Vibrations occurring during downhole drilling operations can be predicted and reduced according to some examples. One particular example includes a system that can receive drilling parameter values associated with a drilling operation involving drilling a wellbore through a subterranean formation using a drill string. The system can receive a depth value associated with the drilling parameter values. The system can provide the drilling parameter values as input to a drill string model to receive a critical speed prediction as output from the drill string model. The system can then generate a speed-depth mapping based on the critical speed prediction and the depth value. The speed-depth mapping can be used to avoid the critical speed at the depth in the wellbore, which may prevent a failure of the drill string resulting from associated vibrations.

The disclosure provides a drill bit having integrated sensors, a penetration monitoring system for a subterranean drill bit, and a method of drilling a borehole in a subterranean formation. In one example, the drill bit includes multiple blades configured to penetrate a subterranean formation, and at least one sensor, is integrated with the drill bit, that is configured to collect penetration data in real time during operation of the drill bit. An example of the method includes operating a drill bit in a borehole, receiving penetration data from the operating drill bit, wherein the penetration data is from at least one sensor integrated with the drill bit, and modifying drilling parameters of the drill bit based on the penetration data. The method can be for an open hole sidetrack.

Systems and methods of controlling drilling operations including Sliding With Indexing For Toolface (SWIFT) and Variable Weight Drilling (VWD) techniques. The methods and systems may include systems and devices for controlling the drilling operations, including systems and devices capable of automatically determining drilling parameters and setting operating parameters for drilling in a wellbore. The systems and methods may also determine a change in weight on bit and/or toolface, determine a timeframe for a weight on bit to be delivered to the bit, and/or determine a spindle change to modify the toolface. The systems and methods may also send control signals to apply the spindle change and/or block velocity change to correct any detected or anticipated toolface error.

Systems and methods of controlling drilling operations including Sliding With Indexing For Toolface (SWIFT) and Variable Weight Drilling (VWD) techniques. The methods and systems may include systems and devices for controlling the drilling operations, including systems and devices capable of automatically determining drilling parameters and setting operating parameters for drilling in a wellbore. The systems and methods may also determine a change in weight on bit and/or toolface, determine a timeframe for a weight on bit to be delivered to the bit, and/or determine a spindle change to modify the toolface. The systems and methods may also send control signals to apply the spindle change and/or block velocity change to correct any detected or anticipated toolface error.

A system or method for drilling includes autonomously controlling a rotary or percussive drilling process as it transitions through multiple materials with very different dynamics. The method determines a drilling medium based on real-time measurements and comparison to prior drilling data, and identifies the material type, drilling region, and approximately optimal setpoint based on data from at least one operating condition. The controller uses these setpoints initially to execute an optimal search to maximize performance by minimizing mechanical specific energy. Near-bit depth-of-cut estimations are performed using a machine learning prediction deployed in an embedded processor to provide high-speed ROP estimates. The sensing capability is coupled with a near-bit clutching mechanism to support drilling dysfunction mitigation.

A system or method for drilling includes autonomously controlling a rotary or percussive drilling process as it transitions through multiple materials with very different dynamics. The method determines a drilling medium based on real-time measurements and comparison to prior drilling data, and identifies the material type, drilling region, and approximately optimal setpoint based on data from at least one operating condition. The controller uses these setpoints initially to execute an optimal search to maximize performance by minimizing mechanical specific energy. Near-bit depth-of-cut estimations are performed using a machine learning prediction deployed in an embedded processor to provide high-speed ROP estimates. The sensing capability is coupled with a near-bit clutching mechanism to support drilling dysfunction mitigation.

Apparatus and methods for optimizing a stick-slip algorithm for controlling a driver of a drill string. A method may include commencing operation of a control system for controlling the driver. The control system may have a processor and a memory storing a computer program code, which may include the stick-slip algorithm. The operating control system may receive a plurality of different numerical parameters, and for each of the different numerical parameters, incorporate the numerical parameter into the stick-slip algorithm and execute the stick-slip algorithm to determine a control command that causes the driver to rotate the drill string to perform drilling operations while reducing amplitude of rotational waves travelling along the drill string.

Apparatus and methods for optimizing a stick-slip algorithm for controlling a driver of a drill string. A method may include commencing operation of a control system for controlling the driver. The control system may have a processor and a memory storing a computer program code, which may include the stick-slip algorithm. The operating control system may receive a plurality of different numerical parameters, and for each of the different numerical parameters, incorporate the numerical parameter into the stick-slip algorithm and execute the stick-slip algorithm to determine a control command that causes the driver to rotate the drill string to perform drilling operations while reducing amplitude of rotational waves travelling along the drill string.

A method for determining efficiency of a drilling process comprising the steps of: transferring energy via a tool member to the material in which drilling is to be performed by means of a drilling configuration; detecting waves which are propagating in said tool member of said drilling configuration during drilling as a result of energy provision; detecting said waves by means of at least two sensor means arranged on mutually opposite sides of said tool member adjacent to, on a certain distance from, said tool member, which sensor means are based on inductive and/or capacitive detection of said waves in said tool member; and based on results of said detection, determining said efficiency of said drilling process.

A method for determining efficiency of a drilling process comprising the steps of: transferring energy via a tool member to the material in which drilling is to be performed by means of a drilling configuration; detecting waves which are propagating in said tool member of said drilling configuration during drilling as a result of energy provision; detecting said waves by means of at least two sensor means arranged on mutually opposite sides of said tool member adjacent to, on a certain distance from, said tool member, which sensor means are based on inductive and/or capacitive detection of said waves in said tool member; and based on results of said detection, determining said efficiency of said drilling process.