US 6,233,524 B1 · Closed loop drilling system

Abstract

The present invention provides a closed-loop drilling system for drilling oilfield boreholes. The system includes a drilling assembly with a drill bit, a plurality of sensors for providing signals relating to parameters relating to the drilling assembly, borehole, and formations around the drilling assembly. Processors in the drilling system process sensors signal and compute drilling parameters based on models and programmed instructions provided to the drilling system that will yield further drilling at enhanced drilling rates and with extended drilling assembly life. The drilling system then automatically adjusts the drilling parameters for continued drilling. The system continually or periodically repeats this process during the drilling operations. The drilling system also provides severity of certain dysfunctions to the operator and a means for simulating the drilling assembly behavior prior to effecting changes in the drilling parameters.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An automated drilling system for drilling wellbores, comprising:

(a) a drilling assembly comprising a drill bit at an end thereof;
(b) a plurality of sensors for providing measurements relating to one or more conditions of the drilling assembly (drilling assembly parameters);
(c) a force application device for applying force on the drill bit during drilling of the welibore;
(d) a rotator for rotating the drill bit;
(e) a source of drilling fluid at the surface for supplying drilling fluid under pressure to the drilling assembly;
and
(f) a processor having an associated model, said processor cooperating with said model and utilizing the measurements relating to the one or more conditions of the drilling assembly to compute a combination of drilling parameters that when used for further drilling of the wellbore will yield at least one of (i) enhanced drilling rate and (ii) extended drilling assembly life, wherein said processor further causing the drilling system to alter the drilling parameters to the computed values for further drilling of the wellbore.

4 more elements

An automated method for drilling a wellbore with a drilling system having drilling assembly conveyed in the wellbore by a tubing, wherein the drilling assembly includes a drill bit at an end thereof, a plurality of drilling assembly parameter sensors that provide measurements for determining one or more drilling assembly parameters, a model associated with the drilling assembly for manipulating data downhole, and a processor for processing signals downhole, and wherein the drilling system further includes a force application device for applying weight on bit, a rotator for rotating the drill bit at a desired rotational speed, and a source of drilling fluid at the surface for supplying drilling fluid under pressure at a selected flow rate to the drilling assembly, said method comprising:

(a) conveying the drilling assembly with the tubing into the wellbore and drilling said wellbore with the drilling assembly;
(b) computing downhole from the measurements of the drilling assembly parameter sensors the one or more drilling assembly parameters with the processor utilizing the model during drilling of the wellbore;
(c) utilizing the one or more computed drilling assembly parameters to determine the values of the one or more drilling parameters which if utilized for further drilling will provide at least one of (i) drilling of the wellbore at an enhanced rate of penetration and (ii) extended life of the drilling assembly to drill the wellbore;
and
(d) continuing further drilling of the wellbore at the determined values of the one or more drilling parameters to drill the wellbore.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Closed loop drilling system

Life of this patent

Closed loop drilling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27