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US 9,540,920 B2Granted
Dynamic phase machine automation of oil and gas processes
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsClinton D. Chapman, Mochammad Faisal Wingky, Jacques Bourque, Jan Morley, Han Yu, Hector Arismendi Sanchez, Jose Luis Sanchez Flores
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, and program product facilitate the automation of an oil & gas process, e.g., a drilling process, through the use of a dynamic phase machine incorporating multiple autonomous agents.
Claims18
A method of automating an oil & gas process performed by a plurality of process components, the method comprising:
- executing with at least one processor at least a portion of a dynamic phase machine, wherein the dynamic phase machine controls the plurality of process components to implement the oil & gas process and includes a plurality of phases, wherein the plurality of phases includes a first phase to which a first agent is assigned to handle a trigger for the first phase and a second phase to which a second agent is assigned to handle an action for the second phase, and wherein the trigger for the first phase defines a condition that when met causes a phase transition from the first phase to the second phase;
- dynamically extending the dynamic phase machine during execution of the dynamic phase machine by adding a third phase to the dynamic phase machine and assigning a third agent to handle at least one of an action and a trigger for the third phase;
- in response to a determination from the first agent that the condition for the trigger is met when the dynamic phase machine is in the first phase, transitioning from the first phase to the second phase;
- in response to transitioning from the first phase to the second phase, causing the second agent to perform the action for the second phase, including controlling at least one of the plurality of process components in response to the second agent;
- and
- dynamically building the dynamic phase machine during execution of the at least a portion of the dynamic phase machine, wherein the first, second and third agents are among a plurality of agents, and wherein dynamically building the dynamic phase machine is performed in response to execution of the plurality of agents and includes adding phases to the dynamic phase machine in response to execution of at least a first subset of the plurality of agents and assigning at least a second subset of the plurality of agents as actions, triggers, validators or limits for phases in response to execution of the second subset of the plurality of agents.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- program code configured upon execution by the at least one processor to automate an oil & gas process performed by a plurality of process components by executing at least a portion of a dynamic phase machine, wherein the dynamic phase machine controls the plurality of process components to implement the oil & gas process and includes a plurality of phases, wherein the plurality of phases includes a first phase to which a first agent is assigned to handle a trigger for the first phase and a second phase to which a second agent is assigned to handle an action for the second phase, wherein the trigger for the first phase defines a condition that when met causes a phase transition from the first phase to the second phase, wherein the program code is further configured to:
- dynamically extend the dynamic phase machine during execution of the dynamic phase machine by adding a third phase to the dynamic phase machine and assigning a third agent to handle at least one of an action and a trigger for the third phase;
- in response to a determination from the first agent that the condition for the trigger is met when the dynamic phase machine is in the first phase, transition from the first phase to the second phase;
- in response to transitioning from the first phase to the second phase, cause the second agent to perform the action for the second phase, including controlling at least one of the plurality of process components in response to the second agent;
- and
- dynamically build the dynamic phase machine during execution of the at least a portion of the dynamic phase machine, wherein the first, second and third agents are among a plurality of agents, and wherein the program code is configured to dynamically build the dynamic phase machine in response to execution of the plurality of agents by adding phases to the dynamic phase machine in response to execution of at least a first subset of the plurality of agents and assigning at least a second subset of the plurality of agents as actions, triggers, validators or limits for phases in response to execution of the second subset of the plurality of agents.
5 more elements
A program product, comprising:
- a non-transitory computer readable medium;
- and
- program code resident on the computer readable medium and configured upon execution to automate an oil & gas process performed by a plurality of process components by executing at least a portion of a dynamic phase machine, wherein the dynamic phase machine controls the plurality of process components to implement the oil & gas process and includes a plurality of phases, wherein the plurality of phases includes a first phase to which a first agent is assigned to handle a trigger for the first phase and a second phase to which a second agent is assigned to handle an action for the second phase, wherein the trigger for the first phase defines a condition that when met causes a phase transition from the first phase to the second phase, wherein the program code is further configured to:
- dynamically extend the dynamic phase machine during execution of the dynamic phase machine by adding a third phase to the dynamic phase machine and assigning a third agent to handle at least one of an action and a trigger for the third phase;
- in response to a determination from the first agent that the condition for the trigger is met when the dynamic phase machine is in the first phase, transition from the first phase to the second phase;
- in response to transitioning from the first phase to the second phase, cause the second agent to perform the action for the second phase, including controlling at least one of the plurality of process components in response to the second agent;
- and
- dynamically build the dynamic phase machine during execution of the at least a portion of the dynamic phase machine, wherein the first, second and third agents are among a plurality of agents, and wherein the program code is configured to dynamically build the dynamic phase machine in response to execution of the plurality of agents by adding phases to the dynamic phase machine in response to execution of at least a first subset of the plurality of agents and assigning at least a second subset of the plurality of agents as actions, triggers, validators or limits for phases in response to execution of the second subset of the plurality of agents.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.