Abstract: The behavior of gelled drilling fluids can be predicted with a low number of input parameters using an empirically derived equation that expresses the breakage of gelled drilling fluids as a function of the total strain applied to the gelled drilling fluids. Using correlative systems and lab-scale experiments, a predictive model correlates the various test input parameters with an anticipated time for breaking the gelled drilling fluid under known strain rate. Applying actual input parameters to the predictive model for a given well drilling operation produces a prescribed gel breaking procedure. The systems and methods disclosed herein provide an operator with accurate predictions of the time necessary to break a given gelled drilling fluid. The models and methods disclosed herein can be incorporated into a control system so the drilling rig can automatically adjust its operation to most effectively break the gelled drilling fluid following a pump-off event.

Abstract: A drilling system and method of obtaining a flow pattern in a wellbore. The drilling system includes a device for adjusting an operational parameter of the drilling system, and a processor. The processor trains a machine learning program to identify a flow boundary in parameter space between a first flow pattern region related to a first flow pattern for a multiphase flow and a second flow pattern region related to a second flow pattern for the multiphase flow. The processor identifies the flow boundary for a flow of the multiphase flow in the wellbore and adjusts an operating parameter of the drilling system in the wellbore based on the identified flow boundary to operate the drilling system in one of the first flow pattern region and the second flow pattern region to obtain one of the first flow pattern and the second flow pattern in the wellbore.

Abstract: An earth-boring system for generating a fluid flow model of a borehole may include a drill string, and a model generation system. The model generation system may include a memory device and a processor. The memory device may store a plurality of mathematical simulations of a borehole. The processor may receive real-time operational data, analyze the real-time operational data via one or more of the mathematical simulations, identify a mathematical simulation that most closely matches the real-time operational data, and generate a simplified mathematical fluid flow model utilizing both the mathematical simulation and the real-time operational data.