Provided is an underground development drill return system comprising a front limit sensor and front sensor actuator, each configured for operative mounting at opposite ends of a forward drill feeder length of a drilling arm of the drill. System also includes a rear limit sensor and rear sensor actuator, each configured for operative mounting at opposite ends of a return drill feeder length of the drilling arm. Each limit sensor comprises a proximity sensor with a wireless transmitter for transmitting a limit signal upon activation of the sensor, and each sensor actuator comprises an actuator for actuating the respective sensor when brought into proximity thereof.

The systems and techniques described herein may allow for optimized boring through a variety of geologies. A plurality of different boring techniques may be utilized for boring through a geological formation, in order to suit the characteristics of various portions of the geological formation. The systems and techniques described herein includes determining geological features and adjusting operation of boring based on the geological features. In certain such embodiments, boring systems may include a bore head that includes a plurality of boring elements. Such boring elements may be contact and/or non-contact boring elements.

A method and system of adjusting near-bit weight on a drill bit in a drill string having a bottom hole assembly located at an end of a drill pipe, an anti-stall device near the bottom hole assembly, surface sensing and control equipment and a downhole-to-surface communication system, the anti-stall device measuring downhole performance criteria and evaluation of the measured downhole performance criteria, comprising the steps of measuring at least one downhole performance criteria by the anti-stall device; evaluating the measured downhole performance criteria in substantially real time by the anti-stall device; adjusting weight on the drill bit by the anti-stall device based on the evaluation by the anti-stall device; and communicating the adjustment to weight on the drill bit to the surface sensing and control equipment by the downhole-to-surface communication system for further adjustment of weight on the drill bit.

A system for downhole communication includes a roll stabilized platform and a mud pulse generator in communication with the roll stabilized platform. The mud pulse generator generates pressure pulses in a pattern that includes encoded data. A receiver receives the pressure pulses and the encoded data is decoded. The receiver is located at any location capable of receiving pressure pulses.

A system for downhole communication includes a roll stabilized platform and a mud pulse generator in communication with the roll stabilized platform. The mud pulse generator generates pressure pulses in a pattern that includes encoded data. A receiver receives the pressure pulses and the encoded data is decoded. The receiver is located at any location capable of receiving pressure pulses.

A system and method of directionally steering a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”) by receiving data indicative of a directional trend of the BHA and a projection to bit depth; determining a location of the BHA based on the received data; comparing the location of the BHA to a planned drilling path to identify an amount of deviation; automatically creating a modified drilling path based on the amount of deviation and a predicted trend of a downhole parameter; detecting a trend of the downhole parameter while drilling along the modified drilling path; and automatically creating a further modified drilling path when the trend of the downhole parameter is a reversal of the predicted trend of the downhole parameter. The predicted trend of the downhole parameter is an increase of a d-exponent factor or a d-exponent-corrected factor with an increase in depth.

A system and method of directionally steering a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”) by receiving data indicative of a directional trend of the BHA and a projection to bit depth; determining a location of the BHA based on the received data; comparing the location of the BHA to a planned drilling path to identify an amount of deviation; automatically creating a modified drilling path based on the amount of deviation and a predicted trend of a downhole parameter; detecting a trend of the downhole parameter while drilling along the modified drilling path; and automatically creating a further modified drilling path when the trend of the downhole parameter is a reversal of the predicted trend of the downhole parameter. The predicted trend of the downhole parameter is an increase of a d-exponent factor or a d-exponent-corrected factor with an increase in depth.

A system for adapting drilling of a borehole in a subterranean formation based on comparing a received cuttings weight to an expected cuttings weight. The system comprises a processor; a non-transitory memory; at least one display; and an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor, determines the received cuttings weight based on data received from a cuttings storage unit (CSU); determines the expected cuttings weight based on a current borehole depth, on a drill bit geometry, and on a cuttings density value; and presents a representation of the received cuttings weight and a representation of the expected cuttings weight on the at least one display, whereby at least one parameter of drilling of the borehole is adapted based on comparing the representation of the received cuttings to the representation of the expected cuttings weight.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable medium to perform operations including: receiving real-time drilling data of a drilling operation of drilling a wellbore; using the drilling data to calculate at least one indicator of a borehole cleaning efficiency of the drilling operation; detecting, based on the least one indicator of the borehole cleaning efficiency, a drilling problem with the drilling operation; determining a corrective action to avoid or mitigate the drilling problem; and performing the corrective action to avoid or mitigate the drilling problem.

A downhole closed loop method for controlling a curvature of a subterranean wellbore while drilling includes controlling a direction of drilling such that the drilling attitude is substantially equal to a setpoint attitude. A setpoint rate of penetration is processed in combination with a setpoint dogleg severity to compute a setpoint attitude increment. The setpoint attitude may be adjusted by the setpoint attitude increment. The setpoint attitude may be incremented at some interval to control the curvature of the wellbore while drilling.