Abstract: Control of a drilling system drilling a wellbore is improved using a hydraulic model corrected for pressure losses. A surface backpressure of the outlet and a standpipe pressure of the inlet are measured with sensors in the system. An estimate of the standpipe pressure is calculated based integrating from the measured surface backpressure back to the inlet in the hydraulics model. The pressure loss increment in the hydraulics model is calculated based on a difference between the measured and estimated standpipe pressures. Meanwhile, a parameter in the drilling system is monitored during drilling so the parameter can be adjusted at least partially based on the hydraulics model corrected for the pressure loss.

Abstract: A system and method are used in drilling a borehole in a formation. A trip to move a drillstring in the borehole is identified, where the trip is expected to produce a piston effect that changes a downhole pressure of the fluid in the borehole. A peak speed to move the drillstring in the borehole is calculated for the trip, and adjustments to a surface backpressure of the drilling system is calculated for the trip at the calculated peak speed to keep the downhole pressure within a tolerance of the formation. The drillstring is moved in the trip according to the calculated peak speed, and the downhole pressure change produced by the piston effect is counteracted by automatically adjusting the surface backpressure according to the calculated adjustments.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying a tool joint connection is disclosed comprising a scanning system configured to scan an exterior of a drill string, at least one distance measuring sensor mounted to a movable platform and a computer connected to the scanning system and the at least one distance measuring sensor, wherein the computer is configured to receive data from a scanning of the exterior of the drill string and compare the data from the scanning to a reference to determine a presence of the tool joint connection.

Abstract: A system and method are used in drilling a borehole in a formation. A trip to move a drillstring in the borehole is identified, where the trip is expected to produce a piston effect that changes a downhole pressure of the fluid in the borehole. A peak speed to move the drillstring in the borehole is calculated for the trip, and adjustments to a surface backpressure of the drilling system is calculated for the trip at the calculated peak speed to keep the downhole pressure within a tolerance of the formation. The drillstring is moved in the trip according to the calculated peak speed, and the downhole pressure change produced by the piston effect is counteracted by automatically adjusting the surface backpressure according to the calculated adjustments.

Abstract: Control of a drilling system drilling a wellbore is improved using a hydraulic model corrected for pressure losses. A surface backpressure of the outlet and a standpipe pressure of the inlet are measured with sensors in the system. An estimate of the standpipe pressure is calculated based integrating from the measured surface backpressure back to the inlet in the hydraulics model. The pressure loss increment in the hydraulics model is calculated based on a difference between the measured and estimated standpipe pressures. Meanwhile, a parameter in the drilling system is monitored during drilling so the parameter can be adjusted at least partially based on the hydraulics model corrected for the pressure loss.

Abstract: An apparatus for identifying a tool joint connection is disclosed comprising a scanning system configured to scan an exterior of a drill string, at least one distance measuring sensor mounted to a movable platform and a computer connected to the scanning system and the at least one distance measuring sensor, wherein the computer is configured to receive data from a scanning of the exterior of the drill string and compare the data from the scanning to a reference to determine a presence of the tool joint connection.