Abstract: A system and method for stall recovery of mud motors may be implemented in a steering control system. The stall recovery system and method may involve automatic detection of a stall of a mud motor during drilling controlled by the steering control system, and may respond to the stall in a rapid and controlled manner to avoid or minimize damage to the mud motor, such as by immediately reducing mud pressure and stopping rotary drilling, if used, faster than a typical human operator could perform. The stall recovery system and method may further take actions to automatically restart drilling.

Abstract: An automated slide drilling system (ASDS) may be used with a drilling rig system to control slide drilling. The ASDS may autonomously control slide drilling without user input during the slide drilling. The ASDS may further support a transition from rotary drilling to slide drilling to rotary drilling without user input during the transitions. The operations can inclue receiving a first orientation of a drill string from a top drive; beginning a drilling operation, including one of: a slide drilling or a rotary drilling operation; recording a second orientation of the drill string in response to the drilling operation; and calculating a starting position of a quill associated with the drill string based on the recorded second orientation of the drill string. The ASDS may also support user input and user notifications for various steps to enable manual or semi-manual control of slide drilling by a driller or an operator.

Abstract: A system and method for stall recovery of mud motors may be implemented in a steering control system. The stall recovery system and method may involve automatic detection of a stall of a mud motor during drilling controlled by the steering control system, and may respond to the stall in a rapid and controlled manner to avoid or minimize damage to the mud motor, such as by immediately reducing mud pressure and stopping rotary drilling, if used, faster than a typical human operator could perform. The stall recovery system and method may farther take actions to automatically restart drilling.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for automatically controlling selected drilling operations. The apparatus may be a control system operable to control rate of penetration (ROP) by a drill bit of a drill string for drilling a wellbore. The control system may include a sensor operable to facilitate an ROP measurement indicative of a measured ROP and a controller comprising a processor and a memory storing computer program code. The controller may be operable to receive the ROP measurement, determine an intermediate ROP setpoint based on the ROP measurement, and determine an ROP command based on the intermediate ROP setpoint, wherein the ROP command is to be received by a drawworks and is indicative of an intended ROP.

Abstract: A system and method for stall recovery of mud motors may be implemented in a steering control system. The stall recovery system and method may involve automatic detection of a stall of a mud motor during drilling controlled by the steering control system, and may respond to the stall in a rapid and controlled manner to avoid or minimize damage to the mud motor, such as by immediately reducing mud pressure and stopping rotary drilling, if used, faster than a typical human operator could perform. The stall recovery system and method may farther take actions to automatically restart drilling.

Abstract: A power limiting control system includes at least one power generator configured to provide power to a plurality of tools on a drilling rig; and a power limiting controller configured to control the provision of power from the power generator to the plurality of tools. The power limiting controller is adapted to perform a method including determining an individual power consumption for each of the plurality of tools; calculating a total power consumption from each respective individual power consumption of the plurality of tools; comparing the total power consumption of the plurality of tools to a total available power; ranking each respective individual power consumption by load size; and reducing power consumption of at least one of the plurality of tools based on rank when the total power consumption exceeds the total available power.

Abstract: A method of controlling pressure in a mud pump system includes generating a pressure limiting factor output using a pressure feedback input and a motor speed input to calculate a fluid conductance estimate, maintaining the pressure limiting factor output at a maximum value based on a pressure set-point, continuously updating a normal fluid conductance value based on the fluid conductance estimate while the pressure limiting factor output remains at the maximum value, freezing the normal fluid conductance value, if the pressure limiting factor output is less than the maximum value, calculating a change in fluid conductance based on the normal fluid conductance value and the fluid conductance estimate, generating at least one adaptive gain based on the change in fluid conductance, and controlling a motor speed of a pump in the mud pump system based on the at least one adaptive gain.

Abstract: A wellbore drilling system includes a weight on bit controller configured to generate a normalized weight on bit output, a drilling torque controller configured to generate a normalized toque on bit output, and a differential pressure controller configured to generate a normalized differential pressure output. The system further includes a rate of penetration controller that is configured to multiply a rate of penetration setpoint with the normalized weight on bit output, the normalized torque on bit output, and the normalized differential pressure output to generate a rate of penetration output.

Abstract: A power limiting control system includes at least one power generator configured to provide power to a plurality of tools on a drilling rig; and a power limiting controller configured to control the provision of power from the power generator to the plurality of tools. The power limiting controller is adapted to perform a method including determining an individual power consumption for each of the plurality of tools; calculating a total power consumption from each respective individual power consumption of the plurality of tools; comparing the total power consumption of the plurality of tools to a total available power; ranking each respective individual power consumption by load size; and reducing power consumption of at least one of the plurality of tools based on rank when the total power consumption exceeds the total available power.

Abstract: A method of controlling pressure in a mud pump system includes generating a pressure limiting factor output using a pressure feedback input and a motor speed input to calculate a fluid conductance estimate, maintaining the pressure limiting factor output at a maximum value based on a pressure set-point, continuously updating a normal fluid conductance value based on the fluid conductance estimate while the pressure limiting factor output remains at the maximum value, freezing the normal fluid conductance value, if the pressure limiting factor output is less than the maximum value, calculating a change in fluid conductance based on the normal fluid conductance value and the fluid conductance estimate, generating at least one adaptive gain based on the change in fluid conductance, and controlling a motor speed of a pump in the mud pump system based on the at least one adaptive gain.

Abstract: A wellbore drilling system is disclosed herein, in which the system includes a weight on bit controller configured to generate a normalized weight on bit output, a drilling torque controller configured to generate a normalized toque on bit output, and a differential pressure controller configured to generate a normalized differential pressure output. The system further includes a rate of penetration controller that is configured to multiply a rate of penetration setpoint with the normalized weight on bit output, the normalized torque on pit output, and the normalized differential pressure output to generate a rate of penetration output.

Abstract: A wellbore drilling system is disclosed herein, in which the system includes a weight on bit controller configured to generate a normalized weight on bit output, a drilling torque controller configured to generate a normalized toque on bit output, and a differential pressure controller configured to generate a normalized differential pressure output. The system further includes a rate of penetration controller that is configured to multiply a rate of penetration setpoint with the normalized weight on bit output, the normalized torque on pit output, and the normalized differential pressure output to generate a rate of penetration output.

Abstract: A system to control a threading operation includes a first tubular and a second tubular, wherein the first tubular and the second tubular include corresponding thread profiles. The system further includes a drive assembly configured to rotate the second tubular with respect to the first tubular, wherein vertical and rotation movements of the drive assembly are controllable through a drive assembly controller, and wherein the drive assembly controller is configured to operate in a threading mode when the second tubular is threaded with the first tubular.

Abstract: An adjustable fluid cooled brake is provided that integrates the driven shaft and bearings with braking components to form a packaged assembly. The brake includes a driven shaft and two bearings disposed about the driven shaft. The brake further includes a housing disposed about the shaft and friction plates coupled to the housing and driven shaft. One end cap assembly of the brake is coupled to the housing and supports one of the bearings. The end cap assembly includes a pressure plate configured to compress the friction plates. Another end cap assembly is coupled to the housing and supports the other bearing. One of end cap assemblies is spaced from the housing by a spacer that may be adjusted to enable axial movement of the end cap assembly relative to the housing and the corresponding bearing thereby permitting adjustment of the brake.

Abstract: A wellbore drilling system includes a weight on bit controller configured to generate a normalized WOB output, a drilling torque controller configured to generate a normalized TOB output, a differential pressure controller configured to generate a normalized DeltaP output, and a rate of penetration controller configured to multiply a ROP setpoint with the normalized WOB output, the normalized TOB output, and the normalized DeltaP output to generate a ROP output.

Abstract: A system to control a threading operation includes a first tubular and a second tubular, wherein the first tubular and the second tubular include corresponding thread profiles. The system further includes a drive assembly configured to rotate the second tubular with respect to the first tubular, wherein vertical and rotation movements of the drive assembly are controllable through a drive assembly controller, and wherein the drive assembly controller is configured to operate in a threading mode when the second tubular is threaded with the first tubular.

Abstract: An adjustable fluid cooled brake is provided that integrates the driven shaft and bearings with braking components to form a packaged assembly. The brake includes a driven shaft and two bearings disposed about the driven shaft. The brake further includes a housing disposed about the shaft and friction plates coupled to the housing and driven shaft. One end cap assembly of the brake is coupled to the housing and supports one of the bearings. The end cap assembly includes a pressure plate configured to compress the friction plates. Another end cap assembly is coupled to the housing and supports the other bearing. One of end cap assemblies is spaced from the housing by a spacer that may be adjusted to enable axial movement of the end cap assembly relative to the housing and the corresponding bearing thereby permitting adjustment of the brake.