Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide enhanced low-density hollow glass bead (HGB) fluids, as well as methods for utilizing such HGB fluids for wellbore drilling operations, completion operations, and workover operations. Such low-density HGB fluids include the following combination of constituents: a base oil, an oil viscosifying agent, HGBs at a concentration in a range between 20 vol % and 60 vol %, an organophilic clay, a clay activator, a surfactant, and (optionally) an H2S scavenger. Moreover, the low-density HGB fluids are suitable for use as lower-density cap fluids for pressurized mudcap drilling (PMCD) operations, alternative drilling fluids for managed pressure drilling (MPD) operations, alternative drilling fluids for conventional drilling operations corresponding to very-low-pressure or highly-depleted reservoirs, and/or lightweight fluids for wellbore workover operations.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for expanding a seed scene using proposals from a generative model of scene graphs. The method may include clustering subgraphs according to respective one or more maximal connected subgraphs of a scene graph. The scene graph includes a plurality of nodes and edges. The method also includes generating a scene sequence for the scene graph based on the clustered subgraphs. A first machine learning model determines a predicted node in response to receiving the scene sequence. A second machine learning model determines a predicted edge in response to receiving the scene sequence and the predicted node. A scene graph is output according to the predicted node and the predicted edge.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling drilling operations include using a statistical model to identify at least two controllable drilling parameters having significant correlation to one or more drilling performance measurements. The methods and systems further generate operational recommendations for at least two controllable drilling parameters based at least in part on the statistical model. The operational recommendations are selected to optimize one or more drilling performance measurements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more design configurations for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating results from each of the one or more design configurations. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the design configurations for operating parameters and boundary conditions that are substantially the same or may be different. These results are then simultaneously displayed for a user to facilitate design selection. The selected BHA design configuration may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method for performing audio copy detection, comprising, providing a query audio data, the query audio data having a succession of frames and also providing a plurality of test audio data units, each test audio data unit including a succession of frames. For each test audio data unit the method generates a test fingerprint set. The generation of the test fingerprint test including computing similarity measurements between at least one frame of the test audio data and a plurality of frames of the query audio data. A test audio data unit is then selected as a match for the query audio data at least in part on the basis of the fingerprint sets.

Abstract: Methods and systems of reducing drilling vibrations include generation a vibration performance index using at least one frequency-domain model having a velocity-dependent friction relationship. The vibration performance index may be used to aid in the design or manufacture of a drill tool assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the vibration performance index may inform drilling operations to reduce vibrations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more design configurations for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating results from each of the one or more design configurations. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the design configurations for operating parameters and boundary conditions that are substantially the same or may be different. These results are then simultaneously displayed for a user to facilitate design selection. The selected BHA design configuration may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more design configurations for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating results from each of the one or more design configurations. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the design configurations for operating parameters and boundary conditions that are substantially the same or may be different. These results are then simultaneously displayed for a user to facilitate design selection. The selected BHA design configuration may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Provided are drill stem assemblies with ultra-low friction coatings for subterraneous drilling operations. In one form, the coated drill stem assemblies for subterraneous rotary drilling operations include a body assembly with an exposed outer surface including a drill string coupled to a bottom hole assembly or a coiled tubing coupled to a bottom hole assembly and an ultra-low friction coating on at least a portion of the exposed outer surface of the body assembly, wherein the coefficient of friction of the ultra-low friction coating is less than or equal to 0.15. The coated drill stem assemblies disclosed herein provide for reduced friction, vibration (stick-slip and torsional), abrasion and wear during straight hole or directional drilling to allow for improved rates of penetration and enable ultra-extended reach drilling with existing top drives.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling and operation of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more surrogates for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating performance results from each of the one or more surrogates. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more vibration performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the surrogates for operating parameters and boundary conditions, which may be substantially the same as conditions to be used, being used, or previously used in drilling operations. The selected BHA surrogate may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling drilling operations include using a statistical model to identify at least two controllable drilling parameters having significant correlation to one or more drilling performance measurements. The methods and systems further generate operational recommendations for at least two controllable drilling parameters based at least in part on the statistical model. The operational recommendations are selected to optimize one or more drilling performance measurements.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling drilling operations include using a statistical model to identify at least one controllable drilling parameter having significant correlation to an objective function incorporating two or more drilling performance measurements. The methods and systems further generate operational recommendations for at least one controllable drilling parameter based at least in part on the statistical model. The operational recommendations are selected to optimize the objective function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling and operation of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more surrogates for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating performance results from each of the one or more surrogates. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more vibration performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the surrogates for operating parameters and boundary conditions, which may be substantially the same as conditions to be used, being used, or previously used in drilling operations. The selected BHA surrogate may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A method for performing audio copy detection, comprising, providing a query audio data, the query audio data having a succession of frames and also providing a plurality of test audio data units, each test audio data unit including a succession of frames. For each test audio data unit the method generates a test fingerprint set. The generation of the test fingerprint test including computing similarity measurements between at least one frame of the test audio data and a plurality of frames of the query audio data. A test audio data unit is then selected as a match for the query audio data at least in part on the basis of the fingerprint sets.

Abstract: Methods and systems of reducing drilling vibrations include generation a vibration performance index using at least one frequency-domain model having a velocity-dependent friction relationship. The vibration performance index may be used to aid in the design or manufacture of a drill tool assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the vibration performance index may inform drilling operations to reduce vibrations.

Abstract: Provided are drill stem assemblies with ultra-low friction coatings for subterraneous drilling operations. In one form, the coated drill stem assemblies for subterraneous rotary drilling operations include a body assembly with an exposed outer surface including a drill string coupled to a bottom hole assembly or a coiled tubing coupled to a bottom hole assembly and an ultra-low friction coating on at least a portion of the exposed outer surface of the body assembly, wherein the coefficient of friction of the ultra-low friction coating is less than or equal to 0.15. The coated drill stem assemblies disclosed herein provide for reduced friction, vibration (stick-slip and torsional), abrasion and wear during straight hole or directional drilling to allow for improved rates of penetration and enable ultra-extended reach drilling with existing top drives.

Abstract: A method and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method, which relates to modeling of drilling equipment, includes constructing one or more design configurations for at least a portion of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) and calculating results from each of the one or more design configurations. The calculated results of the modeling may include one or more performance indices that characterize the BHA vibration performance of the design configurations for operating parameters and boundary conditions that are substantially the same or may be different. These results are then simultaneously displayed for a user to facilitate design selection. The selected BHA design configuration may then be utilized in a well construction operation and thus associated with the production of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention is a variable density drilling mud comprising compressible particulate material in the drilling mud wherein the density of the drilling mud changes in response to pressure changes at depth. A second embodiment is a method for varying drilling mud density. The method comprises estimating the pore pressure and fracture gradient, and choosing a drilling mud with compressible materials wherein the effective mud weight of the drilling mud remains between the pore pressure and the fracture gradient in at least one interval of the wellbore. A third embodiment is an apparatus for drilling a wellbore.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automated directory assistance system that utilizes a priori advisor for predicting the most likely requested locality. The automated directory assistance system includes a speech recognition dictionary containing a plurality of orthographies, each orthography corresponding to a locality name in which a subscriber whose telephone number is sought by the user of the automated directory assistance system may be residing. Upon reception of the spoken utterance, the system performs a first pass search scores on the basis of acoustics characteristics of the orthographies in the speech recognition dictionary, each orthography having a certain likelihood of being a match to the spoken utterances. The orthographies are then weighed on the basis of information indicative of the geographical location of the user. A final re-scoring operation may then be performed on the top N candidates in the weighed list.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for recognising speech, more particularly to a speech recognition system and method utilising a speech recognition dictionary supplemented by a lexicon containing frequently occurring word sequences (orthographies). In typical speech recognition systems, the process of speech recognition consists of scanning the vocabulary database or dictionary by using a fast match algorithm to find the top N candidates that potentially match the input speech. In a second pass the N candidates are re-scored using more precise likelihood computations. The novel method comprises the introduction of a step in the search stage that consists of forcing the insertion in the list of N candidates entries selected from a lexicon containing frequently used orthographies to increase the probability of occurrence of certain text combinations.