Drilling Control System with Safeguard Envelopes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drilling control systems for hydrocarbon wells face challenges in efficiently and safely managing drilling parameters, particularly in complex formations and environments like arctic and deep sea areas, where human error can lead to damage due to inadequate coordination between different drilling mechanisms and constraints, resulting in inefficiencies and potential losses.
Innovation Solution
A methodology that continuously updates and enforces safeguard envelopes for drilling parameters using calibrated models, integrating machine and wellbore limits, allowing operators to manually control drilling equipment while preventing parameter deviations from safe boundaries, with automatic corrective actions in case of emergencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated drilling control systems are used to optimize drilling parameters, then drilling efficiency and productivity improve, but the system complexity increases and may lead to coordination issues between different drilling mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The drilling control system is segmented into multiple independent control modules, each responsible for specific drilling parameters and mechanisms. This modular architecture allows each module to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system coordination, reducing the complexity burden on any single component.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements nested layers of control where high-level optimization goals are decomposed into intermediate control targets, which are further broken down into specific parameter adjustments. This hierarchical nesting allows complex optimization problems to be solved through coordinated action of simpler subsystems.
2Productivity
If drilling parameters are optimized for individual mechanisms, then performance of each mechanism improves, but overall process optimization deteriorates due to lack of coordination between mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple individual mechanism optimizations into a unified control framework that simultaneously considers interactions between drilling mechanisms. By integrating control objectives and constraints from different mechanisms into a coordinated optimization process, the system achieves both individual mechanism performance and overall process reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements continuous feedback loops that monitor the state of each drilling mechanism and adjust parameters in real-time to maintain optimal coordination. Feedback from sensors and process monitoring ensures that individual mechanism optimizations do not conflict with overall process requirements, maintaining system-wide reliability.
3Ease of operation
If manual control of drilling equipment is used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but human error risk increases leading to potential well damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intelligent control intermediary that acts as a mediator between the operator and the drilling equipment. This intermediary continuously monitors drilling parameters, compares them against safe operational boundaries, and provides real-time guidance or automatic corrections when parameters approach dangerous zones, thereby reducing human error while preserving operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system implements preemptive safety measures by establishing safeguard envelopes that define safe operational boundaries before drilling operations begin. These pre-defined boundaries and automatic correction mechanisms provide a cushion against human error, allowing operators to work flexibly within known safe parameters while having automated protection against dangerous deviations.
4Reliability
If safeguard envelopes are continuously updated and enforced for drilling parameters, then well integrity and safety improve, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations and establishes safeguard envelopes based on pre-acquired well data, formation characteristics, and equipment limitations before drilling operations begin. This advance preparation reduces the complexity of real-time control by having safety boundaries and correction procedures predetermined, requiring only real-time parameter monitoring and enforcement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Method and system for drilling control comprising a plurality of controllers adapted to control performance process parameters, on the basis of driller controls from a driller that provides this as instructions to said controllers, wherein the system further comprises sensors and means for obtaining process values, such as downhole pressure, temperature and torque, wherein the system is adapted to, continuously and/or repeatedly, calculate safeguard envelopes for performance process parameters on the basis of process values and drilling process models and that it is adapted to restrain said controllers from applying performance process parameters outside said safeguard envelopes as a result of driller instructions, and—a method and system for automatically triggering a remedying action in case of an evolving or existing critical situation, comprising calculation of process parameter boundaries which represent a critical condition for the well by using calibrated drilling process models, comprising (i) triggering an emergency action if a parameter exceeds said boundaries, said emergency action being intended to minimize the effect of said critical situation, (ii) then further analyzing the well in order to determine which remedying action to then be applied, the remedying action being intended to remedy the cause of said effect; (iii) if said remedying action is not capable of remedying the cause of said effect, then applying predetermined safe process parameters or shutting down.