US 10,519,718 B2Granted

Systems and methods to control directional drilling for hydrocarbon wells

AssigneeNational Oilwell Varco, L.P.

InventorsReza Banirazi-Motlagh, Mark Charles Penn, Anthony Pink, Joseph Kyle Smith

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods to control directional drilling in borehole drilling for hydrocarbon wells are disclosed. An actual toolface orientation measurement value and an actual downhole torque on bit (DTOB) or actual downhole weight on bit (DWOB) measurement value for a drill string positioned in a borehole are determined. Responsive to a comparison of target measurement values and actual measurement values, error values are determined. A control command for one or more of a top drive, a drawworks, and a mud pump responsive to the DTOB or DWOB error value and the toolface orientation error value is determined. Additionally, one or more of the top drive, the drawworks, and the mud pump are operated responsive to the control command thereby to correct a toolface orientation of the drill string.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A system to control directional drilling in borehole drilling for hydrocarbon wells, the system comprising:

a controller including one or more processors;
a non-transitory computer-readable medium in communication with the one or more processors of the controller and having one or more computer programs stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
determine an actual downhole torque on bit (DTOB) measurement value and an actual toolface orientation measurement value for a drill string positioned in a borehole for a hydrocarbon well,
determine, responsive to a comparison of a target DTOB measurement value and the actual DTOB measurement value, a DTOB error value,
determine, responsive to a comparison of a target toolface orientation measurement value and the actual toolface orientation measurement value, a toolface orientation error value,
determine a control command, to correct a toolface orientation of the drill string, for one or more of a top drive and a drawworks responsive to the DTOB error value and the toolface orientation error value, and
operate one or more of the top drive and the drawworks responsive to the control command thereby to correct the toolface orientation of the drill string;
wherein operation of the drawworks includes altering a weight on bit (WOB) measurement value at a surface of the borehole, wherein operation of the top drive includes altering one or more of an angle of the drill string with respect to the surface and a rotational speed of the drill string within the borehole, and wherein the one or more computer programs, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the system to:
determine the target DTOB measurement value responsive to receipt of user input from a user computing device in communication with the controller, the user input including one or more of:
a preselected DTOB measurement value, a preselected rate of penetration, a preselected downhole WOB, and a preselected mud motor differential pressure;
and
determine the target toolface orientation measurement value responsive to receipt of the user input from the user computing device.

9 more elements

A method to control directional drilling in borehole drilling for hydrocarbon wells, the method comprising:

determining an actual downhole torque on bit (DTOB) measurement value and an actual toolface orientation measurement value for a drill string positioned in a borehole for a hydrocarbon well,
determining, responsive to a comparison of a target DTOB measurement value and the actual DTOB measurement value, a DTOB error value,
determining, responsive to a comparison of a target toolface orientation measurement value and the actual toolface orientation measurement value, a toolface orientation error value,
determining a control command, to correct a toolface orientation of the drill string, for one or more of a top drive and a drawworks responsive to the DTOB error value and the toolface orientation error value, and
operating one or more of the top drive and the drawworks responsive to the control command thereby to correct the toolface orientation of the drill string;
wherein operation of the drawworks includes altering a weight on bit (WOB) measurement value at a surface of the borehole, wherein operation of the top drive includes altering one or more of an angle of the drill string with respect to the surface and a rotational speed of the drill string within the borehole, and wherein the method further comprises:
determining the target DTOB measurement value responsive to receipt of user input from a user computing device, the user input including one or more of:
a preselected DTOB measurement value, a preselected rate of penetration, a preselected downhole WOB, and a preselected mud motor differential pressure;
and
determining the target toolface orientation measurement value responsive to receipt of the user input from the user computing device.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/540,593Filed 29 Dec 2015 · continuation in part
Priority: 30 Dec 2014
Published: US 2017/0370151 A128 Dec 2017
Granted: 31 Dec 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

E21B 7/04
Special methods or apparatus for drilling: directional drilling
E21B 44/00
Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which
E21B 47/022
Determining slope or direction: of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric

Family

Application62/097,644Us provisional application · filed 30 Dec 2014
Application14/627,581Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Feb 2015
US 2017/0370151 A1Pre-grant publication · published 28 Dec 2017
US 10,054,917 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2016/0186552 A1Published application
US 10,519,718 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.