Dynamic adjustments of drilling parameter limits

Abstract

Methods, computing systems, and computer-readable media for dynamically adjusting drilling parameters during a drilling operation. The approach involves receiving, in real time, drilling parameter measurements and response measurements during a drilling operation. If the response measurements are below the lower limit of a window or trending downwards, the approach determines a new drilling parameter value that will increase the response measurement. The approach dynamically adjusts the drilling parameter value above the sectional limit, while still respecting hard limits. When the measured value improves, the approach returns the limit for the drilling parameter to the sectional limit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for dynamically adjusting drilling parameters during a drilling operation comprising:
 measuring, in real time, a differential pressure across a motor of a bottom hole assembly during a directional drilling operation;   measuring, in real time, a rate of penetration of the bottom hole assembly during the directional drilling operation;   determining whether the differential pressure is within a predefined differential pressure window specifying a lower limit for the differential pressure and an upper limit for the differential pressure;   in response to determining that the differential pressure is below the lower limit of the predefined differential pressure window or trending downwards towards the lower limit of the predefined differential pressure window:
 determining a new rate of penetration value that will increase the differential pressure; 
 comparing the new rate of penetration value with a sectional limit for rate of penetration; 
 comparing the new rate of penetration value with a hard limit for rate of penetration; and 
 in response to the new rate of penetration value being above the sectional limit and below the hard limit, increasing the upper value of a rate of penetration window to the new rate of penetration value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising automatically increasing the rate of penetration to the new rate of penetration value that will increase differential pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring the differential pressure after increasing the rate of penetration to the new rate of penetration value;   determining whether the differential pressure is stabilizing within the predefined differential pressure window; and   in response to the differential pressure stabilizing within the predefined pressure window, resetting the upper value of the rate of penetration window to the sectional limit for rate of penetration.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to determining that the differential pressure is below the lower limit of the predefined differential pressure window or trending downwards towards the lower limit of the predefined differential pressure window:
 identifying new values for one or more additional drilling parameters that will increase the differential pressure;   comparing the new values for the one or more additional drilling parameters with a sectional limit for the one or more additional drilling parameters;   comparing the new values for the one or more additional drilling parameters with a hard limit for the one or more additional drilling parameters; and   in response to the new values for the one or more additional drilling parameters being above the sectional limit for the one or more additional drilling parameters and below the hard limit for the one or more additional drilling parameters, increasing the upper value of a window one or more additional drilling parameters to the new values for the one or more additional drilling parameters.   
     
     
         5 . A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for dynamically adjusting drilling parameters during a drilling operation, the instructions comprising:
 receiving, in real time, a drilling parameter measurement during a drilling operation;   receiving, in real time, a response measurement during the drilling operation;   determining whether the response measurement is within a response window that defines a desired lower limit and a desired upper limit for the response measurement;   in response to determining that the response measurement is below the desired lower limit of the response window or trending downwards towards the desired lower limit of the response window:
 determining a new drilling parameter value that will increase the response measurement; 
 comparing the new drilling parameter value with a sectional limit for the drilling parameter; 
 comparing the new drilling parameter value with a hard limit for the drilling parameter value; and 
 in response to the drilling parameter value being above the sectional limit and below the hard limit, increasing the upper value a drilling parameter window for the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value. 
   
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising instructions for automatically increasing the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value that will increase the response measurement. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising instructions for:
 monitoring the response measurement after increasing the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value;   determining whether the response measurement is stabilizing within the response window; and   in response to the response measurement stabilizing within the response window, resetting the upper value of the drilling parameter window to the sectional limit for the drilling parameter.   
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 7 , further comprising instructions for generating one or more transition values for the drilling parameter window to gradually transition the drilling parameter window back to the sectional limit for the drilling parameter. 
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , further comprising instructions for, in response to determining that the response measurement is below the desired lower limit of the response window or trending downwards towards the desired lower limit of the response window:
 determining a plurality of new drilling parameter values for a plurality of drilling parameters that will increase the response measurement;   for one or more of the plurality of drilling parameters, comparing the plurality of new drilling parameter values with sectional limits for the plurality of drilling parameters;   for one or more of the plurality of drilling parameters, comparing the plurality of new drilling parameter values with hard limits for the plurality of drilling parameters;   in response to the plurality of drilling parameter values being above the sectional limits for the plurality of drilling parameters and below the hard limits for the plurality of drilling parameters, increasing upper values for drilling parameter windows for the plurality of drilling parameters to the new drilling parameter values.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the response measurement comprises one or more of drillstring torque, hookload, weight on bit, and differential pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein the drilling parameters are one or more of rate of penetration, surface drillstring rotation speed, block speed, and pump stroke rate. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein determining a plurality of new drilling parameter values comprises selecting values for the new drilling parameter values that minimize a difference between the new drilling parameter values and the sectional limits for the plurality of drilling parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein a control system displays for a driller on a display the drilling parameter window created using the new drilling parameter values and allows the driller to adjust the plurality of drilling parameters within the drilling parameter window. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 5 , wherein a control system in autonomous mode adjusts a drilling rig operation to execute the drilling operation within the drilling parameter window created using the new drilling parameter values. 
     
     
         15 . A system for dynamically adjusting drilling parameters during a drilling operation, the system comprising:
 a bottom hole assembly;   a rig control system;   a computer system comprising one or more processors and memory devices, the computer system comprising instructions for:
 receiving, in real time, a drilling parameter measurement during a drilling operation; 
 receiving, in real time, a response measurement during the drilling operation; 
 determining whether the response measurement is within a response window that defines a desired lower limit and a desired upper limit for the response measurement; 
 in response to determining that the response measurement is below the desired lower limit of the response window or trending downwards towards the desired lower limit of the response window:
 determining a new drilling parameter value that will increase the response measurement; 
 comparing the new drilling parameter value with a sectional limit for the drilling parameter; 
 comparing the new drilling parameter value with a hard limit for the drilling parameter value; and 
 in response to the drilling parameter value being above the sectional limit and below the hard limit, increasing the upper value a drilling parameter window for the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computer system is a component of the rig control system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computer system is separate from and communicatively connected to the rig control system through an interface. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions for automatically increasing the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value that will increase the response measurement. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions for:
 monitoring the response measurement after increasing the drilling parameter to the new drilling parameter value;   determining whether the response measurement is stabilizing within the response window; and   in response to the response measurement stabilizing within the response window, resetting the upper value of the drilling parameter window to the sectional limit for the drilling parameter.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions for generating one or more transition values for the drilling parameter window to gradually transition the drilling parameter window back to the sectional limit for the drilling parameter.