Abstract: A system including an instrumented sub for supporting subterranean operations, the instrumented sub can include an upper and lower portion with a flow passage extending therethrough, and a valve that selectively permits or restricts fluid flow through the flow passage, and a rotary interface coupled to the upper portion and including a rotary portion and a stationary portion, where the rotary portion is rotationally fixed to the upper portion and rotates with the upper portion, where the stationary portion is rotationally coupled to the rotary portion, and where the rotary interface transfers communication signals between the stationary portion and the rotary portion to transmit commands or data to or receive the commands or data from one or more components of the instrumented sub. Can also include a method of using the instrumented sub to determine a vertical position or movement of a top drive.

Abstract: A land-based drilling rig includes a drill rig floor and a subfloor, the subfloor supporting the drill rig floor. The land-based drilling rig also includes a plurality of substructure boxes, the substructure boxes supporting the subfloor, each substructure box including a lower substructure box and two upper substructure boxes, wherein there is a gap between the two upper substructure boxes. In addition, the land-based drilling rig further includes a mast, the mast mechanically coupled to the drill rig floor.

Abstract: A system can include a top drive with a quill with a pivot joint, with an upper portion pivotably coupled to a lower portion via a pivot, coupled between the quill and a running tool, wherein rotation of the lower portion relative to the upper portion pivots the running tool about the pivot. A method for running a tubular string by moving a tubular along a catwalk, coupling a pivot joint between a running tool and a quill, and pivoting the running tool about the pivot by pivoting the lower portion relative to the upper portion.

Abstract: A fingerboard management system that can determine via a rig controller, a selection of a location in the fingerboard for one or more tubulars and placement of the one or more tubulars in the fingerboard based on available locations in the fingerboard and historical information of each of the one or more tubulars and a method that can include importing a 3D model into a rig controller, collecting images of at least a portion of the rig, comparing the images to the 3D model or a visible marker, calibrating the vision system by determining a position, an orientation, and a field of view for each of the sensors based on the comparing, collecting additional images of the fingerboard, and determining an available total tubular storage space of the fingerboard based on the additional images of the fingerboard and the calibrated vision system.

Abstract: A method for determining gravity toolface azimuth that can include rotating a logging tool about a center axis; positioning an accelerometer sensor within the logging tool at a first radial distance from the center axis; positioning an angular gyroscope sensor within the logging tool at a second radial distance from the center axis; receiving, at a controller, accelerometer sensor data from the accelerometer sensor and angular gyroscope sensor data from the angular gyroscope sensor as the logging tool rotates; determining, via the controller, a radial acceleration component of the accelerometer sensor from the accelerometer sensor data; determining, via the controller, a gain and an offset of the angular gyroscope sensor based on the radial acceleration component; and determining, via the controller, the gravity toolface azimuth of the logging tool as a function of time based on the gain, the offset, and the angular gyroscope sensor data.

Abstract: A method of identifying an instruction combination executable by a surface control system of a drilling rig to change settings of a rotary steerable system (“RSS”) tool. The method includes identifying, by an electronic application, a first current RSS setting of the RSS tool; identifying, by the electronic application, a first target RSS setting of the RSS tool; identifying, by the electronic application, a plurality of instruction combinations configured to change the first current RSS setting to the first target RSS setting. Each instruction combination of the plurality of instruction combinations comprises a number of steps, and each step includes a downlink command sequence. The method also includes selecting, by the electronic application, an instruction combination that comprises the least number of steps.

Abstract: Method(s) and apparatus according to which: a bottom-hole assembly (“BHA”) and a drilling rig together attempt to drill a wellbore segment along a planned trajectory while a test scenario is executed on the drilling rig by varying operating parameter(s) of the drilling rig in a predetermined manner during a predetermined time interval; performance characteristic(s) monitored by sensor(s) of the BHA during the predetermined time interval are then received; the predetermined manner in which the operating parameter(s) of the drilling rig were varied during the predetermined time interval is/are then compared to the received performance characteristic(s) monitored by the sensor(s) of the BHA during the predetermined time interval; and based on said comparison, the operating parameter(s) of a drilling rig (e.g., another drilling rig) are controlled while a BHA (e.g., another BHA) operably associated with the drilling rig attempts to drill a wellbore segment along a similar planned trajectory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that form closed-loop system(s) between a downhole system that includes an RSS and a surface control system, to improve stability and performance assurance of the RSS. The apparatus and method account for the actual downhole conditions experienced by the RSS, the actual positioning of the RSS, and historical performance of the surface systems such as the mud pump system, the rotary drive system, and the draw works. These closed-loop systems generate and optimize parameters or target outputs, instructions to surface systems, and instructions for the RSS itself.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for oil and gas operations according to which a bottom hole trajectory of a drilling well is surveyed using a survey tool located uphole from a drill bit positioned at a bottom hole location. One or more offset wells are identified having a trajectory, or respective trajectories, closing on the bottom hole trajectory of the drilling well. An anti-collision steering strategy for the drilling well to avoid the one or more offset wells is determined.

Abstract: A drilling rig may include a mast and a top drive system. The mast is aligned with a wellbore, the wellbore defining a wellbore centerline. The top drive system may include a top drive. The top drive is movable vertically relative to the mast. The top drive is movable horizontally between a position aligned with the wellbore centerline and a position out of alignment with the wellbore centerline.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of drilling a wellbore using a drill string and a smart downhole system that comprises one or more downhole controllers and one or more downhole sensors. The method includes storing, in the downhole controller(s), a target efficiency parameter; drilling the wellbore using the drill string; and measuring, by the downhole sensor(s), a parameter. The method also includes, using the downhole controller(s) to: calculate an efficiency parameter based on the measured parameter; calculate a difference between the calculated efficiency parameter and the target efficiency parameter; generate first instructions to reduce the difference; and send to a surface controller, the first instructions. The method also includes generating, by the surface controller, second instructions based on the first instructions; and implementing, by the surface controller, the second instructions to reduce the difference between the measured efficiency parameter and the target efficiency parameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods of documenting a geosteering process include obtaining measured subterranean formation information while drilling and generating a proposed modification to a well plan based on the obtained information. Information relating to the proposed modification to the well plan may be stored in a drilling control system, and the drilling control system may generate and output a data log including information relating to the proposed modification to the well plan and performance indicators on a stand by stand basis.

Abstract: A system with a wrench coupled to a rig floor, and the wrench can include a plurality of grippers, a linkage mechanism that couples the plurality of grippers together, and a plurality of actuators coupled to the linkage mechanism, with the plurality of actuators used to apply a force to the linkage mechanism in opposite directions, and with the linkage mechanism configured to evenly distribute the force between the plurality of grippers. The wrench can support a torque wrench or a backup tong of an iron roughneck.

Abstract: A system for detecting acoustic or vibration signals transmitted along a tubular string, the system can include a tool assembly with a sensor assembly configured to be removably attached to a sub, the sub being connected to the tubular string such that acoustic/vibration signals travel through the sub and the sensor assembly detects the signals, with the sensor assembly including sensors that are configured to contact the sub and detect the signals traveling through the sub.

Abstract: A method of identifying a steering command for a rotary steerable system (“RSS”) that includes identifying, by one or more processors, a solution arc for an upcoming drilling segment; automatically identifying, by the one or more processors and in response to the identification of the solution arc, the steering command for the RSS; and automatically identifying, by the one or more processor and in response to the identification of the steering command, downlink commands to be sent to the RSS. Automatically identifying, by the one or more processors and in response to the identification of the solution arc, the steering command for the RSS comprises: accessing a table that models a relationship between dogleg severity and a percentage of steering force; and identifying, using the table, the target steering force associated with the target dogleg severity.

Abstract: A system including a spinner assembly that includes a spinner subassembly which includes a spinner configured to engage a tubular, and a drive gear coupled to the spinner, with the drive gear configured to drive rotation of the spinner, and the encoder configured to count teeth of the drive gear as the drive gear rotates. A controller configured to determine a number of revolutions of a tubular that are needed to thread the tubular to a tubular string based on data from the encoder. The controller is also configured to determine when the tubular is unthreaded from the tubular string based on data from the encoder.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that can include operating a first rig component at a first location, capturing waste energy from the first rig component at the first location, and redirecting the waste energy to another rig component, another location, or a combination thereof. A method of operating a drilling rig can include operations of determining a power usage profile for a rig based on a digital rig plan; predicting waste energy to be generated during execution of the digital rig plan; and modifying the power usage profile for the rig and the digital rig plan based on the predicted waste energy.

Abstract: A system including a logging tool that can detect gamma rays in a wellbore, where the logging tool can have a window formed in an outer surface of a drill collar that allows increased sensitivity of a gamma ray detector assembly housed within the drill collar, with a body of the drill collar radially surrounding the gamma ray detector assembly, where the window can be filled with a material, and where the windows provide increased sensitivity to gamma rays in a wellbore in an azimuthal direction allowing azimuthal mapping of the gamma rays in formation surrounding the wellbore.

Abstract: A method of building and operating a land-based drilling rig with a high-capacity mast include providing a platform collapsed on a substructure over a proposed well drilling location and building the high-capacity mast in a horizontal condition by attaching a lower portion of the high-capacity mast to the platform. The high-capacity mast having an opening formed therein sized to accommodate four Range 2 pipes or three Range 3 pipes. The high-capacity mast may be raised from the horizontal condition to a vertical condition by pushing the side of the high-capacity mast to pivot the high-capacity mast about a pivot point on the platform. The platform may be raised from a collapsed condition to a raised condition over the substructure. Some implementations include dual racking boards on the high-capacity mast.

Abstract: A method that includes an electronic application identifying a downlink sequence for execution by a surface control system of a drilling rig, with the sequence including target output values of a mud pump system and/or a drive system. The method includes instructing the control system to operate in accordance with the sequence. The application receives measured output values of the mud pump system and/or the drive system and calculates differences between the target and measured output values. When the differences are within a level of tolerance, then the application identifies the control system as compliant; and when the differences are greater than the level of tolerance, then the application identifies the control system as non-compliant. The method also includes the application receiving data from a BHA of the drilling rig and determining, based on the data received, if a downlink to the BHA was successful.