Automated steering using operating constraints

A method of slide drilling which comprises:

• determining, by a surface steerable system and based on drilling operation information including feedback information, a location of a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”) in a wellbore;
• determining, by the surface steerable system and using the location of the BHA, a first projected location of the BHA at a first projected distance;
• determining if the first projected location is within a first location-tolerance window associated with the first projected distance;
• in response to determining that the first projected location is not within the first location-tolerance window associated with the first projected distance, determining, by the surface steerable system and using the location of the BHA, a second projected location of the BHA at a second projected distance;
• wherein the first projected distance is less than the second projected distance;
• in response to determining that the first projected location is not within the first location-tolerance window associated with the first projected distance, determining if the second projected location is within a second location-tolerance window associated with the second projected distance;
• creating using the surface steerable system, proposed steering instructions that result in a proposed, projected BHA location being within the second location-tolerance window that is associated with the second projected distance;
• wherein creating the proposed steering instructions is in response to the first projected location not being within the first location-tolerance window and to the second projected location not being within the second location-tolerance window;
• determining whether the proposed steering instructions comply with a plurality of operating parameters, wherein the plurality of operating parameters comprises a maximum slide distance;
• altering, by the surface steerable system, when the proposed steering instructions do not comply with the plurality of operating parameters, the proposed steering instructions to comply with the plurality of operating parameters;
• and
• implementing the altered steering instructions, using the surface steerable system, to drill a wellbore.