Abstract: A choke valve assembly, system, and method can be used with a drill string in a wellbore to aid in controlling the bottom hole pressure during drilling of the wellbore. The choke valve assembly can have a primary choke and one or more supplemental chokes, where these choke valves each have a controllable range relative to the flow and pressure of drilling fluid passing through the assembly. A control unit can automatically actuate the primary choke and one or more supplemental chokes in order to both maintain the choke valves within their controllable ranges and concurrently maintain a consistent boom hole pressure in the connected wellbore.

Abstract: An example rotating control device may include a bearing assembly with at least one rotating seal and a pressure modulator coupled to the bearing assembly. A controller may be communicably coupled to the pressure modulator. The pressure modulator may be at least one of a mud pulser, a mud siren, and a pressure transducer. The pressure transducer may be a piezoelectric transducer.

Abstract: A system is provided that can include a rotating control device (RCD) with a sealing element and a force measurement device for measuring an axial force imparted to the sealing element. The system can also include a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the force measurement device for receiving the axial force measurements and from which the wear status of the sealing element can be determined.

Abstract: A choke valve assembly, system, and method can be used with a drill string in a wellbore to aid in controlling the bottom hole pressure during drilling of the wellbore. The choke valve assembly can have a primary choke and one or more supplemental chokes, where these choke valves each have a controllable range relative to the flow and pressure of drilling fluid passing through the assembly. A control unit can automatically actuate the primary choke and one or more supplemental chokes in order to both maintain the choke valves within their controllable ranges and concurrently maintain a consistent boom hole pressure in the connected wellbore.

Abstract: A system is provided that can include a rotating control device (RCD) with a sealing element and a force measurement device for measuring an axial force imparted to the sealing element. The system can also include a computing device that is communicatively coupled to the force measurement device for receiving the axial force measurements and from which the wear status of the sealing element can be determined.