interval has been drilled using P2, Beacon, or other Guidance. In this
• The tied surveys will
case the Gyro Entry/Tie values in the Gyro Setup window (Figure 6-20)
be plotted in all
will be at a point chosen by the user. To tie the Gyro and Magnetic
regular RivCross
surveys:
graphs (Figure
• Open Data/Tables > Shot Data Summary Table (Figure 6-19) 6-21).
• Choose the desired Tie MD • Note that the Gyro

Az value is expect-
◊ This should be far back as possible prior to leaving the range ed to differ from the
of the Guide Wire or Beacon in order to verify the two surveys magnetic azimuth Figure 6-20: Enter tie data
correlate. value used for the
Steering Tool in Pro-
◊ The Gyro Az. Value must be set as a real-world, accurate value gram Settings > Entry Point by approximately the magnetic declination
at the chosen depth. at the drilling site.
Figure 6-21: Surveys Tied at MD=70; Magnetic in blue, Gyro in pink
Figure 6-19: Shot Data Summary table showing chosen Gyro tie point

Vector Magnetics
52
GYRO QA • Click on the Start Capture button and let the Gyro collect data for 6
minutes. (note the regular Gyro window will be displaying Gyro data
The Gyro QA Test will automatically take 24 flips of data at 2 tool orienta-
simultaneously.)
tions. This does not require any input from the operator after data capture
is started. This process will take 6 minutes and should be performed when • The graphs will reset and clear after 12 flips. Let the tool run for a sec-
the tool assembly is made up in the BHA and on the rig. It should also be ond set of 12 flips.
run any time there is a problem with the Gyro Module and verification of
operation is required. • At the end of the QA test a popup dialog window will ask if you would
like to save the results. Select yes and a save location dialog box will
open.
• The file will be saved as a .csv file for viewing in Excel.
• After saving, a popup dialog window will ask if you would like to print
the results. If you select yes, the output will be sent to the Windows
default printer (Figure 6-23).
Figure 6-23: Gyro QA Test report
Figure 6-22: Gyro QA Test input window
The drillstring should be clamped during this test.
• Open the Gyro QA Test program from the Windows/etc > Gyro QA Test
menu (Figure 6-22).
• Enter Estimated Inclination and Azimuth in the yellow boxes.
• Enable Gyro and Send Configuration.
• Let the Gyro run for approximately 5 flips. Verify 3 channels of data and
that Alignment Deviation settles down and turns green. Verify 3 chan-
nels of logical Component Azimuths and a logical Combined Azimuth.

53
TROUBLESHOOTING Take a shot to provide to Vector

Magnetics.
Symptom Solution Run a QA test and submit data to
Interface current needle “bounc- Set potentiometer box to 30 prior Vector Magnetics (see GYRO QA).
ing”. to enabling the Gyro. Return to 0
after tool is Enabled. BEST PRACTICES
Gyro will not Enable. Interface should have an E prefix.
Take a shot/save data – even when bad
Verify user has sent Config. If no
Config has been sent, the tool will Vector Magnetics cannot provide effective support without data to evalu-
Enable, but no data will be plotted ate.
in real-time graphs.
Check Interface output voltage.
Communicate with Vector
Use a voltmeter to measure Inter- • Expect to use Vector Magnetics support for the first few jobs
face output at the terminal on side.
Interface output should be 46v. • Notify us in advance of any upcoming projects on which you will
Verify a P2 Probe or Gyro Dummy require support
Load (brass end-cap) is attached to
the bottom of the Gyro Module. • Email Vector setup files and daily backups
Verify ParaTrack Tool is working. • Communicate with issues and questions

See the TROUBLESHOOTING sec-
tion of the PARATRACK TOOL AND Use real and accurate coordinates
INTERFACE chapter.
Gyro is Enabled but data appears Verify a logical Config has been • Use accurate coordinates for entry and exit
bad. sent to the Gyro Module.
• Use your phone to roughly verify coordinates given to you
Verify tool current change on
Interface analog dial with each flip. • Measure bore baseline azimuth with your phone set to GPS mode
Tool current on Interface dial should
briefly rise from 110mA to 210mA • Verify Gyro baseline given by RivCross is close to phone baseline. If it
every 15 seconds or so and return. isn’t then reverse the signs on the longitudes and check again.
(1000mA scale).
• Look up lats/longs in Google Earth: verify coordinates correspond with
If Gyro is on surface and in a quiet your location
environment, listen carefully and
attempt to hear the inside cars Use a realistic setup
mechanically flipping. Is the sound
smooth and consistent? • Set up job before taking Gyro shots
Ensure the Gyro survey is properly
• Send initial setup to Vector for verification
tied to the magnetic survey (see
TYING GYRO AND MAGNETIC SUR- • Set up Gyro shots realistically – configuration azimuth should be within
VEYS ) 15 degrees of probe azimuth
• Create a new Plot Series (PS). Show this series in the Shot Data Sum-

Vector Magnetics
54
mary Table (SDST). Assign the Gyro shots to this PS. This will allow you
to sort based on Gyro/non Gyro shots. You can also go into the Edit PS
form and show/hide Gyro vs. non Gyro.
Be systematic in taking shots
• Clamp the pipe during Gyro shots.
• Watch the Roll Angle graph of the Gyro Input window while taking a
shot. Do not accept any shots where the tool is rolling (where the Roll
Angle graph shows a line sloping down or up).
• Take 15 flips of data per shot. The first flip will not converge. Do not
worry if the next few flips show scatter in
the Azimuth graph.
• Verify data on all three channels.
• Tool readings should not be 0 or in the

millions.
• Alignment Deviation should be green (after Figure 6-24: Monitor Alignment

a few flips) - Figure 6-24. Deviation
CONTACT FOR SUPPORT:

gyrosupport@vectormagnetics.com
Things to include:
• Initial setup (RivCross job with Gyro setup, bore plan, design, GPS co-
ordinates and how they were obtained)
• Daily backups
• Issues/questions

07
BEACON TRACKER
SYSTEM
HARDWARE OVERVIEW
EQUIPMENT SETUP
SOFTWARE SETUP
APPENDIX
Vector Magnetics
56
INTRODUCTION • Solenoid Weight: 67 lbs. (2 per system)
• Input voltage: 12 VDC, 7 Amps (typical small automotive type battery)

The Beacon Tracker System (BTS) accurately measures the location of the
• Excitation Frequency: Away solenoid = 2Hz; Right solenoid = 2.28Hz
ParaTrack Steering Tool without use of a guide wire. The BTS consists of
two perpendicular solenoids designated Away and Right. The Away sole- • Precision: Away, Elevation, and Right +/-2% of BTS to Steering Tool
noid is aligned with borehole azimuth and surveyed in position. The location distance
and difference in azimuth between borehole and away axis provides the
known location from which all steering decisions are made. Radio modems • Drilling Azimuth Determination (relative to solenoid axis): +/-1°
provide two-way communication, eliminating the need for direct connec-
tion between the BTS and the computer running RivCross. • Survey time: 20 seconds
BTS is ideally suited for use where a guide wire is difficult or impossible to
• Compass Interference: None
use. The simplicity of setup also makes it a good choice even where laying
out a guide wire on the ground is not difficult. • Radio Interference: None
A typical use would be for a large river crossing. A wire is placed on entry
side and a BTS is placed at the river’s edge. Drilling proceeds as normal • FCC Regulation: None
until ~300ft from the BTS, then BTS and P2 shots are taken concurrently
to verify BTS results match wire results. P2 shots stop at edge of river and TRIPOD BTS
BTS shots guide drilling for ~300 additional feet under the river. The BTS is This a new design with simplified hard-
moved to the opposite side of the river and BTS shots guide drilling from ware and improved electronics and
~300ft from BTS to the wire. operates identically to standard BTS.
The unit has:
HARDWARE OVERVIEW • Tripod base for easier leveling on
uneven terrain.
There are 3 supported styles of Beacon Tracker System:
• Waterproof Hand Held Controller
STANDARD BTS with all electronics. This has a built
This is the original production ver- in 2.4GHz modem for communica-
sion BTS. The unit has: tion/control at the computer running
RivCross and buttons for manual Figure 7-2: Tripod Beacon Tracker
• Grey box housing electronics operation.
• 4 adjustable leveling feet • 3 cables to connect Tripod BTS
• External radio modem powered Specifications

by the 12V battery
• Same as Standard BTS
• 7 cables to connect
LARGE FIELD BEACON (LFB)
Specifications
Please refer to the LARGE FIELD BEACON chapter for more complete infor-
• Maximum Range: 300 ft. Figure 7-1: Standard Beacon Tracker mation specific to the LFB.
The LFB is a scaled-up version of the BTS allowing increased detection
• Solenoid Length: 49 inches (2 per system)
range. It operates similarly to the BTS and consists of:
Chapter: 07 Beacon Tracker System

57
• External Power supply box with 3 cables to connect. MAXIMUM AND EFFECTIVE RANGES
• Waterproof Hand Held Controller with all electronics. This has a built The maximum range of
in 2.4GHz modem for communication/control at the computer running the BTS is 300ft and LFB
RivCross and buttons for manual operation. is 800ft (in any direc-
tion), as measured along
Specifications a straight line drawn
directly between the BTS
• Maximum Range: 800 and Steering Tool. Be-
ft. yond that distance, signal
intensity is too weak for
• Solenoid Length: 96 a reliable answer to be
inches (2 per system) determined. Figure 7-4
shows the BTS at eleva-
• Solenoid Weight: 900 tion = 0ft and Steering
lbs for entire system Tool at elevation = -200ft.
Note that the effective
• Input: AC mains power. range (total away dis- Figure 7-4: Maximum BTS Range
Connect to 110-240V tance that the Steering
20A or use a 6kW or Tool can move while
larger generator keeping within range) is less than 300ft, since the BTS and Steering Tool
Figure 7-3: Large Field Beacon are not at the same elevation. The deeper the Steering Tool is relative to the
• Excitation Frequency:
BTS, the less distance it will be able to cover before moving out of range.
Away solenoid = 1Hz;
Effective range should be calculated for each drilling plan and BTS or LFB
Right solenoid = 1.14Hz
location.
• Precision: Away, Elevation, and Right +/- 2% of BTS to Steering Tool
distance EQUIPMENT SETUP
• Drilling Azimuth Determination (relative to solenoid axis): +/- 1° Each BTS location must be
accurately surveyed:
• Survey time: 20 seconds
• Survey center point of BTS
• Compass Interference: None
or LFB where the sole-
• Radio Interference: None noids intersect.
• FCC Regulation: None • Survey front and back of

Away solenoid
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION • Calculate azimuth of Away
All three BTS types operate on the same principles. Each solenoid of the Solenoid relative to azi-
BTS generates an AC magnetic field at a different frequency. The Away muth of borehole.
Solenoid generates a magnetic field along the axis of the borehole, and
the Right solenoid generates a magnetic field perpendicular to the Away • Enter Difference between
solenoid. The Steering Tool in the borehole receives signal from the two Borehole azimuth and Figure 7-5: Beacon Tracker Parameters
solenoids and interprets a Tool location referenced to the known, surveyed Away solenoid azimuth
position of the BTS on surface. into RivCross (Figure 7-5).

Vector Magnetics
58
The BTS must be leveled in both Away and Right axes: 9. Attach two green cables to Away solenoid – polarity does not mat-
• Grey Box BTS – use adjustable feet
• Tripod BTS – gently tap downward as needed on solenoids to level.
• LFB – Use adjustable feet

Note that the BTS does NOT need to be placed directly over the borehole.
• Conventionally, the Away Solenoid is set-up parallel to borehole, but

this is not necessary.
• It is possible (and recommended) to run a job with numerous BTS loca-

tions. Normal operation would be to drill toward a BTS then past it until
out of range. Then, move the BTS to the next location, survey location
and continue drilling.
• The BTS must be located on a surface free from magnetic interference Figure 7-6: Assembling a Standard BTS
from pipelines, steel bridges, steel boats, pilings, etc. Interference can
affect results and potentially render the BTS system unusable.
ter.
STANDARD BTS 10. Attach two white cables to Right solenoid – polarity does not mat-
The solenoids are waterproof, but the grey electronics box is NOT water- ter.
proof. This unit must be protected from rain, snow, tides, etc.
11. If using computer control, attach yellow cable to radio modem or to
1. Attach all four legs to grey box. computer with the 4-pin to serial adaptor.
2. Place grey box on surface free from magnetic interference. 12. Attach Red and Black cables to the battery.
3. Use Allen key (provided) to adjust leg heights and bubble level (pro- 13. Unit will turn on. Display will read voltage on the top line.
vided) to level the grey box before placing solenoids on it.
14. Survey center point of BTS and each end of Away solenoid.
4. Place Right solenoid on grey box. Align the dimples in brass on
bottom of solenoid with the Allen head screws on braces of grey box TRIPOD BTS
(Figure 7-6).
The solenoids and electronics are waterproof.
5. Place Away solenoid on grey box. Align the dimples in brass on bot-
1. Place tripod on ground with legs open. If desired, ‘feet’ can be ro-
tom of solenoid with the Allen head screws on braces of grey box.
tated outward to increase height of unit.
6. Loosen the two knobs on sides of turntable, to allow turntable to
2. Place Right solenoid on tripod. Align the dimples in brass on bottom
rotate. Tighten knobs when in desired position.
of solenoid with the Allen head screws on braces
7. Align Away Solenoid to borehole azimuth
3. Place Away solenoid on top of Right solenoid. Align the dimples in
8. Re-level the grey box with the adjustable feet with the solenoids on brass on bottom of solenoid with the Allen head screws on braces.
the box and aligned properly. Attach two green cables to Away solenoid – polarity does not matter.
4. Loosen screw at bottom of unit with handle.

59
5. Align Away Solenoid to borehole azimuth. • Open Right Solenoids until it reaches the ‘stop’. This means solenoids
are perpendicular which is required for operation.
6. Level each solenoid. Use fist to gently pound downward on sole-
noids as necessary. • Lower feet on Right Solenoid until they are contact with ground.
7. Re-align Away Solenoid to borehole azimuth. • Level axis of each solenoid using adjustable legs.
8. Tighten screw. For both LFBs:

9. Attach two white cables to Right solenoid – polarity does not mat- • Survey center point of BTS and each end of Away solenoid.
ter.
• Attach large yellow cable from LFB power supply box to solenoids.
10. Attach two green cables to Away solenoid – polarity does not mat-
ter. • Attach small yellow cable from LFB power supply box to Hand Held
Controller.
11. Attach Red and Black cables to the battery.
• Attach blue power cable to 110-220VAC 50-60Hz power.
12. Unit will turn on.
13. Survey center point of BTS and each end of Away solenoid. SOFTWARE SETUP
LARGE FIELD BTS (LFB)
DEFINING BEACON TRACKERS IN RIVCROSS
The solenoids and electronics are waterproof.
It is necessary to define one or more Beacon Trackers within RivCross.
Each surveyed BTS location is generally entered as a separate available
If LFB is in a box: Beacon Tracker, only one of which can be active at a time in RivCross. All
• Remove LFB from box. new BTS shots use the currently active Beacon Tracker for their calcula-
tions. Beacon trackers are managed via the Edit > Beacon Trackers (Sole-
• With LFB slightly elevated above ground level open solenoids until they noids) menu selection (Figure 7-7).
reach the ‘stop’. This means solenoids are perpendicular which is
required for operation.
• Place LFB in location and orient Away Solenoid axis to the borehole
axis.
• Level LFB with wooden shims.
If LFB is on an aluminium skid:
• LFB does NOT need to be removed from skid.
• Move skid and LFB to location and orient Away Solenoid axis to bore-
hole axis.
• Remove pins holding Right Solenoid feet in place.
• Raise feet on Right solenoid so they clear the skid.

Figure 7-7: List of Beacon Trackers in RivCross

Vector Magnetics
60
New: Allows the user to define a new Beacon Tracker in RivCross. See enter the difference in degrees in the Away solenoid’s Angle Away to
EDITING BEACON TRACKERS for details. Beacon Tracker Axis field.
Edit: Allows the user to edit the selected Beacon Tracker. See EDITING
BEACON TRACKERS for details.
Delete: Removes the selected Beacon Tracker from the list. Note: If a
Beacon Tracker was active when a new BTS shot was taken, it cannot
be deleted, even if that shot is marked bad.
Copy: Creates a copy of the selected Beacon Tracker and adds it to

the list of Beacon Trackers. If the selected Beacon Tracker is active, the
copy becomes the active Beacon Tracker. The new name is “Copy of…”
the Beacon Tracker that was copied. This can be useful for defining mul-
tiple surveyed locations for a single BTS – simply change the coordinates
for each new copy.
Import: Read a text file containing Beacon Tracker location and mag-
netic moments, and create a new Beacon Tracker containing that vertex
data. See IMPORTING BEACON TRACKERS for details on the expected
format of the text file.
Export: Write a text file containing Beacon Tracker coordinates and

magnetic moments from the selected Beacon Tracker. See EXPORTING
BEACON TRACKERS for details on the format of this file.
Figure 7-8: Editing a Beacon Tracker
Make Active: This makes the selected Beacon Tracker the active Bea-
con Tracker. Only one Beacon Tracker may be active at a time. New BTS 5. If desired, select a different plotting shape. This is the symbol used
shots use the active Beacon Tracker for all calculations. The current ac- to represent the Beacon Tracker in Plan and Section Views. If there
tive Beacon Tracker’s name is shown in the Active Beacon Tracker text are two or more Beacon Trackers, it may be helpful to select different
box at the bottom of this window, as well as in the BTS input window. plotting shapes for them.
6. Click OK.
EDITING BEACON TRACKERS
Clicking the New or Edit button opens the Edit Beacon Trackers form (Fig- 7. The new Beacon Tracker will appear at the bottom of the list on the
ure 7-8). Follow these steps to set up a new Beacon Tracker: Beacon Trackers window. Select it and click Make Active in order to
use it to take BTS shots.
1. Give the BTS a unique name and enter its serial number, if desired.
IMPORTING BEACON TRACKERS
2. Enter the BTS coordinates in the Beacon Tracker location fields.
It is also possible to import any Beacon Tracker previously exported to
3. If using radio modems to operate the BTS, calibration data will be file from RivCross. After clicking Import and selecting a .sol2 file, the Edit
sent automatically with data – continue to step 4. Otherwise, enter the Beacon Trackers window appears with the new Beacon Tracker. Click OK
magnetic moment values for the two solenoids manually. Calibration to confirm the import.
reports for all Beacon Trackers are always available at vectormagnet-
ics.com/support. EXPORTING BEACON TRACKERS
4. If the Away solenoid was not set up to be parallel to the Away axis, Click Export and enter a filename to export the selected Beacon Tracker to

61
a .sol2 file so that it can be imported into any RivCross job at a later point. Symptom Solution
Taking BTS Shots Err 1 Battery voltage is too high to power BTS. Either the BTS is
connected to a 24V battery or it is connected to a vehicle
Refer to BTS SHOTS in the TAKING SHOTS chapter for information on how battery with engine running and the charge voltage is too
to take BTS shots. high for the BTS.
See BTS/LFB RADIO MODEMS for information on the optional radio modem
kit for the BTS. • Disconnect BTS from battery.
• Test voltage across battery. If battery voltage >13V, try:

• Turning off vehicle engine.
RULES OF THUMB • Adding resistance in series.
• Avoid large sources of magnetic interference. For example, do not • Use a different battery.
place BTS on steel barges. Err 2 Battery voltage is too low to power the BTS. Disconnect
BTS from battery.
• A BTS can be easily moved between pre-surveyed locations. Take
advantage of this to keep the BTS within range of the Steering Tool as it Test voltage across battery. If battery voltage <11V, try:
moves through the borehole.
• Charging battery.
• Use radio modems so that manually entering calibration values is not
necessary. • Using a different battery (a vehicle battery if necessary).
• Keep the battery well-charged. Err 3 FET Board 1 Fault – Caused by too much current through
FET board, from either a shorted solenoid or a failure in FET
• Use caution not to damage the electronics in inclement weather (cover board.
battery and control box).
To determine if the fault lies in the board or in the solenoid:
• An effective way to maintain accuracy in high noise environments or
• Disconnect BTS from battery.
near the end of the BTS’s range is to take more shots at a given MD,
manually reject the bad shots, and use the average of the remaining • Reverse solenoid cables to other solenoid – i.e. Away
shots as the answer. If there is little noise, increasing the number of cables to Right solenoid and vice versa.
samples per shot increases accuracy.
• Reconnect BTS to battery.
TROUBLESHOOTING
• If same Error Code occurs (Err 3 = FET Board 1 fault),
Errors can be reset by removing power, correcting problem, and re-apply- that FET Board is faulty and needs replacing.
ing power. For any error code, follow these steps first:
• Contact your distributor. There is no field-level repair
• Disconnect BTS from battery. for this.
• Reconnect BTS to battery.

Vector Magnetics
62
Symptom Solution Errors Displayed in Software

• If Error Code 4 occurs (Err 4 = FET Board 2 fault), the When using a BTS with radio modem set, error messages are transmitted
error is with the solenoid. and displayed in the Beacon Tracker Input window as in Figure 7-9. These
messages will be accompanied by a warning beep and will continue until
• Test continuity and resistance in solenoid. R ≈ 1-2 the Reset button is clicked.
ohms. Note that most digital multimeters do not mea-
sure accurately because of impedance, so anything
close should be good.
• Test with another solenoid.
• Replace solenoid.
Err 4 FET Board 2 Fault - Same as Err 3 but for the other FET
Board.
Err 5 Solenoid Fault – Only one solenoid is operating. The elec-
tronics detect this error by monitoring the Beacon current.
If the current is ~2 – 4 amps, then only one solenoid is run-
ning.
• Check connections to solenoids.
• If OK, unplug one solenoid and press Start.
• If error reoccurs, the problem is with the unplugged so-

lenoid. The solenoid that remained plugged-in is drawing
current and thus working. Figure 7-9: Beacon Tracker error message
• If no error, the problem is with the plugged-in solenoid.

That solenoid is not drawing current; therefore, the
error cannot be detected.
• Check for electrical open in solenoids by measuring re-

sistance between the two pins. R ≈ 1-2 ohms. Note that
most meters do not measure accurately at this resis-
tance, so anything close should be good.

63
APPENDIX APPENDIX B: USING A BTS NEAR AIRPORTS, ILS, AND IFR
Issue
APPENDIX A: PACKING LIST
Airport operators want to know what sort of magnetic field the tool gener-
Note: For standard first-generation BTS with grey box. List differs for Tri-
ates, as it may need to be placed very close to runways and the airport ILS
pod BTS.
(Instrument Landing System).
1. Grey electronics box – houses the control unit for the BTS and has
the frame for setting-up the solenoids. Standard BTS
The magnetic field frequency is between 2 and 2.5 Hz, so comparison
2. 2 solenoids to the relatively static earth’s magnetic field is more appropriate than to
buried or overhead power lines carrying 60Hz power. This is far from any
a. Away solenoid operates at 2Hz and (usually) points in the direc-
radar frequencies. Power consumption is quite low; the solenoids that pro-
tion of the borehole.
duce the magnetic field will run all day on a 12V motorcycle battery. Field
b. Right solenoid operates at 2.28Hz and is perpendicular to the strength decreases inversely with the cube of the distance from the sole-
Away solenoid. noids. At 2 meters from the solenoids, the produced field is approximately
equal to the Earth’s field. At 3 meters, the field is 37% of the Earth’s field.
3. 4 leveling feet – attach to corners of the grey electronics box. ¼ ”
Allen key is used to raise or lower each leg. Further discussion from Arthur Kuckes regarding the standard BTS
4. Level I have given some thought to the possible interference between using
a Vector Magnetics drilling “Beacon” and airplane control systems. The
5. Sighting Sticks issues are I believe twofold: those arising from the primary 2 and 2.28 Hz
primary magnetic fields emitted by the beacon, and rf signals which (op-
6. DB9 connector – converts 4-pin output of BTS to serial tionally) may be used to turn the primary Beacon fields on and off.
The primary Beacon fields are of such a low frequency (typically 100 million
7. Laminated calibration – Used to manually enter cal factors into
times less than those used for radar control) that they will not interfere
RivCross for a given solenoid current (not needed if using radio mo-
with radar control signals any more than naturally occurring 50 nanoTesla
dems). Download calibration reports at vectormagnetics.com/support.
daily variations of the apparent Earth’s magnetic field.
8. ¼” Allen key An important question is how these fields may affect a magnetic compass.
These fields are mathematically characterized by a magnetic moment of
Supplied by User approximately 3000 ampere meters2, which falls off with the cube of the
distance from the source. I will tabulate the size of the fields generated
• 12V marine-grade battery ≥ 800 cold-cranking amps (advised) as a fraction of the Earth’s magnetic field vs. distance from the Beacon
Optional and the maximum magnetic compass error direction implied, assuming an
effective “compass” Earth field value component of 20,000 nanoTesla.
• Radio Modem – for remote operation of BTS Thus the effect on apparent compass direction is negligible.
An optional, but very desirable feature of the system is the use of a radio
signal emitted by a normal, industrially licensed, walkie-talkie or a low pow-
er (100 milliwatt) computer data communication system of the kind used
by contractors. These radio signals are transmitted between the central
drilling site and the remote Beacon location close to the current drill bit
location. Such systems are of course found almost everywhere today.
Thus I do not foresee any difficulty using the Beacon Tracker System to
Vector Magnetics
64
control drilling operations with civilian aviation radar tracking or other air-
line operations.
Arthur Kuckes
CEO Vector Magnetics, LLC
Distance from Beacon Beacon field in nano Maximum Compass

in meters Tesla Error in degrees
10 600 1.70
30 22 0.06
100 0.6 0.0017

08
LARGE FIELD
BEACON
HARDWARE OVERVIEW
EQUIPMENT SETUP
SOFTWARE SETUP
Vector Magnetics
66
HARDWARE OVERVIEW SOLENOIDS

The Large Field Beacon (LFB) consists of five main components: • There are two (2) lift points at the center pivot of the solenoids (Figure
8-2).
1. Solenoids – shipped on aluminum skid with a plywood cover
• There is an Away (Top) and Right (Bottom) solenoid (Figure 8-2).
2. LFB electronics box – in Pelican case attached to skid
• Each solenoid end has an adjustable leg (4) (Figure 8-3).
3. LFB Hand Held Controller and ->
• Each end also has a non-adjustable leg (4) (Figure 8-3).
4. Radio modems – together in Pelican case attached to skid
• Solenoids are constructed on a turntable with a mechanical stop pre-
5. Software cisely at 90° between Away and Right Solenoids. Solenoids must be
All hardware will arrive on one aluminum skid with a plywood cover. Lift en- operated in this fully open position.
tire skid ONLY from forklift pockets or lifting eyes. The wooden cover can
• Solenoids may be deployed either on or off the skid unit.
be removed by cutting banding and using a sling/chain between the two
holes on the top of the plywood. This is for lifting the plywood box only. DO • Deploying on skid can be easier, however,
NOT LIFT ENTIRE SKID FROM PLYWOOD COVER.
• Deploying on skid can reduce the effective ‘throw’ of the adjustable
legs, making it more difficult to level on an uneven surface.
• To remove solenoids from skid – remove all 4 locking pins and place pin
in pin-saver welded to uprights and lift from lifting points.
Wooden cover Lift Points
Top (Away) Solenoid
Aluminum skid Bottom (Right)

and fork pocket Solenoid
Aluminum Skid
Figure 8-1: Shipping skid and wooden cover
and Skid Leg
Fork Pocket
• LFB weight on skid with plywood cover = 1550lbs
• LFB weight on skid = 1050lbs
• LFB weight off skid = 850lbs

Figure 8-2: LFB Deployed
• Plywood cover weighs 500 lbs. Removing or replacing the plywood
cover must be done carefully.
Chapter: 08 Large Field Beacon

67
Important Notes on Solenoids tipping over.
• Gently spin Away (top) solenoid until it is aligned precisely on drilling

azimuth.
Non-adjustable
Leg • Extend legs of Away (top) solenoid to firmly contact ground.
Electronics Box • Retract legs of Right (bottom) solenoid to suspend in air.
Adjustable Leg • Spin Right (bottom) solenoid until it hits mechanical stop 90° from Away
(top) solenoid.
• Extend legs of Right (bottom) solenoid to firmly contact ground.

Figure 8-3: Deployed on aluminum skid
SOLENOID LEVELING
• All 8 legs must remain in place for calibration of LFB to be valid. If any
legs are removed, answers will be incorrect. • Use a 2ft level to adjust the level of each side of each solenoid.
• Operating solenoids in any position other than fully open will result in • Note – aluminum plate on top of turntable may not be level to the sole-
incorrect answers. noids.
• Take care not to close solenoids too far. Unit can become unstable. The top solenoid is the ‘Away’ axis (should be deployed on the Baseline Azi-
muth) and the bottom solenoid is the ‘Right’ axis as defined in RivCross. The
• For stability, transport LFB with adjustable legs retracted fully. operating frequencies of the solenoids are pre-set in RivCross. If deployed
as above, no changes need to be made in RivCross. To allow for flexibility,
• Use protective cover over solenoid input whenever LFB is not in use to it is possible to use the bottom solenoid as away and the top solenoid as
protect it and prevent accumulation of foreign material. right as long as proper software setup is practiced.
EQUIPMENT SETUP Note steel build-

ing. This is a bad
• RivCross expects the LFB to be operating from a level location. If need- location for LFB.
ed, level the ground at LFB location.
Level on each
• Large metal objects should be removed from the immediate vicinity of solenoid end
the LFB.
• Lift solenoids from lift points or fork pockets and drive to location.
• Point the Right (bottom) solenoid roughly perpendicular to drilling azi-

muth.
• Lower to ground and remove lifting equipment.

Figure 8-4: How to level the solenoids
• Extend adjustable legs of Right (bottom) solenoid to firmly contact
ground.
• Retract adjustable legs of Away (top) solenoid to suspend in air. Re-

tract legs minimum distance necessary to clear the ground to prevent
Vector Magnetics
68
ELECTRONICS BOX tronics Box to solenoids.
• Warning – High Voltage. No user serviceable parts inside. Risk of elec- • Blue Cable - AC mains power. Connect to 110-240V 20A power source.
trical shock if unit is opened.
• A 6kW or larger generator is suitable.
• Warning – Disconnect mains power before disconnecting solenoids.
• Once power is connected, the internal power supplies will power-up.
• Unit is weather resistant. Provide cover for electronics box in harsh Fan noise will be audible.
weather. UNIT IS NOT SUBMERSIBLE.
• The LFB Hand Held Controller will also power-up.
• Unit can overheat if operated in direct sunlight on hot days. It is best to
operate unit under a shade cover. • At this point the LFB is ‘Live’ and can be fired.
LFB electronics are enclosed in a stainless box. The box is weather resis- • If bottom line displays anything other than stopped, press the ‘Stop”
tant, however care should be taken to protect the box from harsh weather, button. This will stop solenoids from firing.
submersion, and rough handling. If weather is hot, operate electronics box
under shade when possible, as the components generate additional heat LFB HAND HELD CONTROLLER
during operation. Keeping the box out of direct sunlight can reduce the
chance of overheating. Power should be turned off when not in use; the The Hand Held Controller is
LFB should never be left powered on and unsupervised. plugged into the small yellow
cable from Electronics Box.
The LFB electronics box has 3 cables coming out of it: When mains power is applied to
LFB Electronics Box, the Hand
Held Controller will power-up.
• Firmware version of the

Hand Held Controller will
show for 2 sec.
• The display will read

“Vector Magnetics, Large Figure 8-6: Hand held controller
Field Beacon, Stopped” as
shown in Figure 8-6.
There are two buttons:
• Start – Black button. This will fire the solenoids.
• Stop - Red button. This will stop the solenoids from firing.
There are 2 connection jacks:
Figure 8-5: LFB Cables • 4 pin – connect to smaller yellow cable from LFB Electronics Box.
• DNC – mini – attach 2.4GHz ½ wave antenna.

• Small Yellow Cable – Connects to LFB Hand Held Controller. Sends data
When Solenoids are firing:
from Electronics Box to computer and receives commands from com-
puter to LFB via built in radio modem. • The third line on display will show ‘Running’.
• Large Yellow Cable - Connect to solenoids. Provides power from Elec-
69
• The fourth line will display the current in amps. transmit data while being charged. These units can be ‘dropped’ into
an existing network with no configuration. These should be placed as
The Hand Held Controller has a built in 2.4GHz Digimesh network radio
high as possible and in line-of-sight of each other rather than through
modem. When the Hand Held Controller is operating the Radio Modem will
obstructions to increase effectiveness.
also be operating.
• Each modem (4) has its own 2.4 GHz half-wave dipole antenna. Other
• Warning! – No user serviceable parts inside
antennae options and extension cables are readily available at most
• Unit is weather resistant standard providers (Digi, Mouser, Amazon, etc.).
• Provide cover for electronics box in strong weather

Power Indica- Usb-mini Battery Charging
• UNIT IS NOT SUBMERSIBLE tor Light, On/Off Charging Port Indicator Light
Switch
RADIO MODEMS
Four 2.4GHz Digimesh radio modems are
supplied with each LFB. These modems
send both calibration data from the LFB
to computer and operating commands
from computer to LFB via RivCross.
If modems fail, calibration values can
easily be entered into RivCross and the
LFB manually controlled with the Hand
Held Controller. Modems are not critical
for operation, but a convenience. Calibra-
tin reports are available for download at
vectormagnetics.com/support. Figure 8-7: Radio Modem Figure 8-8: Radio Modem
Being a true ‘mesh network’ system, the
modems do not play specific roles in
transmitting data (i.e. no master or slave modem). Modem Operation
Two units do have specific locations due to data connectors. • Connect antennae to all modems before applying power.
• Hand Held Controller (1) – has a built in modem unit. This unit must plug • Connect Hand Held Controller to LFB Electronics Box and apply mains
into the LFB Electronics Box with smaller yellow cable. See LFB HAND power.
HELD CONTROLLER for more information.
• Connect computer side modem via USB.
• Computer side modem (1) – Black anodized aluminum case. This unit
must plug into computer via USB A to USB B. Unit has Received Signal • RSSI lights should light up if modem connection is strong.
Strength Indication (RSSI) lights and power indicator light.
• If no lights are visible, add a repeater modem between LFB and com-
Repeater units do NOT have specific location requirements but are used to
puter.
bridge a gap in data communication between Hand Held Controller and
computer side modem. • Turn repeater on with switch and place in location. No need to config-
ure or re-power modems.
• Repeaters (2) – yellow pelican cases. These units have recharge-
able batteries and charging brick (mini USB). Note – these units WILL • Check RSSI lights.

Vector Magnetics
70
• If no lights add 2nd repeater between LFB and computer. type will fill in.
• Elevate repeaters to increase range. 3. Current should read ‘0.00 Amps’. Line above communication box
should read ‘Solenoids Waiting’. These indicate the solenoids are not
• Add directional antennae to LFB and computer side modems. Use an firing.
antenna extension cable to get antenna outside the drilling shack.
4. Black ‘X’ in lower right corner will blink every 1.75 sec when com-
• Open RivCross munication with LFB Electronics Box is operating.
• Open COM port to computer side modem in RivCross (Figure 8-9).
SOFTWARE SETUP
Please refer to BEACON TRACKER SYSTEM, BTS/LFB RADIO MODEMS,
TAKING SHOTS, and VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS for more complete
information on use of the Beacon Tracker Input window and on taking and
viewing BTS/LFB shots.
• Open the Beacon Tracker Input window, using the Guidance > Beacon
Tracker (AC Solenoid) menu option.
• Set COM Ports for both BTS/LFB Modem and Steering Tool:
• File > Program Settings
• Select COM port for Steer-

ing Tool
Figure 8-10: BTS input screen
• Select COM port for BTS

Modem – the correct port MAKE BEACON ACTIVE
will probably be called
See steps in Figure 8-11.
“MaxStream PKG-U Serial
Port Adapter” or “USB Seri- 1. Click on the ‘Active Beacon Tracker’ box in the lower left section of
al Port.” the BTS input window.
• Click ‘OK’. Once the Steering 2. Create ‘New’ Beacon Tracker (or ‘Edit’ existing Beacon Tracker)
Tool is turned on, Tool data
should appear in the BTS 3. Enter coordinates of the LFB. Use the center point of the LFB.
input window.
4. Select the ‘LFB’ checkbox if Away solenoid is the top solenoid. Se-
Open’ COM port to LFB
lect the ‘BigBTS’ checkbox if Away solenoid is the bottom solenoid. Tog-
1. On the BTS input window, gling between these two options changes the expected frequency of
click ‘Open’ on the Radio Mo- the solenoids. In the default setup (LFB is checked instead of BigBTS),
dem Input tab (Figure 8-10). the Away solenoid operates at 1Hz and the Right solenoid operates at
1.14Hz.
2. Calibration Date, Serial
number, version, and BTS Figure 8-9: Communication settings for BTS 5. Solenoid moments can be manually entered in the Beacon Track-

71
er Calibration Values section. Use the provided graph (available for 8. If LFB needs to be moved to a different location during the job, se-
download at vectormagnetics.com/support) for the Axial Moments at lect the ‘active LFB’ and click Copy to create a copy of it. Then edit the
operational current. LFB axial moments will be close to 20k units (as information of the copy (Beacon Tracker Location, etc.) as necessary.
opposed to BTS axial moments, which are closer to 2k units). When ready to move LFB to the new location, select the copy and click
Make Active.
6. Click ‘OK’ to save changes.
Fire LFB Solenoids
7. Click ‘Make Active’.
1. On the BTS input window (Figure 8-12), click ‘Send Start’ to send
command to LFB to fire solenoids. Note that this command appears as
‘Start sent’ in the communication status area to the right of the Send
Start button.
2. ‘Solenoids firing’ also appears above the communication status

area.
3. Current now displays reasonable value for LFB (~8-13A) and veri-
fies that solenoids are firing.
Figure 8-11: Make Beacon Active
Figure 8-12: Firing the Beacon

Vector Magnetics
72
Stop LFB Solenoids From Firing
1. Click ‘Send Stop’ to send command to LFB to stop firing solenoids

(Figure 8-13).
2. ‘Solenoids Waiting’ should appear at top of communications win-

dow.
3. Current display drops to 0.00A and verifies that solenoids are not
firing.
Figure 8-14: Beacon Raw Data
AC Signal Analysis
Plots Decibels vs Frequency (Figure 8-15; appears once an LFB shot has
been taken).
1. Main peaks at 1Hz and 1.14Hz. These peaks should be >20dB above
background noise.
2. Background noise – Average level on this shot 80-90dB depending

on channel.
Figure 8-13: Stop Firing the Beacon
Raw Data From LFB
1. When the Steering Tool is connected to RivCross and sending data,

a sine wave will be clearly visible in the raw data graph while the sole-
noids are firing.
2. Note that the raw data is graphed in brighter colors partway

through. This shows the point at which RivCross started recording the
‘LFB shot’ (Figure 8-14). Figure 8-15: AC Signal Analysis
AC Signal Analysis – Bad Shot
• In this example (Figure 8-16), there is strong high frequency signal inter-
fering with LFB data from an undetermined source. Note that the peaks
at 1 and 1.14Hz. are not as clearly defined. Watch the calculated answer
carefully and consider marking this shot bad.

73
3. Click the Edit button at the bottom of the window.
4. To use moments received from the LFB, make sure the ‘Use mo-
ments received when shot was taken’ checkbox is checked. To use
manually entered moments, make sure it is not checked.
5. The selected Moments are displayed below the checkbox.
6. Click the Save button at the bottom of the window.
Figure 8-16: Example of a bad shot
LFB Moments
• By default, LFB
Moments (calibrat-
ed signal strength)
are transmitted via
the included radio
modem set. Figure 8-18: Entering moments manually
• Ensure the ‘Use

moments received
Figure 8-17: Moments received from modem
from BTS via mo-
dem’ checkbox is
checked.
• When checked, the moment value received from the LFB will be used
when calculating the next LFB shot.
• When un-checked, the manually entered moments will be used when

calculating the next shot (see step 5 of MAKE BEACON ACTIVE.)
Moment values are recorded at the ‘shot level’. This means it is possible to
switch between moments (automatically received or manually entered)
when editing a shot.
1. Open ‘Shot Data’ window. Click ‘Data/Tables’ > ’Shot Data.’
2. Navigate to an LFB shot using the scrollbar or ‘Shot #’ textbox at the

bottom of the window.

Vector Magnetics
74

09
BTS/LFB RADIO
MODEMS
HARDWARE OVERVIEW
MODEM TYPES
ANTENNAS
MODEM OPERATION
Vector Magnetics
76
INTRODUCTION MODEM TYPES
New style tripod Beacon Trackers as well as the Large Field Beacon are COMPUTER-SIDE MODEM
equipped with a radio modem kit providing remote operation of the unit. A The computer-side modem (Figure 9-1)
similar kit is also available as an optional add-on for older BTS units. is in a black anodized aluminum case.
The radio modem kit is designed to save time and conserve BTS battery The unit must plug into the computer via
life by allowing full remote operation of the BTS or LFB from RivCross. This a USB A to USB B cable, and is detect-
eliminates the need for a second remote person to operate the BTS or LFB ed by the computer as a serial (COM)
while capturing data. port. It has Received Signal Strength
Indication (RSSI) lights and a power
The modems both send calibration data from the BTS or LFB to comput- indicator light.
er and send operating commands from the computer to BTS or LFB via
RivCross. If modems are unavailable, calibration values may be entered
REPEATER MODEM
into RivCross and the BTS or LFB manually controlled. Modems are not
required for operation, but a convenience. Repeater modems (Figure 9-2) are Figure 9-1: Computer-side modem
housed in water-resistant yellow pel-
ican cases with an
HARDWARE OVERVIEW on/off switch. They
are powered via re-
A standard BTS modem kit consists of three XBee-PRO Digimesh 2.4GHz
chargeable batteries
radio modems, programmed as a set: a remote BTS-side modem; a local
(mini USB charging
computer-side modem; and a repeater modem. A standard modem kit for
brick included) and
the LFB is the same, except that the BTS-side modem is built into the LFB
will transmit data
Hand-Held Controller (HHC) instead of being a separate unit, and an extra
while being charged.
repeater modem is included.
Repeater units do
One or more additional repeater units can be added to any modem kit as
not have a specific
desired.
location, but are used Figure 9-2: Repeater modem
The 2.4 GHz Digimesh modems are programmed to be fully interchange- to bridge a gap in
able between kits. Being a true “mesh network” system, the modems do data communication
not have strictly assigned roles in transmitting data (i.e. no master or slave between the BTS-side modem and computer-side modem. They should be
modem). As such, any computer-side or BTS-side modem can function as placed as high as possible and in line-of-sight of both the other modems
a repeater unit instead as long as it has power. However, the types of data and each other to increase effectiveness. Avoid placing repeater modems
connectors on modems restrict their use in other roles. For example, com- in locations where there are significant obstructions between the repeater
puter-side modems cannot be used as BTS-side modems, because they modem and other modems.
cannot be plugged into the 4-pin data cable from the BTS or LFB.
Repeater modems can be “dropped” into an existing network with no con-
Each modem has its own 2.4 GHz half-wave dipole antenna. As with all 2.4 figuration, in order to increase the range of the network. To obtain addition-
GHz systems, operation is best when there is direct line-of-sight between al repeater modems, contact your distributor.
modems. Other antenna options (such as directional antennas) and exten-
sion cables are readily available at most standard providers (Digi, Mouser, BTS-SIDE MODEM
Amazon, etc.).
For BTS
The BTS-side modem is housed in a water-resistant yellow pelican case
with a green cable and battery clips. The unit is powered from the same
Chapter: 09 BTS/LFB Radio Modems

77
external 12V power supply used to power the BTS unit, as seen in Figure and apply 12V power.
9-3. There is a 4-pin jack to attach the yellow data cable from the BTS to
the modem. 3. If using a LFB, connect the HHC (which contains the modem) to the
LFB and apply 120V power to the LFB.
For LFB
4. Connect computer-side modem to computer via USB.
The LFB-side modem is housed
inside the LFB’s water-resistant 5. Install drivers for computer-side modem by running Digi_USB_RF_
Hand Held Controller, or HHC Drivers.exe on RivCross USB drive provided with the Hardware Key.
(Figure 9-4). The HHC is connect-
ed to the LFB with the yellow a. One or more RSSI lights should light up if the modem connection
4-pin cable. The HHC and modem is strong. If no lights turn on, add a repeater modem between BTS/
are powered from the same ex- LFB and computer.
ternal 120V power supply used to
b. Choose a location for the repeater. Elevate repeaters to increase
power the LFB unit. Figure 9-3: BTS-side modem
range and place in line-of-sight of other modems.
ANTENNAS c. Turn repeater on with switch and place in location. No need to

configure or re-power modems.
Follow these steps to ensure op-
timal transmission efficiency and d. Check RSSI lights again. If there are still no lights, add a second
range: repeater between BTS/LFB and computer.
• Use antennas with the correct e. Add directional antennas to BTS-side and computer-side mo-
frequency range (2.4 GHz). dems. If desired, use an antenna extension cable to place antenna
outside the drilling shack.
• Align antennas vertically.
6. Open RivCross and configure modem connection to computer (see
• Ensure that there are as INITIALIZING CONNECTION TO BTS).
few physical obstacles (e.g.
buildings, vegetation, hills) as Figure 9-4: LFB Handheld controller/modem
possible directly between radio
modems.
• If required, replace standard antennas with high-gain or directional

antennas (not included).
The standard antennas can be replaced with a directional (Yagi) or any oth-
er appropriate type of antenna, provided that it fits the supplied connector.
If radio modems are used with antennas not supplied by Vector Magnetics,
please follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation.
MODEM OPERATION
1. Attach antennas to all modems before applying power.
2. If using the standard BTS, connect BTS-side modem to the BTS

Vector Magnetics
78

10
PROGRAM CONFIGURATION
AND CUSTOMIZATION
TOOLBARS
PROGRAM SETTINGS
JOB TEMPLATES
Vector Magnetics
80
INTRODUCTION
The RivCross software environment is highly customizable, providing the
user with numerous options to configure how data is collected and viewed.
This chapter covers customization of toolbars at the top and bottom of the
main RivCross window, the Program Settings window where tool, sur-
vey, and other job parameters are set, as well as the use of job templates
which allow the user to save their customized environment for use on new
jobs.
TOOLBARS
RivCross displays commonly used data in user configurable toolbars
displayed at the top or bottom of the main RivCross window. These tool-
bars can be organized to suit each individual user’s need. Figure Figure 10-1
illustrates an example toolbar layout. Most toolbars are based on common
sections of the Steering Tool Input window and other input windows.
Figure 10-3: Valid areas to right click
TOOLBAR DETAILS
Figure 10-1: Various toolbars at the top of the main RivCross window Window Bar
Shows all open RivCross forms (in
USING TOOLBARS Figure 10-4, the Shot Summary,
Plan View, and ParaTrack2 Input
By default, only one toolbar (the Window Bar) is visible, at the top of the forms are open). Clicking on any
main RivCross window. Right-click anywhere in the dark gray background form’s name will bring the form to
Figure 10-4: Window bar
of the main RivCross window or a toolbar area (i.e. any area that has not the front of the screen. This tool-
been marked red in Figure 10-3) to display a list of all available toolbars, bar is equivalent to the windows bar that appeared in older versions of
shown in Figure 10-2. RivCross.
Toolbars that are currently visible appear with a
check next to their names in this menu. To use a Tool Position
toolbar that’s currently not shown, or to hide a
Displays the rod
toolbar that is currently in use, click its name.
number, additional
To move a toolbar, hover the mouse over its left MD, total MD, and
edge, and the cursor will change to an image of baseline azimuth
four arrows. Click there and drag the toolbar to its fields (Figure 10-5). Figure 10-5: Tool position
new location. The first two of
these may be edited directly. This toolbar is equivalent to the Tool Position
section of most input forms, as discussed in COMMON CONTROLS/INFOR-
Figure 10-2: Right-click tool-
MATION in TAKING SHOTS.
bar menu
Chapter: 10 Program Configuration and Customization

81
Tool Orientation (Figure 10-9). This tool-

bar is equivalent to the
Displays azimuth info (the raw tool azimuth, the azimuth correction, and the
Other Tool Data section
resulting corrected azimuth), as well as inclination, GTotal, angle high side
of most input forms, as
to toolface, and toolface offset (ATFx, Figure 10-6). The corrected azimuth
discussed in COMMON
may be edited directly or reset to the current tool azimuth by clicking the Figure 10-9: Other tool data
CONTROLS/INFORMA-
Ø button. GTotal components and AHsX can be viewed by hovering the
TION in TAKING SHOTS.
mouse over the GTotal box and AHsTf box, respectively.
Tool Status
Indicates whether the
Steering Tool is sending
Figure 10-6: Tool orientation valid data (Figure 10-10).
The five green “LEDs”
This toolbar is equivalent to the Tool Orientation section of most input will turn on in a continu- Figure 10-10: Tool status
forms, as discussed in COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION in TAKING ous cyclical fashion for
SHOTS. as long as valid data is
being received. If invalid data is received, the active LED will turn red, and if
no data is received, the LEDs will stop cycling.
Magnetic Data
A message giving further details about the tool status appears to the right
Displays both AC and DC magnetic data, and magnetic sensor filtering (av-
of the LEDs. This toolbar is equivalent to the same status messages and
eraging) info (Figure 10-7). Clicking the latter will bring you to Program Set-
LED images from various input windows, as discussed in COMMON CON-
tings. This toolbar is equivalent to the Magnetic Data section of the Para-
TROLS/INFORMATION in TAKING SHOTS.
Track2 input form, as discussed in PARATRACK2-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/
INFORMATION in TAKING SHOTS.
AC Data Averaging
Shows the progress toward
calculating an average of raw
AC data (Figure 10-11). The text
to the right of the progress bar
Figure 10-7: Magnetic data indicates the number of raw
AC data records used in each
Figure 10-11: AC data averaging
average; clicking it will open
Pressure
Program Settings, where the
Displays drill pipe and annulus number of records per average can be changed.
pressure (Figure 10-8). Only
This toolbar is equivalent to the progress bar and averaging label on the
available when running with a
ParaTrack2 input form, as discussed in PARATRACK2-SPECIFIC CON-
Pressure Module and Pressure
Figure 10-8: Pressure TROLS/INFORMATION in TAKING SHOTS.
Orienting Sub. Double-clicking
these fields will open the Pres-
sure section of Program Settings. This toolbar is equivalent to the Pressure
section of most input forms, as discussed in COMMON CONTROLS/INFOR-
MATION in TAKING SHOTS.
Other Tool Data

Displays the tool temperature and voltage at the input of the Steering Tool
Vector Magnetics
82
Steering Tool Shots Averaging

Displays a button that creates a new Steering This tab contains advanced settings for tool sensor averaging. These set-
Tool shot based on the current Steering Tool tings are handy for fine-tuning the sensors when operating in noisy envi-
sensor readings (Figure 10-12). This toolbar ronments
is equivalent to the Create New Survey Shot
button in the Steering Tool input form, as dis- Figure 10-12: Steering Tool shots
Tool/ABIA/EM
cussed in STEERING TOOL SHOTS in TAKING
This tab contains options related to the type of Steering Tool in use (Vec-
SHOTS.
tor or Tensor). If using an ABIA, this is also where the distance of the bit to
Steering Tool is set, as well as warning and error thresholds.
PROGRAM SETTINGS
Shots/Surveys
Program Settings is a window that allows
a wide variety of configuration options to This tab contains options related to how shot and survey data are calculat-
be changed for the current job. It is ac- ed and displayed.
cessible from the File > Program Settings
menu (Figure 10-13). Advanced
The window has multiple tabs (Figure 10- This tab contains options that are not commonly used.
14), corresponding to the various logical
groups of settings. These are covered in Weight on Bit
their respective sections of this document. This tab contains several options related to weight on bit (WOB). Note this
tab is only visible if the WOB option is selected under Pressure.
SUMMARY OF TABS
Baseline Az/TFO/Entry Point

This tab is used for setting the baseline
azimuth, tool face offset, and entry point
parameters.
Communication Figure 10-13: Program Settings

(Ports)
This tab is used to set the computer serial ports for
the ParaTrack Tool and BTS radio modem com-
munication. The tab also contains the options for
setting up RivCross to communicate with Driller
Display mobile apps and VMDisplay.
Pressure
This tab contains many options regarding pres-
sure, including units, logging, corrections, alarms,
Figure 10-14: Program Set-
tings menu the range of the ParaTrack Tool, and the averaging
applied. Note that Pressure requires the optional
Pressure Module.

83
DETAILED EXPLANATION OF TABS Incl and Az Display Precision

Incl and Az Display Precision set the number of digits that appear after
Baseline Az Tab the decimal point when inclination and azimuth are displayed, anywhere in
RivCross.
Baseline Azimuth
When starting a job, set Entry Point
the baseline azimuth on The entry point is the first point of the survey and represents the point at
this tab. Best practice which the pipe enters the ground. All “Entry Point Parameters” must be set
is to set it to something prior to drilling (if the exact values are not known, enter reasonable esti-
close to the value intend- mates). The expected exit point may also be entered on this tab, although it
ed for use in the job, and is not required. Both points will be plotted in Plan and Section View.
update it later when a
Once spudding occurs, adjust the entry point parameters to reflect the
more accurate value for
actual entry point, as required. Also, it is common practice to set the Mea-
it is known. See BASE-
sured Depth of the Entry Point to 0, and then add rods to the Rod Table (un-
LINE AZIMUTH for more
der the Edit > Rods menu) so that the first rod in the table (rod 0) is equal to
information.
the length of any actual MD at the entry point.
Inclination Bias
Distance Units
The Inclination Bias is set
Select Feet and Fahrenheit or Meters and Celsius.
to correct for the eleva-
tion break that may arise
between survey and Figure 10-15: Baseline Az tab Vertical Hole
ranging shots as a job This option gives a magnetic toolface when drilling in vertical orientation.
goes on. It is impossible to predict this value ahead of time – do not set this This is beta!
value until well into a bore and there is an elevation break.
Declination
Show Biased Inclination
The Declination is the angle from magnetic north to true north. There is no
Check the Show Inclination with bias box to send the biased inclination need to set it unless outputting TVD/North/East coordinates on the Shot
value to Driller Displays. If the box is not checked, tool inclination will be Data Summary Table.
sent to the driller, in which case it is advisable to communicate well with
the driller about the target inclination at each rod.
ToolFace Offset
When starting a new job or changing the bit, and before putting the motor
in the hole, it is necessary to set the ToolFace Offset (TFO) value, which is
the angle from the actual bent housing or bit ToolFace to the Steering Tool
toolface (X sensor axis). If the motor is at highside, and the Steering Tool is
on and functioning (RivCross is receiving valid data), use the Set to Current
Roll Angle button in Figure 10-34 to set the TFO. It is good practice to note
the TFO in the logbook when it’s changed, in case it needs to be reset man-
ually (using the Manual Set button).

Vector Magnetics
84
Communication (Ports) Tab Driller Display Settings

The lower portion of the Communications tab contains settings for manag-
Steering Tool ing the Driller Display over Ethernet or Bluetooth (Figure 10-18).
Communication
If the computer running Reduce Number of Popup Messages
RivCross is connected to
Checking this box eliminates most
the ParaTrack2 Interface
popup messages in RivCross,
using a serial (RS232)
replacing them with an expanded
cable, it is necessary to
status bar (Figure 10-19) at the
set the correct Steering
bottom of the RivCross main win-
Tool COM port on this tab.
dow. Use this option when taking
If using a USB connection
shots from a Driller Display app
instead, then it is neces-
on a remote device; this option
sary only to ensure that
will prevent normal popups from
the Steering Tool COM port
blocking the program.
is not set to a port that is
being used by another pro- Use the “Dismiss” button in the
gram on the computer. lower right corner of the status
bar to dismiss the messages one
Click one of the COM port Figure 10-16: Communications (Ports) tab
at a time. Use the scroll arrows
dropdown menus to see Figure 10-18: Driller Display settings
to scroll up and down through the
which COM ports are phys-
accumulated messages.
ically available on the com-
puter (Figure 10-17). If there
is a * next to the name of a
COM port, that means that
it’s currently active (in use by Figure 10-19: An expanded status bar
RivCross). If the correct COM Figure 10-17: Com Port Selection
port is active but no Steering
Tool data is being received, When there are messages, there will also be a note to this effect in the
try clicking Reset Tool Port. menu bar (Figure 10-20).
BTS Modem Communication

The BTS can be connected to the computer either directly with a serial
cable, or remotely using a radio modem, which is then connected to the Figure 10-20: One or more messages exist in the status bar
computer with a serial cable. In either case, it is necessary to use the Bea-
con Tracker dropdown menu to select the appropriate COM port. Send Driller’s Display over Web/Ethernet
Note: connecting with a USB radio modem creates a COM port on the This check box enables DD Ethernet options (Figure 10-18). ToolFace,
computer, which must be selected in this window for the automatic BTS inclination, azimuth, and pressure data can be sent over Ethernet (local
features to work properly. Wi-Fi, for example). The IP address and port to which Driller Display data
are sent can then be modified, although this is generally only required if
there is more than one RivCross job sending Driller Display data over the
same network at the same time.
Driller Display data sent over Ethernet can be received by phones, tablets,

85
or computers via the Web Legacy iPhone

Driller Display (Figure 10- Select this option when using the iOS Driller Display app (deprecated).
21), and/or other computers
running VMDisplay (Figure
Set Targets/Export to DD
10-22). Both options offer
a simple and free interface Clicking this button opens the Set Targets and Export Settings window
for receiving and displaying where the Driller Display views and controls may be customized. See HI/
Driller Display data in real LO, TARGETS, AND ALARMS.
time. In addition, a user
running Web Driller Display Send Driller’s Display over Bluetooth
can send messages back
ToolFace, inclination, azimuth, and pressure
to RivCross and take Para-
data can be sent to an Android device over
Track2 shots.
Bluetooth and shown in a Driller Display app
For more information on Figure 10-21: Web Driller Display
by checking this box (Figure 10-18). Refer to
mobile device apps, please standard Windows documentation for infor-
refer to WEB DRILLER mation on how to add a Bluetooth device to
DISPLAY. the computer. Bluetooth 4.0 (Low Energy) is
required to connect to iPhones/iPads and is not
Web DD Address recommended. For complete instructions on
how to set up a Bluetooth connection to a mo-
This is the address where the Web Figure 10-23: Bluetooth settings
bile device, see DRILLER DISPLAY APPS FOR
Driller Display may be accessed. Click
MOBILE DEVICES.
once to copy the URL. In the rare case
where the Web Port must be changed,
do so here. Send Data to DD
This box is normally left checked. It ensures that the ToolFace, inclination,
UDP in/out and azimuth are sent to the Driller Display. To allow two users to capture
Figure 10-22: VM Driller Display on Windows
Steering Tool data simultaneously on their own computers, connect USB
This section pertains to advanced
and serial cables (from separate computers) to the ParaTrack2 Interface at
functions for using the Web/Ethernet Driller Display.
the same time. The user running the computer connected via serial cable
should uncheck this box.
Broadcast to All Addresses
Choose this option to transmit DD data to all addresses on the network. If
this box is un-checked, the Remote IP address of the device that will act as
the Driller’s Display must be defined manually.
Remote UDP Port

This option defines the remote udp port used for the Driller Display over
Ethernet.
Local UDP Port

This option defines the local UDP port used for the Driller Display over
Ethernet.

Vector Magnetics
86
Pressure Tab sensors. When clicked,

the window in Figure
RivCross can display
10-26 appears.
pressure measurements
in a variety of ways when The current pressure
outfitted with the optional values from the Steer-
Pressure Module. This tab ing Tool appear in the
provides options related to boxes in the upper left
those pressure measure- corner. To reset the
ments. zero point, either man-
ually type in numbers in
Note: In input windows
one or both Zero Cor-
(Guidance and Steering
rection boxes, or click
Tool windows), the pres-
on either of the “Use
sure values box can be
Current Sensor Read-
double clicked in order to
ing” buttons to use
jump directly to this
the current pressure
program settings tab
reading. The corrected Figure 10-26: Pressure zero corrections window
(Figure 10-25). Figure 10-24: Pressure tab readings appear in boxes at the upper right corner of this window. Once
the zero offsets are set, they will be saved with the job information and will
be subtracted from the tool pressure data before that data is displayed or
recorded.
Hi/Lo, Targets, and Alarms

This button opens the Set Targets
and Export Settings window (Fig-
ure 10-27). Here all types of gauges
used in RivCross can be custom-
ized.
Figure 10-25: Double-click in Pressure value to open pressure settings directly

Alarms can be set to notify the user
if either pressure reading is out of
bounds. There are high and low
Pressure Sampling Thresholds alarms for pipe and annular pres-
sure as well as RPM and WOB that
Use this section to set the parameters for Pressure Logging. Note the Log can be enabled independently. If a
Pressure option must be selected for these options to have any effect. pressure reading is out of range
Using the default values (minimum sample time = 1 min, pipe threshold = 10 (either too high or too low) and the
psi, annulus threshold = 5 psi) as an example, pressure would be recorded corresponding alarm is set and
any time pipe pressure changes by >10psi, annular pressure changes by enabled, an alarm will go off in any
>5psi, or at least 1 minute has passed without any pipe or annular pressure open Driller Display window (under
changes of >10 or >5psi, respectively. Realtime > Enhanced Driller Dis-
plays) or VMDisplay and as a
Set Zero Correction pop-up in the lower right corner of
the main screen.
This button allows the user to compensate for small offsets in the pressure
Figure 10-28 shows a high pipe Figure 10-27: Hi/Lo, Targets and Alarms window

87
pressure alarm in a remote Driller a separate pressure readout. Either pipe/WOB or annulus pressure may
Display. It will continue to appear until replace azimuth.
pipe pressure readings drop below Select “Don’t output pressure to Driller Display” to send no pressure data
the high alarm limit specified in Figure to the Driller Display.
10-27, or until high pipe pressure
alarms are disabled.
Log Pressure
High pressure limits determine the
When this box is checked, all pressure data (and WOB data, if enabled) that
max range of pressure dials in both
meets one of these two conditions is stored to the database:
remote Driller Displays and local dis-
plays, regardless of whether alarms • The difference between the current reading and the last recorded
are set. In Figure 10-29, the annular Figure 10-28: Pressure alarm
reading is greater than the value in the “Delta threshold” field for that
pressure high limit has been set to type of reading (pipe/annular/WOB). This minimizes the amount of noise
900, while the pipe pressure high limit has been set to 90. stored to the database.
When a target is set, a grey section centered on the targets appear on
pressure dials throughout RivCross. When the target range is set, a pre- • The “Minimum sampling time” (for either pressure or WOB) has passed
defined percent range will be applied to the set target value. In Figure without recording any readings. This ensures that there’s always an
10-29, targets for pipe pres- unbroken record of the readings over time, even if there were no signif-
sure have been set to 40 and icant changes for a relatively long period.
annular pressure has been
set to 600. Hide Active Pressure
Select this checkbox to prevent real time pressure data from being dis-
External Driller Display Op- played throughout RivCross.
tions
These options determine Always Show Pressure Popup
whether and how pressure Check this box to always show the cur-
data (and/or WOB, if enabled) rent pressures and/or WOB in a popup
is sent to a physical Driller window in the lower right corner of the
Display or a computer running screen, as shown in Figure 10-30. See
VMDisplay connected to the VM DRILLER DISPLAY ON WINDOWS in Figure 10-30: Pressure popup
ParaTrack2 Interface via se- VIEWING MWD DATA for more informa-
rial COM port. Driller Display tion.
mobile apps are not affected
by these settings.
Replace Pipe Pressure With Weight On Bit (WOB)
Select “Output pressure
This is an uncommon option. Checking this box opens an additional WOB
(VMDisplay only)” to send Figure 10-29: Pressure targets are shown in the grey
areas, high alarms in the red areas in the left menu of the main Program Settings window where WOB options
both pipe/WOB and annulus
may be defined. See WEIGHT ON BIT TAB.
pressure data to the Driller
Display, in addition to the standard data (azimuth, inclination, and Tool-
Face). This will only work if using another computer running the Pressure Units
VMDisplay program as the Driller Display, rather than a physical Pressure units can be set to PSI, Bar, or kPa with the controls in the Units
Driller Display unit. frame. This affects the units shown wherever pressure readings are dis-
Select “Output pressure instead of azimuth” to replace azimuth with played, and scales pressure thresholds/offsets/targets/etc. accordingly.
pressure (or WOB) data in the Driller Display. This option is provided for
backwards compatibility with older Driller Display units that do not have
Vector Magnetics
88
Averaging AC Samples to fit.

Pressure averaging can be set to None, 2, 3, 4, or 7 seconds. When aver- • In each case, increasing the averaging increases the amount of time to
aging is turned on, a moving average filter is applied to the pressure sensor take a shot. Once environment noise has returned to more manageable
readings before data is displayed or stored. levels, decreasing the averaging accordingly is recommended in order
to take shots more efficiently.
Range
The default range for a pressure module is “High Range.” Pressure mod- Tool/ABIA/EM Tab
ules created in 2006 or earlier may be “Standard Range,” in which case it Use this tab to indicate
is necessary to change this setting. If the pressure shown gets more and which type of Steering Tool
more negative as the pressure increases, the incorrect range is selected. is in use. Additional options
are available if a Vector
Averaging Tab Magnetics Steering Tool is
These advanced options used.
rarely need to be changed.
Select the degree of averag- Tool Type
ing for AC, DC, and magnetic Select the type of Steering
data here. Magnetic Sensor Tool being used. APS tools
Averaging applies to the that have a Tensor compati-
DC magnetometer outputs ble mode can run under the
from the Steering Tool. Tensor setting. When using
G1 and G2 Gravity Sensor a Tensor probe, a Tensor
Averaging applies moving surface interface and Driller
average filters to the 2G and Display must also be used,
10G accelerometer output, and no other settings on Figure 10-32: Tool/ABIA/EM tab
respectively. this tab may be changed.
Only the ParaTrack1 guid-
The # of AC Samples to fit
ance method is available for third-party Steering Tools.
(ParaTrack2 only) selects
the amount of AC data to
collect before computing a
Figure 10-31: Averaging tab Inclination Calculations and G Sensor Switch Threshold
sine fit. Larger numbers re- Generally, this is left on Auto Inclination. Select which set of accelerom-
sult in increased averaging. Similarly, the # Seconds to fit (ParaTrack1 only) eters to use to measure inclination (as well as azimuth and angle to high
selects how many seconds’ worth of the most recent DC data to include in side).
the Bx/y/z average when calculating a ParaTrack1 shot.
Note: The dual inclinometers discussed here may not be present in the
Use these guidelines for selecting appropriate averaging values: Steering Tool if its serial number is below 100.
• In high vibration environments, consider increasing G1/G2 sensor aver- The 2G inclination option uses the Steering Tool’s standard accelerometers,
aging. See also Tool/ABIA and consider changing crossover Thresholds and 10G uses a second set of accelerometers that are designed not to
as discussed there. saturate with larger vibrations, but are less precise.
If the user elects to use G1 or G2 sensors then those are the ones used for
• In high magnetic noise environments, consider increasing the magnetic shots and for MWD values. If they choose Auto then the G1 sensor values
sensor averaging and/or the # of seconds to fit. are used unless:
• In high AC field noise environments, consider increasing the number of • they are saturating (show greater than 1.8 Gees)

89
• or |g2Total - g1Total| > twice the threshold Show 3jt Incl Radius/DLS on Survey Summary
The threshold is modifiable and defaults to .1. So, if the absolute value of Check the boxes for Show 3jt or Show DLS to show the 3-joint inclina-
the difference of the Gees is more than .2, G2 values are used. tion-only radius or dogleg severity (respectively) in the Survey Summary
Table. Both are always available in the Shot Data Summary Table under
ABIA Settings Display Options.
If using an ABIA,
the distance from Mark New Shots “Final”
the bit to the Check the Mark New Shots “Final” box to mark all new ranging or Steering
sensors must be Tool shots final for that measured distance. Note that final shots are the
set on this tab, ones that are used for the calculated survey.
or the graphing
functions cannot Single Shot Export Formats
work correctly.
The single shot export formats allow shots to be exported as text in any
It is important to
Figure 10-33: ABIA amplitude warning message format, so that they can be imported directly into CAD software. Individual
use the graphs
shots may be exported
with ABIA be-
one at a time from the
cause it is vital to look at the whole bore and trends rather than individual
Shot Data Summary Table
numbers without context.
(refer to Export Single
The amplitude warning threshold is used in ABIA to determine when a Shot in Format #1/2 in
warning message will be shown while taking an ABIA shot, by comparing RIGHT CLICK MENU in
the size of the Hz (bore axis) signal to the size of the Hx and Hy signals. If VIEWING AND EDITING
the ratio of either Hx or Hy to Hz is greater than the warning threshold, SHOTS). These formats
RivCross will ask the user if they’re sure they want to continue taking the can also be used with the Figure 10-35: Shot export format test window
ABIA shot (Figure 10-33). File > Export functions
If using the measured inclination from the bit, this threshold generally can to export as much (or as
be left at 1 (i.e. Hx and Hy little) data as desired in the
can be as large as Hz). If selected format (see EX-
using implied inclination and PORTING NORMAL SHOTS/
azimuth values, the thresh- SURVEYS in WOB ZERO
old should be as low as CORRECTION WINDOW).
possible. Values of .3 and This can all be useful for
below are recommended, doing AutoCAD drawings, for
but higher values may be example. While Vector Mag-
required if it is difficult to netics cannot provide spe-
get warning-free shots. cific assitance with AutoCAD
commands, an example is
offered.
Shots/Surveys Tab
To get an idea of how shot
This tab contains options
export formats work, note
related to how shots and
surveys are calculated, dis- the contents of one of the
Single Shot Export Format
played, and exported.
textboxes in the Shots/Sur- Figure 10-36: Single Shot export format example
Figure 10-34: Shots/Surveys tab
veys tab (make sure it reads
like this: {MD} {EL} {RT}
Vector Magnetics
90
{AW}), then click the Test button next to it. The dialog in Figure 10-35 will • {CR} - use this to insert a carriage return in a line
appear.
• [] - use square brackets for arithmetic calculations
This window confirms the export format specified in the textbox is correct
by showing sample data in that format. In other words, when a user enters Note that these can be in any order and any or all of them may be used as
a format in the box, they can click Test to make sure it works as desired, many times as required in each format. Also note that everything that is not
and then they can export shots in this format directly to the Windows clip- in brackets or braces is a literal – it is output exactly as written.
board or a new text file. The syntax for doing a calculation is to enclose it in square brackets. Thus,
For a more practical look at this, consider the example of hypothetical CAD to draw a circle with a radius of 3 at away, elevation and then another one
software that uses the command “addline at,” followed by the MD, eleva- at away and 700-right (to have the plan view offset vertically by 700 and
tion, right, and away. The format for this example would look like the Single going to the right) in AutoCAD, one might use this format (without quotes):
Shot Export Format #1 in Figure 10-36.
• “c {AW},{EL} 3 c {AW},[700-{RT}] 3“
As mentioned earlier, a dialog like in Figure 10-35 appears after clicking the
Spaces are important for AutoCAD! The output of this command draws two
Test button, giving an example of how a sample shot would be exported
circles with a radius of 3.
using the specified format. In this case, the sample exported shot would
read: Again, an entire job can be exported in this fashion, thus easily populating
an AutoCAD as-built after drilling is complete.
addline at md 124.21, -10.42 ft, 1.23 ft, 119.12
Survey Calc Method
Using Single Shot Export Formats
This section provides options for how the survey is calculated. It has the
In the Shot Data Summary Table, right click on a shot (in most columns) and
same effect as the survey calculation option found in the SURVEY SUMMA-
a menu will appear (Figure 10-37).
RY TABLE in VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS.
Changing this value in either location will automatically update the method
used for all survey calculation methods throughout RivCross.
Note: the survey can be shown on the Shot Data Summary Table as well,
but this window does not offer a means of setting the calculation method
used.
Figure 10-37: Exporting a shot from the Shot Data Summary Table
Advanced Tab
This tab contains options
Click the Export Single Shot in Format #1 option. The selected shot will be
that are not commonly used.
copied to the Windows clipboard and can then be pasted directly into the
CAD software.
DT Adjustment Factors
Here is a list of elements that can be used in export formats. It is important
Not to be used except in
to type them exactly as they appear here.
consultation with Vector
• {AW} - use this for away Magnetics.
• {MD} - use this for measured distance Force Low Gain Mode
• {EL} - use this for elevation Not to be used except in

consultation with Vector
• {RT} - use this for right Magnetics.
Figure 10-38: Advanced tab

91
Well Type sensor. When clicked, the window in Figure 10-40 appears.
If PMR is to be used, select the correct Well Type - Magnet Well or Tool Well The current WOB value from the Steering Tool appears in the box in the
to automatically set the initial MDMW or MDTW value (respectively) to the upper left corner. To reset the zero
current MD when the PMR input window is first opened. point, either manually type in a number
in the Zero Correction box, or click the
Weight on Bit Tab “Use Current Sensor Reading” buttons
to use the current pressure reading.
RivCross supports display-
The corrected reading appears in the
ing and recording weight
box at the upper right corner of this
on bit (WOB) readings. To
window. Once the zero offset is set, it
interpret data from the pipe
will be saved with the job information
pressure channel as WOB,
and will be subtracted from the tool
check the “Replace pipe
WOB data before that data is displayed
pressure with weight on bit
or recorded.
(WOB)” box, which enables
most of the remaining set-
tings on this tab. WOB Limits, Target, and Alarms
This button opens the main Set Targets
Units and Export Settings window and allows
the user to set the WOB gauge high limit
Allows WOB to be displayed
and target and activate WOB alarms.
in pounds x1000, metric
When clicked, the window in Figure 10-
tons, or kilo-newton. This
41 appears.
setting can be edited re-
gardless of whether WOB is Figure 10-39: Weight on Bit tab Alarms can be set to notify the user if
enabled (since the job may the WOB reading is out of bounds. There
contain historical WOB data, are high and low limits that can be
which can be displayed even if WOB is not currently being measured). enabled independently. If a WOB reading
is out of range (either too high or too Figure 10-41: WOB Range window
Disable Annulus Pressure low) and the corresponding alarm is
enabled, a Weight on Bit too high alarm
Normally, receiving WOB data only prevents pipe pressure from being will be displayed in any remote Driller Display in the
received. Check this box to turn off annulus pressure as well (i.e. stop dis- same manner as the pressure alarms and as a
playing and recording it). popup in the lower right of the main screen. Figure
10-42 shows the WOB dial (Realtime > WOB Dial)
WOB Sampling and the high and low alarms ranges in red.
The WOB minimum sampling Additionally, the high and low WOB limits determine
time and delta threshold the range of the WOB Dial, regardless of whether
fields determine when WOB alarms are set. In Figure 10-42, the WOB high limit
data is stored to the data- has been set to 120. Note that this value would
base. See LOG PRESSURE mark the start of the red zone on this dial even if
for information on how to the high WOB alarm was disabled. Figure 10-42: WOB dial
use these fields.
When a WOB target is set, a grey bar centered on
Figure 10-40: WOB zero correction window this target appears on the WOB Dial. In Figure 10-42, the target has been
Set Zero Correction Button
set to 80.
This button allows the user to compensate for small offsets in the WOB
Vector Magnetics
92
Averaging • ABIA thresholds and graphing

WOB averaging can be set to None, 2, 3, 4, or 7 seconds. When averaging • Single shot export formats
is turned on, a moving average filter is applied to the WOB sensor readings
before data is displayed or stored. • Magnetic and gravity sensor averaging
Scale Factor USING JOB TEMPLATES

This value is used to scale raw WOB values so that they are displayed and
recorded correctly. For example, if WOB data is coming up in metric tons, The Default Template
but WOB units are set to kilo-newton, enter the number of kilonewtons per When RivCross is first installed, there is just
metric ton (9.807) to convert the raw WOB values to kilo-newton. one job template named “Default,” which con-
tains the RivCross factory settings for creating
JOB TEMPLATES new jobs. This can be seen in the updated Job
Setup window that appears after choosing a
Job templates allow precise control over how RivCross settings are ini- filename for a new job (Figure 10-43).
tialized when creating a new job. For example, if the user knows that the
ParaTrack2 Interface will always be connected to COM port 3 on a particu- Users who wish to create a new job without
lar computer, they could create a template in which the Steering Tool COM thinking about templates can simply click OK
port is set to 3, and then all new jobs created from that template would on this screen and continue with their work,
automatically use that COM port. as the Default template is designed to be as
broadly applicable as possible.
Many other settings can be included in templates as well, in any combina-
tion. In short, if users find themselves changing the same RivCross settings Note that RivCross cannot create new jobs
over and over when they create new jobs, templates can be a significant unless a valid template is specified. If RivCross
cannot find or read Default (or whichever Figure 10-43: Job Setup dialog
time-saver.
other template is selected), the error message
A job template can easily be created from any existing job by extracting in Figure 10-44 will appear when creating a
that job’s settings into a separate file. Thus, it is possible to have multiple new job:
templates with unique setting configurations – for example, a template for
ParaTrack2 jobs and a template for BTS jobs. Users simply select which
template they want to use when creating a new job.
Below are just some of the things that can be automatically customized for
new jobs using templates:
• Steering Tool and radio modem COM ports
• Units (e.g. feet vs. meters)
• Which windows to open when the job is loaded, and where on the
screen to show them
Figure 10-44: A valid template is required to create a job
• Shot Data Summary Table columns
• Pressure alarm options If this happens, it is necessary either for RivCross to restore factory set-
tings (i.e. regenerate Default in its original form and use it to create the new
• Driller Display communication options job) or for the user to go back and select a different template manually (see
next section).
• Toolbars
93
Selecting a Different Template Editing (Advanced)

To use a job template other than Default (if one exists), simply click “Se- Normally, it is only possible to edit
lect…” on the dialog in Figure 10-43, select the desired template (.jbt file), an existing job template indirectly
and click OK. RivCross will subsequently use this template to create the – by opening the job used to cre-
current new job, as well as all future new jobs until the template is changed ate the template (or a job created
again. Note that selecting a different template does not automatically from the template), changing the
change the selected template for other users on the same computer, or for required settings, and using Save as
the same user on other computers. Template to overwrite the template.
Relationship between Jobs and Job Templates However, job templates can also be
edited directly outside of RivCross
It is important to understand that job templates have a one-time, one-way using a normal text editor. A basic
relationship to jobs created with them. In other words, changing settings in understanding of XML is required to
a job does not have any effect on the job template used to create it (unless do this correctly.
the Save as Template menu option is used, as described in CREATING/ED-
ITING JOB TEMPLATES). Similarly, if a job template is deleted or edited in Warning: if performed improp- Figure 10-47: Save defaults as a template
any way after it’s used to create a new job, that job will be unaffected. erly, editing job templates in
a text editor may cause unex-
pected behavior in RivCross or render the templates unusable.
Creating/Editing Job Templates
Templates Directory
Creation
To find the directory where templates are normally stored, open Windows
Job templates are usually created by
Explorer, type “%localappdata%” in the address bar (without quotes), and
opening an existing job and saving it as a
press Enter (see Figure 10-48). This will open the current user’s local app
template, using the File > Save as Template
data directory.
menu option (Figure 10-45).
After entering a filename for the new
template, RivCross will save the current
job’s setting configuration to the template.
Certain settings, such as job identifying
info, baseline azimuth, entry point coordi-
nates, etc., are not considered “templat-
Figure 10-45: Save as Template menu
able” (i.e. they usually do not stay the same
from job to job), and thus are not included
in the template.
Once the template has been
created, RivCross will ask if Figure 10-48: Navigating to the local app data directory
it should start using it as the
default template for creating
new jobs (Figure 10-46). This From here, open the Vector Magnetics LLC directory, then RivCross, then
has the same effect as the Figure 10-46: Use new template as the default? the RivCross version directory (it should be named 4.8.#.#####, where each
“Select…” button described in # is one digit). All templates created by the current user on this computer
SELECTING A DIFFERENT TEM- should be located in this directory unless a different directory was explicit-
PLATE, and is simply a convenience measure. ly chosen.
There is also a shortcut in Program Settings allowing the user to save the
current layout, windows and settings as the default. (Figure 10-47).
Vector Magnetics
94
Editing a Template
Open the desired template (.jbt file) in any text editor. The beginning of the
file should look something like the screenshot in Figure 10-49.
Figure 10-49: Editing a template
Most settings are stored as a single line with the following format:
• <add key=”name” value=”val” />

Where name is the name of the setting and val is its value. Setting names
are generally in alphabetical order and related to their names/descriptions
in RivCross.
To change a setting, simply find its line and enter a new value for val be-
tween the quotation marks. If the setting in question is a checkbox or some
other kind of “on/off” option, enter True as the new value to turn the setting
on, or False to turn it off.
Note that editing some settings, such as the position and size of various
windows within RivCross, is significantly more difficult and should be
avoided unless very familiar with XML/serialization. These settings are
located at the end of the file.
Editing a Job
Job files and job template files have a very similar internal format. Any job
file can be opened and modified in a standard text editor using the same
principles for editing job templates described above.
The one major difference between job files and template files is that job
files contain additional settings that are separated from the rest in a group
called JobSettings. This group contains values for baseline azimuth, entry
point coordinates, and other job-specific settings that do not generally
carry over between jobs.

11
TAKING SHOTS
COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION
STEERING TOOL SHOTS
PARATRACK2 SHOTS
BTS SHOTS
PARATRACK1 SHOTS
MANUAL SHOTS
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96
INTRODUCTION TOOL POSITION

This section sets the Measured Distance (MD) of the Steering Tool’s current
position in the hole.
The primary method of collecting data from the Steering Tool or Gyro and
including it in the calculated survey is by “taking a shot.” A shot may be tak- Tool is at end of rod: Use this drop-down menu to select the current Tool
en directly, from a tool’s internal sensors - such as a Steering Tool, Gyro, or MD. The selected rod determines the total measured distance to the Tool’s
ABIA, or it may be taken indirectly, by referencing an external source such sensors at the end of the selected rod.
as a Guide Wire, Beacon Tracker, or MGT for enhanced precision. Additional distance beyond rod end: Use this box when taking a shot
A shot stores a tool’s location and orientation. The survey that is calculated from a position other than at the exact end of a rod. The measured dis-
from these shots verifies the path of the bore falls within defined toleranc- tance will the be the rod distance plus the additional value entered here.
es for the job. See the RODS TABLE section in INTRODUCTION AND GETTING STARTED for
more info.
Types of shots are listed below. All shot types except Steering Tool and
Manual require the corresponding license on the Hardware Key. Job files Baseline Azimuth: Displays the currently set Baseline Azimuth. To
upgraded from an earlier version of RivCross will not allow acquisition of change this value, go to File > Program Settings > Baseline Az. Vector Mag-
new shot data. netics discourages users from setting the Baseline Azimuth artificially to 0°
as this negatively impacts RivCross’s ability to calculate an anwer.
• Steering Tool
Measured Distance: Displays the current total measured distance based
• ParaTrack1 on the selected rod and any additional distance beyond rod end.
• ParaTrack2 STEERING TOOL ORIENTATION

Tool Azimuth: Current tool azimuth (with respect to magnetic north).
• Gyro
Corrected Az: Allows for a manual correction for a known Tool azimuth
• BTS/LFB error. The Corrected Az value entered here will be the one used for all cal-
culations and surveys.
• Manual
Az Correction: Displays the difference between the measured Tool Azi-
• ABIA muth and any value currently entered in the Corrected Az box. Click the Ø
button next to the correction box in order to set the correction to 0.
• MGT
Inclination: Current Tool inclination. An Inclination Bias parameter is
• PMR available in the File > Program Settings > Baseline Az tab. See INCLINATION
BIAS in PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION.
GTotal: Displays the sum of the individual gravity sensors. Individual sen-
COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION sor readings are available by hovering the mouse over this box.
Many RivCross shot Angle High Side to Tool Face: The current roll angle of the bent housing
windows display similar motor measured clockwise and relative to up. Straight up (high side, maxi-
important information. mum build) has a High Side to Tool Face value of 0°, straight down (low side,
This section describes maximum drop) has an angle of 180°.
data available in the
This angle relies on the Tool Face Offset value which must be set prior to
Steering Tool window
running the Tool in the hole. See SINGLE SHOT EXPORT FORMATS in PRO-
(Figure 11-1).
GRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION.
Hovering over this box with the mouse will display Angle High Side to X
Figure 11-1: Steering Tool input window (AHsX) which is the angle between high side and the Gx sensor. If the Gx
Chapter: 11 Taking Shots

97
sensor were pointing directly up, it would read 0°. CALIBRATION VALUE AND DATA INDICATORS
Tool Face Offset: The angle from the bent housing motor’s high side to
the X sensor axis of the Steering Tool. See SINGLE SHOT EXPORT FOR- Status Bar
MATS in PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION. The lower left corner of the window contains a status bar for the Steering
Tool. Usually, it displays one of the following messages:
OTHER TOOL DATA
• No Cals Loaded – RivCross has not received any calibration values
Temperature: Displays Steering Tool internal temperature. Units may be
from the Steering Tool.
changed by going to File > Program Settings > Baseline Az/TFO/Entry Point
tab. • Receiving Cal <number> – RivCross is receiving one of several calibra-
Tool Voltage: This is the voltage at the input of the Steering Tool. Normally, tion records from the Steering Tool. Normal data readings begin after
this should be between 40 and 45 volts when connected on wireline. Low all the calibration records are loaded.
tool voltage often indicates a wireline problem. See ADJUSTING OUTPUT
VOLTAGE in PARATRACK TOOL AND INTERFACE. • Cals Received – RivCross has successfully received all calibration re-
cords and is now receiving readings from the Steering Tool.
PRESSURE The status bar informs the user if a bad checksum or invalid calibration
Pipe Pressure: This is the current reading of drill pipe pressure from the values appears. This usually means there is a communication issue with
pressure sub. Pipe pressure is only available when running with a Pressure the tool. The status bar displays if the inclination is not steady and the tool
Module and Pressure Orienting Sub. needs to stop moving or vibrating. If the Steering Tool’s AC or DC sensors
are saturating that will also be displayed. See WIRE RANGES AND GUIDE-
Annular Pressure: This is the current reading of the annulus pressure at LINES in GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUPPLIES for information on how to
the pressure sub. This feature is only available when running with a Pres- avoid saturating the Steering Tool’s sensors.
sure Module and Pressure Orienting Sub.
LEDs
MAGNETIC DATA
Just above the Create New Survey Shot button are five green “LEDs.”
BTotal: DC magnetic readings from the Tool. Individual DC sensor values These LEDs all start out as “off” (dark green). When RivCross starts re-
are available by hovering the mouse over this box. ceiving Steering Tool data normally, these LEDs will continuously cycle on
Filtering: DC smoothing (filtering). To change the amount of smoothing go (light green) and off. If RivCross stops receiving data, this on/off cycling will
to the File > Program Settings > Averaging tab. See AVERAGING TAB PRO- pause. The active LED will turn red if a checksum error occurs.
GRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION for details.
Dip: The measured magnetic dip angle (horizontal to magnetic field direc-
Handling Bad Checksum Errors
tion). If a “bad checksum” error occurs, this usually indicates a problem with
the data connection between the ParaTrack2 Interface and the computer.
ACTIVE PLOT SERIES Check for connection or wiring problems between these devices.
Shows the currently active Plot Series. New shots are visible in this Plot In some cases, usually after a new installation of RivCross, bad check-
Series and plotted in Plan/Section Views using the displayed color. sums are a sign of a COM port conflict. Adding additional COM ports to the
computer may mean that RivCross is using the wrong COM driver. If prob-
Additional Plot Series are typically used when sidetracking or to reduce the
lems persist, try removing all COM ports via Start Menu > Control Panel >
number of data points to be plotted which may improve computer perfor-
System > Hardware > Device Manager and restarting the computer – this
mance. See EDITING PLOT SERIES and SIDETRACKING in MISCELLANEOUS
allows Windows to auto-detect the computer’s COM ports and install the
TOPICS.
proper drivers.

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98
STEERING TOOL SHOTS a ParaTrack2 license on the Hardware Key, create a new ParaTrack2 shot
using the ParaTrack2 input window (Figure 11-2). This window is opened
Steering Tool shots calculate the Steering Tool’s location based solely on using the Guidance > ParaTrack2 menu option.
inclination/azimuth measurements from the Steering Tool, the current MD, The ParaTrack2 input window contains the same data available in the
and the current survey calculation method selected. This is considered as Steering Tool input window. Only the additional ParaTrack2 data is dis-
“drilling blind” as no secondary verification of location such as data from a cussed. See COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION for information about the
coil or a Beacon is available. In other words, the answers given are sus- sections of this window not covered here.
ceptible to magnetic interference. Steering Tool shots do not require any
special equipment – only the Steering Tool. Note that an active wire file is required in order to take ParaTrack2 shots.
See DEFINING WIRES IN RIVCROSS in GUIDE WIRES AND POWER SUP-
Open the Steering Tool input window (Guidance > Steering Tool) to take PLIES for more information.
Steering Tool shots. This window is broken up into several different frames,
as seen in Figure 11-1. As described in COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION,
most other input windows with which the user can take shots display all of
the basic information in these frames as well.
TAKING A STEERING TOOL SHOT

1. Select the measured distance by selecting the correct rod end in
the “Tool is at end of rod” combo box. If needed, edit the rods table first
in the Edit > Rods menu.
2. Add any additional distance onto the rod distance in the “Addition-
al distance beyond rod end” box. This value can be either positive or
negative and is added to the distance from the selected rod to form the
final Measured Distance for the shot.
3. If necessary, plug a tool azimuth in the “Corrected Azimuth” box.
4. Click the “Create New Survey Shot” button.
5. Results for the new shot will appear in the Shot Data Summary Ta-
ble (Data/Tables > Shot Data Summary Table). If the “Mark as Final” flag
Figure 11-2: ParaTrack2 input window
is set on the Shots/Surveys tab in File > Program Settings, the shot will
automatically be added to the current survey as well.
PARATRACK2-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION
ALTERNATIVE TO STEERING TOOL WINDOW: TOOLBARS
Nearly all data displayed on the Steering Tool Input window, as well as the Hx and Hy Graphs
Create New Survey Shot button, is available in one of several different These graphs on the right side of the window show the current, averaged
toolbars. Move the tool bars into a useful configuration at either the top or x and y components of the AC field as measured by the Steering Tool. Wait
bottom of the main RivCross window. See TOOLBARS in PROGRAM CON- until the graphs are stable to take ParaTrack2 shots. If they do not become
FIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION for more information. stable within a reasonable amount of time, increase the amount of AC data
averaging (see AVERAGING). Note that as the scale changes on the graph
readings may appear to have large variations. Pay attention to the scaling
PARATRACK2 SHOTS and aim for readings that are of the same order of magnitude.
With a guide wire and Guidance Power Supply to generate AC current, and

99
Reset the majority of the signal is on its X and Y magnetic sensors, with very little
signal on its axial (Z) sensor. In this situation, the Z sensor is not used for
This will clear the graphs and start plotting from the left side again. Use this
positional calculation. In other words, very low Hz (Bz in ParaTrack1) signal
to remove a large AC value from the plots, such as results from Steering
indicates that the Steering Tool is parallel to the wire. This signal increases
Tool movement.
in proportion to the angle between the Steering Tool and the wire.
HTotal Thus, when the Hz (or Bz) signal is significant, check the Calculate Azimuth
from Hz Signal box in order to perform an independent calculation of the
The total AC magnetic field reading in micro Amps per meter. Hover over
Steering Tool’s azimuth based on the guide wire signal. Note that RivCross
this value and a popup will display the total field as x, y and z components.
defaults to using the Steering Tool azimuth to calculate the survey, so in
order to override the Steering Tool azimuth and use the calculated azimuth,
Wire Current the user must manually enter the azimuth reported by Hz (or Bz).
Enter the AC wire current in Amps peak to peak in this box (before taking
a ParaTrack2 shot). Read the value off the Guidance Power Supply LED Show Tweak
readout.
Check this box to show the Shot Tweak window after taking a ParaTrack2
shot. This window allows the user to compare the sensor values from the
Averaging Steering Tool with those calculated from the survey before saving the shot.
Shows the progress toward calculating an average of raw AC data. A See TWEAK WINDOW in VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS for more informa-
new data point appears on the Hx and Hy graphs when the progress bars tion.
resets. The text below the progress bar indicates the number of raw AC
data records used in each average. Clicking will open the Program Settings Standard/Enhanced P2 Data Detected
> Averaging tab where this value may be altered via the ParaTrack2 # AC
If the Guidance Power Supply for the Steering Tool supplies power in a
Samples to Fit menu item.
60/40 waveform, the ParaTrack2 input window will show that enhanced
ParaTrack2 data is detected (since 60/40 is preferable). Otherwise, it will
Active Wire show that standard ParaTrack2 data is detected.
Indicates the wire currently in use for taking shots. Clicking Active Wire
opens the Wires window where the active wire may be changed or edited. TAKING A PARATRACK2 SHOT
Follow the steps listed in TAKING A STEERING TOOL SHOT (clicking the
Toggle Gain “Create New ParaTrack2 Shot” button instead when ready to take the
Press this button to toggle between High Gain Mode (default) and Low Gain shot). In addition, follow the steps below before clicking the button:
Mode. Low gain is designed for use in situations where the Steering Tool is
very close to the wire and the AC sensors are being saturated by the very • Make a note of the value displayed for “Amps P-P” on the front of the
strong AC field. Do not use Low Gain mode for normal operations. Low Gain Guidance Power Supply (wait for it to settle first if necessary)
mode is an emergency option. If the AC sensors are saturating, the first
• Enter this value in the “Wire Current (Amps p-p)” textbox in the Para-
recourse should be to reduce the wire current.
Track2 Input window
Calculate Azimuth from Hz Signal
All Shots Converge
This option allows for an independent calculation of the tool azimuth based
ParaTrack2 shots would not converge in previous software versions if the
on the AC wire signal. This can be useful as an alternate way to confirm the
analysis from the raw data were not close enough to the predicted tool
tool azimuth without relying on the Earth’s field.
position. All shots now converge and it is up to the user to verify that the
provided tool position is reasonable. Listed below are common reasons
Explanation why a P2 shot may not provide a valid answer.
When the Steering Tool is parallel to a long straight section of guide wire,
• The Baseline Azimuth is inaccurate.
Vector Magnetics
100
• The wire current is inaccurate. BTS-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION

• The entry point parameters are inaccurate (remember that the entry
AC Signal Graph
point azimuth is an absolute angle, not relative to the Baseline Azimuth).
Raw AC data in nanoTesla vs. time
• The incorrect wire is active (go to Wires > Edit, select the correct wire, from the BTS are displayed here
and click Make Active), and/or it is setup incorrectly (Select the active as a continuous stream. Three
wire, click Edit, and check vertex coordinates). lines are plotted, for the x, y, and
z components. These lines will be
• The survey is out of date (in the Shot Data Summary Table, ensure that displayed in bright colors when
all the correct shots are marked as “Final”). RivCross is actively creating a BTS
shot, and in more faded colors
• The current MD is incorrect (go to Edit > Rods and check that the pipe
otherwise (see Figure 11-4).
lengths are entered correctly).
Reset Figure 11-4: AC signal graph while taking a BTS
BTS SHOTS This will clear the graph and start
shot
plotting from the left side again.

With a Beacon Tracker System (BTS), and a BTS license on the Hardware
Use this to remove a large AC value from the plots, such as results from
Key, take BTS shots using the Beacon Tracker input window (Figure 11-3).
Steering Tool movement.
This window is opened using the Guidance > Beacon Tracker (AC Solenoid)
menu option.
Toggle Gain (of Steering Tool)
Since many aspects of the BTS input window also occur in the Steering
Tool input window, only the differences are described here. See COMMON Press this button to toggle the Steering Tool between High Gain Mode (de-
CONTROLS/INFORMATION for information about the sections of this win- fault) and Low Gain Mode. Low gain should only be used in situations where
dow not covered here. the Steering Tool is very close to the BTS and the AC sensors are being
saturated by the very high AC field present. This should not normally be
Note that a Beacon Tracker must be defined and made active in RivCross used, but is provided as a contingency. The first course of action should al-
in order to take BTS shots. See DEFINING BEACON TRACKERS IN ways be to move the BTS further away from the Steering Tool. Remember
RIVCROSS in BEACON TRACKER SYSTEM for more information. it is not necessary to locate the BTS directly over the planned borehole.
Active Beacon Tracker

Indicates Active Beacon
Tracker currently in use for
taking shots. Clicking this will
open the Available Beacon
Trackers window. New BTS
locations or set-ups can be
added to the list. Selecting
Edit allows the user to change
various parameters of the
BTS set-up (Figure 11-5). See
EDITING BEACON TRACKERS
in BEACON TRACKER SYS-
TEM.
Figure 11-3: BTS input window Figure 11-5: Beacon Tracker parameters

101
Radio Modem Input Use Moments Received Checkbox

This area of the form (Figure 11-6) is used to control and monitor the BTS • By default, RivCross automatically calculates moments for each BTS
when connected to a serial port on the computer, either directly or via shot based on averaged current and calibration values received from
radio modem (if the BTS is not connected to the computer, but will instead the BTS.
be manually operated, feel free to skip this section).
• To use manually entered moments, un-check “Use moments received
from BTS via modem”. This will force RivCross to use moments en-
tered in ‘Beacon Tracker Parameters’ window (under the Edit > Beacon
Trackers (Solenoids)). Calibration reports for Beacon Trackers are
available for download at vectormagnetics.com/support.
Other Information
Information about the BTS/LFB is also visible here when communication to
BTS/LFB is open. This includes:
• Calibrated – latest calibration date

Figure 11-6: Radio Modem input
• Serial No – Unit serial number
Click Open to open this BTS communication serial port. If configured
correctly, this should fill in the last calibration date, serial number, etc. If • Version – firmware version on BTS or LFB
they aren’t filled in, or the error message in Figure 11-7 appears, follow the
• BTS Type – either BTS or LFB
instructions in INITIALIZING CONNECTION TO BTS for setting up the BTS
communication serial port correctly. • Amps – BTS/LFB current output (averaged over 1.75 seconds)
The Start and Cancel buttons are used to start and stop firing the sole-
noids, respectively. See BTS SHOT PROCEDURE for more information. • Volts – BTS/LFB voltage (averaged over 1.75 seconds)
Click Close to close the connection to the BTS or radio modem. It may be • Temp (°F) - (LFB only. Not available on BTS)
necessary to close and open the serial port again if (e.g.) the radio modem
is accidentally unplugged from the computer. • Whether the solenoids are firing or not
If the BTS goes into fault, click Reset to send a hardware reset signal to the
• Debug tab - All raw communication received from the BTS/LFB (useful
BTS solenoids see ERRORS DISPLAYED IN SOFTWARE in BEACON TRACK-
for advanced troubleshooting)
ER SYSTEM.
Beacon Start Tone
Click Start to play the tone to turn on the Beacon, and click Stop to cease
playing this tone. Only used with older models of BTS.
Number of Samples
Determines the degree of signal averaging for a BTS shot.
• Default setting is 504 samples. This is a reasonable tradeoff between

data collection time and positional accuracy for most situations.
Figure 11-7: No BTS communication serial port
• In ‘noisy’ environments decrease the number of samples to decrease

Vector Magnetics
102
the likelihood of capturing noise in the data, and increase the number of Waiting” (assuming the solenoids are not currently firing).
shots in the average final shot. This will also reduce time lost if a shot
needs to be marked bad. • Volts should read approximately 12V
• In ‘clean’ environments increase the number of samples and decrease • Amps should read (approximately):
the number of shots to average.
• 0.2A when unit has power, but solenoids are not firing.
TAKING A BEACON TRACKER SHOT • 7A if BTS firing
Initializing Connection to BTS • 11A if LFB firing

If the BTS is not connected to the computer running RivCross (either di-
rectly with a serial cable or indirectly with a radio modem kit), skip to BTS BTS Shot Procedure
SHOT PROCEDURE. Otherwise, follow these steps to set the correct COM Begin taking a BTS shot by following the first three steps in TAKING A
port for communication with the BTS before taking any BTS shots: STEERING TOOL SHOT. Then, follow these steps:
1. Select File > Program Settings, and click the Communication (Ports) 1. Ensure data averaging in the “# of samples” box is set as desired.
tab.
2. Start firing the BTS solenoids by either method a. or b.:
2. Select the COM port for the serial connection to either a radio
modem or directly to the BTS (as appropriate) from the dropdown list a. If the BTS is connected to the computer running RivCross (direct-
(Figure 11-8). If using radio modems, this COM port will probably be ly or via radio modem), press the “Start” button.
called “MaxStream PKG-U
Serial Port Adapter” or ◊ Message “Solenoids Firing” will appear in the Radio Modem
“USB Serial Port.” Click Input box when successful.
Apply.
◊ Data will be visible on the Steering Tool raw data graph in the
3. Go to the BTS In- center of the screen.
put window (Guidance
◊ RivCross will automatically start recording a shot after a few
> Beacon Tracker (AC
seconds.
Solenoid)) and click the
Open button under Radio b. If the BTS is not connected to the computer running RivCross,
Modem Input. manually press the physical start button on the LED Display on the
Provided that all of the hard- BTS turntable.
ware is powered on (BTS, and
radio modems if applicable): ◊ Data will be visible on the Steering Tool raw data graph in the
center of the screen.
• The calibration date,
serial number, firmware ◊ RivCross will automatically start recording a shot after a few
Figure 11-8: BTS radio modem COM port in Program
version, BTS type, amps, Settings seconds.
and volts should populate
automatically at this point. 3. To verify the BTS/LFB is firing:
• An ‘x’ near the bottom right corner should start to blink on and off every a. The digital display on the BTS turntable will alternate between
2 seconds. displaying current (should be between 5-7 Amps) and voltage. When
solenoids are not firing, current will read 0.2 Amps.
• The message “No Solenoids Detected” should change to “Solenoids

103
b. A light magnetic object (ie. keys, screwdriver, etc.) held near end (Figure 11-11). Large
of each solenoid will move in response to the BTS firing. ‘noise’ spikes or Steering
Tool movement can often
4. When the AC signal graph is stable, click the Start button to begin be seen here.
acquiring data (if using radio modems in Step 2, RivCross automatically
As can be seen in the Linear
does this for the user a few seconds after it detects that the solenoids
plot in Figure 11-9, there are
are firing). The progress bar under # of Samples should start to fill up.
a pair of spikes at 2 Hz and
To cancel the shot partway through, click Cancel.
2.28 Hz that are significantly
5. After the selected number of samples has been collected, an AC larger than the background
Signal Analysis window appears for QA/QC of shot. See AC SIGNAL noise. The primary harmonic
ANALYSIS for more information. Click OK when finished. is even more pronounced in
Figure 11-10, which is a Deci-
6. Results for the new shot will appear in the Shot Data Summary bel plot of the same BTS shot Figure 11-10: Decibel plot of the BTS shot
Table (Data/Tables > Shot Data Summary Table), and the shot itself (the type of graph that ap-
will appear in Plan and Section Views (Graphs > Plan View or Section pears can be changed using
View). If the “Mark as Final” flag is set on the Shots/Surveys tab in File the radio buttons in the lower
> Program Settings, the shot will automatically be added to the current left corner of the window).
survey as well. In contrast, Figure 11-12
shows an example of what
AC Signal Analysis may be a bad BTS shot.
Notice how much shorter
After the specified number of samples have been accumulated, the new and wider the harmonic
BTS shot is complete and a set of signal quality plots appear automatically. spikes are relative to the
There are 3 plots to assess data quality: background noise, and also
how the total number of
• Frequency-Linear spikes has increased. This
Plot - There should be shot might still calculate Figure 11-11: Raw data plot of a good BTS shot
a pair of data spikes at correctly but the chances for
2 Hz and 2.28 Hz that error are higher. Watch these
are significantly larger graphs and how shots
than the background calculate to get a better idea
noise (Figure 11-9). Note of shots that will and won’t
there are also weaker, give correct locations.
more widely separated
It is also possible to view the
harmonic pairs at higher
raw AC data for a BTS shot
frequencies.
in this window (Figure 11-11),
• Frequency-Decibels although this is generally
Plot - A good shot will Figure 11-9: Linear plot of a good BTS shot not useful for determining
have signal 20 dB great- whether a shot is good or
er than the background noise level on the primary pair of harmonics (2 bad Figure 11-12: Decibel graph of a bad BTS shot
Hz and 2.28 Hz for BTS) (Figure 11-10). Note there are also weaker, .
more widely separated harmonic pairs at higher frequencies.
• Raw Data – Shows the data as recorded from the Steering Tool

Vector Magnetics
104
PARATRACK1 SHOTS -Amps

Enter the negative DC current on the guide wire into this box.
With a guide wire, DC power source, and ParaTrack1 license on the Hard-
ware Key, ParaTrack1 shots can be taken using the ParaTrack1 input win-
Positive Bx/y/z
dow (Figure 11-13). This window is opened using the Guidance > ParaTrack1
menu option. Displays the DC magnetic sensor readings for the positive shot.
Negative Bx/y/z
Displays the DC magnetic sensor readings for the negative shot.
Data Capture Buttons

Note that after clicking on one of these three buttons, it will change color to
white to indicate that data has been recorded. Once all three buttons have
been clicked, the “Create New Tool Shot” button will become active. The
user can always click on one of the three capture buttons again to re-re-
cord data before creating a new shot.
Capture Zero Data

Click this to capture the DC magnetic readings while no current is being
applied to the guide wire.
Capture Positive Data

Click this to capture the magnetic readings while positive guide wire cur-
rent is being applied.
Figure 11-13: ParaTrack1 input window Capture Negative Data

Click this to capture the magnetic readings while negative guide wire cur-
The ParaTrack1 input window contains information that is also visible in the rent is being applied.
Steering Tool input window. Paratrack1 specific data is explained below.
See COMMON CONTROLS/INFORMATION for information about the sec- Filter / Averaging
tions of this window not covered here.
Displays the length of time over which sensor readings are averaged. For
Note that a wire must be defined and made active in RivCross in order to example, if a two second Magnetic Sensor Average is in use, a continuous-
take ParaTrack1 shots. See DEFINING WIRES IN RIVCROSS in GUIDE WIRES ly sliding window of the last two seconds of data are averaged together
AND POWER SUPPLIES for more information. to calculate the current B values. The green bar also displays whether the
buffer is full for the chosen number of seconds of ParaTrack1 DC data to
PARATRACK1-SPECIFIC CONTROLS/INFORMATION collect. These values are set via the Program Settings > Averaging tab.
Click the Reset button in order to clear the sliding window.
Magnetic Data
TAKING A PARATRACK1 SHOT
+Amps
Begin by following the first three steps in TAKING A STEERING TOOL SHOT.
Enter the positive DC current on the guide wire into this box.
Then, follow these steps:

105
1. With zero guide wire current, click on the “Capture Zero Data” click Create New Survey Shot. Results for the new shot will appear in the
button to record the Steering Tool readings. This data is used in the Shot Data Summary Table (Data/Tables > Shot Data Summary Table). If the
survey. “Mark as Final” flag is set on the Shots/Surveys tab in File > Program Set-
tings, the shot will automatically be added to the current survey as well.
2. Apply a positive current to the guide wire and enter the amperage
read off of the DC power supply into the +Amps box.
3. Wait for the Bx and By plots to stabilize.
4. Click on the “Capture Positive Data” button.
5. Apply a negative current to the guide wire and enter the amperage
read off of the DC power supply into the Amps box.
6. Wait for Bx and By to stabilize.
7. Click on the “Capture Negative Data” button.
8. If all data was taken correctly, click on the “Create New Tool Shot”
button. If some of the data needs to be re-taken, do that first.
9. Results for the new shot will appear in the Shot Data Summary
Table (Data/Tables > Shot Data Summary Table), and the shot itself
will appear in Plan and Section Views (Graphs > Plan View or Section
View). If the “Mark as Final” flag is set on the Shots/Surveys tab in File
> Program Settings, the shot will automatically be added to the current
survey as well.
When Shots Don’t Make Sense

Unlike Steering Tool shots, occasionally RivCross might display an error
saying that a ParaTrack1 shot did not converge. Refer to ALL SHOTS CON-
VERGE in the ParaTrack2 section of this chapter for troubleshooting steps
to fix any issues that may be causing inaccurate shots.
MANUAL SHOTS
If desired, inclination and azimuth values
can be entered by hand as a “manual
shot,” without needing to read any data
from the Steering Tool. This can be useful
for adding pre-existing data to the survey.
Go to Guidance > Manual Shot Entry to
open the Manual Shot Input window (Fig-
ure 11-14).
To create a manual shot, simply enter the
desired MD, inclination, and azimuth, and Figure 11-14: Manual Shot input window

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12
PASSIVE MAGNETIC
RANGING
PROCEDURE DETAILS
SOFTWARE
RULES OF THUMB
APPENDIX: PMR THEORY

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INTRODUCTION
Passive Magnetic Ranging (PMR) is an effective method for performing a Well) as it moves past the Steering Tool (note that the terms Well and Bore
precise wellbore intersection. The Steering Tool is kept stationary in one are used interchangeably here). The two bores must be approximate-
bore (the TW = Tool Well), and measures the magnetic field from a passive ly parallel and opposite drilling direction. See Figure 12-1 for a
magnetic source, such as a steel pipe, in the other bore (the MW = Magnet diagram of the standard PMR procedure.
Figure 12-1: The standard PMR procedure. The wells are roughly parallel and opposite directions
Chapter: 12 Passive Magnetic Ranging

109
PMR is designed to work on the leading half of the first magnetic first magnetic pole. At this point, the PMR data records are analyzed in
pole. PMR data is collected and analyzed entirely within RivCross, using a RivCross to determine the precise position of the magnetic source relative
standard ParaTrack Steering Tool. No special hardware is required. to the Steering Tool at the depth it passed its magnetometers.
Although operational details may differ from job to job, additional PMR data
sets can be taken by adding and removing drill pipe in such a way that the
Steering Tool stays near the passive magnetic source as drilling proceeds.
Each data set must include the MD interval in which the magnetic source
approaches and passes the Steering Tool.
SOFTWARE
PMR WINDOW
The PMR window Figure 12-4 is accessed via the Guidance > Passive Mag-
netic Ranging menu.
Setup for Data Collection
MDTW and MDMW

Figure 12-2: Sample Magnetic Pole Signature. PMR is designed to work on the leading half of PMR is intended to be used during an intersection of two bores; the bore
the first magnetic pole. containing the Steering Tool and the bore containing the passive magnetic
source (refer back to Figure 12-1 for a diagram of this). These two bores
may have separate jobs being run simultaneously on different computers.
PROCEDURE DETAILS Therefore, there are two MD fields on the PMR window: MDTW, which
keeps track of the Steering Tool’s MD in its own job, and MDMW, which
First, ensure that the MW drill string contains a suitable passive magnetic keeps track of the passive magnetic source’s MD in its own job. For ex-
source. Examples of possible passive magnetic sources include motors, ample, if the Steering Tool is currently at MD=230.5 in its own job, and
bits, drill strings, magnetized casing, and stacks of magnets. Whatever the passive magnetic source is currently at MD=419.1 in its own job, enter
type of magnetic source is used, it must meet these requirements in order 230.5 in the MDTW field and 419.1 in the MDMW field when first opening the
for PMR to work properly: PMR window. It is only necessary to have the PMR window open in one of
these two jobs.
• It is long relative to the separation between the two bores.
Note that as soon as any PMR data is
• Its magnetic field is greater than the Earth’s magnetic field (or metal captured, the MDTW field becomes
that significantly perturbs the Earth’s magnetic field). disabled, Figure 12-3. This is because it
is only possible to analyze data at one
• It terminates at either the bit or a long non-magnetic section. MDTW at a time – in other words, the
Ranging is usually begun when survey or surface guidance data indicate Steering Tool may not move during rang- Figure 12-3: Disabled MDTW
that the Steering Tool is within 15’ to 30’ of the end of the passive magnet- ing. To capture data at a different MDTW,
ic source in the MW, in either direction. With the Steering Tool stationary, it is necessary to create a new PMR
the magnetic source is then moved forward (or backward) by a set inter- data set. See CHANGING THE STEERING TOOL DEPTH for details.
val (e.g. 1’) and a PMR data record is collected in RivCross. This process
is repeated until the magnetic source has moved past the Steering Tool
(sensor) Figure 12-2. PMR is designed to work on the leading half of the

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110
Figure 12-4: PMR window
MDMW Increment
itself) as it moves past the Steering Tool. Note that if the MDMW increment
It is highly recommended to enter the size of the small, set interval between field is not set, it will be necessary to input each new MDMW manually
data records in the MDMW increment field – in other words, the distance in before capturing data.
MD that the passive magnetic source will travel in the MW before captur-
ing each data record. A good rule of thumb is to sample the data at depth Averaging
increments no larger than ¼ the expected separation between the bores
to prevent aliasing or under-sampling. It should be a negative number if the Averaging is not often needed, but can be useful in very noisy environ-
MD of the magnetic source will be decreasing (in its own bore, relative to ments. Set the averaging slider higher when there is more noise.

111
Data Collection Changing the Steering Tool Depth

When ready to start col- To capture data at a new Steering Tool
lecting PMR data, simply depth, click the New Data Set button.
follow these steps for RivCross will prompt the user for the
each data point: new Steering Tool depth. See Figure
12-7. When the depth is entered the
• Move the passive MDTW field will be updated according-
magnetic source to ly and the graphs will be cleared.
the MD shown in the Figure 12-7: Enter a new PT tool depth
To switch back to a previous data set
MDMW field.
(Steering Tool depth), whether to
• Wait for BTotal to analyze it or capture more data for it,
settle. click the Switch Data Sets button.
This will zoom out the graphs to show
• If an interval was all PMR data in the job, with black
set in the MDMW vertical lines separating each data
increment field (see set (Figure 12-8). The currently active
MDMW INCREMENT), data set is highlighted in yellow. Click
click Capture/Incre- a different data set on the graph to
ment and confirm select it, then click Confirm to switch
the new MDMW. to that data set, or Cancel to make no
Otherwise, enter the changes.
new MDMW manual-
ly and click Capture Excluding Unwanted Data
Record.
PMR analysis works on the first half
Make sure to repeat of the Magnetic pole magnetic pole.
these steps until the end Therefore, it is necessary to Figure 12-8: Switching PMR data sets
of the passive magnetic exclude all data points after the
source has moved past MDMWT (the MD at which the
Figure 12-5: Capturing a new PMR data record
the Steering Tool sen- passive magnetic source passed the Steering Tool) before fitting
sors. A new data point data.
will appear on the graphs for each data record, and will be highlighted in
In Figure 12-9, notice that the B High Side and B Right Side graphs have
green for a few seconds, as in Figure 12-5. Note that new data points may
peaks (as indicated by the double arrow). This means that the passive
appear in the middle of the graphs
magnetic source passed the Steering Tool at approximately this point in
instead of at the end if the user
the graph, and everything after it – in this case, the last Eight data points –
goes back to a previous MDMW
should be excluded before analysis (as indicated by X’s).
value.
Note that the B High Side or B Right Side graph peaks can be positive or
Timestamps negative peaks, depending on the orientation of the passive magnetic
source. To exclude a data record, hold the Control key and click it on any
The current date and time is now graph. This will remove it from view and exclude it from analysis (although
recorded for each data record. To it will still be included when exporting data). To view excluded records, click
see when a particular data record Figure 12-6: Date and time when record was
captured the Show Excluded Records checkbox; this will display all excluded re-
was captured, move the mouse cords as partially transparent, as seen with the last four records in Figure
over any data point on the graphs, 12-10. To include an excluded record again, hold the Control key and click it.
and a tooltip will appear Figure 12-6.
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112
Setting Graph Baselines

To prepare to analyze a data set, click the Calculation tab in the upper left
corner of the window. A data set that is ready to be analyzed should look
similar to the graphs in Figure 12-11 or the 1st half of a magnetic pole signa-
ture described previously in Figure 12-2. This includes:
• B High Side graph and B Right Side graph with data points going to a
positive or negative peak.
• B Axial Side graph with data points in a fairly smooth curve.
Figure 12-9: Determining unwanted data points to exclude
Figure 12-11: Calculation tab of PMR window, with a data set ready to analyze
For each of these graphs, move the mouse vertically over it until the green
line passes through the flattest part of the curve (Figure 12-12), then click
to set the baseline for that graph. In Figure 12-13, the baseline has been
set for the B Axial graph – notice that the flattest part of the curve is now
approximately 0 (while it was around 2000 in Figure 12-12). If there is no
Figure 12-10: Showing only excluded records one part of a graph that’s clearly the flattest, capture more data with the
magnet farther away from the Steering Tool (i.e. with MDMW values that
are smaller than the current smallest MDMW).

113
Guess MDMWT field accordingly. In Figure 12-14, this is approximately 3.3.

Keep the other initial column values at 0 to start.
To determine a good value for the Q +/- field, click the Estimate Q +/- button,
enter the weight per foot in the text field, and click OK. This will fill in the Q
+/- field with an appropriate value automatically (if the weight per foot is
not known, just enter a large number like 999999 in the Q +/- field). Enter 10
in the other +/- column fields to start.
Figure 12-12: Choosing a baseline for the B Axial graph
Location Calculation and Correction
When all parameters are set, click Fit Data, and RivCross will calculate a
location estimate. After a few seconds, the graphs will update to show the
best fit curves relative to the actual data points (Figure 12-15).
Figure 12-13: B Axial graph baseline set
Setting Analysis Parameters

The final step before analyzing
the data is selecting values for
the various analysis parameters.
On the Calculation tab, entries
in the “Guess” column are “best
guess” values for the parame-
ters; entries in the “+/-“column
describe the likely range that
each parameter can have about
its best guess value.
To determine a good value for the
“Guess” MDMWT field, hover the
mouse over the MDMW graph,
line up the cursor so that the Figure 12-15: Results of first attempt to calculate a location
vertical red line passes through
the peak (or low point) of the
B Axial graph and the cursor is Two error levels are displayed in the Guess and Answer columns, under
centered on the line created by the analysis parameters. If either error value is too high (significantly higher
the red data points that make up than 0.5, i.e. 50%), try one or more of the following, and then click Fit Data
the MDMW graph (Figure 12-14). again:
The Y value of the cursor at this
position is a good estimate for • Update the “Guess” parameter fields to the values displayed in the “An-
the MDMWT. Click at this position Figure 12-14: Determining the initial MDMWT swer” column. In Figure 12-15, this would mean setting the rstie guess
to automatically populate the
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114
to -2.6, the mdmwt guess to 124.6, and the Q guess to 185000. relative error values in the Legend are lower than before, at 0.05 and 0.05,
respectively (5% and 5%).
• Set new baselines for one or more of the graphs.
Viewing Calculated Locations
• Update +/- parameter field values based on the difference between the
original guess values and answer values. For example, in Figure 12-15, Each time Fit Data is clicked,
this would mean setting the rstie guess to perhaps 3 (since the answer an axial/end view of the new
value, -2.6, was only a bit less than 3 away from the original guess val- estimated location of the
ue, 0). Do not set any +/- parameter field to 0, even if the answer value passive magnetic source as it
is exactly equal to the guess value (In Figure 12-15, hstie guess and passed the Steering Tool will
answer values are both 0, so hstie +/- should be 0.1 or so). be shown in the graph in the
lower left corner of the win-
• Ensure that only valid/desired data is visible on the graphs (see EX- dow, based on the calculations
CLUDING UNWANTED DATA). from the captured data and
input parameters. The Steer-
If there is still a high error level after clicking Fit Data again, continue
ing Tool is represented by the
updating parameters, etc. using the methods suggested above followed by
green + labelled “Tool,” and the
clicking Fit Data as many times as necessary.
estimated location of the pas-
sive magnetic source is rep-
resented by a red point with
a label (which shows the data
set ID and the MDTWT of the
location). Left click and drag to Figure 12-17: Graph of estimated magnetic source
the right on the graph to zoom location at point of passing PT Tool sensor.
in on the selected area.
In Figure 12-17, the calculated location of the passive magnetic source is at
hstie=2.0, rstie=-2.7. This means that the magnetic source was estimated to
be about 2.7’ to the left of the Steering Tool and 2’ above the Steering Tool
when it passed the Steering Tool sensor.
Only the most recent calculated location for each data set is shown in this
graph. By default, they are all displayed simultaneously. To view them indi-
vidually, uncheck Show All Data Set Results and use the Data Set # drop-
down menu under the graph to display the location for the desired data set.
Data Export and Import

To export all PMR data to a file, click the Export button. This saves a file
with a “.mrd” extension which can be imported into RivCross for later use,
or sent to Vector Magnetics if requested. All PMR data in the job is export-
ed to the file (whether it’s been excluded from the graphs or not). Note that
Figure 12-16: Results of second attempt to calculate a location data is exported in its raw form; therefore, it might not exactly match the
data as it appears on the graphs.
To import PMR data, simply click the Import button and select a “.mrd” file
Figure 12-16 shows the new location calculation results after making to import. Imported data will be put into new data sets – existing data sets
corrections based on the results shown in Figure 12-15. Notice that both will not be affected.

115
RULES OF THUMB APPENDIX: PMR THEORY

The magnetic discontinuity at the end of the passive magnetic source
• During data capture, acquire enough records to establish a clear base-
almost always guarantees that it will be a strong source or sink of positive
line magnetic field away from the magnetic pole.
or negative magnetic flux. When observed from closer than a few meters,
• When capturing the first PMR data set, take data past the point where the end of the pipe closely resembles a point source or sink, i.e. a magnetic
the magnetic source passes the sensor so you can see the full magnet- pole (Figure 12-18).
ic signature (Figure 12-2) and determine where to limit the data set in The best source is the bit at the end of a long string of drill pipe where the
subsequent MDTW data sets. magnetic pole at the end of the drill string is stronger than any individual
component of the drill string or BHA and the effective pipe length is very
• During subsequent MDTW data set captures, capture a few records long. Also, at the end of a drill string the magnetic field induced on the pipe
past the tie point. by the earth’s magnetic field adds to the remnant magnetic field naturally in
the pipe. The magnetic field lines of a point source are everywhere radial to
• PMR is designed to work on the leading half of the first magnetic pole.
it and the magnetic field strength falls off as the inverse squared distance
You must restrict the data shown on the analysis tab to that field.
from it.
• During analysis, allow the math to work – don’t restrict the +/- values
until you’re certain of the answer.
• For best results, use PMR when the MW is separated by 10’ or less
from the TW.
• Avoid using PMR when there are other magnetized objects near the
intersection point. The more magnetic interference there is where data
is collected, the harder it will be to decide which magnetic source to
aim for.
• Wait for incoming magnetic data to settle before clicking Capture/Incre- Figure 12-18: Diagram of PMR Ranging operation
ment.
• Do not record data if the AC signal is saturating.

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13
AT BIT INCLINATION
ASSEMBLY
HARDWARE
SOFTWARE SETUP
HARDWARE SETUP

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INTRODUCTION SPECIFICATIONS
Survey Unit
The At-Bit Inclination Assembly (ABIA) measures the inclination of the bit
box. With an ABIA, the driller can detect changes in inclination at the bit Outside Diameter: 7.75, 8.5 in
that often correlate with changes in drilling response. The information pro- Connection: 6-5/8 in API reg pin x 6-5/8 in reg box
vided by the ABIA can assist in determining the cause of that change – for
Length: 8 in increase in bit-box length (motor), 21 in total as sub w/stand-
example, when drilling from one formation into another. Identifying these
alone motor
changes early allows the driller to maintain a more constant radius and
may help in assessing the risk of getting stuck or twisting off. Inclination Range: 0-180°
With inclination reported directly at the bit, the ABIA allows the surveyor Temperature Rating: 32-140 °F (0-60 °C)
and driller to take corrective action immediately if an unexpected change Pressure Rating: 6000 psi @ 22 °C (400 bar)
in inclination is reported. This eliminates waiting time and avoids potential
errors from having to drill ahead to get a survey Steering Tool to reach the Survey Time: 30 seconds
same MD. Battery Life: ~3,000 shots, 50 days of downhole standby, 12 hours
The ABIA also allows the driller to make better use of non-magnetic drill charge time
collars to isolate the Steering Tool from interference from steel BHA com- Inclination: +/- 0.15°
ponents by allowing for increased spacing due to the additional information
Minimum Bit-to-ParaTrack Steering Tool Distance: approx. 20’.
provided by the ABIA.
Maximum Bit-to-ParaTrack Steering Tool Distance: up to 75’ in a
Note that ABIA should be used for monitoring trends, rather than for steer-
low-noise drilling environment.
ing point-to-point. The measurement system used by the ABIA is highly ac-
curate, however variables such as tool high side and formation type have Sealing Plug: Steel Thread Fitting 3/4”-16 UNF-2A, Round Head- 5/16”
more of an influence on the measurement at the bit compared to at the drive Hex Socket Plug, McMaster Carr #50925K437, pressure rating 6,000
Steering Tool further back in the string, thus have the potential to create psi max.
small variations from shot to shot. O-ring for Plug: Dash 908 Buna-N hard, McMaster, 5308T488
Plug Treatments: dielectric grease on O-ring and Loctite 243 blue on
HARDWARE threads.
The ABIA is fabricated by Vector Magnetics as an assembly that fits in the ABIA Tester/Charger:
mandrel of a classic HDD mud motor or as an adapter sub. It adds approx-
imately 8” to the length of the bit to bend distance. The assembly contains Input Voltage for Charging: 12V @ 3A
a sensor package, transmission coils, and batteries. The sensors measure Charging Current: 2.5A
RPM while the bit is turning, transmitting an average value during the next
transmission cycle. When the sensors detect that rotation has ceased, Temperature Range: -20° to 70° C
the unit switches modes and begins to take a measurement of inclination.
These values are then transmitted back to the ParaTrack Steering Tool via
short-hop EM pulse.
Chapter: 13 At Bit Inclination Assembly

119
SOFTWARE SETUP an ABIA shot can be reloaded at

any time by clicking “Read Saved
RivCross includes a full set of software for collecting, analyzing and re- Shot” and selecting the file.
porting the inclination and RPM values sent from the ABIA to the ParaTrack Note that the azimuth, inclination,
Steering Tool. and angle high side to X values
from the ParaTrack Steering Tool
PROGRAM SETTINGS are set to zero when reloading an
Using the File > Program Settings > Tool/ABIA/EM tab, enter the distance ABIA shot. If you are experiencing
from bit to Steering Tool sensors (Figure 13-1). This value provides the issues with the ABIA it is generally
correct MD for ABIA surveys relative to surveys taken with the ParaTrack helpful to have these shot files
Steering Tool. available for your distributor or
Vector Magnetics. Saving ABIA
ABIA INPUT WINDOW data will create many extra files.
Consider creating a new job di-
Use the Guidance > ABIA rectory when testing the ABIA and
menu option in RivCross to collecting files for troubleshooting.
capture data for ABIA (Figure
13-2). The interface works Magnetic Data
in much the same way as
the ParaTrack Steering Tool BTotal and Dip data from the Para-
input windows. This same Track Steering Tool. Same as in
window is also used for ana- other forms in RivCross.
lyzing individual data record- Figure 13-2: The ABIA input window
ings known as shots. Comments on this shot
Comments on the specific shot will be saved to the database and may be
Steering Tool Orientation viewed in the ABIA Data Summary Table.
This section is identical to
the data seen in other forms Pressure
in RivCross such as Steer- Pipe/annular pressure, and other tool data. Same as in other forms in
ing Tool, ParaTrack2 Input, Figure 13-1: Bit to sensors must be set RivCross.
etc. Changes made here are
reflected elsewhere in the
Enable Shot Auto Detection
program.
When checked, RivCross will attempt to automatically detect an ABIA shot
Tool Position and pause the graph when a complete shot has been received.
The first three fields here are the same as in other forms in RivCross.
Pause/Analyze (Resume/Pick Range)
Measured Inclination of Last Shot These buttons allow the user to manually pause or resume data collection,
pick the range of the ABIA shot signal, and analyze the shot after selection.
The last measured inclination by the ABIA.
Read Saved Shot/Save Shots to File

The “Save Shots to File” checkbox will save new ABIA shots as separate
files (in addition to saving them within the job normally). A file containing

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120
TAKING AN ABIA SHOT are set correctly, manually select your shot, as below, and click the Ana-
lyze button to record the shot, or click the Resume button to ignore it.
The ABIA functions by constantly monitoring rotation at the bit. When the
ABIA has detected that rotation has ceased, it will take an inclination mea- If auto-detection is not turned on, the user must manually pause the graph
surement and begin to transmit that data back to the ParaTrack Steering when the ABIA signal has been completely received.
Tool for transmission to surface. Left-click and drag on either graph to zoom in, or right-click and drag to
This signal is captured in the ABIA input form (Guidance > ABIA). With the scroll horizontally (if there’s more data than can fit on the graphs at one
ParaTrack Steering Tool powered on and stationary, the Hx, Hy, and Hz time).
graphs should be largely a flat line of small amplitude. A large signal ap-
pears straight down the bore axis (as seen in the green Hz graph in Figure
13-3) and smaller signals up and right (the red Hx and blue Hy graphs in
Figure 13-3). The signal sent contains the encoded inclination of the bit.
In this example there is an acceptable level of noise on the Hx and Hy chan-
nels, largely obscuring the Hy signal, while the Hz signal is orders of magni-
tude larger than the background noise and will provide a good answer.
If “Enable shot auto-detection” is checked, the software will automatically
pause the graphs when a complete shot is detected (the green Hz graph in
Figure 13-3). When this happens, make sure the MD and corrected azimuth
Figure 13-3: ABIA input window - the Pause first button may also display as Analyze when data is captured

121
To take an ABIA shot: Turn off your P2 coil

while taking your ABIA
1. Set MD and corrected azimuth shot
as needed. In the other graphs of
the ABIA data, you can
2. Wait for a large signal straight
clearly make out a nice
down the bore axis to appear. This
wave that is the signal
signal should consist of many high
and flat parts outside of
and low spikes in a row, as in Fig-
the signal. If your
ure 13-4.
guidance coil is pow-
3. After the signal drops back ered on you will see a
down, spikes briefly, and drops large hairy signal that is
down again (as shown with an the P2. This will mask
arrow in Figure 13-4), the software the ABIA signal and you Figure 13-6: Amplitude Warning Threshold
will automatically pause (or alterna- will not get good an-
tively, click the Pause button.) swers (Figure 13-7).
Figure 13-4: A complete ABIA shot with
4. Click the graph at a point just stop spike indicated
before the beginning of the large
bore axis signal. A vertical red line
will appear at this point and a blue
vertical line to the right of it.
5. Click on the graph again to po-

sition the red and blue lines so that
the entire signal on the green graph
(including the final signal spike and
the reverberations immediately
following it) lies between the lines.
Figure 13-5 shows the red and blue
lines in a good position.
6. Click the Analyze button.
7. The answer will be displayed

as a new line at the bottom of the
ABIA Data Summary Table (Figure Figure 13-5: ABIA shot selected on the
graph Figure 13-7: Turn Guidance coil off prior to taking an ABIA shot
13-8).
If the Hx or Hy signal is too large relative to Hz, RivCross will automatically ABIA SUMMARY WINDOW
detect this and warn the user. In a given situation (with a longer or shorter
This window will display results of ABIA shot data in table presentation
BHA), the Hx/Hy to Hz signal strength ratio may be a little too strict or a little
similar to how data is displayed elsewhere in RivCross. Open via Data/
too lenient; if this is the case, the ratio can be changed by going to File >
Tables > ABIA Data Summary Table menu option (Figure 13-8). This table al-
Program Settings > Tool/ABIA tab and changing the Amplitude warning
lows for easily viewing results on a shot-by-shot basis and over the course
threshold. See Figure 13-6.
of a job.
Only Final Shots will be graphed on the Inclination Plot (next section).
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122
To exclude bad shots from this graph, uncheck the “Good” checkbox, or
select multiple shots, right-click, and click “Mark Bad” on the right-click
menu that appears. It is also possible to add comments for ABIA shots.
Click in any cell in the Comments column to enter a free-text comment.
Figure 13-9: ABIA View window
This example shows why maintaining detailed notes while drilling is critical.
Without information such as when formation changes occur, it is difficult to
understand the ABIA inclination data.
Interpreting the ABIA inclination plot also requires an understanding of
how the ABIA typically reacts in different situations. For example, the ABIA
inclination will be closer to the Steering Tool inclination when drilling in hard
rock, while drilling a curve in soft formations may show a greater offset
Figure 13-8: ABIA summary table between the bit inclination and the survey inclination.
Note: this graph is created from the survey using shots marked good. Be-
ABIA INCLINATION PLOT fore viewing this graph, ensure that no bad shots in the Shot Data Summa-
Click Graphs > ABIA View to open the graph window in Figure 13-9. This ry Table are marked final, and no bad ABIA shots are marked as “Use this
graph shows how inclination at the bit (red line) and at the ParaTrack shot” in the ABIA Summary table.
Steering Tool (blue line) change in relation to each other as MD increases.
Plot Options
• Note overall trends of the ABIA and Steering Tool in Figure 13-9. The
lines overall are roughly parallel, but show that the bit inclination does Invert
not necessarily match the survey inclination exactly.
Flip the graph upside down so that the largest inclination is at the bottom of
• Note the offset between the ABIA and Steering Tool. ABIA is consis- the graph, and vice versa.
tently 0.5° to 1.0° lower in inclination through the interval. This offset is
expected. Bezier
• Note the sharp 1°+ changes in ABIA inclination at Point A and Point B. Use Bezier curves to graph the data.
These changes indicate that it is necessary to pull back and work the
joint so that drilling can stay within the constraints of the job. Both Smooth
points still appear on the ABIA trend line after drilling is completed be- Uncheck this to remove line smoothing, and instead graph straight line seg-
cause additional ABIA shots weren’t taken after correcting the prob- ments between each data point.
lem.

123
Bit Offset need to connect the Tester/Charger to external power through the barrel
connector at the top of the Tester/Charger. Apply external power and plug
(Not visible in Figure 13-9 - available in newer versions of RivCross).
the wand into the ABIA. The display will indicate the state of the charge
Adds the specified inclination to all points on the ABIA inclination plotline, and start charging automatically as necessary. The rate of charge will be
shifting it up or down on the graph without affecting its shape. displayed in Amps. The charging rate will taper as the battery charges.
HARDWARE SETUP Follow these steps to charge the ABIA:
Connection to the ABIA for charging and testing is made through a DIN plug • Remove the drill bit
located inside the box end connection. The bit must be removed for ac- from the ABIA/motor
cess. This plug MUST be sealed with the provided hex cap plug with a new assembly.
O-ring prior to every downhole use. See the ASSEMBLY section for more
• Be sure to grab the
detail.
ABIA such that you
get at least the last
USING THE STOP PLUG two bands of metal
If the ABIA must be shipped or stored unused for more than one week, the (towards the bit) in
Stop Plug should be inserted into the charging port. This will shut the unit the teeth of your vice
down and prevent it from using battery power. There will still be a slow when you are taking
loss of charge due to the nature of lithium batteries, so ideally the unit the bit off to avoid
would be recharged every month unscrewing the ABIA.
in storage (See document ABIA
Storage Checklist for specific • Remove the hex head
instructions.) Extended storage plug (Figure 13-11) Figure 13-11: Hex head plug access
of the ABIA with no periodic re- from the ABIA with
charging may allow the batteries the supplied wrench,
to fully discharge and cause per- extension and bit (5/16” hex-head bit on a 3/8” drive torque wrench).
manent battery damage. Dam-
• Plug the DIN connector from the charger/tester (Figure 13-12) into the
aged batteries require replace-
charging socket of the
ment by Vector Magnetics.
ABIA.
CHARGING • Replace all tools in the
hard case.
When
• Write in the log who
Charge the ABIA any time battery
charged it and when.
voltage reads <4.1V, even if a stop
plug is inserted. • A completely dead
battery pack will take
How approximately 12 hours Figure 13-12: Charger cord
The Tester/Charger (Figure 13-10) to charge. Plan appro-
is used for charging and testing priately.
of ABIA units.
To charge the ABIA using the
Figure 13-10: ABIA Tester/Charger
ABIA Tester/Charger, you will

Vector Magnetics
124
TESTING ASSEMBLY
To test the ABIA, plug the Tester/ The following steps MUST be
Charger into the ABIA but don’t performed before running the
connect the Tester/Charger to external ABIA downhole.
power. It will automatically go into Test
Mode. • Charge the ABIA as in
CHARGING section.
Press the Read Status button. The
ABIA battery voltage will be displayed • Set the compass alongside
and the Tester/Charger will query the the ABIA.
ABIA. This will take a moment. Once
the query is done, the display will show • Verify that the ABIA fires
the inclination, raw Gx, Gy, and Gz (follow procedure in the
values, the version and serial number, TESTING section).
along with some data next to the bat-
tery voltage for troubleshooting under • Remove the old O-ring and
direction of Vector Magnetics (Figure replace.
Figure 13-13: Tester Mode
13-14).
• Grease the O-ring for the
Pressing the Test Fire button will temporarily power off the ABIA to force plug with dielectric grease.
it to fire. Place a compass on the body of the ABIA. After approximately 10 Figure 13-15: Tools included for assembly
seconds the compass should begin to spin, verifying the magnetic trans- • Loctite plug threads with
mission pulse. Loctite 243.
• Insert and screw in the plug into the ABIA charge socket - torque to 22
ft-lbs.
• Replace all tools in the hard case
• Install bit
Figure 13-14: ABIA status

125
RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING the bit for 20 seconds, then shut the pumps off.
• If on surface, insert a stop plug and then remove it.

RULES OF THUMB
• Place a compass next to the ABIA while troubleshooting to verify it is
• Use trend information from the ABIA. The ABIA reports inclination at firing. The compass will spin rapidly when the ABIA is transmitting data.
the bit, while the Steering Tool reports inclination 20-40ft. behind the
bit. The two inclinations will likely be different from each other, which is • On surface, using the compass as above and with the stop plug re-
normal. This can be caused by one or more of the following: moved, roll the ABIA back and forth +/- 90° for 20 seconds, then stabi-
lize it. The ABIA should start firing and affecting the compass within 15
• ABIA orientation on the bent motor. Example: On the surface and seconds of stabilization.
sitting level at 90° at the Steering Tool, with a 2° motor bend and the
ABIA oriented to high side, a 0° toolface would have an ABIA inclina- • If no response is received from the above tests, connect the Smart
tion of 92° while a 180° toolface would have an ABIA inclination of 88°. Charger to the unit and read the results from the Read Status function.
The ABIA should report back an inclination that is reasonable.
• Motor constraints from the formation can change the above example.
In a hard rock formation, a 2° motor bend may only be 1° once the
motor is in the formation.
• The Steering Tool is behind the bit and in the drillstring. This stabilizes
and centers the Steering Tool, ‘averaging out’ any small changes in
inclination. Thus the Steering Tool will generally have less variation in
inclination than the ABIA.
• ABIA surveys should be taken with the motor oriented to high side, as
in standard HDD practice.
• Watch for any unexpected changes in inclination. Recording a change

in drilling or recognizing that the formations are changing is a good rea-
son to see if inclination has changed.
• Communication between driller and surveyor is critical. Relaying

changes in drilling response quickly can help identify changes in forma-
tion.
• Take ABIA shots approximately every 15ft, and keep all shots active
while drilling to view the trend. Select final shots for the end report to
the client.
• Every time a joint is reworked, take a new ABIA shot, then mark the
previous ABIA shot at that depth “bad.”
• Keep in mind that there is usually a larger spread between survey incli-
nation and ABIA inclination in softer formations.
TROUBLESHOOTING
• If no signal is coming from the ABIA, turn the pumps back on and rotate
Vector Magnetics
126

14
VIEWING
MWD DATA
DRILLER DISPLAY AND RELATED VIEWS
GRAPHING HISTORICAL PRESSURE/ WOB DATA
AC SIGNAL ANALYSIS
INCLINATION PLOT
Vector Magnetics
128
INTRODUCTION Figure 14-1 shows a local display, and Figure 14-2 shows the accompanying
remote display.
All Enhanced Driller Display windows display certain information:
RivCross offers a variety of ways to view important types of data that are
received in real time from the Steering Tool whenever it is on and connect- • Current High Side to
ed to RivCross. In addition to several types of dials and other displays that Tool Face angle (the
can be used to monitor these data as they come in, it is also possible to large dial )
graph historical pressure and weight on bit (WOB) data at any time. This
chapter describes these and other ways to view data received in real time. • Inclination
• Azimuth
DRILLER DISPLAY AND RELATED VIEWS
• Rod number
DRILLER DISPLAY MOBILE DEVICE APPS • MD
RivCross has the ability to send some data types from the Steering Tool to
an Web Driller Display on a phone, tablet, or computer. Please refer to WEB • Baseline Azimuth
DRILLER DISPLAY for details specific to these devices. (remote displays
only)
While many controls are similar, this section focuses on Driller Display win-
dows used on the local computer running RivCross and the Remote Display In addition, the survey-
that may be viewed on a second monitor. or can use any local Figure 14-2: A remote Driller Display window
display window to send
a message to the driller. To do this, click the Message button in a local dis-
ENHANCED DRILLER DISPLAY WINDOWS
play window, type a message, and click OK. The message and a timestamp
RivCross contains will appear in a message bar in all open Driller Display windows until a new
several variations on message is sent.
the Driller Display,
Messages about the last shot taken will automatically appear below this
which shows a summa-
message bar. As can be seen in Figure 14-2, both of these message types
ry of important data
appear in the upper right corner of the window (if there are any messages
from the Steering Tool,
to display). Messages sent from Driller Display apps for smartphones/tab-
such as the current tool
lets will appear there as well.
face angle, azimuth,
inclination, and others. The main differences between the types of Enhanced Driller Display win-
dows are in whether and how they display current pressure readings, as
These windows may be
described below.
opened via the Real-
time > Enhanced Driller
Display submenu. Configuration
Most Enhanced Drill- Most settings determining what gauges to display, gauge limits, targets,
er Display windows alarms, etc. are configured in the Set Targets and Export Settings window
in RivCross have two accessible via File > Program Settings > Pressure tab and then clicking
components: a local on the Hi/Lo, Targets and Alarms button (Figure 14-3). Alternatively, dou-
display as a normal
Figure 14-1: A local Driller Display window ble-click on the Pipe or Annulus Pressure text fields in any Enhanced Driller
window contained Display window, or click the Scale button in the Pressure Dials window
within the main RivCross window, and a remote display in a separate win- (Figure 14-4).
dow, which can be displayed (for instance) by itself on a second monitor.
Chapter: 14 Viewing Mwd Data

129
Pressure Graphs but they can be use-

ful to indicate an ideal
Use this type of Driller Display (Figure
pressure range to the
14-1 and Figure 14-2) to show Pipe
driller. In Figure 14-4, the
and Annulus Pressure as a real time
pressure Targets have
graph. Click the Scale button to cus-
been set to 40 and 75 for
tomize the graph’s axis intervals and
each dial respectively,
how much data it displays.
resulting in the grey bars
Pressure Targets and Alarms are indicating the Target
configured via the Set Targets and ranges.
Export Settings window (Figure 14-3).
No Pressure
Pressure Dials
Use this smaller, simpler
Use this type of Driller Display (Figure type of Driller Display
14-4 and Figure 14-5) to show Pipe if there is no Pressure
and Annulus Pressure as two ana- Module attached to the Figure 14-5: Annulus pressure warning
log-like dials. Steering Tool, or there is
otherwise no reason to display pressure data.
Setting Limits, Targets, and Alarms
In Figure 14-4, the Annular Pressure Small (iPhone) Display
upper limit has been set to 100, while This type of Driller Display is meant specifically to be displayed on iPhones
the Pipe Pressure upper limit has and other mobile devices (in conjunction with third-party software that
been set to 120. Notice that these allows the use of a mobile device as a second computer monitor). Unlike
values also define the upper limit of the other types of Driller Display, it does not have a local display within the
each gauge’s range. main RivCross window.
Click Scale to open the Set Tar- Figure 14-3: Set Targets and Export Settings
gets and Export Settings prefer- Managing Driller Display Windows
ence window (Figure 14-3). Click the Realtime > Enhanced Driller’s Display > Close All Driller’s Displays
To show a large, flashing warn- menu selection to close all Driller Display win-
ing message when the needle dows, both local and remote.
enters one of these red zones as Click the Realtime > Enhanced Driller Display >
in Figure 14-5, expand the Reset Remote Driller’s Displays menu selection
Advanced Options section under to move remote Driller Display windows to the
Pipe and/or Annular Pressure in center of the screen. Note that this only affects
the Settings window. Set de- windows that are not on the main computer
sired Low and/or High Alarm monitor.
values, and ensure the Alarm
Enabled check box(es) are set TOOLFACE (HIGH SIDE) INDICATOR
(Figure 14-3).
The High Side Indicator, Figure 14-6 is accessed
It is also possible to set pres- via the Realtime > High Side Indicator menu
sure Targets, which appear as selection. Like an Enhanced Driller Display
grey bars on the dials. These remote window, it has a large tool face dial and
have no effect on the software, will float on top of other windows or in another
Figure 14-4: Pressure Dial limits and targets Figure 14-6: High side indicator

Vector Magnetics
130
monitor, but it is significantly simpler – only the current magnetic tool face > WOB Dial menu selection.
angle, azimuth, and inclination are displayed. In order to open this window, it is first neces-
sary to enable WOB by checking “Replace Pipe
PRESSURE DIALS Pressure with weight on bit” on the Pressure
The Pressure Dials tab of Program Settings. See PRESSURE TAB in
window, Figure 14-7 PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZA-
is accessed via the TION.
Realtime > Pressure WOB gauge limits and target values and alarms
Dials menu selection. are set in the same manner as other Realtime
It displays the cur- windows. Open Program Settings > Weight
rent Annular and Pipe on Bit and click the Hi/Lo, Targets and Alarms
Pressure readings button. Figure 14-10: WOB dial
only.
Like the Enhanced RPMS DIAL
Driller’s Display win- The RPMs Dial, Figure 14-11 displays the cur-
dows, gauge ranges,
Figure 14-7: Pressure dials rent reading for drillstring RPM as a dial. It is
targets and alarms accessed via the Realtime > RPMs Dial menu
are set using the Set selection.
Targets and Export Settings window (Figure 14-3).
The selection buttons at the bottom determine
PRESSURE GRAPHS the signal used to calculate the RPM. It is rec-
ommended to set this to ACz, unless there is a
The Pressure Graphs significant amount of AC noise, in which case
window, Figure 14-8, gravity tool face (tf) should most likely be used.
shows the last sever- ACx and ACy are not recommended.
al minutes of pressure
data. It is accessible from When using a component of the AC signal
the Realtime > Pressure instead of tool face from gravity (tf) to calcu-
Graphs menu selection. late RPMs, it may be necessary to tweak the
Threshold field in order to get an accurate
Either plot can be answer (click Set after changing the Threshold
zoomed in or out by to apply it). Use higher threshold values if there Figure 14-11: RPMs dial
clicking the small arrow is more noise.
button to the left of Pipe
Scale or Annular Scale, PRESSURE POPUP
unchecking Auto Scale Figure 14-8: Pressure graphs
on the window in Figure The pressure popup, Figure 14-12,
14-9, and setting the max displays the current Pipe Pres-
and min pressure value to display on the sure (or weight on bit) and An-
plot. nular Pressure in the lower right
corner of the primary monitor. It
WEIGHT ON BIT (WOB) DIAL will remain visible even if the main
RivCross window is minimized or
The WOB Dial (Figure 14-10) displays obscured by another window. Figure 14-12: Pressure popup
the current reading for Weight on Bit (if
enabled). It is accessed via the Realtime Figure 14-9: Change Pressure Graph
axis scale

131
Popup Options Selecting Data to Graph

By default, the pressure popup will only appear while a pressure or WOB Any combination of Pipe Pressure, Annulus Pressure, and Weight on Bit
alarm is occurring, as in Figure 14-13. To make the pressure popup visible can be selected to plot, using the checkboxes in the lower left corner of the
even when no alarm is occurring as in Figure 14-12, click the down- window. The user may also plot the difference between Pipe and Annulus
ward-facing triangle in the upper right corner of the popup and select “Edit Pressure by checking the “Delta Pressure” checkbox.
Pressure Settings” to go to the Pressure tab of Program Settings, then
check “Always show pressure popup” and click Apply. To turn this setting
off again, simply close the pressure popup (after clearing any alarms).
All other popup options, such as
pressure units and upper/lower
pressure limits, are controlled us-
ing the general pressure settings
that are also found on the Pres-
sure tab of Program Settings (or
the Weight on Bit tab for general
WOB settings).
Figure 14-13: Pressure popup
Clearing Alarms
If the popup is currently displaying one or more pressure or WOB alarms,
do any of the following to clear the alarms and prevent them from appear-
ing again for 60 seconds:
• Click the X in the upper right corner of the popup

Figure 14-14: Pressures/WOB vs. time
• Click the main text of the popup
• Click the downward-facing triangle in the upper right corner of the pop- Use the Date and Time Range Start/End fields to set the date range to
up and select “Clear Current Alarm(s)” graph. Dates and times may be typed manually; it is also possible to click
the arrow next to either date box to select a date from a calendar, and to
To turn an alarm off permanently, go to the Pressure tab of Program Set-
select any section of a time (hour, minute, etc.) and shift it up or down with
tings, click “Hi/Lo, Targets and Alarms,” and uncheck the “Enable Alarm”
the arrow buttons next to the time box.
checkbox corresponding to the type of alarm to turn off.
Once the types of data to graph and the date range have been selected,
click Update Graph to show the relevant data on the graph.
GRAPHING HISTORICAL PRESSURE/WOB DATA
Exporting Data
PRESSURE/WOB VS. TIME It is possible to export pressure/WOB data to a comma-delimited text file.
The Pressures/WOB vs. Time plot (Figure 14-14) is used to plot pressure There are two ways to do this, as seen in Figure 14-15. The default way is
and/or weight on bit data collected over time within a specified date range
(pressure and/or WOB data is always collected automatically while drilling
if available, unless Pressure/WOB Logging is turned off on the Pressure tab
of Program Settings). This plot is accessible from the Graphs > Pressure
vs. Time menu selection.
Figure 14-15: The two data export options

Vector Magnetics
132
simply to enter start and end dates and times (as in the previous section), Right click any triangle to get the MD and elevation for that point in time;
ensure “Export all data in date range” is selected, and click Export. This will right click any circle to get the Annulus Pressure and date/time as well.
export all data in the specified date range, and can be done independently In a typical job, the pressure will increase to a maximum and then decrease
of graphing the data. over the course of the job, while the elevation will do the opposite (de-
The second way to export data is to enter start and end dates and times, crease to a minimum and then increase). This will result in two intersecting
click Update Graph, select “Export only graphed data,” and click Export. curves that make a shape like an American football, as shown in Figure
This is different from the first option in that it exports only what’s actually 14-17.
visible on the graph. For example, if the user chooses to plot only Annular
Pressure, then Pipe Pressure won’t be included in the exported file using Other Features
this option.
To reverse the direction of the Elevation axis, click Invert elevation. In a typ-
ical job, this will tend to result in approximately lining up the pressure and
Motor Time elevation curves on the graph.
It is also possible to determine how long the motor/pumps were on within Click Print to bring up a standard print dialog for this graph.
the selected date range by adding up the total time that Pipe Pressure was
above a certain threshold. To do this, make sure the graph has been updat-
ed with the correct date range, and then select a Pipe Pressure threshold
so that if a Pipe Pressure reading larger than the threshold is encountered,
that must mean that the motor/pumps were on at the time. Finally, enter
this threshold in the “Min pipe thresh” text box and click the Motor time but-
ton. A notification will appear that shows the total time the Pipe Pressure
was above the threshold (Figure 14-16).
Figure 14-16: Motor time results in notification bar at bottom of main RivCross window
Figure 14-17: Pressure and Elevation vs. MD
PRESSURE AND ELEVATION VS. MD
The Pressure and Elevation vs. MD plot, Figure 14-17 gives a visual summa-
ry of how Annulus Pressure readings have trended over the course of the AC SIGNAL ANALYSIS
entire job. It is accessible from the Graphs > Pressure and Elevation vs. MD
menu selection. The AC Signal Analysis window, Figure 14-18 is used to analyze the AC
To use the Pressure and Elevation vs. MD plot, click Update Plot when the data coming from the Steering Tool. This can be useful any time there is a
window is first opened and wait for data to appear on the graph. This may question about whether there is interference on either the ParaTrack2 or
take some time depending on how much Annulus Pressure data the job BTS signal. The window is accessed via the Windows/etc > Signal Analy-
contains. If it is taking too long, click Cancel Update. Note that the graph sis menu selection (a similar window also appears automatically after a
does not update automatically over the course of the job – it is BTS shot is taken, allowing the user to preview the data before performing
necessary to click Update Plot again to refresh it. a BTS shot calculation). See AC SIGNAL ANALYSIS in TAKING SHOTS for
more information.
The red triangles plot elevation vs. MD, and thus effectively make the graph
a kind of section view plot. The green circles plot Annulus Pressure vs. MD, ParaTrack2 uses an AC signal at 3.00 Hz, BTS uses AC signals at 2 Hz and
thus overlaying the “section view” with the Annulus Pressure at each point. 2.28 Hz, and LFB uses AC signals at 1 Hz and 1.14 Hz. This plot can there-

133
fore be used to check for any other large interfering signals that are close Plotting Options
to those frequencies. Figure 14-18 shows an example of a relatively clean
Once a block of AC data has been collected, options are present for
AC signal for BTS (note the large spikes at 2 Hz and 2.28 Hz, and at their
plotting it either in the Time domain (Raw option) or the Frequency domain
harmonic frequencies like 6 Hz and just under 7 Hz).
(Decibel or Linear).
In contrast, Figure 14-19 shows an example of the same kind of signal with
a significant amount of noise (note the large spike at 3Hz - from the Sur- Raw Data
face Coil - just to the right of the main pair of spikes at 2 Hz and 2.28 Hz).
In general, clean magnetic environments will not result in large additional This plot (Figure 14-20) shows the AC data plotted against time rather than
spikes that are relatively close to the primary frequency or frequencies. frequency. Time is the horizontal axis and (linear) amplitude is the verti-
cal axis. Use this plot to look for interference that may be intermittent in
nature.
GENERATING DATA
First, ensure that RivCross is currently receiving Steering Tool data. The Decibel
window should say “Cals Received” in the upper right corner, as in Figure
14-19. Select the number of AC samples to include in the graph. The larger Plots the Fourier Transform of the data on a logarithmic scale (Frequency
the number, the more data will be included in the graph, and the longer it is plotted on the horizontal axis and decibel level is plotted on the vertical
will take to collect and display it. Finally, click Capture Data to start graph- axis). This has the effect of making smaller spikes/noise/etc. in the data vis-
ing the AC data coming in from the Steering Tool. ible. Each 20 decibels represents a factor of 10 in signal amplitude (Figure
14-18).
Linear
Plots the Fourier Transform of the data on a linear scale (Frequency is plot-
ted on the horizontal axis and the signal magnitude is plotted on the vertical
axis). This has the effect of highlighting the largest spikes in the data and
smoothing out smaller details (Figure 14-21).
Figure 14-18: AC Signal Analysis - Decibels
Figure 14-20: AC Signal Analysis - Raw
Figure 14-19: AC data from noisy environment

Vector Magnetics
134
Figure 14-21: AC Signal Analysis - Linear
INCLINATION PLOT
The Inclination Plot (Figure 14-22) displays information about how inclina-
tion and other values are currently being calculated (from either the 2G or
10G accelerometers on the Steering Tool). It is accessible via the Windows/
etc > Inclination Plot menu option.
This window is for advanced debugging purposes only. Do not use unless
specifically instructed by Vector Magnetics.
Figure 14-22: Inclination plot

15
VIEWING AND
EDITING SHOTS
SHOT DATA SUMMARY TABLE
SURVEY SUMMARY TABLE
SHOT DATA WINDOW
GRAPH VIEWS
TYING TO BASELINE/INCLINATION
USING GRAPHICAL A XIAL MISMATCH
TWEAK WINDOW
Vector Magnetics
136
INTRODUCTION SHOT DATA SUMMARY TABLE

The Shot Data Summary Table; Figure 15-1, displays an extensively cus-
Once a shot is taken in RivCross, it can be viewed and edited in several tomizable summary of all shots taken in a job. It is accessible via the Data/
ways: Tables > Shot Data Summary Table menu selection.
• A summary of all shots in the job can be viewed (and edited to a limited AVAILABLE COLUMNS
extent) in the Shot Data Summary Table.
Any or all of the following data can be displayed in the Shot Data Summary
• A summary of current survey data (which is taken from Final Shots) Table:
can be viewed in the Survey Summary Table.
MD
• Data for any single shot can be viewed and edited in the Shot Data
window. The shot’s Measured Distance.
• Shots can be viewed in various graphs of the entire job. Joint

The shot’s rod number. Will also show any additional distance beyond the
• Plan View (shows Away and Right axes)
rod in parentheses.
• Section View (shows Away and Elevation axes)
Shot #
• End View (Shows Right and Elevation axes)
Each shot is assigned a unique number. The first shot taken in a job is shot
• Graphs of BTotal, Tool azimuth, and dip over MD are also available. #1, the second is shot #2, etc.
All viewing methods are described in detail throughout the rest of this
chapter.
Figure 15-1: Shot Data Summary Table
Chapter: 15 Viewing and Editing Shots

137
Type and entering a new value will update the Az Correction accordingly. Multi-
ple shots can be changed at the same time by clicking and dragging across
Type of shot. P2 = ParaTrack2, P1 = ParaTrack1, AC = BTS, ST = Steering
the shot rows and then right clicking.
Tool, AVG = Average of other shots, GY = Gyro (combined), GC = Gyro (com-
ponent), MGT - Magnetic Guidance Tool, MS = Manual Shot.
Away
Final Shot The calculated Away coordinate for each shot. Note that ParaTrack1/2
shots do not compute an independent away distance. Instead, they get the
Yes/No. Shots marked Yes are used to build the survey. Toggle this value by
away distance from the survey after the survey is swung so that the Ele-
double clicking on the Yes or No text. There can only be one shot at a given
vation and Right coordinates match the model field. BTS shots do compute
MD that is set as “Final.”
independent away, elevation, and right coordinates.
Tool Incl
Elev
Steering Tool inclination in degrees.
Calculated Elevation coordinate.
TtIn
Right
Tie to Inclination. Double-clicking this field toggles this value On (x) and Off
Calculated Right coordinate.
(blank). If this value is On and the Inclination Bias changes (Program Set-
tings > Baseline Azimuth), RivCross will automatically subtract the change
from the Corrected Inclination for this shot. See TYING TO BASELINE/IN- Shot BL
CLINATION for information on how to use this feature. Baseline Azimuth at time shot was taken.
Incl Correction TtBl

The amount (if any) of user-specified inclination correction. Double-click to Tie to baseline. Double-clicking this field toggles this value On (x) and Off
enter a correction for the selected shot(s). This is added to the Tool Inclina- (blank). If this value is On and the Baseline Azimuth changes (Program Set-
tion to produce the Final inclination (displayed in the Incl column). tings > Baseline Azimuth), RivCross will automatically add the change to the
Corrected Azimuth for this shot. See TYING TO BASELINE/INCLINATION for
Incl information on how to use this feature.
Sum of Tool Incl and Incl Correction. Note that right clicking over the box
and entering a new value will update the Incl Correction accordingly. Multi- Calc Az
ple shots can be changed at the same time by clicking and dragging across This is the calculated Tool azimuth based on ParaTrack1, ParaTrack2, or
the shot rows and then right clicking. BTS data only. For ParaTrack1/2, this value is only computed if the “Calc
Az” check box was set when the shot was taken.
Tool Az
Azimuth reported by the Steering Tool. Plot Series
This shows which Plot Series the shot is assigned to. Usually, there is one
Az Correction Plot Series for all shots unless a sidetrack has been done on this job. If
there is more than one Plot Series, however, the user can select a different
The amount (if any) of user input azimuth correction. This is added to the
one for a shot or series of shots by right clicking over this text and select-
Tool Azimuth to produce the Final Azimuth. Double-click this field on the
ing another Plot Series. To change multiple shots at once, left click and drag
selected shot(s) to edit.
over the chosen shots and then right click to choose the new Plot Series.
Additional Plot Series may be defined using Edit > Plot Series. See EDITING
Az: Final PLOT SERIES in MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Sum of Tool Azimuth and Correction. Note that right clicking over the box
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138
Date/Time Dog Leg

The Time and Date stamp for the shot. This stamp cannot be changed by Dog Leg calculation for Survey – i.e. the total angle change in degrees (total
the user. bend in the hole) per standard distance unit, including both inclination and
azimuth angles. Measured in degrees per 100 feet or degrees per 30 me-
Owner Survey ters.
The survey that this shot belongs to.
3jt Radius
Dist. to W/B A calculation of how sharply the survey curves at this point. The smaller
the number, the sharper the curve.
Distance of shot to wire (if ParaTrack1/2 shot) or Beacon (if BTS shot).
Note: using this column in a job with a large number of shots can signifi-
cantly increase the time it takes to load the Shot Data Summary Table. HTotal
Sum of Hx, Hy, and Hz sensors from when the shot was taken.
Angle to W/B
Angle from Steering Tool high side to closest segment of the guide wire or BTotal
Beacon. Sum of Bx, By, and Bz sensors from when the shot was taken.
Bad Shot GTotal

Indicates whether a shot is Good (blank) or Bad (x). Sum of Gx, Gy, and Gz sensors from when the shot was taken.
aHS2TF Dip
Angle high side to Tool Face. Angle of declination of the Earth’s magnetic field.
Survey Away Bit Depth

Away value calculated for the Survey. Note: Will only appear for Final Measured Depth + Distance from Bit to Sensors (Set in Program Settings >
Shots. Tool/ABIA).
Survey Elev MagTF

Elevation value calculated for the Survey. Note: Will only appear for Final Calculation of the Magnetic Tool Face. Only visible for vertical shots, where
Shots. the Tool Inclination is less than 5 degrees.
Survey Right TVD

Right value calculated for the Survey. Note: Will only appear for Final Shots. The true vertical depth of the shot in the TVD/N/E coordinate system. In
order for TVD/N/E coordinates to be calculated correctly, set the magnetic
Description declination on the Baseline Az tab in Program Settings.
This field may contain automatically generated information about the shot -
ie. number of flips in a Gyro shot, whether the shot is an Average or Smart North
Average of other shots, etc. If the field contains any data, the user is pre- The true north coordinate of the shot in the TVD/N/E coordinate system.
vented from appending to or otherwise changing it. If the field is blank, the
user may edit it manually to make comments. Double-click to edit.

139
East Beta Print

The true east coordinate of the shot in the TVD/N/E coordinate system. Prints all data currently displayed in the table. Note: Beta - does not fully
function.
Wire/Beacon Name
The name and ID of the wire (if ParaTrack1/2) or Beacon Tracker (if BTS) Slow Refresh/Refresh
that was active when the shot was taken. Refreshes data in the table. Try the Slow Refresh option if there are per-
formance issues with the regular Refresh speed.
HW Key Serial #
The serial number of the Hardware Key in use when the shot was taken. Display Options
Opens up a dialog box, Figure 15-2 that allows the user to change which
Probe columns are visible. MD, Shot #, Type, and Final Shot are permanent col-
umns and cannot be removed; however, all
Serial number of the Tool used to take the shot.
others can be hidden from the table view. See
AVAILABLE COLUMNS for descriptions of all
RivCross Version columns.
Version of RivCross used to take the shot. Various table-wide options can also be
changed here. These options are:
Amps
The number of Amps output by the P2 Guide Wire, BTS, or LFB. Note that Only Show Final Shots
the BTS/LFB will only output a value when connected to RivCross via radio Display only shots marked as Final (i.e. only
modem. shots that are included in the survey).
BUTTON FUNCTIONS Show Bad Shots

Display all shots taken, regardless of whether
Extract ST
they have been marked bad or not. Bad shots
Creates a Steering Tool shot consisting of Inclination and Azimuth readings will be highlighted in red.
from the selected shot. For example, if a ParaTrack2 shot does not con-
verge and is marked bad, its heading information can still be included in the Allow Sorting of Columns
survey using this button. Click on Display Options and Show Bad Shots,
select the bad shot to extract from, and click Extract ST. A new ST Shot Enables the user to sort the table by clicking
will be added to the table, which can be used as a Final Shot to add it to the on the header bar of any column.
survey.
Show Entry Point
See Mismatch Display the Entry point information as a row
Calculates the Axial Mismatch for the highlighted shots. Only ParaTrack1 in the table. This will be called shot 0, and will
and ParaTrack2 shots are used for this calculation. See USING GRAPHICAL appear at the top when sorted by shot #.
AXIAL MISMATCH for information on how to use this feature.
Smart Average Std. Deviations
Mark Bad/Good Any shots outside this number of standard
Figure 15-2: Display Options
Alters whether the highlighted shots are considered good or bad. If at least deviations is rejected from a Smart Average.
one good shot is selected, all selected shots will be marked bad; other- See SMART AVERAGE.
wise, they will all be marked good.
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140
Hide GC Shots • TtIn: Changes between blank and ‘x’

Determines whether the individual Gyro Component shots are hidden (de- Finally, the Final Shot column can be switched between Yes and No by dou-
fault) or visible in the table. ble clicking (only one row at a time will be affected).
Create Average Right Click Menu

Creates a new ‘AVG’ (average) shot, consisting of the average of the select- If any column other than one
ed shots, and adds it to the table. All values of the selected shots, includ- listed in the previous section
ing Azimuth, Inclination, and measured coordinates, are averaged together is right clicked, a context
for use in the new shot, which can be used as Final. Only ParaTrack1, Para- menu appears; Figure 15-4.
Track2, and BTS shots with the same Measured Depth can be averaged. The menu contains the follow-
ing options:
View/Edit Record
This button opens up the Shot Data window, which allows the user to view Mark Bad
and edit specific details of individual shots. For more information, see Mark all selected shots bad
SHOT DATA WINDOW. (even if some of the select-
ed shots have already been
ADDITIONAL TABLE FEATURES marked bad). Available if at
least one shot in the selection Figure 15-4: Right click menu
Alter Data in Table is good.
Right click or double click a cell

Mark Good
in certain columns to change
the data in that cell; Figure 15- Mark all selected shots good (even if some of the selected shots have
3. If multiple cells in the column already been marked good). Available if at least one shot in the selection is
are selected, all of them will bad.
change to the new value. The
following columns support this Copy
Figure 15-3: Change data in table
feature: Copies the selected field’s data to the clipboard. Left-click and drag or
Shift/Ctrl-click to select multiple fields. Copied data is tab-delimited.
• Az Correction
• Az: Final Recalc

need definition here
• Description (allows editing only a single shot at a time)
• Incl Export Single Shot in Format #1/2

Exports the last selected shot in the format specified in Program Settings
• Incl Correction (Program Settings > Shots/Surveys > Single Shot Export Format). SINGLE
In addition, the following columns can be switched by right clicking or dou- SHOT EXPORT FORMATS in PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZA-
ble clicking (to update multiple rows simultaneously, select all of them and TION for more information.
right click):
Additional Menu Choices
• Bad Shot: Changes between blank and ‘x’
When multiple fields have been selected, the right-click menu will contain
• TtBL: Changes between blank and ‘x’ additional options. These are:

141
Make Average visible by right clicking on a

header (or anywhere in the
Average the selected shots (see CREATE AVERAGE for more information).
gray area of the window
Selected shots must be of type ParaTrack1/2 or BTS, and at the same MD.
where data is not visible)
and selecting Add Column,
Smart Average
then selecting the specific
Create an outlier-resistant average of the selected shots – i.e. RivCross will column to add, as in Fig-
automatically ignore shots in the selection that are located unusually far ure 15-6. If there are no
from the others (and thus would skew the average if they were included). columns visible under Add
Like normal averaging, it can only be used with ParaTrack1/2 or BTS shots Column, then all columns
at the same MD. are currently in use. Figure 15-6: Show/Hide columns
View Axial Mismatch Highlight Entire Column

Graphs the axial mismatch for the selected Final ParaTrack2 shots (see Double click on a column header to highlight the entire column.
USING GRAPHICAL AXIAL MISMATCH for more information).
Highlight Entire Row
Sorting Columns Click on the gray row header cell that begins a row to highlight the entire
In the DISPLAY OPTIONS, turn on sorting by checking the “Allow Sorting of row.
Columns” checkbox.
Click on a column header to sort by that value. The column will have an Highlight All Data in the Table
arrow pointing up or down to identify that it is being sorted in ascend- Click on the first gray row header cell in the table to highlight the entire
ing or descending order, respectively; see Figure 15-5. In order to switch table.
between ascending and descending order, click the column header again.
RivCross will remember how the table is currently sorted and automatical- Copy/Paste Data
ly sort it that way again when the table is next opened.
Any selected data can be copied by pressing Ctrl+C, or using the right click
> Copy method. This can then be pasted into a spreadsheet, where it will
be split up into separate columns, or a word processor, where it will be
Figure 15-5: Sorting by MD in ascending order
made into a table.
Rearranging Column Order

Move columns around by clicking and dragging a column header to a new
position.
Changing Column Width

Change the width of columns by clicking and dragging the divider between
the column headers. It is also possible to double click a divider, which au-
tomatically resizes the column to its left so that it’s just large enough for all
data in it to be fully visible.
Quick Show/Hide Column

Right click on a column header and select Hide Column to quickly hide
it from the view. It is also possible to add a column that is not currently

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142
SURVEY SUMMARY TABLE Az

Final azimuth for the survey point (measured azimuth plus any correction).
The Survey Summary Table; Figure 15-7, displays a quick summary of all
points in the survey. It is accessible via the Data/Tables> Survey Data Sum-
Away, Elev, Right
mary Table menu selection.
Coordinates calculated based on the survey distances and angles (MD,
Note: All of the data columns shown here are accessible on the Shot Data
Incl, Az).
Summary Table.
The entry point and all survey shots that have been designated as “Final” Dls
will appear in the Survey Summary Table. If there is more than one survey
in the job (which usually only happens if a sidetrack has been done on this Dog Leg Severity. Note: this column only appears in the table if “Show DLS
job), the survey shown is the current active survey, as set in the Edit > on Survey Summary” is checked in Program Settings > Shots/Surveys.
Surveys menu selection. The title bar of this window shows the name of
the active survey. 3jt Radius
Inclination-only 3-joint radius. Note: this column only appears in the table if
“Show 3 jt. Incl Radius on Survey Summary” is checked in Program Set-
tings > Shots/Surveys.
ADDITIONAL TABLE FEATURES
Baseline Azimuth
The Baseline Azimuth can be viewed and edited here. This is identical to
the Baseline Azimuth in Program Settings.
Calculation Method
Determines the method used to calculate the curve of the survey line
based on the survey points.
Figure 15-7: Survey Summary Table
Refresh
AVAILABLE COLUMNS Manually refreshes the table and gets the most current data from the data-
The following information is included in the table: base.
Joint Right Click Menu

The survey point’s rod number (plus any additional distance). Right clicking within the table presents the following options:
MD Export Single Shot in Format #1/2
The Measured Distance at the survey point. Exports the last selected shot in the format specified in Program Settings
(Program Settings > Shots/Surveys > Single Shot Export Format). USING
SINGLE SHOT EXPORT FORMATS in PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUS-
Incl
TOMIZATION for more information.
Corrected inclination for the survey point (measured inclination plus any
correction).

143
Copy EDITING SHOTS

Copies the selected field’s data to the clipboard. Left-click and drag or Certain fields within the shot can be edited. After clicking the Edit button in
Shift/Ctrl-click to select multiple fields. Copied data is tab-delimited. the lower left corner of the window, the editable fields will turn white. Click
on one or more of these fields and type in a new value. When done, click on
the Save button to keep any changes, or Cancel to make no changes.
SHOT DATA WINDOW
The Shot Data window; Figure 15-8, shows detailed information about one Shot Recalculation
shot at a time. It is most directly accessible from the Data/Tables > Shot Shots that are edited in the Shot Data window are recalculated using a
Data menu option. It can also be accessed by right-clicking a shot in the slightly different method than they were when they were first created. If a
Shot Data Summary Table and selecting View/Edit Shot, or by right-clicking shot doesn’t converge and is automatically marked bad, it can be useful to
a shot in the Plan or Section View and selecting Edit Shot. edit and save the shot in the Shot Data window to recalculate it with this
slightly different method, in case it allows the shot to converge. Again, click
on Edit to change the shot and Save to recalculate and save it.
GRAPH VIEWS
Plan, Section, and End View allow the user to view shots graphically from
a top-down, side, or bore-axis perspective (respectively). Plan and Section
View also display other elements of the job (guide wires, Beacon Trackers,
the survey path, etc.) relative to shot coordinates.
PLAN VIEW
The Plan View window; Figure 15-9, shows a plan or overhead view (i.e.
Away and Right axes) of the entire job. It is accessible via the Graphs > Plan
View menu selection.
Note: the remaining information in this section also applies to Section View.
Basic Graph Usage
Scrolling
To scroll the graph in any direction, click and drag the right mouse button
Figure 15-8: Shot Data window anywhere on the graph (except on a shot, survey point, or other plotted
object).
VIEWING SHOTS
Zooming In
Any shot can be viewed with the Shot Data window. To view a different
shot, enter the shot number in the textbox at the bottom right corner of To zoom in on a portion of the graph, click and hold the left mouse button
the window and press enter, or click on the arrows on the slider bar at the at the upper left corner of the area to zoom in to (but not on a shot, survey
bottom of the window in order to advance to the next or previous shot. point, or other plotted object). Then, without releasing the left mouse but-
ton, drag the mouse down and to the right. When the mouse is at the lower
Note that each shot type has a slightly different display that is specific to right corner of the area of interest, release the left mouse button and the
that shot type. Figure 15-8 shows a ParaTrack2 shot, as indicated in the graph will zoom in to that area. Note: this operation must always be from
title bar at the top of the window. upper left to lower right!

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144
Rotation
To rotate the entire graph clockwise by 90°, 180°, or 270°, use the rotation
radio buttons on the right-hand side of the window.
Square Grid
When this checkbox is checked, the graph is drawn so that the two axes
always have the same ratio of displayed distance to actual distance. For
example, if there is one segment of a guide wire on the graph that runs
parallel to the Away axis for 10’, and another segment that runs parallel to
the Right axis for 10’, Square Grid will ensure that they are displayed on the
screen with the same length.
Reset
To undo all scrolling/zooming/rotation and return the graph to its original
view, click the Reset button near the upper right corner of the graph.
Additional Options
Line Drawing
It is possible to draw a temporary line on the graph, which can assist the
Figure 15-9: Plan View driller in checking their progress or projecting their position. This is done by
left clicking on any plotted object and dragging in the direction in which the
Zooming Out line should be drawn. In Figure 15-12, a straight line is being drawn from the
To completely zoom out (i.e. just enough so that all plotted objects are vis- wire vertex at Away=250, Right=-110.
ible), left click anywhere on a free area of the graph (not on a shot, survey As a line is drawn, the Dist and Angle text boxes in the upper right corner of
point, or other plotted object), drag to the left, and let go of the left mouse the window are updated with the current distance and angle of the cursor
button. Note: this operation must always be from right to left! from the plotted object. Additional information is also displayed if drawing
an arc instead of a straight line (see next section).
Viewing Details of Shots, Wires, Etc.
Right click on any plotted object to show a short Line Options
summary of that object, Figure 15-10. Clicking on To change the type of line that
any free area of the graph will hide the summary. is drawn, click the Line Options
If the object was a shot, several options to edit button, which brings up the
the shot will appear as well, as seen at the top of window shown in Figure 15-11.
the menu in Figure 15-10. The shot may be toggled Besides straight lines, it is also
between Final/not Final or Good/Bad by using the possible to draw circular arcs.
appropriate options, and additional shot data Select Freehand Arc to allow
may be edited in the Shot Data window using the Figure 15-11: Line Options
the arc to be drawn in any
Edit Shot option. Note that bad shots are never Figure 15-10: Right click menu direction, or select Constrained
displayed on the graph. Arc to force the arc to be drawn in a particular initial direction. In either
If the object was a wire, the wire may be edited by clicking its name in the case, the radius of the arc may also be set here, and the direction of the
menu that appears. arc may be inverted.

145
Print Graph
Click the Print button to bring up a standard print preview dialog for the
graph as it currently appears on the screen. Note that no part of the win-
dow other than the graph is included in the printout.
Edit Baseline Azimuth

Click this button to open the Baseline Az tab of Program Settings, in order
to update the Baseline Azimuth.
Graph Axes
For precise control over the area displayed by the graph, use the arrow
buttons in the lower left corner of the window, Figure 15-13. The up-
ward-facing arrow affects the Y axis and the rightward-facing arrow
affects the X axis. Clicking either brings up a window like in Figure 15-14.
When Auto Scale is checked, the axis will automatically scale itself so that
it’s just large enough to display all plotted objects at once. Uncheck it to
enter minimum and maximum values for the axis manually.
Figure 15-12: Drawing a straight line
While an arc is being drawn on the graph, its length as well as its initial and
Final direction in degrees are displayed under the straight-line distance and
angle.
Cursor Figure 15-13: Graph axis buttons Figure 15-14: Graph axis buttons
To show horizontal and vertical lines that follow the mouse on the graph,
click the Cursor checkbox. Use these to visually read off coordinates from
When manually specifying Max and Min values, the ZOOMING OUT gesture
the axes (the exact coordinates will appear in the A and R textboxes in the
will be limited to the axis scale defined here. Use the Reset button to return
upper right corner of the window).
the graph to its original view.
Hiding Surveys
By default, all surveys that have not been hidden (using Edit > Surveys) are
visible on the graph. Uncheck the Survey checkbox to hide all surveys (the
shots that make up those surveys will continue to be shown, however).
Show Only Final Shots

When checked, only Final Shots will be shown. Left unchecked, all shots
marked Good will be shown.

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146
SECTION VIEW
The Section View window (Figure 15-15) shows a vertical section or side
view (i.e. Elevation and Away axes) of the entire job. It is accessible via the
Graphs > Section View menu selection.
Other than what the graph displays, Section View works identically to Plan
View. Please refer to BASIC GRAPH USAGE and ADDITIONAL OPTIONS for
more information.
Figure 15-16: End View
Graph Features
Zooming In/Out
Figure 15-15: Section View Use the Radius textbox in the upper left of the window, which controls the
radius of the entire graph. To zoom in on the graph, enter a smaller number
and click Apply. To zoom out, enter a larger number.
END VIEW
The End View window; Figure 15-16, shows a borehole axis or End View Shot Highlighting
(i.e. Elevation and Right axes) of all shots in the job, with the Steering Tool
always at the center of the graph. This is most useful for parallel jobs To highlight a specific shot on the graph, use the Shot # combo box in the
where a new borehole is to be drilled parallel to an existing borehole and lower right corner of the window. The shot with the current number will be
the guide wire is in the existing borehole. End View is accessible via the displayed in blue instead of gray (the Steering Tool is always displayed in
Graphs > End View menu selection. the center with the same shade of blue).
Shot Filtering
By default, all good shots are displayed on the graph. Use the following
options to change which shots are displayed.

147
• Check the Show Final Shots box to show only Final Shots. Note that
Gyro, Steering Tool, and Manual shots marked Final in the Shot Data
Summary Table will not be plotted here (as AER coordinates are not
calculated for these shot types).
• Enter new values in the First and Last shot to display textboxes in the
lower left corner of the window and hit Enter to always show a specific
range of shots.
• Uncheck the Show Shot Range checkbox to display no shots at all ex-
cept the shot currently selected in the Shot # box.
MD and Coordinates
The MD and Away/Elevation/Right coordinates of the selected shot are dis-
played in the textboxes in the upper right corner of the window.
Distance and Apparent Angle High Side to Wire

The distance to wire and apparent angle high side to wire of the selected
shot are displayed in the lower left corner of the window.
Show X-Y Sensors Figure 15-17: BTotal/Dip Plot

Check this box to show the orientation of the X and Y magnetic sensors on
the Steering Tool relative to the selected shot. TYING TO BASELINE/INCLINATION
BTOTAL/DIP PLOT As mentioned earlier in this document, tying a shot to baseline (TtBl) simply
means that whenever the Baseline Azimuth changes, RivCross automat-
The BTotal/Dip Plot, Figure 15-17, is a series of three plots that show the ically changes the shot’s azimuth correction by the same amount. As an
BTotal, Tool Azimuth, and Dip vs. Measured Distance of shots in the job. example, if a shot has an azimuth correction of 1°, and the user ties that
Use these plots to look for magnetic interference. It is accessible from the shot to baseline and then changes the Baseline Azimuth from 26° to 26.5°,
Graphs > BTotal/Dip menu selection. the shot’s azimuth correction will automatically increase by 0.5° as well, to
1.5°. Tying a shot to inclination (TtIn) is similar, except that changes to incli-
Graph Features nation bias are subtracted from the shot’s inclination correction.1 The rest
of this section explains the kinds of situations in which tying to baseline or
Show All Good Shots inclination is useful.
By default, all good shots are shown on the three plots. Uncheck this
checkbox to show only Final Shots. HOW TO USE TTBL/TTIN
Figure 15-18 shows the Plan View of a job in which the Baseline Azimuth
Shot Details changed significantly over time, but TtBl has not been used. The Baseline
Azimuth has been recently updated so that the most recent shots (towards
Right click on a shot to bring up information about that shot (shot #, MD,
the top of the screenshot) are relatively close to the survey. This avoids
BTotal, Tool azimuth, and dip).
warning and error messages when taking new shots, but at the expense of
Zooming In/Out 1 This is because changing the inclination bias effectively moves the Steering
See ZOOMING IN and ZOOMING OUT in the PLAN VIEW section. Tool itself, whereas changing the Baseline Azimuth effectively moves the background
around the Steering Tool.
Vector Magnetics
148
a bad angle to wire and large “bellies” lower down, where the survey is far USING GRAPHICAL AXIAL MISMATCH
from the older shots.
THEORY
As the Steering Tool approaches the end of a coil (i.e. closed loop guide
wire), the axial signal increases until it reaches a maximum just as the
Steering Tool passes under the segment of guide wire that is perpendicular
to the coil’s outbound leg. RivCross can graphically display the difference
between what the Steering Tool measured as an axial field and the mod-
el (what that field should have been based on where RivCross thinks the
Steering Tool is). This is useful for determining how far off the Steering
Tool’s away distance is when it’s passing under the perpendicular segment
of the guide wire.
Notes
This functionality only works with Final ParaTrack2 shots – it cannot work
on averages, ParaTrack1 shots, or any other kind of shot.
For information on numeric-only axial mismatch (i.e. no graph), please see
TWEAK WINDOW.
USE
Figure 15-18: A job where TtBl is not being used
Use on Existing Jobs

To make sure that all shots line up as well as possible with the survey right
Graphical axial mismatch can be used as a check for away distance, with
from the beginning of the bore, start by getting as many shots lined up
no changes to job setup required. By taking shots at half rods when near
with the survey as possible in Plan View by swinging the Baseline Azimuth
the end of the coil, it is possible to determine fairly quickly from an axial
around. When a good number are lined up, mark them as TtBl and repeat
mismatch graph if the rod count is off, or if there is some other very large
this process with the next section of the bore. Now, as the Baseline Az-
difference in away distance. If the Steering Tool’s away distance is off by
imuth is swung around, the tied survey points should stay close to the
only a few feet, it may be necessary to take more shots, in order to get a
shots – leaving the rest of the bore to swing around. Make sure to leave
better fit on the graphs and have a better idea of exactly how far off the
at least a few shots at the end of the bore not marked as TtBl, so that
away distance is.
RivCross can accommodate for magnetic interferences (that is, so it can
swing positions around while it is calculating answers).
Use on New Jobs
Note that if a shot is marked as TtBl, all shots between the entry point and
that shot should also be marked as TtBl. If away distance is critical for a particular job, it may be a good idea to de-
sign the wires such that there are more axial signals – that is, more places
Tying to inclination works on the exact same principles described above, with perpendicular wire segments, so that axial mismatch can be used
except that inclination bias is swung around to line up shots with the more often. For example, separate single wires (i.e. open loop guide wires)
survey in Section View, then those shots are marked as TtIn. that cross the main bore could be added at points where the most away
distance accuracy is required.
An Example
This section will go through an example of how to use graphical axial mis-
match on a fairly typical bore with an entry coil and an exit coil.
149
Figure 15-19 shows the bore and the two areas where graphical axial
mismatch will be used. In both of these areas, the borehole runs directly
under a perpendicular segment of guide wire. Note that the entry coil ends
at an away of about 1000’. Figure 15-20 shows the shots taken in this area
as displayed in the Shot Data Summary Table.
Figure 15-20: Shot Data Summary Table, centered on shots with an away of 1000’
Figure 15-19: Plan view of the bore, with axial mismatch locations indicated
After selecting some number of rows around an away distance of 1000’

and clicking See Mismatch (Figure 15-20), the Axial Mismatch window
appears in Figure 15-21.
Figure 15-21: Select rows around the correct away distance, then click on See Mis-
match

Vector Magnetics
150
It will take RivCross a moment to calculate the data points and add them to This gives a worse fit between the measured and modeled lines, compared
the graph. As can be seen, the blue measured MD line and the red modeled to Figure 15-22 – although it’s not really easy to tell since the shots are 100’
MD line match up fairly well (note the quick fall off in intensity of the signal apart. In the next coil Figure 15-24, the shots were taken closer to one
– this example uses wider ranges of MD than are necessary - Figure 15-22). another, which will be helpful for graphical axial mismatch.
Figure 15-22: Graphical Axial Mismatch
In Figure 15-23, the user has added 10’ to the MD, telling RivCross that they
think that they’re 10’ farther out.
Figure 15-24: Exit Coil
In Figure 15-25, shots with an away distance from 3200’ to 3500’ have
been graphed in the Axial Mismatch window from the Shot Data Summary
Table. The line fit isn’t ideal, so trying different values in the Current MD
change field would be recommended.
Figure 15-26 and Figure 15-27 show the graph with 10’ and 5’ added to the
MD, respectively. The former is also a bad fit, but the latter is a relatively
good fit.
Since Figure 15-27 had 5’ added to MD and it is a good fit, this bore is
probably short by 5’ in MD when it enters the second coil. To get a better
idea of what the exact value is, it would be necessary to take shots right
around the perpendicular segment of wire that are closer together than
those in this example (which were taken at intervals of 10’).
Of course, if the job’s rod count is off, then the measured and modeled lines
will be a lot farther apart, as shown in Figure 15-28.
Figure 15-23: MD moved by 10’

151
Figure 15-25: Exit Coil Axial Mismatch Figure 15-27: 5 MD added (good fit)
Figure 15-26: 10 MD added (bad fit) Figure 15-28: Off by a rod

Vector Magnetics
152
Be aware that taking fewer shots or taking those shots farther apart TWEAK WINDOW
means that the fit won’t be as good, so the answer can’t be as good. See
Figure 15-29. It is always possible to use Tweak to see the axial mismatch in raw num-
bers. This is the only way, at this time, that axial mismatch can be checked
for ParaTrack1 shots.
There are two ways to get to the Tweak window (which is shown in Figure
15-30). The first is by selecting the checkbox “Tweak Results” on the Para-
Track1 or ParaTrack2 window while taking shots. This results in the win-
dow appearing after each shot is taken. The second method is by opening
the Shot Data window and clicking on the Tweak button.
The Tweak graph shows a graphical representation of how good a shot
was in terms of the high side and right side sensors. The measured and
modeled axial signal boxes (indicated by green arrows) show how good a
shot was in terms of the axial field.
Figure 15-29: Fewer data points
Figure 15-30: Tweak and axial fields

16
WITS IN RIVCROSS
WITS SETUP
SENDING SURVEY DATA
SENDING MWD DATA
DATA FORMAT
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INTRODUCTION
WITS (Wellsite Information Transfer Specification) is a standard communi-
cations format used for sending wellsite data between computers.
RivCross supports sending certain kinds of survey data (WITS record type
7 – Survey/Directional) and MWD data (record type 9 – MWD Mechanical)
in the WITS format, via serial COM port. See DATA FORMAT for a list of all
data included in these record types.
RivCross cannot receive any WITS data itself, and therefore must be used
with a WITS system that has been set up to be receive-only.
WITS SETUP
Click the Windows/etc > WITS Output and Remote Controls menu option to
open the WITS output window; Figure 16-1. First, select the correct COM
port and then click on Open port. If successful, the window should indicate
that the COM port is now open with green highlighted text (Figure 16-2).
To test the connection between RivCross and the WITS system, click “Send
both records once.” The Send Data Log text field should show that data Figure 16-2: COM port open
was just sent; Figure 16-3, and the WITS system should have received a
small amount of test data. If not, please ensure that the correct COM port
is selected and has been opened.
Figure 16-3: COM port open
Figure 16-1: The WITS output window
Chapter: 16 WITS In Rivcross

155
Every time data is sent successfully, whether test data or real data, a time- DATA FORMAT
stamp will be added to the Sent Data Log and the “data sent” text will toggle
between green and grey. If a send fails, the “data sent” text will turn red. See the table below for details of the format used by RivCross to send
Note that RivCross sends 0D0A (CR LF) at the end of each line in a WITS survey and MWD data over WITS.
record, and does not send a Vector Magnetics preamble or any other spe-
The data field represents the number of digits after the decimal point.
cial identifying information.
Survey
Data
SENDING SURVEY DATA Record Field Data Field Name Comment
By default, survey shot data is immediately sent over WITS every time a 07 01 0 Job name Limited to first 16 characters
shot is taken, as a WITS type 7 record (except for ST and manual shots). To 07 04 0 Shot number For ABIA shots, taken from the
stop sending survey data, uncheck “Send survey data every shot?” on the ABIA Summary Table instead of
WITS output window. the Shot Data Summary Table
Bad shots are sent in the same way as good ones – there is no distinction 07 09 1 Elevation Note that this field is already
called measured elevation and
on the WITS end.
in RivCross it is calculated
ABIA SHOTS 07 11 1 Measured

Depth
Inclination measured at the bit is included when ABIA shots are sent over
07 12 0 Shot type P1=10, P2=11, BTS=12, ABIA=14,
WITS. MGT=15
07 13 2 Inclination
SENDING MWD DATA 07 15 2 Azimuth (cor-
rected)
RivCross can send a WITS type 9 record containing MWD data at a regu-
lar interval. This interval can be set between every 1 and 10 seconds with 07 17 2 Toolface
(AHSx)
the “Send MWD data every __ seconds” dropdown menu in the upper right
corner of the WITS output window. By default, it is set to 0, which means 07 22 1 Away Spare1
that no MWD data is sent. 07 23 1 Right Spare2
In addition, a limited type 7 record is automatically sent with each type 9 07 24 0 b total Spare3
record (see “MWD record 2” in DATA FORMAT). This allows a more stan- 07 25 4 g total Spare4
dard WITS setup (one without programming access to interfaces) to
receive data from RivCross. 07 26 2 dip Spare5
07 27 0 h total Spare6 (field not in WITS spec)
Note that pressure and/or weight on bit (WOB) readings are not sent over
WITS if pressure/WOB logging is turned off in RivCross Program Settings. 07 28 2 Bit inclination Spare7 (field not in WITS spec).
Sent with ABIA shots only.
MWD Data
Record Field Data Field Name Comment
09 13 1 Annulus pres-
sure
09 14 1 Pipe pressure

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156
MWD Data
09 15 2 Weight on bit Average WOB
(avg) over the MWD
recording
interval
09 16 2 Weight on bit Maximum
(max) WOB over the
MWD record-
ing interval
09 21 2 Inclination Spare1
09 22 2 Azimuth (cor- Spare2
rected)
09 23 2 Toolface Spare3
(AHSx)
09 24 1 Tool tempera- Spare4
ture
09 25 1 RPMs Spare5
MWD record
2
07 13 2 Inclination
07 15 2 Azimuth (cor-
rected)
07 17 2 Toolface
(AHSx)

17
SURVEY SIMULATION
AND PLANNING
SIMULATION SURVEYS
POSITION UNCERTAINTY PLOT
SIGNAL STRENGTH PLOT
WIRE TABLE
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INTRODUCTION
RivCross includes several features intended for use while planning jobs,
such as survey simulation and wire layout assistance. These features can
be useful for testing and comparing different job setups ahead of time, and
for giving the surveyor a better idea of what to expect when actually in the
field.
SIMULATION SURVEYS
Before using the survey simulation and planning tools, it is necessary
to create a simulation survey. This is simply a hypothetical path that the
Steering Tool could travel, and which RivCross will use when simulating AC
signal strength, position uncertainty, etc.
Keep in mind that simulation surveys are completely separate from actual
drilled surveys. It is possible to create a simulation survey before a job and
then use a different survey during the job, and it is also possible to create a
simulation survey during a job that is unrelated to the survey drilled so far.
DEFINING SIMULATION SURVEYS IN RIVCROSS

Select the Simulations > Simulation Surveys menu option to view and man-
age the list of simulation surveys (Figure 17-1). Figure 17-1: Simulation Surveys window
Add New: Allows the user to define a new, blank simulation survey. See name is shown in the “Using” text box at the bottom of this window, as well
EDITING SIMULATION SURVEYS for details. as in the other survey simulation and planning windows.
Create from Drilled Survey: Allows the user to define a new simulation
survey based on the actual survey drilled so far, and edit it/add to it as EDITING SIMULATION SURVEYS
desired.
Clicking the Add New, Create from Drilled Survey, or Edit button opens the
Edit: Allows the user to edit the selected simulation survey. See EDITING Edit Simulation Survey form (Figure 17-2). Like an actual survey, a simula-
SIMULATION SURVEYS for details. tion survey is defined by:
Delete: Removes the selected simulation survey from the list.
• An entry point (AER coordinates + the MD/inclination/azimuth at the
Import: Read a text file containing simulation survey coordinates and cre- entry point)
ate a new simulation survey containing that data. See IMPORTING SIMULA-
TION SURVEYS for details. • One or more azimuth/inclination values for the Steering Tool at various
MDs along the survey
Export: Write a text file containing simulation survey coordinates from the
selected simulation survey. See EXPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS for • A method for calculating the curve between simulation survey points
details. (e.g. minimum curve)
Make Active: This makes the selected simulation survey the active simu- Follow the steps below to set up a new simulation survey from scratch. If
lation survey. Only one simulation survey may be active at a time. RivCross the user clicked Create from Drilled Survey, these steps will have already
uses the active simulation survey for all simulation calculations of AC signal been completed automatically based on the drilled survey.
strength, position uncertainty, etc. The currently active simulation survey’s
Chapter: 17 Survey Simulation and Planning

159
mines what the simulation survey looks like in Plan and Section Views
(see Figure 17-3).
Figure 17-2: Editing a Simulation Survey
8. Give the simulation survey a unique name, if desired.
9. Select a different calculation method, if desired.
10. Enter the AER coordinates and MD/inclination/azimuth values of the

entry point as the first row in the table.
11. For each additional point to be added to the simulation survey, click
Add Line and enter MD, inclination, and azimuth values in the table row
that appears. To edit a simulation survey point after creating it, simply Figure 17-3: Simulation Survey in Section View
click on any box in its row and enter a new value. To delete a simulation
survey point, click on the gray box to the left of the corresponding row
After closing the window in Figure 17-3, the new simulation survey will
in the table and click Delete Line.
appear at the bottom of the list on the Simulation Surveys window. Select it
12. Once all simulation survey points are entered, click Calculate to and click Make Active in order to use it.
calculate the AER coordinates and dog leg severity for each point. Con-
firm that these values are reasonable, and check the values entered in IMPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS
steps 3 and 4 for errors if not. It is also possible to import any simulation survey previously exported to
file from RivCross or VM Simulator. After clicking Import and selecting an
13. By default, the simulation survey will not be shown in Plan View or
.srv file, the Edit Simulation Surveys window (Figure 17-2) will appear with
Section View. Select the appropriate checkboxes in order to show it in
the new simulation survey points if the import was successful. Edit as
one or both of these views. Note that unlike actual surveys, simulation
necessary and click OK to finish adding the imported simulation survey, or
surveys do not appear with circles at each point in Plan/Section View.
click Cancel to cancel the import.
The difference is shown in Figure 16.3, which depicts a blue simulation
survey and an orange actual survey.
EXPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS
14. Give the simulation survey a unique color, if desired. This deter- Click Export to export the selected simulation survey to an .srv file so that

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160
it can be imported into any RivCross job at a later point. Choose a location 3. Enter a step size for MD. This can be an approximate rod length or
for the simulation survey, and RivCross will automatically export it to that an arbitrary length. Note that entering a small step size can make the
location in a format that it can read later. plot slow to update.
4. Enter a noise level in uA/m. The greater this value, the more spread
POSITION UNCERTAINTY PLOT (uncertainty) in shot calculations. See DETERMINING THE NOISE LEVEL
for assistance in picking a realistic value.
The Position Uncertainty Plot shows how much spread in ParaTrack2 shot
calculations can be expected within a specified MD range. This can be 5. Enter a wire current in amps. The greater this value, the less
used for a variety of diagnostic purposes, especially to test a certain wire spread (uncertainty) in shot calculations.
geometry and find bad (noisy) spots in a given job. If noise is measured in
the field before a job, the Position Uncertainty Plot can also give a good 6. If desired, select the Use Hz box. When this is enabled, RivCross
sense of what to expect during the course of the actual job. will calculate an azimuth reading based on the AC sensor readings. The
resulting numbers can be compared to the tool azimuth and give the
Note that this plot only works with ParaTrack2 jobs – ParaTrack1 and oth-
surveyor an idea of how clean the signal is and thus how good the shot
ers are unsupported.
is.
Select the Simulations > Uncertainty Plot menu option to open the Position
Uncertainty Plot (Figure 17-4). 7. Click Update to calculate and graph position uncertainty. Two se-
ries are plotted: Up/Down uncertainty (red circle) and Left/Right uncer-
tainty (blue triangle). These series indicate the expected total spread of
shots in either a vertical or horizontal direction, respectively.
Determining the Noise Level

Before starting the job, it can be helpful for determining a realistic AC noise
level to place the Steering Tool along the borehole (away from the entry and
exit points) and examine the magnetic data that comes up to RivCross
when there’s no current on the guide wire. Once the Steering Tool is set up,
open the ParaTrack2 input window and wait for the graphs to fill up. The
approximate noise level is the distance from the average, i.e. the maximum
value minus the minimum value divided by two.
In Figure 17-5, the error level is about (6980-6840)/2 = 70 based on the Hx
graph, or (54900-54790)/2 = 55 based on the Hy graph. Thus, a noise level
in the range of 55-70 would be reasonable to use in the Position Uncertain-
Figure 17-4: Position Uncertainty plot ty Plot.
In contrast in Figure 17-6, the Steering Tool is in the same position in the
USING THE PLOT field, but the Averaging has been set to 150 samples, rather than 100 like in
Figure 17-5. Notice that this results in a reduced error level – 50 based on
Follow the steps below to use the Position Uncertainty Plot.
the Hx graph, or 35 based on the Hy graph.
1. Make sure an active wire and simulation survey are set. If they are
not, click the appropriate box near the lower right corner of the win-
dow and select a wire/simulation survey to make active.
2. Enter a starting and ending MD. This defines the range of the simu-
lated survey for which to plot position uncertainty data.

161
SIGNAL STRENGTH PLOT

The Signal Strength Plot shows how much AC signal strength can be
expected within a specified MD range. Note that this plot only works with
ParaTrack2 jobs – ParaTrack1 and others are unsupported.
Select the Simulations > Signal Strength menu option to open the Signal
Strength Plot (Figure 17-7).
Figure 17-5: Estimating noise level with the ParaTrack2 Input window
Figure 17-7: Signal Strength plot
USING THE PLOT

Follow the steps below to use the Signal Strength Plot.
1. Make sure an active wire and simulation survey are set. If they are
not, click the appropriate box near the lower right corner of the win-
dow and select a wire/simulation survey to make active.
2. Enter a starting and ending MD. This defines the range of the simu-
lated survey for which to plot AC signal strength data. Note: don’t enter
a starting MD too close to the entry point (or an ending MD to close to
the exit point
3. Enter a step size for MD. This can be an approximate rod length or
an arbitrary length.
4. Enter a wire current in amps. The greater this value, the greater the
AC signal strength.
5. Click Update to calculate and graph the AC signal strength. Two

series are plotted: Cross Axis Signal Strength (red circles) and Axial
Figure 17-6: Estimating noise level with increased averaging
Signal Strength (blue triangles). These series indicate the expected
signal strength along either the Right axis or Away axis, respectively.

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WIRE TABLE USING THE TABLE

The Wire Table provides assistance in planning the layout for a guide wire, Wire Gauge and Loop Selection
by calculating information like the electrical resistance and max amps that
First, make sure that an active wire is set, as indicated near the bottom of
would result from using different wire gauges and numbers of loops. It
the window. If not, click the Active Wire box and select a wire. After that,
can also calculate the depth from the wire to the Steering Tool at any point
the user can select any gauge (size) of wire from #1 to #20 AWG, along with
along a simulation survey. Both ParaTrack1 and ParaTrack2 are supported.
any number of loops from 1 to 4, and RivCross will calculate the wire’s:
Select the Simulations > Wire Table menu option to open the Wire Table
(Figure 17-8). • Electrical resistance
• Maximum number of amps supported
• Length
• Weight
Figure 17-8: Wire Table

163
The first two items in the list above will

appear in the middle of the window (in
purple text), and the last two items will
appear under the wire size/loops/noise
textboxes. Electrical resistances and max
amps that fall within the ideal range for
operation of Vector Magnetics equipment
will be highlighted in green. In Figure
17-9, the Max Amps and Resistance Figure 17-9: Highlighting of Resis-
values both fall within the ideal range. tance and Max Amp values
Values outside the ideal range will be
highlighted in yellow (moderate) or red
(avoid).
The wire size and number
of loops may be changed
as many times as need-
ed until the results are
satisfactory. Also note
that there is additional
information in the table
on the left of the window
for each wire gauge (such Figure 17-11: Estimate Depth window
as cross-sectional area,
ohms/km, and others),
which can be used for
selecting a wire gauge/
number of loops if desired.
In Figure 17-10, #12 wire is
currently selected.
Depth Estimation Figure 17-10: Additional info about different wire gauges
To estimate the depth from wire to Steering Tool, first make sure that an
active wire and simulation survey are set, as indicated near the bottom of
the window. If not, click the appropriate box and select a wire/simulation
survey. After that, click Estimate to open the Estimate Depth window,
which shows a partial section view of the active wire and simulation
survey (Figure 17-11). After dragging the sliders for MD and depth to select
the area desired and clicking OK, the depth to wire and selected MD range
will automatically populate in the textboxes on the Wire Table window
(Figure 17-12).
Figure 17-12: Depth to wire and
MD range populated after depth
estimation

Vector Magnetics
164

18
WEB DRILLER
DISPLAY
SETUP
EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS
TROUBLESHOOTING
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INTRODUCTION SETUP
To access the Web Driller Display over the network, follow these steps:
RivCross version 4.8.3 introduces a new method for viewing real-time drill-
ing information. Rather than a dedicated app, the Driller Display Web App CONNECTING TO THE DRILLER DISPLAY WEB APP
functions in any web browser on nearly any device.
1. Ensure the computer
Note that use of the Web Driller’s Display requires a functional local net-
running RivCross is connect-
work to allow the main RivCross computer to communicate with the Driller
ed to the same network as
Display in a web browser. Network troubleshooting is outside the scope of
the device running the Driller
this document and not provided by Vector Magnetics support.
Display web app.
The Driller Display Web App is similar in function to the deprecated Driller
Display apps which are covered in more detail in DRILLER DISPLAY APPS 2. Open RivCross and go to
FOR MOBILE DEVICES. the Communication (Ports)
tab in File > Program Set-
Displayed information can include:
tings.
• ToolFace angle
3. Check the “Send data to
• Azimuth DD” and “Send Driller Display
over Ethernet” boxes, and
• Inclination click OK. See Figure 18-2.
• MD (after taking a shot) 4. Note the Web TCP Figure 18-2: RivCross Ethernet settings
Port number. This is set to
• Pipe and annular pressure “14850” by default but can
be changed. If the port is changed, RivCross will need to be restarted.
• Revolutions Per Minute
(RPM) 5. If there are issues connecting, make sure the “Broadcast to all ad-
dresses” box is checked. See Figure 18-2.
• Weight On Bit (WOB)
6. Below the TCP port option, the IP address and port RivCross is
• Warnings if Pressure, WOB, using to host the Web Driller’s Display is shown.
or RPM’s are too high or low
7. On the device that will run the Driller Display (phone, tablet, etc),
• Pop-up notifications when open a web browser and go to the address shown, including the Web
shots are taken TCP port number at the end.
• Custom messages sent by 8. Turn on the Steering Tool, return to the tablet or other displaying
RivCross users device, and wait a few seconds. If everything is working properly, the
Data is received from RivCross Figure 18-1: Driller Display Web App main view gauges should begin displaying Tool data.
and displayed in real time over Note that the Driller Display web app is optimized for tablet devices be-
a network connection. It is also tween 7” and 11” in size. Internet Explorer and older versions of other
possible to send custom messages to RivCross and other connected Drill- browsers are not supported.
er Displays, change MD, Az. and Amps values, and take ParaTrack2 shots
remotely.
Chapter: 18 Web Driller Display

167
SETTINGS MENU Allow Settings Import

Tap the three bars (hamburger menu) in the upper right Switch this setting to on to allow the RivCross user to push settings to the
corner of the Driller Display. Tap the Program Settings Web Driller Display remotely. See EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS
button (Figure 18-3) to open the Settings page. for more information. Note that if this setting is off, certain settings, such
Figure 18-3: Opening as units, will not be updated if changed in RivCross.
Gauges to Show the Settings menu
Allow sending MD/Amps
The gauges (aside from the ToolFace gauge) that should
be visible on the main screen: Pipe Pressure, Annular Pressure, WOB, and/ Allows the remote user of the web app to set these values on the RivCross
or RPM. Any combination and number of them (including none) may be host computer. This setting is disabled until pushed from RivCross (see
selected, with the following exceptions: EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS).
• No more than three gauges may be displayed at once, plus the Tool- Allow Taking Shots With Azimuth
Face gauge
This enables the user to enter the azimuth prior to taking a shot. This
• The Pipe Pressure and WOB gauges cannot be displayed at the same setting is disabled until pushed from RivCross (see EXPORTING SETTINGS
time. FROM RIVCROSS).
General Set Highside Major Ticks

Switch the tick marks in the highside display between 30° and 45°.
Auto Dismiss Messages
If switched on, all messag- Highside Settings
es and shot data received These settings affect only the Highside gauge.
from RivCross will disap-
pear five seconds after Target
being received. If left off,
all messages and shot Displays a target zone shaded in grey on the Toolface gauge, +/- 10° of the
data will instead stay on entered value.
the screen until dismissed
manually. Pipe Pressure Settings
These settings determine how the Pipe
Allow Taking Shots Pressure gauge appears and behaves.
If checked, the user can
take ParaTrack2 shots Upper Gauge Limit
from the web app (Figure Defines the upper boundary of the gauge.
18-6). See TAKING SHOTS In Figure 18-5 the Upper Limit is 1000.
for more information.
This setting is disabled High Alarm Limit
until pushed from the Set Defines the threshold value at which point
Targets and Export Set- the High Pressure Alarm is displayed. Any
tings section of RivCross. value on the gauge larger than the High
(see EXPORTING SETTINGS Alarm Limit is shaded red. In Figure 18-5 Figure 18-5: Pipe Pressure gauge
FROM RIVCROSS. the High Alarm Limit is 900.
Figure 18-4: Settings Menu

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168
Enable High Alarm Sending Messages

Controls whether the High Pressure alarm is on or off. Pressure values To send a message to RivCross
above the High Alarm Limit will cause the gauge to turn yellow if enabled. tap the Send Message button.
Enter a message in the dialog
Low Alarm Limit that appears and tap Send Mes-
sage (Figure 18-7).
Defines the threshold value at which point the Low Pressure Alarm is dis-
played. Any value on the gauge smaller than the Low Alarm Limit is shaded In RivCross, the “Message From
red. In Figure 18-5 the Low Alarm Limit is 150. Driller” will appear in a dialog box
when it’s first received (Figure
Enable Low Alarm 18-8), and all enhanced Driller
Display windows that are open Figure 18-7: New message window
Controls whether the Low Pressure alarm is on or off. Pressure values will display it until it’s replaced by
below the Low Alarm Limit will cause the gauge to turn yellow if enabled. another message. It will also be
added permanently to the job message log (under the Logs > View Logs
Target menu, Figure 18-9).
Displays a target zone shaded in grey, +/- 10° of the entered value. In Figure To distinguish messages sent from Driller’s Display apps from those sent
18-5 the Target is 800. from RivCross, “DD:” is added to the beginning of the former in Driller Dis-
play windows and the message log. The latter appear as-is. (Figure 18-9).
Annular/RPM/Weight On Bit Pressure Settings
These settings determine how the Annular Pressure, RPM, and Weight
on Bit gauges appear and behave. They work identically to those in PIPE
PRESSURE SETTINGS.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES Figure 18-9: Message log in RivCross
The Web Display menu bar displays a num- Figure 18-8: Message
ber of additional options depending on which from web display
features have been enabled via the Settings
menu (Figure 18-6). Receiving Messages and Shot Data
Taking Shots If the RivCross user sends a message (using an enhanced Driller Display
window), the Web Display will show it (Figure 18-10). Similarly, shot data is
To request RivCross take a ParaTrack2 shot also displayed whenever a tool shot is taken in RivCross. Press the “Close”
(or capture roll test data), first make sure “Al- button to delete the card.
low Taking Shots” is enabled in the Settings
menu (see SETTINGS MENU). Then click the
“Take Shot” button. (Figure 18-6).
Once the shot is taken, messages should
appear confirming the shot was recorded.
Figure 18-6: Web Display menu bar
Note that other shot types (ParaTrack1, BTS, all options enabled
etc.) are not supported. Figure 18-10: Message received

169
EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS TROUBLESHOOTING

Nearly all settings can be pushed to connected Web Displays remotely This section covers various problems that may occur while using the Web
from RivCross. However, the Web Display user can prevent the RivCross Driller Display and potential solutions to them.
user from applying settings to their display at any time by disabling the
“Allow settings import” option in the Settings menu. Web Display does not load
SETTINGS EXPORT • Ensure both computer running RivCross and Driller Display device
are on the same network. This will require setting up a local network
To export settings from RivCross with a router/wireless access point. A connection to the Internet is not
to connected Web Displays, go to required.
File > Program Settings > Commu-
nication (Ports) tab > Set Targets • Open Program Settings > Communication (Ports) and verify the ad-
/ Exports to DD, make the appro- dress and port number RivCross is hosting the display at.
priate changes, and click Export to
DD. The settings will then be sent to • Ensure RivCross is not blocked by any firewalls.
all open Web Display windows.
• Refresh the web page.
The settings in this window cor-
respond exactly to the settings in
the browser (with the exception of Web Display gauges load but do not receive data
“Allow settings import,” which can- • Make sure that the Steering Tool is on and sending data to RivCross.
not be set using this window and It may be necessary to change COM port settings and/or click Edit >
“Keep device screen on while DD Reset Tool COM Port in RivCross.
app is active”, which applies only
to iOS and Android apps). Enter the • Open the Communication (Ports) tab of Program Settings in RivCross
appropriate setting values and click and ensure the following options are enabled:
Export to DD.
• Send data to DD is checked
• Send Driller Display over Ethernet is checked
• Broadcast to all addresses is checked
Website is receiving data sporadically or not at all
• Try moving the device running the webpage closer to the wireless rout-
er running RivCross. Maximum wifi range is generally 100-300ft.
Figure 18-11: Export Settings to Web Displays
• Refresh the web page
Gauge needles on Webpage constantly jump around
• There may be a second copy of RivCross transmitting data over the

same port on the same network. Close the second copy of RivCross,
set it to send data on a different port number and set the link used to
that same port number in the browser, or change the wifi network on

Vector Magnetics
170
both the RivCross application and the device.
Pressure Values are Negative

Your Pressure Range setting may be wrong in File > Program Settings >
Pressure > Range. The default range for a pressure module is “High Range.”
Pressure modules created in 2006 or earlier may be “Standard Range,” in
which case it is necessary to change this setting. If the pressure shown
gets more and more negative as the pressure increases, the incorrect
range is selected.

19
DRILLER DISPLAY APPS
FOR MOBILE DEVICES
INSTALLATION AND SETUP
APP SETTINGS
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INTRODUCTION INSTALLATION AND SETUP

Note: For RivCross version
Note: As of July 2020 the Android and iOS Driller Display apps have been 4.8.3 Pressure Limit, Target,
deprecated and replaced with the WEB DRILLER DISPLAY. and Alarm values must be
The Driller’s Display apps available for free for Android and iOS provide pushed from the Set Targets
real-time drilling information from RivCross on mobile devices such as and Export Settings window
smartphones or tablets (see Figure 19-1 and Figure 19-2). Displayed infor- in RivCross and cannot be
mation can include: changed in the App.
Additionally, both the Low
• Tool face angle Alarm and High Limit values
must be set in order to make
• Azimuth the display update in the app.
Press the Export to DD button
• Inclination
to update the gauges on the
• MD (after taking a shot) Driller’s Display app (Figure
19-3).
• Pipe and annular pressure
ANDROID
• Rotations per minute
(RPM) Figure 19-1: VM Driller Display for Android
Download VM Driller Display
from Google Play and install it
• Weight on bit (WOB) on an Android device.
• Warnings if pressure, WOB, or RPMs are too high or low Connecting via Bluetooth
• Notifications when shots are taken Overview:
• Custom messages sent by RivCross users • Pair Android device to com-

puter running RivCross.
Data is received from RivCross and displayed in real time, over either a
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, • Make RivCross Driller Dis-
as desired. It is also possible play app discoverable.
to send custom messages to
RivCross and take ParaTrack2 • Configure RivCross to Figure 19-3: Fill these values in to update Driller
Display app
shots remotely. transmit data over Blue-
tooth.
The VM Driller Display app is
available for Android smart- • Connect RivCross to the
phones and tablets (Figure 19- Android device.
1), and the Driller Display app
is available for iPhone and iPad Detailed instructions:
(Figure 19-2).
1. Ensure Bluetooth is en- Figure 19-4: Connection type
abled on the Android device.
Figure 19-2: Driller Display for iOS 2. Launch VM Driller Display on the Android device.
Chapter: 19 Driller Display Apps For Mobile Devices

173
3. Look at the top left corner of the screen and check whether it says Highlight the Android device in the list and click Connect (Figure 19-7). If
“Bluetooth,” as in Figure 19-4. If it says “Wi-Fi” instead, see APP SET- it doesn’t appear, try
TINGS for information on how to change it. clicking the Refresh
button.
4. On the computer running RivCross, open the Bluetooth and Other
Devices window from the main Windows Setting menu. 10. Turn on the
Steering Tool, return
5. If the Android device is already listed under Other Devices, the to the Android app,
computer is already paired with the device - skip to Step 7. and wait a few
seconds. If every-
6. If the device is not listed, follow thing is working
instructions for your Android device and properly, the green
computer type for standard Bluetooth indicator will start
pairing. Once successfully paired to the flashing (Figure
computer, continue to Step 7. 19-8), and the graphs
will update, indicat-
7. In the Driller Display app click the
ing data is being Figure 19-7: Connecting to the Bluetooth device
three dots in the upper right corner of the
received.
program to open a list of options. Click
Make Discoverable (Figure 19-5).
Connecting via Wi-Fi
8. In RivCross, go to the Communication
(Ports) tab in Program Settings, and make 1. Launch RivCross
sure “Send data to DD” and “Send Drillers Driller Display on the
Display over Bluetooth” are checked Android device. If the
(Figure 19-6). app asks to enable
Bluetooth, choose
9. After a few seconds, a list of avail- Figure 19-5: Make Driller Display Deny or Allow as de-
able Bluetooth devices should appear. discoverable by RivCross sired (either is ok). Figure 19-8: Green indicator that data is being received
2. Look at the top

left corner of the screen and check whether it says “Wi-Fi,” as in Figure
19-9. If it says “Bluetooth” instead, see APP SETTINGS for information
on how to change it.
3. Make sure that

the computer with
RivCross installed
is connected to the
same network as the
Android device.
Figure 19-9: Listening on Wi-Fi
4. Open RivCross
and go to the Com-
munication (Ports) tab in Program Settings.
Figure 19-6: Enabling DD communication via Bluetooth
5. Check the “Send data to DD” and “Send Driller’s Display over Ether-
net” boxes.
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174
6. Ensure the remote UDP Port is set to 7123 and the “Broadcast to all IPHONE/IPAD
addresses” box is checked. See Figure 19-10. This will transmit Driller
Download DrillerDisplay from iTunes and install it on an iPhone or iPad.
Display data to all devices on the network. To limit transmission to a
single device, uncheck the Broadcast to all
addresses box, and enter the address of the Connecting via Wi-Fi
receiving device in the Remote IP Address
1. Launch DrillerDisplay on the iPhone/iPad.
Box.
2. Look at the top left corner of the
7. Click Apply.
screen and check whether it says “wifi
8. In the Android app, tap the three dots - listening,” as in Figure 19-12. If it says
in the upper right corner of the screen and “Bluetooth” instead, see APP SETTINGS
choose Settings. for information on how to change it.
Figure 19-12: Listening over wi-fi
9. Under the Connection section, tap the 3. Connect the computer with
Local Port option and ensure it is set to 7123 RivCross installed to the same network
(Figure 19-11). as the iPhone/iPad.
10. Turn on the Steering Tool. If the con- 4. Open RivCross and go to the Communication (Ports) tab in Program
nection is properly established the green Settings.
indicator will start flashing at the top of the
5. The “Send data to DD”, “Send Drillers Display over Ethernet”, and
Android app, and data will begin to be dis-
“Legacy iPhone” boxes must all be checked (Figure 19-10).
played (same as Figure 19-8).
6. The remote UDP Port should be set to 7123 (Figure 19-10).
Figure 19-10: RivCross network
7. The “Broadcast to all addresses” box should be checked (Figure
settings
19-10)
8. If a Windows Firewall configuration box pops up, choose to allow

communication on all network types.
9. Turn on the Steering Tool, return to

DrillerDisplay on the iPhone/iPad, and
wait a few seconds. If the connection
is successful, the “wifi – listening…”
message in the upper left corner of the
Figure 19-13: Wi-fi data received
screen should change to “Data re-
ceiving…”, and the green LED will start
flashing (Figure 19-13).
Note that the iOS app is not compatible with many of the new settings in
Figure 19-11: Local port setting the Set Targets and Export settings window and may cause the iOS app to
crash.

175
APP SETTINGS iPhone/iPad

Tap “Settings” in the upper right corner of the DrillerDisplay app to view the
A number of settings are available that allow customization of the appear- Settings screen (Figure 19-16).
ance and behavior of Driller Display apps. In each app, these settings are
contained in an easily accessed menu, described below. To change a setting, tap it and enter a new value if necessary. Navigate
back to the main screen to save all changes.
OPENING THE SETTINGS MENU
Android
Note: Version 1.7 of the app contains a bug that
makes it difficult to open the Settings menu when
Driller Display data is being received. Temporarily
disable the connection to reach the menu.
Tap the options menu in the upper right corner of
VM Driller Display and select Settings (Figure 19-
14) to view the app settings screen (Figure 19-15).
Figure 19-14: Opening the

settings menu
To change a setting, tap it and en-

ter a new value if necessary, then
navigate back to the main screen
to save all changes.
Figure 19-16: iOS app DrillerDisplay Settings
Figure 19-15: RivCross Driller Display Settings

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SETTINGS - DETAILED EXPLANATION Connection Settings

The following description is based on the available settings and displayed These settings determine how RivCross connects to driller’s display mobile
order from the Android app’s Settings menu. Options that are different or apps.
not available in iOS are noted in the text.
Bluetooth Mode
General Settings Whether the app should use a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection. Check the
These settings control certain kinds of general behavior in the driller’s dis- box to use a Bluetooth connection, and uncheck it to use a Wi-Fi connec-
play mobile apps. tion.
Gauges to Show Local IP Address

The gauges (aside from the tool face gauge) that should be visible on the The IP address on which to listen for incoming data. The default is
main screen: pipe pressure, annular pressure, WOB, and/or RPM. Any 255.255.255.255 (listen for RivCross data broadcast to all address). Not
combination and number of them (including none) may be selected, with used when Bluetooth Mode is enabled.
the following exceptions:
Local Port
• No more than two gauges may be displayed at once (or three gauges if
using a tablet). The port number on which to listen for incoming data. The default is 7123
(the default remote port number in RivCross). Not used when Bluetooth
• The pipe pressure and WOB gauges cannot be displayed at the same Mode is enabled.
time.
Pipe Pressure Settings
• The tool face gauge cannot be turned off.
These settings determine how the pipe pressure gauge appears and be-
Note that the WOB gauge only works with RivCross 4 or later. haves. Note that on Android, these settings are not accessible unless the
pipe pressure gauge is set to appear on the main screen using the Gauges
Keep Screen On to Show general setting.
If checked, prevents the device’s screen from going to sleep while the app
is in use. High and Low Limits
The upper and lower limits to show on the pipe pressure gauge. In Figure
Auto-dismiss Messages 17.27, the gauge has a low limit of 0 and a high limit of 1000.
If checked, all messages and shot data received from RivCross will disap-
pear five seconds after being received (unless the user taps a button to Enable High and Low Alarms
prevent this from happening). If left unchecked, all messages and shot data By default, a warning will appear if a pipe pressure reading is received
will instead stay on the screen until dismissed manually. above the Pipe Pressure High Limit, or below the Pipe Pressure Low Limit
(Android example in Figure 17.28). To disable either or both of these warn-
Allow Taking Shots ings, uncheck the corresponding boxes.
If checked, the user can take ParaTrack2 shots or capture data for a roll
test from the app. See TAKING SHOTS for more information. Annular Pressure
These settings determine how the annular pressure gauge appears and
Allow Settings Import behaves. Note that on Android, these settings are not accessible unless
Check this box to allow the RivCross user to apply settings to VM Driller the annular pressure gauge is set to appear on the main screen using the
Display remotely. See EXPORTING SETTINGS FROM RIVCROSS for more Gauges to Show general setting.
information.

177
High and Low Limits

The upper and lower limits to show on the annular pressure gauge. These
settings otherwise work identically to those for pipe pressure.
Enable High and Low Alarms

Whether to show warnings if an annular pressure reading is received
above the Pipe Pressure High Limit, or below the Pipe Pressure Low Limit,
respectively. These settings otherwise work identically to those for pipe
pressure.
WOB
These settings determine how the WOB gauge appears and behaves. Note
that on Android, these settings are not accessible unless the WOB gauge
is set to appear on the main screen using the Gauges to Show option in the
General settings section.
High and Low Limits

The upper and lower limits to show on the WOB gauge. These settings oth-
erwise work identically to those for pipe pressure.
Enable High and Low Alarms

Whether to show warnings if a WOB reading is received above the WOB
High Limit, or below the WOB Low Limit, respectively. These settings other-
wise work identically to those for pipe pressure.
RPM
High Limit
The upper limit to show on the WOB gauge (the lower limit is always 0). This
setting otherwise works identically to the pipe pressure high limit. Note
that on Android, this setting is not accessible unless the RPM gauge is set
to appear on the main screen using the Gauges to Show general setting.

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20
MISCELLANEOUS
TOPICS
IMPORTING AND EXPORTING SHOT DATA
IMPORTING AND EXPORTING RODS
UPGRADING OLD JOBS
REPORTING
SIDETRACKING
MESSAGE LOGGING
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INTRODUCTION File Mode / Export / Save Options

This section determines the destination for the exported data. RivCross
can either output the data to a new file or (if exporting shot data) copy the
This chapter covers various relatively minor topics that are not directly
data directly to the Windows clipboard so that it can be pasted wherever
related to other chapters. Topics are approximately sorted from most to
it’s needed. In the latter case, click the Output to single line checkbox to
least commonly used.
remove all line breaks from the output.
Note: these options are not used when exporting survey data.
IMPORTING AND EXPORTING SHOT DATA
Format Options
This section describes various ways to import shot data into or export
shot data from RivCross. This determines the basic format of the exported data. The default option,
Comma delimited text file (.csv), will insert a comma after each piece of
EXPORTING NORMAL SHOTS/SURVEYS shot data, and a line break after each shot. Alternatively, if using a custom
shot export format (see SINGLE SHOT EXPORT FORMATS in PROGRAM
Use the Export Data form (Figure CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION), data may be exported in that
20-1) to export Steering Tool or format instead.
survey data from RivCross in a
variety of formats. It is available
As Roll Test
through the File > Export Data
menu selection. There is also the special option to export good ParaTrack1/2 shots (only)
as a Steering Tool roll test (for information on how and why to conduct roll
To export all Final Shots to a
tests, see TOOL TESTING in PARATRACK TOOL AND INTERFACE. In this
comma-delimited text file (.csv),
case, RivCross exports the selected shots along with minima, maxima,
simply click the Export button,
averages, and ranges, like in the Windows/etc > Roll Test window.
choose a name and location for
your text file, and click Save. For
other kinds of data exporting, Data to Export
there are numerous options avail- There are also a variety of methods that can be used to pare down the
able, which are described below. number of shots that are exported. These methods may be used individu-
ally or together; if used together, shots must meet all criteria in order to be
Data Type included in the export.
Select Shot Data to export tool Note: these options are not used when exporting survey data.
shot data, or Survey Data to ex-
port survey data (which is based Shot Status
on final shots and the entry point).
Click Only Final Shots to export only shots that have been marked as final,
Note that when exporting magnet-
or click Include Bad Shots to export all shots.
ic survey data, only the currently
active survey is exported. To ex-
Shot Type
port a different survey (e.g. from
a sidetrack), first make that sur- Click All to export all shot types, or click Selected to export only the
vey active in the Edit > Surveys checked shot types, which include ParaTrack1, ParaTrack2, Average, BTS,
menu selection. Choose Gyro to Steering Tool/manual, and Gyro shots.
export the currently active Gyro If ParaTrack1 shots are to be exported, click the Include all P1 data check-
Figure 20-1: Export Data form
survey. box if desired in order to export positive, negative, and calculated magnetic
data for each ParaTrack1 shot. Otherwise, only the calculated magnetic
Chapter: 20 Miscellaneous Topics

181
data will be exported.
Shot Range
To export shots only from within a certain range, click Selected and choose
the first and last shots (chronologically speaking) that should be included in
the export.
Plot Series
This determines the Plot Series to include in the export. To filter out a
particular Plot Series (for example, the dead bore from a sidetrack), click
Selected and click each Plot Series that should be included in the export.
IMPORTING SURVEYS Figure 20-2: Example Survey format
To import survey data into RivCross from a text file, select the File > Import
Survey menu option, then choose the text file to import. If importing a file EXPORTING SHOTS – SINGLE SHOT
that was exported from RivCross and has not been modified since, this will Please refer to Single Shot Export Formats in Program Configuration and
most likely work as is, and RivCross will create a new survey and automat- Customization.
ically make it the active survey. This survey can be viewed and edited in
Edit > Surveys. EXPORTING MGT DATA
MGT data is exported separately from normal shot data. To export MGT
Survey File Format data to a .csv file, use the File > Export MGT data menu option and choose
If importing a modified/hand-created/very old survey file, make sure that a filename.
the format meets these criteria before importing (Figure 20-2):
• There is a header line that begins with the text “Joint”. This line marks IMPORTING AND EXPORTING RODS
the beginning of the survey data – all lines after it will be treated as
data, and all lines before it will be ignored. IMPORTING RODS
• Each line after the header line represents one survey shot or entry To import rods, go to Edit > Rods
point (only) and consists of seven pieces of data: joint #, measured and click Import Rods. The win-
depth, inclination, azimuth, away, elevation, and right (in that order). dow in Figure 20-3 will appear.
There must be at least two such lines. Joint # is optional, but the de-
limiting character (see next bullet point) must start each line that does Options
not have a joint #. For example, a line beginning “;10;43.1;288.5;” would
Select Overwrite Existing Rod to
successfully indicate an MD of 10, an inclination of 43.1, etc, but the
replace any existing rods in this
same line without the leading semicolon would be interpreted as joint
job’s rod table with the contents
10, MD of 43.1, etc.
of the imported file. If Append
Data to Existing Rods is selected Figure 20-3: Import/Export Rods form
• There is a single character used throughout the file as the separator
between pieces of data. This character must be one of the following: instead, the imported rods will
comma, space, tab, semicolon. appear after any existing rods in the table.
Select Rod #, Rod Length, MD to indicate that each line of the imported file
• All pieces of data except joint # must be strictly numeric (e.g. they can- contains three numbers separated by a delimiting character, in the same
not contain units like ft, deg, etc). order as the rod table. Use this option with normal rod table files exported

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from RivCross. state prior to upgrading.

Select Rod Lengths Only to indicate that each line of the imported file only
contains the rod lengths (in which OPENING AN OLD JOB
case the other values are calculat- If a job from an
ed automatically). This is a older version
non-standard format and should of RivCross is
only be used with handmade rod opened, the dialog
table files. in Figure 20-5
appears.
Import Confirmation Click Yes to create
After selecting import options, click a .zip backup copy
Import and select a .csv or .txt file of the job and then
containing a rod table. RivCross will upgrade it, click
read the file and display its con- No to upgrade
Figure 20-5: Job upgrade dialog
tents in a window, as in Figure 20- the job with no
4. This makes it easy for the user to backup created,
confirm that they have chosen the or click Cancel to exit RivCross without making any changes.
correct file, format options have If Cancel is not clicked, RivCross will take up to several seconds to auto-
been set correctly, etc. matically convert the job into a fully RivCross 4-compatible format. For
In the Delimiter box on the right side jobs from version 3.2.8 and earlier, this means replacing the job’s *.mdb
of the window, select the single database file (as well as the *P1.mdb pressure database file and *.sur sur-
character that is used to separate Figure 20-4: Rod import confirmation window vey file, if they exist) with a *.sdf database file. The format of the *.job file
rod #, rod length, and MD, and click will also change to be significantly more human-readable.
OK to finalize the import of the file Note that in RivCross 4, all *.sdf database files are encrypted and there-
into the rod table. fore cannot be viewed with third-party utilities.
EXPORTING RODS
To export the current rod table, go to Edit > Rods and click Export Rods,
REPORTING
then select a location to export. The rods will be saved to a .csv file in the RivCross can generate a .pdf file job summary report at any point during
“Rod #, Rod Length, MD” format. the course of the job (Figure 20-6). There are five types of summary report
available: Survey, Daily, and ParaTrack, Gyro Survey, and Gyro Daily. To
UPGRADING OLD JOBS generate a report, go to File > PDF Reports, select the desired report type,
select the desired page layout (Letter size, 11x17, A4, or A3), and click Save.
RivCross supports opening jobs that were created in older versions of the If “Include driller’s log in reports” under the PDF Reports menu is checked,
program. It is important to note that such jobs will be opened read-only; the contents of the message log (Logs > View Logs) will be appended to
that is, the job data can be viewed and exported, but functionality like tak- generated reports.
ing shots, editing the survey, etc. is not available. Note that Gyro jobs from
any previous version of RivCross can not be opened in 4.8.3. Attempting to SURVEY REPORT
do so will result in the error message in
The Survey Report begins with a header containing most of the fields
In order to open an old job, the program must first upgrade it to the cur- on the Job Information form (see JOB INFORMATION WINDOW in INTRO-
rent job format. Unlike with previous versions of RivCross, the job cannot DUCTION AND GETTING STARTED for more information). The header also
be opened in any older version of RivCross once the upgrade is complete. contains the entry and exit points as well as the current date and tool face
However, it is still possible to create a backup copy of the job in its original

183
GYRO SURVEY REPORT

This is identical to the Survey Report except it contains only survey data
captured by the Gyro. Entry, Point, Exit Point, and Gyro B-line values are as
entered in the Guidance > Gyro Setup form.
The rest of the report consists of a table containing details on each Gyro
Average shot (designated as Type - GY in the main Survey Data Summary
Table in RivCross.
GYRO DAILY REPORT

This is identical to the Daily Report, except that it also includes Gyro shots
of Type - GY.
SIDETRACKING
When drilling a sidetrack, a new survey
should be created so that the old bore-
hole can be saved in RivCross. Use the
Edit > Survey Wizard menu selection to
do this (note that sidetracking a Gyro
survey is not currently supported). The
Wizard will assist with the process of
creating a new survey and saving the
old survey. This consists of the following
Figure 20-6: Sample Survey Report steps:
offset angle. 1. Enter the Measured Distance of

The rest of the report (unless the message log has been included) consists the start of the sidetrack (Figure 20-
7). Figure 20-7: Set starting MD
of a table containing details on each point in the survey, much like the Sur-
vey Data Summary Table (in the Data/Tables menu). In addition, a few extra
2. Select an existing survey to use
pieces of information from the final shot associated with each survey point
as a base survey for the new survey
are included (azimuth correction, whether the azimuth correction is tied to
(Figure 20-8). The point on the base
the baseline azimuth, shot type, and time shot taken).
survey at the sidetrack starting MD
specified in step 1 is used as a tie-in
DAILY REPORT point for the new survey. Normally,
This is identical to the Survey Report, except that it also includes the Away/ the base survey will be the survey
Elevation/Right coordinates from the steering tool for each final shot (and that is already selected in this win-
does not include the time each shot was taken). dow.
PARATRACK REPORT 3. Enter a name and select a plotting

color for the new survey (Figure 20-
This is identical to the Survey Report, except that the calculated Away/Ele- 9). The color is used when drawing
vation/Right coordinates of each final shot are replaced by the Away/Eleva- the new survey in Plan/Section View.
tion/Right coordinates from the steering tool.
Figure 20-8: Select base survey

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184
4. Enter a name and choose a Section View completely, rather than just
plotting color that will be used to hold display it in a different color.
shots on the original borehole beyond To edit the new (or old) Plot Series, go to
the sidetrack point (Figure 20-10). Edit > Plot Series, select the Plot Series,
This name and color will be used to and click Edit. This opens a window as in
define a new Plot Series that will hold Figure 20-13. Here, the name and col-
these old shots. By putting the old or can be changed if desired. It is also
shots in the old borehole on their own possible to show or hide shots in the
Plot Series, that information can be Plot Series in Plan/Section/End View and/
easily distinguished from the side- or the Shot Data Summary Table. This
track or hidden on Plan View or can be done (for example) to hide shots Figure 20-12: Editing a survey
Section View plots or in the Shot Data from the dead bore in Plan/Section View
Summary Table. completely, rather than just display it in a
Figure 20-9: Choose name and color for
different color.
5. Click Finish to end the Wizard and new survey
create the sidetrack in RivCross
(Figure 20-11). If at any point Cancel is MESSAGE LOGGING
clicked, no changes will be made.
After clicking Finish, the Sidetrack Wizard Custom messages can be added as log
automatically does the following: entries for the current job at any time, as
a way to keep track of events. To open
• Creates a new survey to hold new the log (Figure 20-14), use the Logs >
shots in the sidetrack. View Logs menu option.
All existing log entries are listed in
• Makes the new survey active (any
chronological order. To create a new en-
new Steering Tool or tool shots will
try, click New and enter a message, and
be added to this survey).
click OK. Messages sent from Enhanced
• Creates a new Plot Series to hold Driller’s Display windows will also be
shots from the old borehole beyond added to the message log automatically. Figure 20-13: Editing a Plot Series
the sidetrack starting MD and moves Figure 20-10: Choose name and color Note that once an entry is added, it can-
those shots there.
for old bore shots not be edited or deleted.
To export the message
MAKING CHANGES AFTERWARD log, click the Export
button and choose a
The changes made by the Sidetrack
filename to save it as
Wizard can be undone or altered later if
a .txt file – or alterna-
needed. To edit the new survey (or the
tively, make sure that
old one), go to Edit > Surveys, select the
“Include driller’s log in
survey, and click Edit. This opens a
reports” is checked
window as in Figure 20-12. Here, the
under the File > PDF
name, base (parent) survey, starting MD,
Reports menu, then
and color can all be changed. In addition,
generate any PDF re-
the survey can be shown or hidden in
port (see REPORTING
Plan/Section View. This can be done (for Figure 20-14: The message log
for more information).
example) to hide the old survey in Plan/
Figure 20-11: Wizard complete

185
EDITING PLOT SERIES display in the Shot Data Summary

Table.
RivCross uses Plot Series to keep Add additional series as the job
track of shot data in groups. A list progresses, organizing Shots into
of Plot Series for the current job sections. This will keep graphical
(Figure 20-15) can be accessed via performance of RivCross accept-
the Edit > Plot Series menu option. able (Figure 20-17).
The active Plot Series (i.e. the one
to which new shots are added) is
Show Plot Series in the Shot
listed at the bottom of the window. Data Summary Table
By default there is only one Plot The Plot Series column may be add-
Series (the active one). All shots in ed to the Shot Data Summary Table
the job will be added to it. by right-clicking inside the Table and
An additional Plot Series is creat- choosing Add Column > Plot Series, Figure 20-17: Multiple Plot Series shown
ed when sidetracking (see SIDE- or by using the Display Options
TRACKING). In this case, the new button.
Figure 20-15: Plot Series
Plot Series is automatically created
through the Survey Wizard.
Additionally, new Plot Series may be created manually to improve graphical
and tabular performance, or to limit the amount of data displayed in the
Shot Data Summary Table or in the various graphical views.
USING PLOT SERIES TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

It is recommended to use Plot Series to hide shots that are no longer
immediately relevant. Keeping
the active Plot Series to no
more than a few hundred shots
will improve the graphical
performance of RivCross.
Create a New Plot Series

Open the Edit > Plot Series
window; Figure 20-15, and click
the New button to create a new
Plot Series. Figure 20-18: Show Plot Series in the Shot Data Summary Table
In the window that opens;

Figure 20-16, give a new name Add Shots to a New Plot Series
to this Plot Series. In this case,
Figure 20-16: The New/Edit Plot Series window Once the Plot Series column has been added, shots may be selected
the Series will contain shots not
either individually or in groups to be added to a new Plot Series. Select the
marked Final between 0-100
shot(s) to be moved, then right-click in the Plot Series column, and select
MD. Set options based on whether this Series should be plotted in various
the series to move them to (Figure 20-19).
graphical views, and whether is should be shown in the Shot Data Sum-
mary Table. A custom color may also be chosen for each new Series, for
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186
Hide Plot Series to Improve Performance

Once the selected shots have been
moved to the new Plot Series
(Figure 20-20), that Series can be
hidden to improve graphical
performance. Go to Edit > Plot
Series, choose the Series to be
hidden, and click Edit (Figure
20-17). The Series can be hidden
by unchecking the Show in SDST
box. (Figure 20-21). This will hide
that Plot Series from the Shot Data
Summary Table (Figure 20-22).
Figure 20-21: Hide a Plot Series
Uncheck the relevant boxes under
the Plot In section to remove this
Plot Series from various graphical views.
Figure 20-19: Assign Shots to a new Plot Series
When using Plot Series in this manner, Final Shots should not be added to a
Plot Series that will be hidden. Keep all Final Shots in the Main Borehole
Plot Series.
Figure 20-22: Plot Series is now hidden in the SDST
Figure 20-20: Selected Shots are now in the new Plot Series

187
EDITING SURVEYS
A survey is the estimate of the borehole’s path based on shot data (Final
Shots from the Steering Tool, ParaTrack Guide Wire, Beacon Tracker, or
Gyro), and the Entry Point. A list of surveys for the current job (Figure 20-
23) can be accessed via the Edit > Surveys menu option. The active survey
(i.e. the one currently in use) is listed at the bottom of the window.
Figure 20-23: List of Surveys
Most of the time, there is only one survey (the active one) and it is not nec-
essary to edit it, as all Final Shots in the job will be included in it. The most
common exception is when using Gyro (see PARATRACK GYRO MODULE).
You may also end up with additional surveys when sidetracking (see SIDE-
TRACKING).

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21
BEST PRACTICES
KNOWING AND USING AZIMUTHS
TIPS, TRICKS AND OTHER BEST PRACTICES
SPEED TIPS
Vector Magnetics
190
INTRODUCTION following a surface coil for an entire bore will only take their ParaTrack
shots into consideration – will plug the azimuth on every shot to 0 – and will
pay more attention to the distance and angle to wire as measured by these
RivCross is a powerful tool for providing the guidance needed to complete ParaTrack shots. This is not recommended.
bores in spec. That power also allows for a great deal of flexibility in how
the software is used. This has the potential to get users in trouble - the USE CALCAZ
software can produce bad answers from otherwise good data if care is
In the middle of a long straight section of your coil you can use CalcAz to
not taken to understand exactly how the software works.
calculate your Steering Tool’s azimuth based on the survey of the coil. The
This document outlines best practices recommended by Vector Magnetics. more accurate the survey of the coil, the more accurate the CalcAz will be.
Following these methods will allow RivCross to produce the best result for
your project. TIE TO THE BASELINE
The Steering Tool’s orientation in the earth’s magnetic field and relative to
KNOWING AND USING AZIMUTHS the drillstring will affect the magnetic azimuth reported in software. The
change in drillstring orientation and position relative to the earth’s magnetic
We suggest that you use a baseline azimuth – even at the start of a bore or field will change the amount of perturbations affecting the reported tool
when under a coil for a whole bore. azimuth. It is therefore normal to see slightly different azimuths in the build
and tangent sections despite drilling in the same direction.
USE A BASELINE AZIMUTH The software is designed to allow you to adjust the azimuth correction due
We advise you to start the bore with a baseline azimuth that approximates to changes in the perturbations. Tying to baseline allows for shifting the
the magnetic bearing of the bore. When you are clear of the typical entry survey without affecting the survey that is already established. Remind-
interferences you can establish your true baseline as you normally do. er: you want your survey to be as close to the real survey as you can or
At the beginning of a bore, there can be magnetic interference from the drill your locations can be wrong. Refer to TYING TO BASELINE/INCLINATION in
rig and other machines and equipment. Many surveyors choose to leave VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS.
the baseline azimuth at 0° for the first joints of the bore instead of using the
measured azimuth from the Steering Tool because they know the mea- TIPS, TRICKS AND OTHER BEST PRACTICES
sured azimuth will be inaccurate.
• If a shot is egregiously bad then mark it bad. There will be spread in
AN APPROXIMATE BASELINE IS BETTER THAN NO BASELINE shots which is expected. A shot that calculates to 20m from the bore is
It is better to use the azimuth from an inexpensive hand compass or your generally not in the normal spread and should be marked bad.
phone’s compass – and plug to that in RivCross until you are clear enough
of magnetic interferences to truly know what the baseline azimuth should • Take at least 2 tracking shots per depth. If they don’t agree take at least
be. At the very least, this encourages thinking, right from the start of a one more shot.
bore, of what a reasonable azimuth should be and which direction you
• If you trip out and change the BHA in any way then take at least one
should be trying to go.
shot per depth on the way back in – preferably a tracking shot, as the
magnetic influence of the BHA on the Steering Tool will have changed.
DON’T PLUG EVERYTHING
When RivCross is attempting to find your ParaTrack location it begins by • If something interesting/different/weird happened when taking a shot
looking near where the survey shows you to be. Thus, the more accurate then note that in the Log or in the description field of the shot.
the survey is, the more accurate the ParaTrack location will be. Plugging all
azimuths to the same value, whatever it may be, gives a survey that is, in • In high noise environments with the BTS, take more short shots and
the general case, unrealistic. average them together.
In particular, following a coil don’t just plug to 0°. Many surveyors who are • Spread in BTS shots is generally not a cause for concern – make a
Chapter: 21 Best Practices

191
Smart Average of many short shots to get a good Final Shot.
• In high noise environments with P2 experiment with the averaging. Gen-

erally P2 works better with longer averaging in noisy environments.
• Spread in P2 shots is generally less ideal than with BTS. If you’re not
happy with the spread, increase averaging and try to get a tighter
grouping.
• Use tie-to-baseline and baseline azimuth shifts and leave the Steering
Tool azimuth mostly alone. Don’t forget to update your entry azimuth
relative to the new baseline.
• Things will work better if you use real numbers for azimuths.
• The accuracy of tracking shots is directly related to the quality of the

survey of your wire or Beacon position. Take the time to do this right,
and double check all work.
SPEED TIPS
When you have a large number of shots, the program may begin to behave
sluggishly. Here are some tips to help speed things up:
• If the columns DW (distance to wire) and or AW (angle to wire) are vis-

ible – hide them from the shot data summary table (SDST). The values
in the DW and AW are not stored in the database. Each value is calcu-
lated before being displayed. The calculations take much longer than a
database lookup.
• Move shots into Plot Series that you are not displaying. If you are trip-
ping back in the hole you can put the shots from the first trip into a new
plot series that you can hide from the SDST and graphs thus greatly
decreasing refresh times. The shots aren’t gone – they are merely hid-
den and are easy to show again if desired. See EDITING PLOT SERIES
in MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.

Vector Magnetics
192

22
MAGNETIC
TOOLFACE
PROCEDURE
DATA EXPORT
DATA ANALYSIS
Vector Magnetics
194
INTRODUCTION
When drilling in a strictly vertical orientation (<3 degrees of inclination) it
is impossible to use the gravity toolface. In order to orient the probe and
control the drilling direction, a magnetic reference is required. This chapter
covers the procedure to configure RivCross to use a magnetic toolface.
PROCEDURE
The Steering Tool must be installed in its collar in the BHA, supported in a
controlled vertical orientation, then rolled through 360° of rotation, taking a
shot in RivCross at each 30° increment.
1. Set up the Steering Tool/BHA vertically.
2. Create a new job in RivCross.
3. Create a rod with length 5 (Figure 22-1).
a. The units for the job

do not matter – a MD is
required to allow taking
shots, and the MD must
be more than 1m from
Entry (which remains at
0). Figure 22-2: Set up Shot Data Summary Table columns
4. Set up communications 6. Take a Steering Tool shot (Figure 22-3).
a. The Steering Tool

must be connected to the
Interface and computer
running RivCross. Test
that it is functional.
5. Set up the Shot Data

Summary Table (Figure
22-2).
a. The Description,
BTotal, GTotal, and MagTF
columns must be visible Figure 22-1: Create a rod with a length of 5
(at a minimum).
Figure 22-3: Take a shot. Note the ToolFace.
b. Click on the Display Options button, then select the appropriate
fields.
Chapter: 22 Magnetic Toolface
195
a. Ensure the BHA is close to vertical (<5° inclination). a. Take another Steering Tool shot.
b. Orient the BHA such that the toolface is at the desired 0° heading b. Double click the Description field in the Shot Summary and make
(relative to the coordinate system being used). note of the Offset change.
c. Take a Steering Tool shot PERFORMING THE ROLL TEST

7. Set the ToolFace Offset (Figure 22-4). The Steering Tool must be rotated in the BHA at fixed 30° increments. Note
the orientation in the Description field in the Shot Data Summary Table
a. Open File > Program Settings and go to the Baseline Az/TFO/Entry (Figure 22-6).
Point tab.
Figure 22-4: Set the ToolFace Offset
b. Click on Manual Set and enter the negative of the MagTF record- Figure 22-6: Take shots every 30 degrees of rotation
ed from the shot in the previous step.
8. Check the Offset and document work (Figure 22-5). DATA EXPORT
The data may either be copied directly from the Shot Data Summary Table
or the data export functions may be used. Copy and paste is recommend-
ed as export does not include the magnetic toolface.
EXPORT VIA COPY/PASTE

Arrange the columns in the Shot Data Summary Table into a logical order,
then select the data and right click to copy (Figure 22-7).
EXPORT VIA THE EXPORT MENU OPTION; ADVANCED

This method will include a more complete data set than copy/paste, how-
ever the MagTF value will not be included directly. It may be used to verify
Figure 22-5: Check Offset the Steering Tool is working properly in this orientation (Figure 22-8).
Vector Magnetics
196
Incl MagTF Gtotal Btotal Comment

0.38 359.98 1.0340 48778 MagTF set to
-36.78
0.41 29.9 1.0340 48889 30
0.44 59.64 1.0340 48977 60
0.47 88.83 1.0340 48993 90
0.49 118.17 1.0341 48915 120
0.48 147.82 1.0340 48784 150
0.48 178.04 1.0341 48656 180
0.46 208.17 1.0340 48589 210
Figure 22-7: Export via copy/paste
0.42 238.85 1.0340 48582 240
0.39 268.87 1.0340 48607 270
0.37 299.43 1.0340 48635 300
0.36 329.8 1.0340 48683 330
Delta 0.07 0.0000 205
Average 0.43 1.0340 48758
Figure 22-9: Calculate deltas and averages
Figure 22-8: The Export Data menu option
Go to File > Export Data to open the default Export Data options window.
Change the options to include all shots (un-check the Only Final Shots box),
and select the shot numbers to export to file.
DATA ANALYSIS
With the exported data opened in a spreadsheet, calculate the deltas and
averages for Inclination, GTotal, and BTotal. The delta is half of the differ-
ence between the highest and lowest values (Figure 22-9).
If the location where the roll test is performed is reasonably magnetically
clean, this roll test will meet published specifications for variance, provid-
ing confidence the Magnetic ToolFace is accurate.

23
GLOSSARY
Vector Magnetics
198
GLOSSARY Axial Mismatch

The difference between the modeled axial AC field based on the survey
position of the Steering Tool relative to the active guide wire and the actual
3 Joint Radius
axial AC field measured by the Steering Tool. Used to assess the quality of
The radius of a circle that can pass through three consecutive rods, thus a shot taken.
describing how sharply the rods make a curve.
Azimuth
ABIA
Angular measurement that is perpendicular to gravity and referenced to a
See At-Bit Inclination Assembly. particular physical point on Earth (such as Magnetic North or True North),
or referenced to the baseline azimuth. Note that RivCross expects the
ABIA Tester/Charger azimuth to be referenced to Magnetic North if using the Steering Tool, and
A device used to charge an ABIA’s battery and test that the ABIA is working True North when using the Gyro Module. The recorded azimuths also add
correctly. the magnetic declination value entered by the user (if any) to the magnetic
north azimuths reported by the Steering Tool.
AC Amps Pk-Pk
Baseline
The amount of current output from a Guidance Power Supply. Pk-Pk (peak
to peak) means the current is measured from the positive peak of the sine The line between the entry point and exit point. Conventionally, parallel to
wave to the following negative peak. the Away axis.
AER Baseline Azimuth
See Away/Elevation/Right coordinates. The magnetic azimuth, as measured, from the entry point to exit point.
AHsX Beacon Tracker System
See Angle High Side to X. A tool that simultaneously generates two AC magnetic fields at different
frequencies and perpendicular to one another, which are used to measure
the location of a Steering Tool. The primary information stored about each
Angle High Side to X
BTS in RivCross is the location in AER coordinates and the magnetic mo-
The angle between the Steering Tool High Side and what the Gx sensor is ments of each solenoid.
reading. This angle changes continuously as the tool rolls, and would be 0°
when Gx is pointing up with High Side. Bit Depth
Actual depth of the bit while in the borehole. In RivCross, it is equal to the
At-Bit Inclination Assembly
measured depth plus the distance from the sensors to the bottom of the
A tool that measures the inclination at the bit box. Intended for use when bit.
changes in inclination need to be handled immediately.
Borehole
Away/Elevation/Right Coordinates
Any narrow shaft drilled in the earth. The shaft can be at any angle, often
A coordinate system that defines locations by their distance along an starting as a vertical hole that transitions to horizontal, then bends up-
axis traditionally aligned with the baseline (Away), an axis perpendicular wards to the exit point.
to Away (Right), and an up/down axis (Elevation). It is the main coordinate
system used in RivCross. Btotal
Reported vector magnitude of the Earth’s magnetic field from the three
Chapter: 23 Glossary
199
magnetic sensors (X, Y, Z) located in a Steering Tool. Entry Point

A set of six numbers that describe the entry point for the job (i.e. the point
BTS of first penetration by the drill bit). It consists of an MD (measured depth,
See Beacon Tracker System. usually zero), inclination (angle relative to gravity, 0° is vertical, 90° is hor-
izontal), azimuth (usually magnetic north for magnetic Steering Tools, and
Calculated Azimuth true north for the Gyro Module), and Away/Elevation/Right coordinates.
The azimuth calculated from the ParaTrack2 data during a shot based on
Final Shot
the AC data and the guide wire used for the shot.
The shot at a particular MD that will be used when calculating the survey.
Centerline The last good shot at a given MD is marked as the Final Shot at that MD
by default; however, this designation can be changed at a later time in the
Vertical projection on the surface over the center of the borehole. Shot Data Summary Table.
Coil (Closed loop guide wire) Ground Stake for Single Wire (Open Loop)
A guide wire that has a return leg. The electrical return goes through the A grounding rod connected to one end of a single wire. Each single wire
return leg, rather than through the ground. has two ground stakes, and the return path of the current goes through the
ground between them.
DC Power Supply (ParaTrack1 only)
Supplies DC current to the guide wire. Usually a welder. Gtotal
The vector magnitude of all three Steering Tool gravity sensors (X, Y, Z),
Dip (Magnetic Inclination) which should be very close to 1.000. It is used as a means to determine
The angle between the horizontal plane and the Earth’s magnetic field lines. how much the Steering Tool sensor package is moving.
It is ~0° at the magnetic equator, 90° at the magnetic north pole, and -90° at
the magnetic south pole. Guidance Power Supply (ParaTrack2 only)
Supplies AC current to the guide wire.
DLS
See Dog Leg Severity. Guide Wire
Wire with current that produces a magnetic field, used to measure the
Dog Leg Severity location of a Steering Tool. Each guide wire is stored in RivCross as a list of
A measure of the total bend (angular change) in the borehole over the stan- surveyed vertices, which represent the position of the guide wire at regu-
dard distance unit. Measured in degrees per 100 feet or degrees per 30 lar intervals along its length.
meters. Dog leg calculations include both inclination and azimuth angles.
High Gain
Driller’s Display The normal operating mode of a Steering Tool, in which AC magnetic sen-
A display that monitors certain important information in real time, typical- sors are operating at maximum sensitivity. This is in contrast to Low Gain
ly the magnetic tool face, tool azimuth and inclination, and/or other MWD mode.
data. Can be either hardware-based (i.e. connected via COM port to a
ParaTrack2 Interface) or software-based (e.g. the VM Driller Display app Inclination
for Android devices or platform-independent Web Driller’s Display). The angle at which the Steering Tool is inclined. 90° is perfectly horizontal
and 0° is pointing straight down.
Vector Magnetics
200
Inclination Bias of electric current, a bar magnet, an electron, a molecule, and a planet all
have magnetic moments.
A setting in RivCross that can adjust inclination data in the Shot Summary
Table recorded from the Steering Tool.
MagTF
Inclination Correction Magnetic tool face used when tool inclination is less than 5°.
The value entered in RivCross to adjust inclination data in the Shot Summa-
ry Table recorded from the Steering Tool. Manual Shot
A shot containing data entered manually (in contrast to other types of
Job shots, which are created based on data from the Steering Tool or Gyro
Module).
As defined in RivCross, a job is a database of all the collected and analyzed
data designed to start at an entry point and drill to an exit point. Each job
is stored on the computer as a .job file (which contains various settings for MD
how RivCross functions) and an accompanying database file. See Measured Distance.
Large Field Beacon MDMW

A larger size of Beacon Tracker with an increased detection range. It re- In PMR, the MD of the passive magnetic source in the MW.
quires a crane or tractor to lift and place into position.
MDMWT
LFB
In PMR, the MDMW at the moment the passive magnetic source passes the
See Large Field Beacon. Steering Tool.
Low Gain MDTW

An operating mode of a Steering Tool in which AC magnetic sensor sensi- In PMR, the MD of the Steering Tool in the TW.
tivity is lowered. Intended to be used when the AC signal is too large and
would normally saturate the AC sensors in the Steering Tool. MDTWT
In PMR, the MDTW at the moment the passive magnetic source passes the
Magnet Well
Steering Tool.
In PMR, the well (bore) containing the passive magnetic source, whose
magnetic field is detected by the Steering Tool in the Tool Well (TW). The Measured Distance
magnetic field must be sufficiently greater than the Earth’s magnetic field
(or metal that significantly perturbs the Earth’s magnetic field) in order for Measurement along the borehole, from the entry point (assuming entry
PMR to work properly. Examples of possible passive magnetic sources in- point MD is set to zero) to the Steering Tool’s magnetic sensors.
clude motors, bits, drillstrings, magnetized casing, and stacks of magnets.
Measurement While Drilling
Magnetic Guidance Tool A measurement taken in the borehole while drilling. Common measure-
An active magnetic ranging tool that is deployed in a reference bore (well) ments are:
near the bore (well) containing the Steering Tool.
• Inclination
Magnetic Moment • Azimuth
A three-dimensional vector with a magnitude and direction that determines
• Drill pipe pressure
the torque a magnet will experience in an external magnetic field. A loop
201
• Annular pressure Passive Magnetic Ranging

A method for detecting the presence of a nearby passive magnetic source
• Magnetic tool face angle
(e.g. a section of standard steel pipe). Typically used while performing a
• Temperature wellbore intersection.
• RPM PMR
See Passive Magnetic Ranging.
MGT
See Magnetic Guidance Tool. Polarity
Direction of current flow through a guide wire. The standard output current
Multiple Loops of the Guidance Power Supply is a 60/40 cycle.
Two or more loops of wire in series used to create a coil. Results in a
stronger magnetic field than a single loop guide wire. Plot Series
Controls and customizes the graphical display of survey data in RivCross.
MW One Plot Series is created automatically for each survey (magnetic and
See Magnet Well. Gyro). Additional Plot Series may be created when performing a sidetrack.
MWD Pressure Module

See Measurement While Drilling. An optional module that connects to a Steering Tool and reports pipe and
annular pressure.
Outbound Leg
Pressure/Orienting Sub
The portion of the guide wire that carries current away from the Guidance
Power Supply (often over the centerline). Accompanies a Pressure Module and connects it to a non-magnetic drill
collar.
Owner Survey
ParaTrack Steering Tool
The survey that a particular shot is part of.
A steering tool that provides drilling guidance based on magnetic and ori-
ParaTrack1 entation data. Also referred to as Steering Tool, Tool, or Probe.
A guidance system designed by Vector Magnetics in which DC current is
Steering Tool
sent through a guide wire using an off the shelf DC power supply (generally
a welder). See ParaTrack Steering Tool.
ParaTrack2 Radio Modem

A guidance system designed by Vector Magnetics in which AC current is A device that allows remote operation of a guidance tool (typically a BTS)
sent through a guide wire using a Guidance Power Supply. from a computer running RivCross. At least two radio modems (a local
modem and a remote modem) are required for operation, and more can be
ParaTrack2 Interface added to increase range.
Device used to send Steering Tool, Gyro Module, and Pressure Module data
Return leg
to RivCross, control Tool power, and (optionally) display Tool data on an
external Driller’s Display. The portion of a coil along which current returns, terminating at the black
Vector Magnetics
202
terminal on the Guidance Power Supply. Single Loop

One loop of wire used to create a coil.
ParaTrack Gyro Module
A survey tool used in conjunction with a Steering Tool to provide a gyro- Single Wire (Open Loop Guide Wire)
scopic drilling azimuth. A guide wire that does not form a complete loop. Instead, it has ground
stakes, with the return current traveling through the ground between them.
PGM
See ParaTrack Gyro Module. Smart Average
A setting in the software that will automatically remove outlier data from a
RivCross Shot Average.
A steering and guidance software package used in conjunction with Vector
Magnetics guidance systems to drill horizontal bores. Solenoid
A long, straight coil of wire used to generate a nearly uniform magnetic
Rod field. Solenoids are the source of the two magnetic fields in a BTS. Each
A single piece of drillpipe. The length of the various rods in a job are used in BTS uses two solenoids, which are oriented perpendicular to one another.
RivCross to determine the MD. Also called a joint.
Stop Plug
Roll Test A plug inserted into an ABIA when not in use in order to shut down the ABIA
A test procedure used to verify that a Steering Tool or Gyro Module is op- and prevent the battery from being drained.
erating within specifications. A roll test can record inclination, high side tool
face, and azimuth. The Tool is rotated on a test stand at various tool faces. Survey
The results are compared to the stated tolerances. A series of records used to determine the location of borehole(s), a coil, a
pipeline or other objects of sufficient length or depth. A wire file is a survey
Safety Ground Stake containing only coordinates. A typical borehole survey record contains one
Placed in a coil near the end of the return leg. Used to help discharge of the following record structures:
current into the ground in case of induced current from a lightning strike or
overhead transmission lines. Safety ground stakes do not prevent damage • MD, Incl, Az, Away, Elev, Right
to equipment and personnel from lightning strikes.
• MD, Incl, Az, TVD, North, East
Shot
Tie Point
Data recorded in the database at a particular instant while drilling. Used to
A point in a survey where all prior surveyed points will be fixed, and new
determine the location of the Steering Tool relative to a magnetic source. A
survey points will be appended to the survey without modifying the pre-
shot also usually creates a record in the Survey Summary Table.
vious points. Typically used when sidetracking or when using the Gyro
Module.
Shot Average
An average of two or more shots at a particular MD. This is done to im- Tie to Baseline
prove data quality by minimizing noise.
A feature in RivCross where the azimuth correction of a shot can be tied
to the baseline azimuth, so that changes to the latter are also made to the
Shot Type former automatically.
Type of shot, as recorded in the Shot Summary table (e.g. ParaTrack2,
BTS, etc). Tie to Inclination
203
A feature in RivCross where the inclination correction of a shot can be tied Vertex
to the inclination bias, so that changes to the latter are also made to the In RivCross, a single coordinate indicating a point on a guide wire. Repre-
former automatically. sented by Away, Elevation, and Right coordinates, with an optional com-
ment. Vertices should be listed in the order that current runs through them.
TNE
See TVD/North/East coordinates. Wellbore Information Transfer Specification
A communications standard for sending wellsite data between computers.
Tool Azimuth RivCross can send MWD and Survey data via WITS.
The azimuth report from a Steering Tool or Gyro Module while taking a shot.
WITS
Tool Well See Wellbore Information Transfer Specification.
In PMR, the well (bore) that contains the Steering Tool.
TtBl
See Tie to Baseline.
TtIn
See Tie to Inclination.
Turntable
A swiveling stand that the two solenoids of a BTS are mounted on. Gener-
ally, the turntable is rotated so that one of the solenoids is parallel to the
borehole.
TVD/North/East Coordinates
A coordinate system that defines locations by their true vertical depth
(TVD), distance north of the entry point (North), and distance east of the
entry point (East). This system is often abbreviated as TNE.
TW
See Tool Well.
Tweak
A feature in RivCross that attempts to improve the answer acquired from a
shot prior to being saved to the shot summary table.
Vector Magnetics
204
24
LICENSES
Vector Magnetics
206
LICENSES The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to
take away your freedom to share and change the works. By contrast, our
RivCross makes use of various open source 3rd party software libraries. General Public Licenses are intended to guarantee your freedom to share
The licenses of these libraries are included below. and change all versions of a program--to make sure it remains free soft-
ware for all its users.
THE BSD 2-CLAUSE LICENSE When we speak of free software, we are referring to freedom, not price.
Used by: Exocortex.DSP Our General Public Licenses are designed to make sure that you have the
freedom to distribute copies of free software (and charge for them if you
Copyright (c) 2003, Ben Houston wish), that you receive source code or can get it if you want it, that you can
All rights reserved. change the software or use pieces of it in new free programs, and that you
know you can do these things.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modifi-
cation, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met: Developers that use our General Public Licenses protect your rights with
two steps: (1) assert copyright on the software, and (2) offer you this
1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice,
License which gives you legal permission to copy, distribute and/or modify
this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
the software.
2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
A secondary benefit of defending all users’ freedom is that improvements
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documenta-
made in alternate versions of the program, if they receive widespread use,
tion and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
become available for other developers to incorporate. Many developers
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND of free software are heartened and encouraged by the resulting coopera-
CONTRIBUTORS “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, tion. However, in the case of software used on network servers, this result
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MER- may fail to come about. The GNU General Public License permits making a
CHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DIS- modified version and letting the public access it on a server without ever
CLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIB- releasing its source code to the public.
UTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL,
The GNU Affero General Public License is designed specifically to ensure
EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
that, in such cases, the modified source code becomes available to the
LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
community. It requires the operator of a network server to provide the
OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER
source code of the modified version running there to the users of that
CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
server. Therefore, public use of a modified version, on a publicly acces-
STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
sible server, gives the public access to the source code of the modified
ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF AD-
version.
VISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
An older license, called the Affero General Public License and published by
GNU AFFERO GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Affero, was designed to accomplish similar goals. This is a different license,
not a version of the Affero GPL, but Affero has released a new version of
Used by: iTextSharp the Affero GPL which permits relicensing under this license.
Version 3, 19 November 2007 The precise terms and conditions for copying, distribution and modification
Copyright © 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc. <http://fsf.org/> follow.
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this li- TERMS AND CONDITIONS
cense document, but changing it is not allowed. 0. Definitions.
Preamble “This License” refers to version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License.
The GNU Affero General Public License is a free, copyleft license for soft- “Copyright” also means copyright-like laws that apply to other kinds of
ware and other kinds of works, specifically designed to ensure coopera- works, such as semiconductor masks.
tion with the community in the case of network server software.
Chapter: 24 Licenses
207
“The Program” refers to any copyrightable work licensed under this Li- or a compiler used to produce the work, or an object code interpreter used
cense. Each licensee is addressed as “you”. “Licensees” and “recipients” to run it.
may be individuals or organizations. The “Corresponding Source” for a work in object code form means all the
To “modify” a work means to copy from or adapt all or part of the work in a source code needed to generate, install, and (for an executable work)
fashion requiring copyright permission, other than the making of an exact run the object code and to modify the work, including scripts to control
copy. The resulting work is called a “modified version” of the earlier work those activities. However, it does not include the work’s System Libraries,
or a work “based on” the earlier work. or general-purpose tools or generally available free programs which are
used unmodified in performing those activities but which are not part of
A “covered work” means either the unmodified Program or a work based
the work. For example, Corresponding Source includes interface defini-
on the Program.
tion files associated with source files for the work, and the source code
To “propagate” a work means to do anything with it that, without permis- for shared libraries and dynamically linked subprograms that the work is
sion, would make you directly or secondarily liable for infringement under specifically designed to require, such as by intimate data communication
applicable copyright law, except executing it on a computer or modifying or control flow between those subprograms and other parts of the work.
a private copy. Propagation includes copying, distribution (with or without
The Corresponding Source need not include anything that users can regen-
modification), making available to the public, and in some countries other
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The Corresponding Source for a work in source code form is that same
To “convey” a work means any kind of propagation that enables other
work.
parties to make or receive copies. Mere interaction with a user through a
computer network, with no transfer of a copy, is not conveying. 2. Basic Permissions.
An interactive user interface displays “Appropriate Legal Notices” to the All rights granted under this License are granted for the term of copyright
extent that it includes a convenient and prominently visible feature that (1) on the Program, and are irrevocable provided the stated conditions are
displays an appropriate copyright notice, and (2) tells the user that there is met. This License explicitly affirms your unlimited permission to run the
no warranty for the work (except to the extent that warranties are provid- unmodified Program. The output from running a covered work is covered
ed), that licensees may convey the work under this License, and how to by this License only if the output, given its content, constitutes a covered
view a copy of this License. If the interface presents a list of user com- work. This License acknowledges your rights of fair use or other equiva-
mands or options, such as a menu, a prominent item in the list meets this lent, as provided by copyright law.
criterion. You may make, run and propagate covered works that you do not convey,
1. Source Code. without conditions so long as your license otherwise remains in force.
You may convey covered works to others for the sole purpose of having
The “source code” for a work means the preferred form of the work for
them make modifications exclusively for you, or provide you with facilities
making modifications to it. “Object code” means any non-source form of a
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License in conveying all material for which you do not control copyright.
A “Standard Interface” means an interface that either is an official standard Those thus making or running the covered works for you must do so ex-
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ified for a particular programming language, one that is widely used among prohibit them from making any copies of your copyrighted material outside
developers working in that language. their relationship with you.
The “System Libraries” of an executable work include anything, other than Conveying under any other circumstances is permitted solely under the
the work as a whole, that (a) is included in the normal form of packaging a conditions stated below. Sublicensing is not allowed; section 10 makes it
Major Component, but which is not part of that Major Component, and (b) unnecessary.
serves only to enable use of the work with that Major Component, or to
3. Protecting Users’ Legal Rights From Anti-Circumvention Law.
implement a Standard Interface for which an implementation is available
to the public in source code form. A “Major Component”, in this context, No covered work shall be deemed part of an effective technological mea-
means a major essential component (kernel, window system, and so on) of sure under any applicable law fulfilling obligations under article 11 of the
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hibiting or restricting circumvention of such measures. or legal rights of the compilation’s users beyond what the individual works
permit. Inclusion of a covered work in an aggregate does not cause this
When you convey a covered work, you waive any legal power to forbid
License to apply to the other parts of the aggregate.
circumvention of technological measures to the extent such circumvention
is effected by exercising rights under this License with respect to the cov- 6. Conveying Non-Source Forms.
ered work, and you disclaim any intention to limit operation or modification You may convey a covered work in object code form under the terms of
of the work as a means of enforcing, against the work’s users, your or third sections 4 and 5, provided that you also convey the machine-readable Cor-
parties’ legal rights to forbid circumvention of technological measures. responding Source under the terms of this License, in one of these ways:
4. Conveying Verbatim Copies.  a) Convey the object code in, or embodied in, a physical product
You may convey verbatim copies of the Program’s source code as you re- (including a physical distribution medium), accompanied by the Corre-
ceive it, in any medium, provided that you conspicuously and appropriately sponding Source fixed on a durable physical medium customarily used for
publish on each copy an appropriate copyright notice; keep intact all notic- software interchange.
es stating that this License and any non-permissive terms added in accord  b) Convey the object code in, or embodied in, a physical product
with section 7 apply to the code; keep intact all notices of the absence of (including a physical distribution medium), accompanied by a written offer,
any warranty; and give all recipients a copy of this License along with the valid for at least three years and valid for as long as you offer spare parts
Program. or customer support for that product model, to give anyone who possess-
You may charge any price or no price for each copy that you convey, and es the object code either (1) a copy of the Corresponding Source for all
you may offer support or warranty protection for a fee. the software in the product that is covered by this License, on a durable
physical medium customarily used for software interchange, for a price no
5. Conveying Modified Source Versions.
more than your reasonable cost of physically performing this conveying of
You may convey a work based on the Program, or the modifications to source, or (2) access to copy the Corresponding Source from a network
produce it from the Program, in the form of source code under the terms of server at no charge.
section 4, provided that you also meet all of these conditions:
 c) Convey individual copies of the object code with a copy of the
 a) The work must carry prominent notices stating that you modified written offer to provide the Corresponding Source. This alternative is al-
it, and giving a relevant date. lowed only occasionally and noncommercially, and only if you received the
 b) The work must carry prominent notices stating that it is released object code with such an offer, in accord with subsection 6b.
under this License and any conditions added under section 7. This require-  d) Convey the object code by offering access from a designated
ment modifies the requirement in section 4 to “keep intact all notices”. place (gratis or for a charge), and offer equivalent access to the Corre-
 c) You must license the entire work, as a whole, under this License sponding Source in the same way through the same place at no further
to anyone who comes into possession of a copy. This License will there- charge. You need not require recipients to copy the Corresponding Source
fore apply, along with any applicable section 7 additional terms, to the along with the object code. If the place to copy the object code is a net-
whole of the work, and all its parts, regardless of how they are packaged. work server, the Corresponding Source may be on a different server
This License gives no permission to license the work in any other way, but (operated by you or a third party) that supports equivalent copying facili-
it does not invalidate such permission if you have separately received it. ties, provided you maintain clear directions next to the object code saying
where to find the Corresponding Source. Regardless of what server hosts
 d) If the work has interactive user interfaces, each must display the Corresponding Source, you remain obligated to ensure that it is avail-
Appropriate Legal Notices; however, if the Program has interactive inter- able for as long as needed to satisfy these requirements.
faces that do not display Appropriate Legal Notices, your work need not
make them do so.  e) Convey the object code using peer-to-peer transmission, pro-
vided you inform other peers where the object code and Corresponding
A compilation of a covered work with other separate and independent Source of the work are being offered to the general public at no charge
works, which are not by their nature extensions of the covered work, and under subsection 6d.
which are not combined with it such as to form a larger program, in or on
a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate” if A separable portion of the object code, whose source code is excluded
the compilation and its resulting copyright are not used to limit the access from the Corresponding Source as a System Library, need not be included
209
in conveying the object code work. cense by making exceptions from one or more of its conditions. Additional
permissions that are applicable to the entire Program shall be treated as
A “User Product” is either (1) a “consumer product”, which means any
though they were included in this License, to the extent that they are valid
tangible personal property which is normally used for personal, family, or
under applicable law. If additional permissions apply only to part of the
household purposes, or (2) anything designed or sold for incorporation
Program, that part may be used separately under those permissions, but
into a dwelling. In determining whether a product is a consumer product,
the entire Program remains governed by this License without regard to the
doubtful cases shall be resolved in favor of coverage. For a particular
additional permissions.
product received by a particular user, “normally used” refers to a typical or
common use of that class of product, regardless of the status of the par- When you convey a copy of a covered work, you may at your option re-
ticular user or of the way in which the particular user actually uses, or ex- move any additional permissions from that copy, or from any part of it. (Ad-
pects or is expected to use, the product. A product is a consumer product ditional permissions may be written to require their own removal in certain
regardless of whether the product has substantial commercial, industrial cases when you modify the work.) You may place additional permissions
or non-consumer uses, unless such uses represent the only significant on material, added by you to a covered work, for which you have or can
mode of use of the product. give appropriate copyright permission.
“Installation Information” for a User Product means any methods, pro- Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, for material you add
cedures, authorization keys, or other information required to install and to a covered work, you may (if authorized by the copyright holders of that
execute modified versions of a covered work in that User Product from a material) supplement the terms of this License with terms:
modified version of its Corresponding Source. The information must suffice  a) Disclaiming warranty or limiting liability differently from the terms
to ensure that the continued functioning of the modified object code is in of sections 15 and 16 of this License; or
no case prevented or interfered with solely because modification has been
made.  b) Requiring preservation of specified reasonable legal notices or
author attributions in that material or in the Appropriate Legal Notices dis-
If you convey an object code work under this section in, or with, or spe- played by works containing it; or
cifically for use in, a User Product, and the conveying occurs as part of a
transaction in which the right of possession and use of the User Product is  c) Prohibiting misrepresentation of the origin of that material, or
transferred to the recipient in perpetuity or for a fixed term (regardless of requiring that modified versions of such material be marked in reasonable
how the transaction is characterized), the Corresponding Source con- ways as different from the original version; or
veyed under this section must be accompanied by the Installation Informa-  d) Limiting the use for publicity purposes of names of licensors or
tion. But this requirement does not apply if neither you nor any third party authors of the material; or
retains the ability to install modified object code on the User Product (for
example, the work has been installed in ROM).  e) Declining to grant rights under trademark law for use of some
trade names, trademarks, or service marks; or
The requirement to provide Installation Information does not include a
requirement to continue to provide support service, warranty, or updates  f) Requiring indemnification of licensors and authors of that mate-
for a work that has been modified or installed by the recipient, or for the rial by anyone who conveys the material (or modified versions of it) with
User Product in which it has been modified or installed. Access to a net- contractual assumptions of liability to the recipient, for any liability that
work may be denied when the modification itself materially and adversely these contractual assumptions directly impose on those licensors and
affects the operation of the network or violates the rules and protocols for authors.
communication across the network. All other non-permissive additional terms are considered “further restric-
Corresponding Source conveyed, and Installation Information provided, in tions” within the meaning of section 10. If the Program as you received it,
accord with this section must be in a format that is publicly documented or any part of it, contains a notice stating that it is governed by this License
(and with an implementation available to the public in source code form), along with a term that is a further restriction, you may remove that term.
and must require no special password or key for unpacking, reading or If a license document contains a further restriction but permits relicensing
copying. or conveying under this License, you may add to a covered work material
governed by the terms of that license document, provided that the further
7. Additional Terms. restriction does not survive such relicensing or conveying.
“Additional permissions” are terms that supplement the terms of this Li- If you add terms to a covered work in accord with this section, you must
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place, in the relevant source files, a statement of the additional terms that An “entity transaction” is a transaction transferring control of an organi-
apply to those files, or a notice indicating where to find the applicable zation, or substantially all assets of one, or subdividing an organization,
terms. or merging organizations. If propagation of a covered work results from
an entity transaction, each party to that transaction who receives a copy
Additional terms, permissive or non-permissive, may be stated in the form
of the work also receives whatever licenses to the work the party’s pre-
of a separately written license, or stated as exceptions; the above require-
decessor in interest had or could give under the previous paragraph, plus
ments apply either way.
a right to possession of the Corresponding Source of the work from the
8. Termination. predecessor in interest, if the predecessor has it or can get it with reason-
You may not propagate or modify a covered work except as expressly pro- able efforts.
vided under this License. Any attempt otherwise to propagate or modify You may not impose any further restrictions on the exercise of the rights
it is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License granted or affirmed under this License. For example, you may not impose
(including any patent licenses granted under the third paragraph of section a license fee, royalty, or other charge for exercise of rights granted under
11). this License, and you may not initiate litigation (including a cross-claim or
However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that any patent claim is infringed by mak-
particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until ing, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing the Program or any portion
the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) of it.
permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by 11. Patents.
some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation.
A “contributor” is a copyright holder who authorizes use under this License
Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated of the Program or a work on which the Program is based. The work thus
permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some licensed is called the contributor’s “contributor version”.
reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of viola-
A contributor’s “essential patent claims” are all patent claims owned or
tion of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure
controlled by the contributor, whether already acquired or hereafter ac-
the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice.
quired, that would be infringed by some manner, permitted by this License,
Termination of your rights under this section does not terminate the li- of making, using, or selling its contributor version, but do not include claims
censes of parties who have received copies or rights from you under this that would be infringed only as a consequence of further modification of
License. If your rights have been terminated and not permanently reinstat- the contributor version. For purposes of this definition, “control” includes
ed, you do not qualify to receive new licenses for the same material under the right to grant patent sublicenses in a manner consistent with the re-
section 10. quirements of this License.
9. Acceptance Not Required for Having Copies. Each contributor grants you a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free pat-
You are not required to accept this License in order to receive or run a ent license under the contributor’s essential patent claims, to make, use,
copy of the Program. Ancillary propagation of a covered work occurring sell, offer for sale, import and otherwise run, modify and propagate the
solely as a consequence of using peer-to-peer transmission to receive a contents of its contributor version.
copy likewise does not require acceptance. However, nothing other than In the following three paragraphs, a “patent license” is any express agree-
this License grants you permission to propagate or modify any covered ment or commitment, however denominated, not to enforce a patent (such
work. These actions infringe copyright if you do not accept this License. as an express permission to practice a patent or covenant not to sue for
Therefore, by modifying or propagating a covered work, you indicate your patent infringement). To “grant” such a patent license to a party means to
acceptance of this License to do so. make such an agreement or commitment not to enforce a patent against
10. Automatic Licensing of Downstream Recipients. the party.
Each time you convey a covered work, the recipient automatically receives If you convey a covered work, knowingly relying on a patent license, and
a license from the original licensors, to run, modify and propagate that the Corresponding Source of the work is not available for anyone to copy,
work, subject to this License. You are not responsible for enforcing compli- free of charge and under the terms of this License, through a publicly
ance by third parties with this License. available network server or other readily accessible means, then you must
either (1) cause the Corresponding Source to be so available, or (2) arrange
211
to deprive yourself of the benefit of the patent license for this particular such interaction) an opportunity to receive the Corresponding Source of
work, or (3) arrange, in a manner consistent with the requirements of this your version by providing access to the Corresponding Source from a
License, to extend the patent license to downstream recipients. “Knowingly network server at no charge, through some standard or customary means
relying” means you have actual knowledge that, but for the patent license, of facilitating copying of software. This Corresponding Source shall include
your conveying the covered work in a country, or your recipient’s use of the Corresponding Source for any work covered by version 3 of the GNU
the covered work in a country, would infringe one or more identifiable pat- General Public License that is incorporated pursuant to the following para-
ents in that country that you have reason to believe are valid. graph.
If, pursuant to or in connection with a single transaction or arrangement, Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, you have permission
you convey, or propagate by procuring conveyance of, a covered work, to link or combine any covered work with a work licensed under version 3
and grant a patent license to some of the parties receiving the covered of the GNU General Public License into a single combined work, and to con-
work authorizing them to use, propagate, modify or convey a specific copy vey the resulting work. The terms of this License will continue to apply to
of the covered work, then the patent license you grant is automatically the part which is the covered work, but the work with which it is combined
extended to all recipients of the covered work and works based on it. will remain governed by version 3 of the GNU General Public License.
A patent license is “discriminatory” if it does not include within the scope 14. Revised Versions of this License.
of its coverage, prohibits the exercise of, or is conditioned on the non-ex- The Free Software Foundation may publish revised and/or new versions of
ercise of one or more of the rights that are specifically granted under the GNU Affero General Public License from time to time. Such new ver-
this License. You may not convey a covered work if you are a party to sions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail
an arrangement with a third party that is in the business of distributing to address new problems or concerns.
software, under which you make payment to the third party based on the
extent of your activity of conveying the work, and under which the third Each version is given a distinguishing version number. If the Program
party grants, to any of the parties who would receive the covered work specifies that a certain numbered version of the GNU Affero General Public
from you, a discriminatory patent license (a) in connection with copies of License “or any later version” applies to it, you have the option of following
the covered work conveyed by you (or copies made from those copies), or the terms and conditions either of that numbered version or of any later
(b) primarily for and in connection with specific products or compilations version published by the Free Software Foundation. If the Program does
that contain the covered work, unless you entered into that arrangement, not specify a version number of the GNU Affero General Public License, you
or that patent license was granted, prior to 28 March 2007. may choose any version ever published by the Free Software Foundation.
Nothing in this License shall be construed as excluding or limiting any If the Program specifies that a proxy can decide which future versions
implied license or other defenses to infringement that may otherwise be of the GNU Affero General Public License can be used, that proxy’s pub-
available to you under applicable patent law. lic statement of acceptance of a version permanently authorizes you to
choose that version for the Program.
12. No Surrender of Others’ Freedom.
Later license versions may give you additional or different permissions.
If conditions are imposed on you (whether by court order, agreement However, no additional obligations are imposed on any author or copyright
or otherwise) that contradict the conditions of this License, they do not holder as a result of your choosing to follow a later version.
excuse you from the conditions of this License. If you cannot convey a
covered work so as to satisfy simultaneously your obligations under this 15. Disclaimer of Warranty.
License and any other pertinent obligations, then as a consequence you THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR THE PROGRAM, TO THE EXTENT PER-
may not convey it at all. For example, if you agree to terms that obligate you MITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. EXCEPT WHEN OTHERWISE STATED IN
to collect a royalty for further conveying from those to whom you convey WRITING THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND/OR OTHER PARTIES PROVIDE
the Program, the only way you could satisfy both those terms and this THE PROGRAM “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EX-
License would be to refrain entirely from conveying the Program. PRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
13. Remote Network Interaction; Use with the GNU General Public License. WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF
Notwithstanding any other provision of this License, if you modify the THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU. SHOULD THE PROGRAM PROVE DEFECTIVE,
Program, your modified version must prominently offer all users interact- YOU ASSUME THE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR OR
ing with it remotely through a computer network (if your version supports
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CORRECTION. its contribution.

16. Limitation of Liability.
IN NO EVENT UNLESS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW OR AGREED TO 2. Grant of Rights
IN WRITING WILL ANY COPYRIGHT HOLDER, OR ANY OTHER PARTY WHO
MODIFIES AND/OR CONVEYS THE PROGRAM AS PERMITTED ABOVE, BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, (A) Copyright Grant- Subject to the terms of this license, including the
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR license conditions and limitations in section 3, each contributor grants you
INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free copyright license to reproduce its
OF DATA OR DATA BEING RENDERED INACCURATE OR LOSSES SUSTAINED contribution, prepare derivative works of its contribution, and distribute its
BY YOU OR THIRD PARTIES OR A FAILURE OF THE PROGRAM TO OPERATE contribution or any derivative works that you create.
WITH ANY OTHER PROGRAMS), EVEN IF SUCH HOLDER OR OTHER PARTY
HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
(B) Patent Grant- Subject to the terms of this license, including the license
17. Interpretation of Sections 15 and 16. conditions and limitations in section 3, each contributor grants you a
If the disclaimer of warranty and limitation of liability provided above can- non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license under its licensed patents
not be given local legal effect according to their terms, reviewing courts to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale, import, and/or otherwise dis-
shall apply local law that most closely approximates an absolute waiver of pose of its contribution in the software or derivative works of the contribu-
all civil liability in connection with the Program, unless a warranty or as- tion in the software.
sumption of liability accompanies a copy of the Program in return for a fee.
END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS 3. Conditions and Limitations
Microsoft Public License (Ms-PL)
(A) No Trademark License- This license does not grant you rights to use
Used by: C4F Developer Kit, SQL Compact Bulk Insert Library any contributors’ name, logo, or trademarks.
This license governs use of the accompanying software. If you use the
software, you accept this license. If you do not accept the license, do not (B) If you bring a patent claim against any contributor over patents that you
use the software. claim are infringed by the software, your patent license from such contrib-
utor to the software ends automatically.
1. Definitions
(C) If you distribute any portion of the software, you must retain all copy-
right, patent, trademark, and attribution notices that are present in the
The terms “reproduce,” “reproduction,” “derivative works,” and “distribu- software.
tion” have the same meaning here as under U.S. copyright law.
(D) If you distribute any portion of the software in source code form, you
A “contribution” is the original software, or any additions or changes to the may do so only under this license by including a complete copy of this
software.
license with your distribution. If you distribute any portion of the software
in compiled or object code form, you may only do so under a license that
complies with this license.
A “contributor” is any person that distributes its contribution under this
license.
(E) The software is licensed “as-is.” You bear the risk of using it. The con-
tributors give no express warranties, guarantees or conditions. You may
“Licensed patents” are a contributor’s patent claims that read directly on
213
have additional consumer rights under your local laws which this license http://www.apache.org/licenses/
cannot change. To the extent permitted under your local laws, the contribu- TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE, REPRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION
tors exclude the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a partic-
ular purpose and non-infringement. 1. Definitions.
The MIT License (MIT) “License” shall mean the terms and conditions for use, reproduction, and
distribution as defined by Sections 1 through 9 of this document.
Used by: West Wind Application Configuration for .NET
“Licensor” shall mean the copyright owner or entity authorized by the
Copyright (c) 2013 West Wind Technologies copyright owner that is granting the License.
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a “Legal Entity” shall mean the union of the acting entity and all other entities
copy that control, are controlled by, or are under common control with that enti-
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in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
of the outstanding shares, or (iii) beneficial ownership of such entity.
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
“You” (or “Your”) shall mean an individual or Legal Entity exercising permis-
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furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: “Source” form shall mean the preferred form for making modifications,
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in including but not limited to software source code, documentation source,
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EVENT SHALL THE that is included in or attached to the work (an example is provided in the
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AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAG-
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LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
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Apache License Version 2.0 “Contribution” shall mean any work of authorship, including the original ver-
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Apache License sion in the Work by the copyright owner or by an individual or Legal Entity
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Version 2.0, January 2004 communication sent to the Licensor or its representatives, including but
not limited to communication on electronic mailing lists, source code con-
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trol systems, and issue tracking systems that are managed by, or on behalf part of the Derivative Works; within the Source form or documentation, if
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quently incorporated within the Work.
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2. Grant of Copyright License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual, worldwide,
non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and may
reproduce, prepare Derivative Works of, publicly display, publicly perform, provide additional or different license terms and conditions for use, repro-
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Work otherwise complies with the conditions stated in this License.
3. Grant of Patent License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
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RivCross Operating Manual

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RIVCROSS

Vector Magnetics +1.607.273.8351

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

BASIC CONCEPTS..............................................................................2 TROUBLESHOOTING................................................................................. 13

COORDINATE SYSTEM.............................................................................. 2 ADVANCED INTERFACE TROUBLESHOOTING......................................... 16

BASELINE AZIMUTH.................................................................................. 2 03 — PRESSURE MODULE AND ORIENTING SUB 17

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

COILS (CLOSED LOOPS)........................................................................... 31 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION ...................................................................57

SOFTWARE CONTROLS...................................................................42 08 — LARGE FIELD BEACON 65

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

MODEM OPERATION........................................................................ 77 PMR WINDOW.........................................................................................109

10 — PROGRAM CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZATION 79 RULES OF THUMB...........................................................................115

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

GENERATING DATA................................................................................133 IMPORTING SIMULATION SURVEYS......................................................159

15 — VIEWING AND EDITING SHOTS 135 POSITION UNCERTAINTY PLOT.....................................................160

AVAILABLE COLUMNS............................................................................136 SIGNAL STRENGTH PLOT................................................................161

ADDITIONAL TABLE FEATURES.............................................................140 WIRE TABLE................................................................................... 162

AVAILABLE COLUMNS............................................................................ 142 18 — WEB DRILLER DISPLAY 165

SIMULATION SURVEYS.................................................................. 158 EXPORTING RODS.................................................................................. 182

DEFINING SIMULATION SURVEYS IN RIVCROSS...................................158 UPGRADING OLD JOBS.................................................................. 182

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

Last Modified:July 6, 2021

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Last Modified:July 6, 2021

INTRODUCTION rence, the baseline azimuth is the azimuth

Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

INSTALLING RIVCROSS Ports

Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

GETTING STARTED The main RivCross win-

STARTING A NEW JOB

RivCross will ask if you want to set the serial COM

Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

NEW JOB WIZARD RODS TABLE

• Wires – Coordinates of wire vertices if ParaTrack1 or ParaTrack2 is Importing Rods

• Rods – Table of drill rod lengths used to automatically calculate the

Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

JOB INFORMATION WINDOW

Chapter: 01 Introduction and Getting Started

PARATRACK STEERING TOOL

RULES OF THUMB AND TROUBLESHOOTING

Figure 2-1: The ParaTrack Steering Tool

• Bottom Thread on Foot : 1 ¼ - 8 UNF male DIGITAL TOOLS

• Selectable 1000mA/100mA meter display (typically 100mA is used) GROUNDING OF INTERFACE

Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface

• Record the value. Tool Switch

8-POINT ROLL TEST IN SHOP FIELD WIRE TEST

Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface

9. In a perfect environment, the calculated distance to the wire (DW)

ROLL TEST IN SOFTWARE

Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface

Symptom Solution Symptom Solution

• Bad cable • Bad cable or USB to serial adapter

• Bad switch card • Using a null modem cable instead of a

Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface

Symptom Solution Symptom Solution

• Ensure that Tool is connected cor-

• Ensure that wires connecting Tool

Chapter: 02 Paratrack Tool and Interface

ADVANCED INTERFACE TROUBLESHOOTING

Adjusting Output Voltage

• Use a potentiometer adjust-

Internal Components Notes on Boards

1 Such as GC Electronics #AS 8608 • Demodulator – Rev. 4D