Automated directional drilling apparatus and methods

Abstract

A system and method for calculating a path during drilling of a BHA between first and second survey points. The method includes calculating an amount of first incremental progress made by the BHA since the first survey point; calculating a first estimate of a first current location based on the first survey point and the amount of first incremental progress; causing at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the first estimate; calculating an amount of second incremental progress made by the BHA; calculating a second estimate of the second current location based on the amount of second incremental progress and an aggregation of data received from the BHA, including data associated with the first survey point; and causing at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter the drilling direction of the BHA.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for calculating a path during drilling which comprises:
 receiving, by a surface steerable system coupled to a drilling rig, first survey data corresponding to survey sensor information from a bottom hole assembly (BHA) located in a borehole and coupled to a drill string, wherein the first survey data corresponds to a location of the BHA at a first survey point;   receiving, by the surface steerable system coupled to the drilling rig, a first tool face measurement set from the BHA located in the borehole and coupled to the drill string, wherein the first tool face measurement set corresponds to a first current location of the BHA between the first survey point that has been passed and a second directly sequential survey point that has not yet been reached;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of first incremental progress made by the BHA since the first survey point;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, a first estimate of the first current location based on the first tool face measurement set, the first survey data from the first survey point, and the amount of first incremental progress;   causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the first estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the first estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered;   receiving, by the surface steerable system coupled to the drilling rig, a second tool face measurement set from the BHA located in the borehole and coupled to the drill string, wherein the second tool face measurement set corresponds to a second current location of the BHA between the first survey point that has been passed and the second directly sequential survey point that has not yet been reached;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of second incremental progress made by the BHA since the first incremental progress was calculated;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, a second estimate of the second current location based on the amount of second incremental progress and an aggregation of the second tool face measurement set, the first tool face measurement set, and the first, survey data; and   causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter the drilling direction of the BHA based on the second estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the second estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the surface steerable system, second survey data corresponding to survey sensor information from the second directly sequential measured survey point;   updating, by the surface steerable system, a current toolface and a third current estimate of a third current location of the BHA based on the second survey data; wherein the third current location of the BHA, the second current location of the BHA, and the first current location of the BHA together form a first plurality of locations representing a path of the BHA between the first survey point and the second survey point; and   repeating, by the surface steerable system, the steps of receiving and calculating to estimate a second plurality of locations representing a path of the BHA between the second directly sequential measured survey point and a directly sequential third measured survey point.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising modifying, by the surface steerable system, how the amount of incremental progress is calculated for the second plurality of locations based on the second survey data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second estimate of the second current location is further based on the resultant effect of an average of data from the second tool face measurement set, the first tool face measurement set, and the first survey data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the BHA is performing a sliding operation, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a progress of the sliding operation on a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein displaying the progress of the sliding operation comprises displaying the first estimate and the second estimate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising drilling, by the drilling rig, using the altered direction of the BHA. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the amount of first incremental progress is about a foot. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first tool face measurement set further corresponds to a first current orientation of the BHA at the first current location of the BHA; and   wherein causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified is further based on the first current orientation of the BHA.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising calculating a projected path based on the first survey data, the first estimate, and the second estimate. 
     
     
         11 . A method for calculating a path during drilling of a bottom hole assembly (BHA) between a first survey point that has been passed and a second directly sequential survey point that has not been reached, which comprises:
 calculating, by a surface steerable system, an amount of first incremental progress made by the BHA since the first survey point;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, a first estimate of a first current location based at least on the first survey point and the amount of first incremental progress;   causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the first estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the first estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of second incremental progress made by the BHA since the first incremental progress was calculated;   calculating, by the surface steerable system, a second estimate of a second current location based at least on the amount of second incremental progress occurring since the first estimate and an aggregation of data received from the BHA, wherein the data received from the BHA comprises data associated with the first survey point; and   causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter the drilling direction of the BHA based on the second estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the second estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the BHA is performing a sliding operation, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a progress of the sliding operation on a graphical user interlace. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the progress of the sliding operation comprises displaying the first estimate and the second estimate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surface steerable system is coupled to a drilling rig, and wherein the method further comprises drilling, by the drilling rig, using the altered direction of the BHA. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the amount of first incremental progress is about a foot. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 receiving, by the surface steerable system, a tool face measurement that corresponds to a current orientation of the BHA at the first current location of the BHA; and   wherein causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified is further based on the current orientation of the BHA.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising calculating a projected path based on the first estimate and the second estimate. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second estimate of the second current location is further based on the resultant effect of an average of data received from the BHA. 
     
     
         19 . A surface steerable system for use with a drilling rig which comprises:
 a network interface;   a processor coupled to the network interface; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing a plurality of instructions for execution by the processor, the plurality of instructions including:   instructions for calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of first incremental progress made by a bottom hole assembly (BHA) that is coupled to the surface steerable system since a first survey point;   instructions for calculating, by the surface steerable system, a first estimate of a first current location based at least on the first survey point and the amount of first incremental progress;   instructions for causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the first estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the first estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered;   instructions for calculating, by the surface steerable system, an amount of second incremental progress made by the BHA since the first incremental progress was calculated;   instructions for calculating, by the surface steerable system, a second estimate of a second current location, based at least on the amount of second incremental progress occurring since the first estimate and an aggregation of data received from the BHA, wherein the data received from the BHA comprises data associated with the first survey point; and   instructions for causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified in order to alter the drilling direction of the BHA based on the second estimate if the surface steerable system determines that the second estimate indicates the drilling direction needs to be altered.   
     
     
         20 . The surface steerable system of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions for displaying a progress of a sliding operation on a graphical user interface. 
     
     
         21 . The surface steerable system of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the plurality of instructions further includes instructions for calculating, by the surface steerable system, a current orientation of the BHA at the first current location of the BHA; and   wherein the instructions for causing, by the surface steerable system, at least one drilling parameter to be modified is further based on the current orientation of the BHA.   
     
     
         22 . The surface steerable system of  claim 19 , wherein the second estimate of the second current location is further based on the resultant effect of an average of data received from the BHA.