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 is described for calculating and outputting micro invisible lost time (MILT). The system may include a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform various operations. Time-stamp data that includes values of drilling parameters may be received about a drilling operation, and the values of drilling parameters may be classified into a rig state that includes rig activities. For each rig activity, an actual completion time may be determined and compared to an expected completion time for determining a deviation. At least one deviated activity, in which the deviation is greater than a threshold, may be determined. Deviations may be combined into MILT that can be output for controlling the drilling operation.

A system is described for calculating and outputting micro invisible lost time (MILT). The system may include a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform various operations. Time-stamp data that includes values of drilling parameters may be received about a drilling operation, and the values of drilling parameters may be classified into a rig state that includes rig activities. For each rig activity, an actual completion time may be determined and compared to an expected completion time for determining a deviation. At least one deviated activity, in which the deviation is greater than a threshold, may be determined. Deviations may be combined into MILT that can be output for controlling the drilling operation.

High frequency oscillation (HFO) comes in at least two types. Type 1 HFO is lower frequency and often associated with a motor. Type 2 HFO is higher frequency and often independent of a motor. To mitigate torsional strain due to Type 2 HFO, an HFO mitigation mechanism can be placed based on an oscillation node location to move the oscillation node to a new position which may be uphole of a tool or the BHA, or to a less vulnerable location. Mitigation can also include placing an energy damping component based on the oscillation node. This may be at a high displacement location distanced from the oscillation node, or may include placement at the oscillation node with an additional HFO mitigation mechanism to move the oscillation node away from the installation location. Oscillations may be damped by using any combination of flow restrictions, fluid bypasses, or axially compliant elements.

High frequency oscillation (HFO) comes in at least two types. Type 1 HFO is lower frequency and often associated with a motor. Type 2 HFO is higher frequency and often independent of a motor. To mitigate torsional strain due to Type 2 HFO, an HFO mitigation mechanism can be placed based on an oscillation node location to move the oscillation node to a new position which may be uphole of a tool or the BHA, or to a less vulnerable location. Mitigation can also include placing an energy damping component based on the oscillation node. This may be at a high displacement location distanced from the oscillation node, or may include placement at the oscillation node with an additional HFO mitigation mechanism to move the oscillation node away from the installation location. Oscillations may be damped by using any combination of flow restrictions, fluid bypasses, or axially compliant elements.

Embodiments provide various systems and methods for using operating parameters of a drilling system for improving a drilling performance of the drilling system, including monitoring, determining, predicting, and/or controlling tool face orientation, tool face wagging, returning the spindle to a neutral position, and spindle reaction time. These systems and methods may be used together in combination with one or more of the others, or all together in one combination, or may be used separately, and may be combined with one or more other systems of a drilling rig, such as a bit guidance system, an autoslide system, and/or one or more autodrill systems.

Embodiments provide various systems and methods for using operating parameters of a drilling system for improving a drilling performance of the drilling system, including monitoring, determining, predicting, and/or controlling tool face orientation, tool face wagging, returning the spindle to a neutral position, and spindle reaction time. These systems and methods may be used together in combination with one or more of the others, or all together in one combination, or may be used separately, and may be combined with one or more other systems of a drilling rig, such as a bit guidance system, an autoslide system, and/or one or more autodrill systems.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable medium to perform operations including: capturing, using an image sensor directed at a drilling system, an image feed of movement of a component of the drilling system with respect to a vertical reference line; converting the image feed into a digital representation of the movement of the component, the digital representation including a number of offset pixels from the component to the vertical reference line in the image feed; converting the digital representation into a machine learning (ML), the ML representation including a plurality of vectors each including the number of offset pixels from the component to the vertical reference line at a respective time; training a ML model using the ML representation to characterize the movement of the component as normal or abnormal; and using the trained ML model to characterize the movement of the component in real-time as normal or abnormal.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable medium to perform operations including: capturing, using an image sensor directed at a drilling system, an image feed of movement of a component of the drilling system with respect to a vertical reference line; converting the image feed into a digital representation of the movement of the component, the digital representation including a number of offset pixels from the component to the vertical reference line in the image feed; converting the digital representation into a machine learning (ML), the ML representation including a plurality of vectors each including the number of offset pixels from the component to the vertical reference line at a respective time; training a ML model using the ML representation to characterize the movement of the component as normal or abnormal; and using the trained ML model to characterize the movement of the component in real-time as normal or abnormal.