# US 2019/0169974 A1 · Steering Control of a Drilling Tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0169974 A1 - Document ID: US20190169974A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/208,354 - Filed: 2018-12-03 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Gyrodata, Incorporated - Applicants: Gyrodata, Incorporated - Inventors: Javier Mauricio Melo Uribe; Adrián Guillermo Ledroz; John Lionel Weston - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169974A1 ## CPC - E21B 44/02: Automatic control of the tool feed ({E21B44/005,} E21B44/10 take precedence) - E21B 7/06: Deflecting the direction of boreholes - E21B 47/024: of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022) - E21B 47/09: Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells {, e.g. the position of an extending arm}; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes - E21B 47/12: Means for transmitting measuring-signals or control signals from the well to the surface, or from the surface to the well, e.g. for logging while drilling - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Various implementations described herein refer to an apparatus having an instrument cluster with accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors. The apparatus may include a controller that communicates with the instrument cluster, receives measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors, and acquires a computed tool orientation of a drilling tool based on the measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors. The controller may generate tool steering commands for the drilling tool based on a difference between a planned tool orientation and the computed tool orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an instrument cluster having accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors; and a controller that communicates with the instrument cluster, receives measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors, and acquires a computed tool orientation of a drilling tool based on the measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors, wherein the controller generates tool steering commands for the drilling tool based on a difference between a planned tool orientation and the computed tool orientation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is used for steering control of the drilling tool, and wherein the drilling tool is a rotary steerable drilling tool, and wherein the controller derives directional drilling data from the measurement data for enhancing the steering control of the drilling tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drilling tool has a drill bit, and wherein the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors generate the measurement data near the drill bit of the drilling tool so that the controller generates near-bit azimuth data for the drill bit of the drilling tool based on the measurement data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instrument cluster includes magnetometers, wherein the controller receives measurement data from the magnetometers, and wherein the controller acquires the computed tool orientation of the drilling tool based on the measurement data received from the accelerometers, the gyroscopic sensors and the magnetometers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes continuous gyroscopic measurement data and continuous accelerometer measurement data during active drilling with the drilling tool. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement data includes static gyroscopic measurement data and static accelerometer measurement data when drilling with the drilling tool ceases. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planned tool orientation is derived from predefined trajectory information, wherein the computed tool orientation is derived from the measurement data received from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors, and wherein accelerometer measurement data provides a specific force due to gravity, and wherein gyroscopic measurement data provides an angular rate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein during active drilling and stationary periods, the controller continuously acquires the computed tool orientation of the drilling tool based on the measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller continuously measures a tool orientation of the drilling tool in a wellbore based on the measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors, and wherein the controller continuously acquires the computed tool orientation of the drilling tool in the wellbore based on the measurement data from the accelerometers and the gyroscopic sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller continuously generates the tool steering commands based on a deviation of a computed tool orientation from a planned drilling trajectory of the drilling tool in a wellbore. ### Claim 11 An apparatus, comprising: an instrument cluster having gyroscopic sensors; and a controller that communicates with the instrument cluster, receives gyroscopic measurement data from the gyroscopic sensors, and continuously acquires a computed tool orientation of a drilling tool based on the gyroscopic measurement data received from the gyroscopic sensors, wherein the controller generates steering commands for actively guiding the drilling tool along a guided drilling trajectory based on a deviation of the computed tool orientation of the drilling tool from a planned drilling trajectory. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is used for steering control of the drilling tool, wherein the drilling tool is a rotary steerable drilling tool, and wherein the controller derives directional drilling data from the gyroscopic measurement data so as to control direction of the wellbore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the drilling tool has a drill bit, and wherein the gyroscopic sensors generate the gyroscopic measurement data close to the drill bit of the drilling tool so that the controller continuously generates near-bit azimuth data for the drill bit of the drilling tool based on the gyroscopic measurement data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the gyroscopic measurement data comprises static gyroscopic measurement data generated and received during stationary positioning of the drilling tool, and wherein the gyroscopic measurement data comprises dynamic gyroscopic measurement data generated and received during active drilling operation of the drilling tool. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instrument cluster includes one or more accelerometers and magnetometers, and wherein the controller receives accelerometer measurement data from the accelerometers and receives magnetometer measurement data from the magnetometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller continuously generates the tool steering commands based on a combination of the gyroscopic measurement data, the accelerometer measurement data, and the magnetometer measurement data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the controller generates at least one of: stationary data at drill pipe connections using the gyroscopic measurement data and the accelerometer measurement data, stationary data at drill pipe connections using the gyroscopic measurement data, the accelerometer measurement data, and the magnetometer measurement data, weighted average survey data based on the gyroscopic measurement data and the magnetometer measurement data, and statistical estimation data based on the gyroscopic measurement data and the magnetometer measurement data using statistical estimation procedures. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instrument cluster includes one or more magnetometers, and wherein the controller bypasses or deactivates use of the one or more magnetometers and magnetometer measurement data associated therewith in regions of external magnetic interference. ### Claim 19 A method, comprising: acquiring static measurement data from sensors in a drilling tool during a static mode of operating the drilling tool, wherein the static measurement data includes one or more of static gyroscopic measurement data, static accelerometer measurement data, and static magnetometer measurement data; acquiring continuous dynamic measurement data from the sensors in the drilling tool during a dynamic mode of operating the drilling tool, wherein the continuous dynamic measurement data includes one or more of continuous dynamic gyroscopic measurement data, continuous dynamic accelerometer measurement data, and continuous dynamic magnetometer measurement data; acquiring a computed tool orientation for the drilling tool during the static mode of operating the drilling tool and the continuous mode of operating the drilling tool based on the static measurement data and the continuous dynamic measurement data; comparing the computed tool orientation to a planned tool orientation; and generating tool steering commands for guiding the drilling tool based on a deviation of the computed tool orientation from a planned trajectory of the drilling tool that is derived from the planned tool orientation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the planned tool orientation is derived from predefined trajectory information, wherein the computed tool orientation is derived from at least one of the static measurement data and the continuous dynamic measurement data received from the sensors, and wherein the static accelerometer measurement data and the continuous dynamic accelerometer measurement data provide a specific force due to gravity, and wherein the static gyroscopic measurement data and the continuous dynamic gyroscopic measurement data provide an angular rate.