Autonomous steering for directional drilling with collision avoidance

Abstract

The disclosure provides an automated method and autonomous steering system that automates and integrates a collision avoidance process and subsequent corrective action. The autonomous steering system implements an anti-collision (AC) method that provides collision avoidance by identifying collision risks with one or more hazards. In one example, the automated method includes: (1) detecting a collision risk of a path of a wellbore in a subterranean formation with at least one hazard, wherein the wellbore is being drilled by steering a downhole drilling tool according to the path and the path is based on a well plan for the wellbore, (2) identifying a corridor for the wellbore to avoid the at least one hazard, (3) modifying the path by incorporating the corridor, and (4) steering the downhole drilling tool according to the modified path, wherein the detecting, the identifying, the modifying, and the steering are automatically performed in real-time.