Smith International, Inc.

Schlumberger Technology Corporation

Prad Research and Development Limited

Yawan Couturier

Ossama Ramzi Sehsah

Donald Gordon Reitsma

Jesse Alan Hardt

Blaine Dow

Paul Andrew Thow

Vikas Rakhunde

Bastiaan Liezenberg

Walter R Benson

Zaurayze Tarique

Charles H Kamps, Iii

Glenn Johnson

Donald D Reitsma

A method includes receiving a plurality of signals from a plurality of sensors into a programmable logic controller, the plurality of sensors provided on at least one component of a rotating control device assembly of a drilling system, providing measurement data from the plurality of signals using the programmable logic controller, and processing the measurement data using a modeling software to determine at least one condition of the rotating control device assembly.

Intelligent RCD system

A method for monitoring a well bore during drilling operations, particularly with respect to a fluid gain and/or fluid loss event. Monitoring the well bore may be accomplished by monitoring an incoming flow rate of the fluid into the wellbore. The fluid return line from the well bore may carry drilling fluid from the well bore to a mud gas separator located downstream from the well bore. Changes in at least one parameter of the mud gas separator may be monitored. The changes to the at least one parameter of a mud gas separator may be compared to the incoming flow rate of the fluid. Discrepancies between the changes and the incoming flow rate may be indicative of a fluid gain or fluid loss condition.

Fluid loss and gain for flow, managed pressure and underbalanced drilling

A system includes a mud pump for pumping a drilling mud from a drilling mud source, through a drill string, out a drill bit and into an annular, and a plurality of chokes disposed down stream from the mud pump, including a first choke disposed between the mud pump and the drill string, and a second choke disposed between the mud pump and a mud tank. The system further includes a fluid discharge conduit in fluid communication with the annular space for transferring the drilling mud to handling equipment in fluid communication with the mud tank. The first choke receives the drilling mud from the mud pump at a first flow rate, the first choke reduces drilling mud flow rate to a second flow rate less than the first flow rate, and the second choke reduces drilling mud flow rate to a third flow rate.

Proportional control of rig drilling mud flow

A method includes pumping fluid into a drill string extending through a riser into a well. A managed pressure drilling system is operated to maintain a selected fluid pressure in the well between the well and the drill string. A fluid influx into the well or a fluid loss into a formation traversed by the well is detected using measurements of fluid pressure in the well and fluid flow into and out of the well. The method includes automatically abating the fluid influx by closing an annular blowout preventer disposed in the riser or abating the fluid loss by operating the annular blowout preventer and pumping a sacrificial fluid into the drill string.

Automated well pressure control and gas handling system and method

A method for maintaining pressure in a wellbore drilled from a drilling platform floating on a body of water includes the steps of pumping fluid at a determined flow rate into a drill string disposed in a wellbore and measuring fluid pressure within a fluid discharge line of fluid returning from the wellbore. The fluid discharge line has a variable length corresponding to an elevation of the floating platform above the bottom of the body of water. The wellbore pressure is determined at a selected depth in the wellbore or at a selected position along a drilling riser or variable length portion of the fluid discharge line using known parameters/methods. The determined wellbore pressure is adjusted for changes in length of the fluid discharge line corresponding to changes in the elevation of the floating platform relative to the bottom of the body of water. A backpressure system may be operated to maintain the adjusted determined wellbore pressure at a selected (or set point) value by applying backpressure to the wellbore.

Managed pressure drilling with rig heave compensation

A method for maintaining pressure in a wellbore drilled from a drilling platform floating on a body of water includes pumping fluid at a determined flow rate into a drill string disposed in a wellbore and measuring fluid pressure within a fluid discharge line of fluid returning from the wellbore. The fluid discharge line has a variable length corresponding to an elevation of the floating platform above the bottom of the body of water. The wellbore pressure is determined at a selected depth in the wellbore or at a selected position along a drilling riser or variable length portion of the fluid discharge line using known parameters/methods. The determined wellbore pressure is adjusted for changes in length of the fluid discharge line corresponding to changes in the elevation of the floating platform relative to the bottom of the body of water.

A system and method include pumping drilling fluid through a drill string extended into a wellbore extending below the bottom of a body of water, out the bottom of the drill string and into the wellbore annulus. Fluid is discharged from the annulus into a riser and a discharge conduit. The riser is disposed above the top of the wellbore and extends to the water surface. The discharge conduit couples to the riser and includes a controllable fluid choke. A fluid return line is coupled to an outlet of the choke and extends to the water surface. Gas under pressure is pumped into the return line at a selected depth below the water surface. The controllable fluid choke may be operated to maintain a selected drilling fluid level in the riser, the selected fluid level being a selected distance below the water surface.

Wellbore annular pressure control system and method using gas lift in drilling fluid return line

A method for controlling entry of hydrocarbon into a wellbore from a subsurface formation includes determining whether hydrocarbon is entering the wellbore. Whether a rate of hydrocarbon entry into the wellbore is slowing is then determined Control of discharge from the wellbore is then switched from maintaining a selected wellbore pressure to controlling a rate of discharge of fluid from the wellbore to be substantially constant if the hydrocarbon entry rate is slowing. Control of discharge from the wellbore is returned to maintaining the selected wellbore pressure when the hydrocarbon stops entering the wellbore.

Method for drilling through nuisance hydrocarbon bearing formations

A method for controlling flow of fluid from an annular space in a wellbore includes changing a flow restriction in a fluid flow discharge line from the wellbore annular space. The flow restriction is changed at a rate related to a difference between at least one of a selected fluid flow rate out of the wellbore and an actual fluid flow rate out of the wellbore, and a selected fluid pressure in the annular space and an actual pressure in the annular space.

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Katy, TX, United States of America

Yawan Couturier