US 12,760,636 B2Granted

Automated directional drilling control system

AssigneeNabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc.

InventorsAdam LaCroix, Trey Welch, Sachitananda Maddikunta

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Systems and methods for an automated directional drilling control system including a programmable logic computer (“PLC”) configured with one or more constraint and configured to calculate one or more metrics to automatically adjust drilling parameter setpoints to optimize performance. During performance of a first portion of a slide drill segment, the automated directional drilling control system is configured to maximize a rate of penetration (“ROP”) while maintaining a desired slide score. After one or more conditions are met during the first portion of the slide drill segment, a second portion of the slide drill segment is performed during which the automated directional drilling control system controls either a ROP setpoint parameter or a weight on bit (“WOB”) setpoint parameter while floating the setpoint of the non-controlling parameter at a value above its current average value. The selection of the controlling parameter can be toggled back and forth manually or automatically.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

(a) accessing a target slide score to be obtained during a slide drill segment;
wherein the target slide score is associated with a target tool face;
(b) performing, using a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”), a first portion of the slide drill segment in a ramping mode;
wherein performing, using the BHA, the first portion of the slide drill segment in ramping mode comprises:
(c) receiving, by a control system, first downhole data from the BHA during the first portion of the slide drill segment, the first downhole data including a plurality of consecutive actual tool face orientations;
(d) calculating, by the control system, an actual slide score by comparing the plurality of consecutive actual tool face orientations with the target tool face;
(e) comparing, by the control system, the actual slide score with the target slide score;
(f) increasing or decreasing, based on the comparison of step (e), a rate of penetration (“ROP”) setpoint;
and
(g) repeating steps (c)-(f) until a first condition is achieved;
and
(h) performing, using the BHA and after the achievement of the first condition, a second portion of the slide drill segment in either:
a ROP control mode;
or
a weight on bit (“WOB”) control mode.

12 more elements

A system, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, wherein the instructions are executed with one or more processors so that the following steps are executed:
(a) accessing a target slide score to be obtained during a slide drill segment;
wherein the target slide score is associated with a target tool face;
(b) performing, using a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”), a first portion of the slide drill segment in a ramping mode;
wherein performing, using the BHA, the first portion of the slide drill segment in ramping mode comprises:
(c) receiving first downhole data from the BHA during the first portion of the slide drill segment, the first downhole data including a plurality of consecutive actual tool face orientations;
(d) calculating an actual slide score by comparing the plurality of consecutive actual tool face orientations with the target tool face;
(e) comparing the actual slide score with the target slide score;
(f) increasing or decreasing, based on the comparison of step (e), a rate of penetration (“ROP”) setpoint;
and
(g) repeating steps (c)-(f) until a first condition is achieved;
and
(h) performing, using the BHA and after the achievement of the first condition, a second portion of the slide drill segment in either:
a ROP control mode;
or
a weight on bit (“WOB”) control mode.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 19/054,260Filed 14 Feb 2025 · us provisional application
Priority: 15 Feb 2024
Published: US 2025/0264016 A121 Aug 2025
Granted: 13 Oct 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E21B 44/04
Automatic control of the tool feed: in response to the torque of the drive ; Measuring drilling torque
E21B 7/046
Directional drilling: horizontal drilling
E21B 45/00
Measuring the drilling time or rate of penetration
E21B
Earth or rock drilling