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 for determining azimuth of a wellbore while drilling. A method of drilling a wellbore that includes rotating a drill bit to extend the wellbore into a subterranean formation. The method may further include measuring magnetic toolface with a first magnetometer while rotating the drill bit. The method may further include obtaining a cross-axial magnetic field measurement. The method may further include determining azimuth at a point in the wellbore using at least the magnetic toolface and the cross-axial magnetic field measurement. The method may further include using the azimuth as feedback in the drilling the wellbore.

A valve apparatus having a valve body configured with a flow passage. There is a main piston movably disposed within the flow passage, and configured to move to and from a first piston position to a second piston position. The valve apparatus also has a movable member movably disposed within the valve body, the movable member comprising: a no-go position for stopping movement of the main piston, and a go position to facilitate movement of the main piston.

An autotuner control system may be implemented to monitor and control operation of a drilling system and one or more drilling parameters during drilling operations. The control system may be a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller or a proportional integral (PI) controller, which can run iteratively during drilling operations to adjust drilling parameters and/or the controller. The PI or PID controller may apply adaptive filters to update and adjust one or more controller parameters (PID or PI), to autotune such parameters and may incorporate a stability constraint filter to constrain said adaptive filter, such as to reduce the impact of dead time and process time delays and adjust drilling parameters to match the drilling goals.

An autotuner control system may be implemented to monitor and control operation of a drilling system and one or more drilling parameters during drilling operations. The control system may be a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller or a proportional integral (PI) controller, which can run iteratively during drilling operations to adjust drilling parameters and/or the controller. The PI or PID controller may apply adaptive filters to update and adjust one or more controller parameters (PID or PI), to autotune such parameters and may incorporate a stability constraint filter to constrain said adaptive filter, such as to reduce the impact of dead time and process time delays and adjust drilling parameters to match the drilling goals.

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.

A method for controlling a drilling trajectory of a wellbore includes computing a position and attitude of a drill bit within a wellbore. The method further includes computing a wellbore trajectory error between (i) the position of the drill bit and a well plan position and (ii) the attitude of the drill bit and a well plan attitude. Further, the method includes determining an inclination set-point change command and an azimuth set-point change command using the wellbore trajectory error. Additionally, the method includes steering the drill bit using the inclination set-point change command and the azimuth set-point change command.

A method for controlling a drilling trajectory of a wellbore includes computing a position and attitude of a drill bit within a wellbore. The method further includes computing a wellbore trajectory error between (i) the position of the drill bit and a well plan position and (ii) the attitude of the drill bit and a well plan attitude. Further, the method includes determining an inclination set-point change command and an azimuth set-point change command using the wellbore trajectory error. Additionally, the method includes steering the drill bit using the inclination set-point change command and the azimuth set-point change command.

Locating while drilling systems and methods are disclosed. Some method embodiments include drilling a borehole with a bottom-hole assembly (BHA attached to a drill bit, pausing the drilling to determine a survey position of the bit, obtaining measurements with BHA sensors while drilling, processing the BHA sensor measurements with a model while drilling to track a current position of the bit relative to the survey position, the model accounting for deformation of the BHA, and steering the BHA based on the current position of the bit.