Motive Drilling Technologies, Inc.

The University of Texas System

Hunt Advanced Drilling Technologies, LLC

Sashmit Bhaduri

Todd W Benson

Teddy C Chen

Brian Eugene Stokeld

John Jeremy Cantwell

Eric Alan Nolte

Robert Tyler Quarles

Zarko Bizaca

Joshua Miles Brinkley

Kevin Mims

A system and method for drilling are provided. The method may comprise receiving well plan and BHA information; determining the BHA is approaching a first zone in which a first slide drilling operation is to occur; and receiving first zone characteristics. The method may further comprise determining an on bottom time to orient the BHA in the first zone; determining an additional time for the first slide drilling operation; and determining an off bottom time to orient the BHA prior to reaching the first zone. The method may further comprise comparing the additional time for the first slide drilling operation in the first zone to the off bottom time to orient the BHA prior to reaching the first zone, and sending one or more control signals to orient the BHA either prior to reaching or at the first zone based at least in part on the comparison.

Apparatus and methods for automated slide drilling

In a drilling system, a control system coupled to a drilling rig controls a bottom hole assembly (BHA) to drill a borehole through a geological formation along a drilling path. The control system determines a present position of the BHA and calculates a toolface vector to create a convergence path from the present position of the BHA to a desired target path. The control system also receives geological information and compensates the toolface vector to account for an estimated geologic formation drift. The control system causes at least one control parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the calculated toolface vector and transmits the at least one control parameter to the drilling rig to target the BHA in accordance with the calculated toolface vector. The control system iteratively performs this process until convergence with the desired target path is achieved.

Systems and methods for controlling a drilling path based on drift estimates

An automated slide drilling system (ASDS) may be used with a drilling rig system to control slide drilling. The ASDS may autonomously control slide drilling without user input during the slide drilling. The ASDS may further support a transition from rotary drilling to slide drilling to rotary drilling without user input during the transitions. The ASDS may also support user input and user notifications for various steps to enable manual or semi-manual control of slide drilling by a driller or an operator.

Apparatus for automated slide drilling

A surface steerable system coupled to a drilling rig receives BHA information from a bottom hole assembly (BHA) located in a borehole. The BHA information corresponds to a first location of the BHA with respect to a target drilling path and geological formation drift information. The surface steerable system calculates a toolface vector to create a convergence path from the first location of the BHA to the target drilling path that accounts for geological formation drift defined by the geological formation drift information such that the BHA will converge with the target drilling path by drilling in accordance with the toolface vector. The surface steerable system causes at least one control parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the calculated toolface vector and transmits the at least one control parameter to the drilling rig to target the BHA in accordance with the calculated toolface vector.

System and method for controlling a drilling path based on drift estimates

A method includes receiving toolface information corresponding to a location of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) with respect to a target drilling path and drift information. The surface steerable system calculates a first toolface vector from a first location of the BHA to the target drilling path to create a convergence path to the target drilling path and calculates an adjustment of the first toolface vector to a second toolface vector to account for system drift defined by the drift information such that the BHA will converge with the target drilling path by drilling in accordance with the second toolface vector. The surface steerable system modifies at least one drilling parameter to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the calculated second toolface vector and transmits the at least one drilling parameter to the drilling rig to target the BHA in accordance with the second toolface vector.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Sashmit Bhaduri