Abstract: A method for steering a downhole tool to drill a wellbore in a subterranean formation includes receiving an initial wellbore plan for the downhole tool to drill through the subterranean formation. The method also includes receiving drilling data while the downhole tool is drilling through the subterranean formation using the initial wellbore plan. The method also includes comparing the initial wellbore plan to the drilling data. The method also includes determining a downlink command to transmit to the downhole tool based upon or in response to the comparison. The method also includes determining an importance of the downlink command based upon the comparison. The method also includes determining a time to transmit the downlink command to the downhole tool. The time is determined based upon the importance of the downlink command. The method also includes transmitting the downlink command to the downhole tool at the determined time.

Abstract: A method of preventing a collision of a subject wellbore in a downhole environment includes receiving offset wellbore data corresponding with one or more offset wellbores and identifying, based on the offset wellbore data, one or more no-go zones for each of the one or more offset wellbores. The method further includes determining a plurality of safe points corresponding with a potential intersection of the subject wellbore with the one or more no-go zones and, defining an escape zone within the plurality of safe points. The method further includes determining a trajectory for the subject wellbore within the escape zone.

Abstract: A method includes receiving at least one drilling condition input from at least one sensor of a drilling rig, obtaining a first slide mode determination based at least partially on a rotational speed of a drill string, obtaining a second slide mode determination based at least partially on torque applied to the drill string, selecting one of the first or second slide mode determinations based on the at least one drilling condition input, determining that the drilling rig is in slide mode based on the selected one of the first or second slide mode determinations, calculating at least one steering parameter based at least in part on determining that the drilling rig is in slide mode, and executing at least one drilling operation based in part on the at least one steering parameter.

Abstract: A system for, and method of, drill deviation handling within a stand while drilling a wellbore are presented. The techniques include: receiving, by an electronic processor and during a stand, drill state data; comparing, by the electronic processor and during the stand, the drill state data to an active drill plan; detecting, by the electronic processor and based on the comparing, an out-of-tolerance deviation of a drill parameter; and providing, by the electronic processor, an alert of the out-of-tolerance deviation.

Abstract: A system and method that may include receiving real-time downhole data from one or more sensors of a drillstring disposed in a borehole in a subsurface geologic region during a directional drilling operation. The system and method also include selecting a drillstring drilling mode from a plurality of drillstring drilling modes. The system and method may additionally include predicting, in real-time, characteristics of a hole bottom of the borehole using the drilling mode model and at least a portion of the real-time downhole data. The system and method may further include controlling the directional drilling operation using one or more of the characteristics.

Abstract: A mud motor includes a rotor and a stator. Drilling fluid received by cavities of the mud motor drives the rotor to rotate within the stator. The rotor includes one or more rotor lobes extending helically and defining a rotor pitch. The stator includes two or more stator lobes extending helically and defining a stator pitch. The rotor and the stator together define a tapered profile of the mud motor that varies proceeding from a top end of the mud motor to a bottom end of the mud motor. At least one of the rotor pitch or the stator pitch vary as proceeding from the top end of the mud motor to the bottom end of the mud motor.

Abstract: A method for conducting wellsite activities includes receiving measured sensor data collected by one or more sensors in a wellsite construction rig, determining a data quality of the measured sensor data based on a plurality of data quality dimensions, predicting predicted sensor data using a model, comparing the measured sensor data with the predicted sensor data, determining an uncertainty of the measured sensor data based at least in part on the data quality and the comparison, and selecting one or more workflows for implementation using the one or more sensors, the wellsite construction rig, or both.

Abstract: A method and a processing device are provided for predicting standpipe pressure. A Bayesian linear regressor is initialized. Priors for the Bayesian linear regressor are initialized based on previous drilling operations that used a same bottom hole assembly. Measurement data associated with drilling a well is received in real time. An online Bayesian linear regressor update is generated using QR decomposition for a model. Responsive to determining that at least some coefficients violate physical rules, the at least some of the coefficients are set to a respective default value that is either zero or a positive value. Coefficients and uncertainty are updated based on at least one of the online Bayesian linear regressor update and the setting of at least some of the coefficients. The model is then visualized. Visualization helps a user identify whether the learned model makes sense.

Abstract: A method and system for finding and efficiently evaluating and selecting a wellbore path that accounts for placement rules and the presence of existing wells. A topological representation of the connected paths is created and managed. The topological representation may be generated as a pre-computed database of space information that represents the locations of existing wells and accounts for restrictions such as anti-collision and the parameters, including geological and drilling equipment parameters. Using such a representation, the design of a wellbore path may be completed quickly and more efficiently. The topology may represent all connected space for a section of the subsurface. This topological representation may be used to evaluate all possible paths from the starting point (surface location, tie-in point for a sidetrack, tie-in point for replanning, etc.) to the target and enable selecting the path that meets the conditions and is optimized for the existing constraints.

Abstract: A system and method that include receiving a well plan and determining a plurality of sections of the well plan and receiving data from surface and downhole to determine a current location of a drill bit. The system and method also include analyzing the well plan to automatically derive trajectory constraints that are associated with each of the plurality of sections of the well plan and determining a plurality of trajectory candidates that pertain to respective paths from the current location of the drill bit to respective targets based on a consideration of the trajectory constraints. The system and method further include determining costs according to at least one cost function to rank the plurality of trajectory candidates to determine a working plan that includes an optimal path from the current location of the drill bit to reach a final target.

Abstract: A system and method that include receiving a drilling trajectory plan to drill an intended trajectory. The system and method also include analyzing the drilling trajectory plan and identifying a tool face orientation to drill the intended trajectory based on the drilling trajectory plan. The system and method additionally include identifying an uncertainly level associated with the tool face orientation based on a data structure storing uncertainty levels at different tool face orientations. The system and method further include determining a drilling plan based on the uncertainty level associated with the tool face orientation.

Abstract: A method includes receiving at least one drilling condition input from at least one sensor of a drilling rig, obtaining a first slide mode determination based at least partially on a rotational speed of a drill string, obtaining a second slide mode determination based at least partially on torque applied to the drill string, selecting one of the first or second slide mode determinations based on the at least one drilling condition input, determining that the drilling rig is in slide mode based on the selected one of the first or second slide mode determinations, calculating at least one steering parameter based at least in part on determining that the drilling rig is in slide mode, and executing at least one drilling operation based in part on the at least one steering parameter.

Abstract: A method can include receiving real-time data during a drilling operation performed by a drillstring that includes a mud motor and a bit characterized by an expected performance profile; determining actual performance of the drillstring based at least in part on the real-time data; predicting degraded performance of the drillstring based at least in part on the real-time data and a mud motor degradation model; and updating the expected performance profile based on a comparison of the actual performance and the degraded performance.

Abstract: A method for controlling a drilling trajectory of a downhole tool includes receiving a drilling plan for a downhole tool to drill a wellbore toward a target in a subterranean formation. The method also includes receiving a measured drilling trajectory of the downhole tool after the downhole tool drills a first portion of the wellbore using the planned drilling trajectory. The method also includes determining a state of the downhole tool based at least partially upon the planned drilling trajectory and the measured drilling trajectory. The state includes a difference between the planned drilling trajectory and the measured drilling trajectory, a level of control of a steering capability of the downhole tool, and a location of an end of the wellbore. The method also includes generating a working plan trajectory based at least partially upon the state of the downhole tool and the drilling plan.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method including receiving a steering command identifying a tool face orientation in which the steering command is expected to produce an intended steering response of an intended drilling trajectory. The method further includes receiving an actual steering response result of the steering command in which the actual steering response result identifies an actual drilling trajectory. The method further includes storing a dataset comparing the actual steering response result in relation to the intended steering response, determining an uncertainty level of the tool face orientation based on the stored dataset, and outputting a visual representation of steering response with the uncertainty level.

Abstract: A method for determining a total torque output at a drill bit includes receiving an on-bottom pressure and an off-bottom pressure. The method also includes determining a differential pressure based upon the on-bottom pressure and the off-bottom pressure. The method also includes receiving a surface torque. The method also includes determining a torque transmission coefficient based at least partially upon the differential pressure and the surface torque. The method also includes determining the total torque output at the drill bit based at least partially upon the differential pressure, the surface torque, and the torque transmission coefficient.

Abstract: A mud motor includes a rotor and a stator. Drilling fluid received by cavities of the mud motor drives the rotor to rotate within the stator. The rotor includes one or more rotor lobes extending helically and defining a rotor pitch. The stator includes two or more stator lobes extending helically and defining a stator pitch. The rotor and the stator together define a tapered profile of the mud motor that varies proceeding from a top end of the mud motor to a bottom end of the mud motor. At least one of the rotor pitch or the stator pitch vary as proceeding from the top end of the mud motor to the bottom end of the mud motor.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium related to control of mud motors in drilling systems, of which the method includes measuring an eccentricity of rotation of a rotor in a stator of a mud motor using a rotor-position sensor, determining a torque of the mud motor based in part on the eccentricity, and selecting a fluid flow rate, a pressure, or both of fluid delivered downhole, through the mud motor, based in part on the determined torque.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method including receiving a steering command identifying a tool face orientation in which the steering command is expected to produce an intended steering response of an intended drilling trajectory. The method further includes receiving an actual steering response result of the steering command in which the actual steering response result identifies an actual drilling trajectory. The method further includes storing a dataset comparing the actual steering response result in relation to the intended steering response, determining an uncertainty level of the tool face orientation based on the stored dataset, and outputting a visual representation of steering response with the uncertainty level.

Abstract: A method can include receiving data for a bottom hole assembly of a drillstring and a drill plan; generating candidate trajectories using at least a portion of the data; generating drill command schedules for the candidate trajectories; ranking the candidate trajectories based at least in part on the drill command schedules; and outputting at least a top ranked candidate trajectory and its corresponding drill command schedule.