Abstract: Borehole conditions can be determined using distributed measurement data. Real time data measurements can be taken from sensors distributed along the length of a drill string to assess various conditions or properties of the borehole. In particular, the distributed data can be used for example, to track the progress of a chemical pill or also track the location of different types of borehole fluids, and also to determine the hole size or volume of the borehole.

Abstract: A method and system dynamically generates virtualized configurations of sensors and signals used in drilling system equipment. The virtualized configurations may be used for novel operational testing of automation systems on drilling rigs. The methods and systems may be configured to virtualize actual drill floor equipment in order to have enhanced fault coverage of the automation systems. A control network that is a component of the automation systems may implement a testing loop that accommodates virtualized equipment in a manner substantially similar to actual equipment. In this manner, the testing loop may be configured to control elements specific to the equipment under control, and generate testing results for those specific control elements.

Abstract: A method and system dynamically generates virtualized configurations of sensors and signals used in drilling system equipment. The virtualized configurations may be used for novel operational testing of automation systems on drilling rigs. The methods and systems may be configured to virtualize actual drill floor equipment in order to have enhanced fault coverage of the automation systems. A control network that is a component of the automation systems may implement a testing loop that accommodates virtualized equipment in a manner substantially similar to actual equipment. In this manner, the testing loop may be configured to control elements specific to the equipment under control, and generate testing results for those specific control elements.

Abstract: An information integration environment identifies the current drilling sites, and drilling equipment and processes at those current drilling sites. Based upon that identification, and upon data received from the drilling sites, servers access and configure software agents that are sent to a host client system at the drilling site; these software agents operate at the host client system to acquire data from sensors at the drilling site, to transmit that data to the information integration environment, and to derive the drilling state and drilling recommendations for the driller at the drilling site. These software agents include one or more rules, heuristics, or calibrations derived by the inference engine, and called by the information integration environment. In addition, the software agents sent from the information integration environment to the host client system operate to display values, trends, and reliability estimates for various drilling parameters, whether measured or calculated.

Abstract: Methods of determining borehole conditions using distributed measurement data are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods utilize real time data measurements taken from sensors distributed along the length of a drill string to assess various conditions or properties of the borehole. The disclosed methods of processing or using distributed measurement data have not been described before. In particular, the distributed data may be used for example, to track the progress of a chemical pill or also track the location of different types of borehole fluids, and also to determine the hole size or volume of the borehole.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program storage device for integrating and implementing rule-based, heuristic, wellbore key performance rate of penetration indicators advising drilling operations personnel based on the situational awareness of trended earth properties and real time wellbore sensor data, is disclosed.

Abstract: An interface between an automation host and a plurality of tools is used to perform a processing step. The interface includes a single communications and process behavioral connection interface to the automation host. The interface also includes a plurality of virtual host interfaces. Each virtual host interface from the plurality of virtual host interfaces provides a communications and process behavioral interface to one of the tools in the plurality of tools. The automation host can control and coordinate operation of all tools in the plurality of tools via the single communications and process behavioral connection interface.

Abstract: Intelligent logic activity resolution (ILAR) is provided for a process. Upon a first trigger event being received, a first subset of conditions of the process is detected. The first subset of conditions is selected based on the first trigger event. When the first subset of conditions match predetermined values, a first state is entered. When the first subset conditions do not match the predetermined values, additional conditions are checked. On the basis of the checked additional conditions, a new state is selected for entry.

Abstract: An interface between an automation host and a plurality of tools is used to perform a processing step. The interface includes a single communications and process behavioral connection interface to the automation host. The interface also includes a plurality of virtual host interfaces. Each virtual host interface from the plurality of virtual host interfaces provides a communications and process behavioral interface to one of the tools in the plurality of tools. The automation host can control and coordinate operation of all tools in the plurality of tools via the single communications and process behavioral connection interface.