A whipstock assembly including a main body defining an axial direction extending through the main body, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction transverse to the axial direction, and a ramp body pivotally coupled to the main body, the ramp body defining a ramp surface that is oriented transverse to the radial direction, and where the ramp body is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, where the ramp surface is further from the main body in the axial direction in the extended position as compared to the retracted position and the ramp body is rotatable with respect to the main body about the circumferential direction.

A directional core drilling includes an outer barrel assembly with at least one steering pad for orientating a drill bit within a hole and a drive barrel rotationally supported within the outer barrel assembly. An inner drive assembly is receivable within the outer barrel assembly and includes a torque latch assembly and an anti-rotation bearing assembly. The torque latch assembly includes latch arms configured to releasably couple a rotational drive input to the drive barrel. A core barrel is coupled to the anti-rotation bearing assembly and is rotationally fixed relative to the drive barrel.

A method that includes an electronic application identifying a downlink sequence for execution by a surface control system of a drilling rig, with the sequence including target output values of a mud pump system and/or a drive system. The method includes instructing the control system to operate in accordance with the sequence. The application receives measured output values of the mud pump system and/or the drive system and calculates differences between the target and measured output values. When the differences are within a level of tolerance, then the application identifies the control system as compliant; and when the differences are greater than the level of tolerance, then the application identifies the control system as non-compliant. The method also includes the application receiving data from a BHA of the drilling rig and determining, based on the data received, if a downlink to the BHA was successful.

An assembly and a method for entering a lateral branch of a main wellbore through a lateral window with an assembly are described. The assembly includes an arm coupled to a body. The arm positions the body to enter the lateral branch. The assembly includes an actuator to actuate the arm relative to the body. The assembly includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor senses a condition of the arm and transmit the condition of the arm to the controller. The second sensor senses when the assembly is located in the main wellbore or the lateral branch transmits the location to the controller. Responsive to either the first signal or the second signal, the controller actuates the arm relative to the body to position the body to enter the lateral window and determines when the assembly has entered the lateral branch.

An assembly and a method for entering a lateral branch of a main wellbore through a lateral window with an assembly are described. The assembly includes an arm coupled to a body. The arm positions the body to enter the lateral branch. The assembly includes an actuator to actuate the arm relative to the body. The assembly includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor senses a condition of the arm and transmit the condition of the arm to the controller. The second sensor senses when the assembly is located in the main wellbore or the lateral branch transmits the location to the controller. Responsive to either the first signal or the second signal, the controller actuates the arm relative to the body to position the body to enter the lateral window and determines when the assembly has entered the lateral branch.

A pressure pulse generator and an RSS may change the pressure of a fluid flow through a BHA. If the dogleg at the BHA is less than a target dogleg, then the pressure pulse generator goes into pass-through mode to increase the pressure at the RSS and thereby increase a pad force of the RSS steering pads, increasing the severity of the dogleg. If a downhole tool is stuck, then the pressure pulse generator and the RSS are simultaneously actuated to unstick the downhole tool. The RSS is used to generate and transmit pressure pulses to a downhole tool.

A pressure pulse generator and an RSS may change the pressure of a fluid flow through a BHA. If the dogleg at the BHA is less than a target dogleg, then the pressure pulse generator goes into pass-through mode to increase the pressure at the RSS and thereby increase a pad force of the RSS steering pads, increasing the severity of the dogleg. If a downhole tool is stuck, then the pressure pulse generator and the RSS are simultaneously actuated to unstick the downhole tool. The RSS is used to generate and transmit pressure pulses to a downhole tool.

Systems, devices, and methods for producing a three-dimensional visualization of one or more of a drilled wellbore, a bottom hole assembly, a drill bit, a drill plan, and one or more lithology windows is provided for drill steering purposes. A drilling motor with a toolface in communication with a sensor system is provided. A controller in communication with the sensor system is operable to generate a depiction of the drill plan, a depiction of the drilling motor, and one or more lithology windows, and to combine these depictions in a three-dimensional visualization of the down hole environment. This visualization may be used by an operator to steer the drilled wellbore.

Systems, devices, and methods for producing a three-dimensional visualization of one or more of a drilled wellbore, a bottom hole assembly, a drill bit, a drill plan, and one or more lithology windows is provided for drill steering purposes. A drilling motor with a toolface in communication with a sensor system is provided. A controller in communication with the sensor system is operable to generate a depiction of the drill plan, a depiction of the drilling motor, and one or more lithology windows, and to combine these depictions in a three-dimensional visualization of the down hole environment. This visualization may be used by an operator to steer the drilled wellbore.

A method for drilling a subterranean wellbore includes rotating a bottom hole assembly (BHA) in the wellbore to drill. The BHA includes a rotary steerable tool or a steerable drill bit having at least one external pad that extends radially outward into contact with a wall of the wellbore and thereby steers while drilling. A toolface demand is received and processed to compute open and close toolface angles for opening and closing a valve that actuates the steering pad. The rotation rate of the BHA is measured and processed to compute times for opening and closing the valve. The valve is opened and closed at the computed times and toolface angles at which the valve opens and closes are measured. The open and close toolface angles are compared with the measured toolface values to obtain a toolface error which is then processed to compute new open and close toolface angles.