Drilling Rig Reference Point Switching for Precise Bit Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling rigs face challenges in accurately positioning the drill bit due to the drill bit not being aligned with the center of gravity, making it difficult to follow a predetermined path and reach target positions efficiently.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that receive information on a path for a drilling rig, determine its position, and instruct it to follow a path based on a first reference point, activating a second reference point associated with the drill bit when a trigger position is reached, allowing for precise positioning and stopping at target positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drilling rig follows a path based on the center of gravity (first reference point), then the rig can maintain stable movement and follow the path, but the drill bit cannot be accurately positioned at the target location because it is not aligned with the center of gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two reference points: the first reference point (center of gravity) is used during movement phase for stable path following, while the second reference point (drill bit position) is activated during the stopping phase for accurate positioning. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction by using different reference frames for different operational phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preliminarily determines and switches to the second reference point (drill bit position) before actually stopping the drilling rig. By activating the second reference point in advance and using it for positioning calculations, the system ensures accurate drill bit placement without disrupting the movement phase controlled by the first reference point.
2Device complexity
If a single reference point is used for both movement and positioning, then the control system is simple, but accurate positioning of the drill bit at the target location cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two distinct reference point management modes: first reference point mode for movement control and second reference point mode for positioning control. The switching mechanism divides the operational timeline into movement phase and positioning phase, allowing each phase to use its optimal reference point without complicating the overall control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically activates different reference points based on the operational phase. During movement, the first reference point is active; during positioning, the second reference point is activated. This dynamic reference switching maintains control simplicity while achieving accurate positioning through phase-dependent reference selection.
3Ease of operation
If the drilling rig uses the first reference point for the entire path, then the control is straightforward, but the drill bit will not be aligned with the path when reaching the target position
Solution Approach 1:
The system preliminarily activates the second reference point before the drilling rig reaches the target position. By determining and switching to the second reference point in advance, the system ensures that the drill bit alignment is prepared and activated just in time for the positioning phase, maintaining control simplicity while ensuring reliable alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference point selection is made dynamic and phase-dependent. The first reference point governs movement control for simplicity, while the second reference point is dynamically activated for the positioning phase to ensure drill bit alignment. This dynamic switching maintains operational simplicity during movement while ensuring reliability during positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program product arranged for receiving information on a path to be followed by a drilling rig, the path including a trigger position, determining a position of the drilling rig, instructing the drilling rig to follow the path based on a first reference point associated with the drilling rig, activating, in response to determining that the position of the drilling rig corresponds to the trigger position, a second reference point associated with the drilling rig, and instructing the drilling rig to stop in response to determining that a position of the second reference point corresponds to a target position.