Rig Equipment Digital Avatars for Drilling Speed and Asset Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current condition monitoring systems in well construction and operations do not account for the effects of operational conditions on equipment, leading to inefficient drilling practices that contradict the objectives of maximizing rig capacity and resource production, and lack correlation to equipment life and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A computer program product and system that utilizes sensors to generate condition indicators, develop digital avatars, and predict future equipment changes, integrating well construction and operation plans to optimize equipment performance and cost management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If equipment is operated aggressively to maximize rig capacity and drilling speed, then productivity increases, but equipment wear and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts drilling parameters and operational conditions based on real-time equipment condition monitoring. Instead of static aggressive drilling, the system optimizes drilling speed and load dynamically to balance productivity with equipment preservation, allowing faster drilling when equipment is healthy and reducing intensity when wear is detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where sensor data from equipment is analyzed to monitor wear and condition indicators. This feedback informs real-time adjustments to drilling operations, enabling operators to respond to equipment state changes and prevent catastrophic failures while maintaining optimal drilling performance.
2Measurement precision
If traditional condition monitoring is used without correlating operational conditions, then equipment condition data is collected, but the data cannot be correlated to equipment life and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple data streams including sensor measurements, operational parameters, equipment metadata, and maintenance records into a unified analysis framework. This integration enables comprehensive correlation between operational conditions, equipment degradation patterns, and maintenance cost outcomes, transforming isolated condition data into actionable insights.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces computational models and analytical intermediaries that process raw sensor data and operational parameters, translating them into meaningful condition indicators and predictions. These intermediaries bridge the gap between raw measurements and equipment life correlations, enabling predictive maintenance planning.
3Reliability
If drilling contractors focus on maximizing asset life and minimizing equipment loading, then equipment wear is reduced, but drilling speed and resource production are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static conservative operating limits with dynamic optimization that adjusts drilling intensity based on real-time equipment condition. When equipment is healthy, the system permits higher drilling speeds and loads; when wear indicators appear, the system automatically reduces intensity, creating an optimal balance between productivity and equipment preservation throughout the drilling lifecycle.
Data Source
AI summary
Computer program products, systems containing computer program products, and methods are disclosed for considering rig equipment asset life and maintenance costs in decisions related to well construction/operations planning. A method may include utilizing sensor measurements to generate and record condition indicators for equipment over time and using the condition indicators to develop/refine a digital avatar including a model correlating operation of the equipment with a progression of the condition indicators to predict changes in equipment condition. The method may further include calculating costs/profits based on a well construction/operation plan and predicting a progression of conditions of the equipment during operation of the plan. The digital avatar or comprehensive operations model may enable comparison of costs/profits from resource production with a cost of service delivery (COSD) for the equipment, and may advantageously enable plan changes to be proposed to reduce/minimize costs and/or to increase/maximize profit.