# US 11,905,814 B1 · Detecting entry into and drilling through a magma/rock transition zone > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,905,814 B1 - Document ID: US11905814B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/373,587 - Filed: 2023-09-27 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2023-09-27 - Assignees: EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC - Applicants: EnhancedGEO Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Benjamin Chris Smith; James Michael Browning; Randall Howard Hornbaker; Kevin Martin Stone; Georgios Evangelatos; Shamsul Abedin Al-Tomal; Andrew Nguyen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905814B1 ## CPC - E21B 44/00: Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions - E21B 49/003: {by analysing drilling variables or conditions (E21B49/005 takes precedence; systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions E21B44/00)} - E21B 49/005: {Testing the nature of borehole walls or the formation by using drilling mud or cutting data} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A method for preparing a geothermal system involves preparing a wellbore that extends into an underground magma reservoir. Characteristics of the drilling process and the borehole are monitored to detect when the magma reservoir is reached, such that specially configured drilling operations can be performed to drill to a target depth within the magma reservoir. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: drilling a borehole extending from a surface toward an underground magma reservoir by operating drilling equipment in a standard mode associated with drilling in non-molten rock; monitoring drilling characteristics associated with the drilling equipment during drilling the borehole; monitoring borehole characteristics associated with the borehole during drilling the borehole; determining, based at least in part on the monitored drilling characteristics and the monitored borehole characteristics, that a drill bit used for drilling the borehole has entered a transition zone between a solid rock layer and the underground magma reservoir; in response to determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone, operating the drilling equipment in a transition zone mode, different than the standard mode, associated with drilling in an at least partially molten rock; and in response to determining that the drill bit has not entered the transition zone, continuing operating the drilling equipment in the standard mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the drilling characteristics comprises monitoring a torque of the drill bit during drilling the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the torque is greater than a threshold torque value or increases by a threshold amount. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the drilling characteristics comprises monitoring a weight on a drill bit used to drill the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the weight on the drill bit decreases below a threshold weight value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the drilling characteristics comprises monitoring a pump pressure during drilling the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the pump pressure changes by more than a threshold amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises monitoring properties of cuttings in fluid returned from the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the properties of the cuttings correspond to transition zone properties. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises measuring an amount of one or more gaseous species returned from the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the amount of the one or more gaseous species exceeds a threshold value. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises measuring a first temperature of fluid provided into the borehole and a second temperature of fluid returned from the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on one or both of the first temperature and the second temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises measuring one or more chemical and/or physical properties of fluid returned from the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on the one or more chemical and/or physical properties. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises measuring a downhole temperature in the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the downhole temperature exceeds a threshold temperature value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: monitoring the borehole characteristics comprises measuring vibrational or acoustic data associated with a region of the borehole; and the method further comprises determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on the measured vibrational or acoustic data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein operating the drilling equipment in the transition zone mode comprises providing a thermally resistant drilling fluid into the borehole. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein operating the drilling equipment in the transition zone mode comprises drilling at a decreased drilling rate. ### Claim 13 A system, comprising: drilling equipment comprising a drill bit attached to a drill string, wherein the drilling equipment is configured to drill a borehole from a surface towards an underground magma reservoir; and a drilling controller coupled to the drilling equipment and configured to: monitor drilling characteristics associated with the drilling equipment during drilling the borehole; monitor borehole characteristics associated with the borehole during drilling the borehole; determine, based at least in part on the monitored drilling characteristics and the monitored borehole characteristics, that the drill bit has entered a transition zone between a solid rock layer and the underground magma reservoir; and in response to determining that the drill bit has entered the transition zone, cause the drilling equipment to operate in a transition zone mode, different than a prior mode of operation, associated with drilling in an at least partially molten rock; and in response to determining that the drill bit has not entered the transition zone, continuing operating the drilling equipment in the prior mode of operation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the drilling characteristics by monitoring a torque of the drill bit during drilling the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the torque is greater than a threshold torque value or increases by a threshold amount. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the drilling characteristics by monitoring a weight on the drill bit used to drill the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the weight on the drill bit decreases below a threshold weight value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the drilling characteristics by monitoring a pump pressure during drilling the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the pump pressure changes by more than a threshold amount. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by monitoring properties of cuttings in fluid returned from the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the properties of the cuttings correspond to transition zone properties. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by measuring an amount of one or more gaseous species returned from the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the amount of the one or more gaseous species exceeds a threshold value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by measuring a first temperature of fluid provided into the borehole and a second temperature of fluid returned from the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on one or both of the first temperature and the second temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by measuring one or more chemical and/or physical properties of fluid returned from the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on the one or more chemical and/or physical properties. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by measuring a downhole temperature in the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone when the downhole temperature exceeds a threshold temperature value. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the drilling controller is configured to: monitor the borehole characteristics by measuring vibrational or acoustic data associated with a region of the borehole; and determine that the drill bit has entered the transition zone based at least in part on the measured vibrational or acoustic data. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein operating the drilling equipment in the transition zone mode comprises providing a thermally resistant drilling fluid into the borehole. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein operating the drilling equipment in the transition zone mode comprises drilling at a decreased drilling rate.