Systems and methods to control drilling operations based on formation orientations

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling drilling operations are provided. The methods include performing a drilling operation using a bottomhole assembly having a disintegrating device located at an end of a drill string. Detecting and monitoring formation layer orientations with one or more sensors is performed to obtain formation layer orientation information indicative of a formation layer orientation. Monitoring of a drilling operational performance of at least one of the disintegrating device and the bottomhole assembly is performed. A change in the drilling operational performance is detected and adjustment of a steering command is performed to set an angle of attack by the disintegrating device to the formation layer orientation based on the formation layer orientation information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a drilling operation comprising:
 performing a drilling operation using a bottomhole assembly having a disintegrating device located at an end of a drill string;   detecting and monitoring formation layer orientations with one or more sensors to obtain formation layer orientation information indicative of a formation layer orientation;   monitoring a drilling operational performance of at least one of the disintegrating device and the bottomhole assembly;   detecting a change in the drilling operational performance; and   adjusting a steering command to set an angle of attack by the disintegrating device to the formation layer orientation based on the formation layer orientation information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drilling operational performance comprises at least one of rate of penetration, revolutions per minute, downhole pressure, drilling vibration, torque, weight-on-bit, and bending moment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors for detecting formation layer orientations comprise one or more of acoustic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, resistivity sensors, gamma ray sensors, density sensors, radiation sensors, or dipmeters. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steering command is adjusted to have an angle of attack of the disintegrating device relative to the formation layer orientation to be 50° or greater. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in drilling operational performance is indicative of a change in the formation layer orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors is located within the bottomhole assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of transmitting the formation layer information to a surface control unit for processing and transmitting an adjusted steering command from the surface control unit the bottomhole assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically performing the monitoring, detecting, and adjusting with a downhole controller of the bottomhole assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising moving the drill string away from bottomhole prior to adjusting the steering command. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of attack is generated by setting a steering force perpendicular to the formation layer orientation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising estimating a formation layer orientation based on at least one of the formation layer orientation information, offset well data, and historical data. 
     
     
         12 . A system for controlling a drilling operation comprising:
 a drill string;   a bottomhole assembly having a disintegrating device disposed at an end of the drill string, wherein the disintegrating device is used to perform a drilling operation and wherein the bottomhole assembly is configured to drill into a formation based on a steering command; and   one or more sensors configured to detect and monitor formation layer orientations and obtain formation layer orientation information indicative of a formation layer orientation;   wherein a drilling operational performance of at least one of the disintegrating device and the bottomhole assembly is monitored by one or more associated sensors to detect a change in the drilling operational performance, and   wherein a steering command is adjusted to set an angle of attack of the disintegrating device relative to the detected formation layer orientation when a change in the drilling operational performance is detected.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the drilling operational performance comprises at least one of rate of penetration, revolutions per minute, downhole pressure, drilling vibration, torque, weight-on-bit, and bending moment. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors for monitoring formation layer orientations comprise one or more of acoustic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, resistivity sensors, gamma ray sensors, density sensors, radiation sensors, or dipmeters. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the steering command is adjusted to have an angle of attack of the disintegrating device to the formation change to be 50° or greater. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the angle of attack is generated by setting a steering force perpendicular to the formation layer orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors for monitoring formation layer orientations is located within the bottomhole assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the bottomhole assembly further comprises at least one of a transmitter to transmit the formation layer information to a surface control unit for processing and a receiver for receiving an adjusted steering command from the surface control unit. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the bottomhole assembly is configured to perform the monitoring, detecting, and adjusting automatically. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the bottomhole assembly comprises an imaging unit, a measurement-while-drilling unit, and a steering unit.