Primary funding is provided by

The SPE Foundation through member donations

and a contribution from Offshore Europe

The Society is grateful to those companies that allow their

professionals to serve as lecturers

Additional support provided by AIME

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl
 Automation of the Drilling System: What has
been done, what is being done, and why it is
important

John D. Macpherson

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl
2
 Presentation Outline

• Definitions and background

• The drivers for automation
• Technical and Business Challenges
• SPE Drilling Systems Automation TS
• A brief look into automation systems
• Conclusions
• Q&A
3
Drilling Systems Automation (DSA)

• Involves the control of the drilling process by

automatic means, ultimately reducing human
intervention to a minimum.

• Employs control systems and information

technologies

• Includes all components downhole, on surface and

remote to the drilling rig that are used in real-time to
drill the wellbore.
4
 What is Drilling Systems
Automation?
The process of creating a borehole with systems
and sub-systems that are computer controlled,
leading to reduced human intervention

Enterprise
Remote
Rigsite

BHA
5
 Levels of Computerization
Ref: Endsley and Kaber, 1999,
Ergonomics, Vol. 42
Functions

Levels Monitor Advise Select/Decide Implement

1 Manual Control H H H H
2 Action Support H C H H H C
3 Batch Processing H C H H C
4 Shared Control H C H C H H C
5 Decision Support H C H C H C
6 Blended Decisions H C H C H C C
7 Rigid System H C C H C
8 Auto Decisions H C H C C C
9 Supervisory Ctrl H C C C C
10 Full Automation C C C C

H – Human C - Computer 6
Control Systems on Offshore Rigs
Active
ActiveHeave
Heave
Drawworks
Drawworks

Hydraulic
Hydraulic Dynamic
Dynamic
Systems
Systems Positioning
Positioning

Power
Power
Thruster
Thruster Management
Management
Control
Control

BOP
BOPControl
Control
Drillship: Pacific Drilling, Pacific Santa Ana 7
 Drilling Systems Automation
The current level of automation in Drilling

Autono
Monitor Advise Control
mous
L2 L3-L4 L5-L7
L8-L10

Wellsite Monitoring Systems

Surface Auto-Driller
● ●

●
Remote Data Centers
●
Drilling Dynamics Diagnostic Systems ●
Stick-Slip Surface Control
●
MWD Rotary Steerable Systems
●
Smart Alarms
●
Directional Drilling Advisors ●
MPD Control Systems
●
LWD Formation Samplers

Digital 10101011100100110001
MWD
Networks Network

8
Source: Macpherson etal, 2013, SPE 166263
Drilling Systems Automation

• The drilling industry has equipment that is

highly automated (level 8+)
• Automation of drilling systems and processes
is quite rudimentary (level 3)

• Why?
• What are the business drivers?

9
 DSA Drivers
●
Difficult profiles, bottomhole pressure margins
Well Complexity ●
Mitigate risk and control costs

Data ●
Real-time measurements, complex operations
Overload ●
Manage, interpret, act on large volumes of data

NPT ●
35 to 40% of deep-water drilling costs
Significant ●
Minimized by responding predictably to events

●
Drill many similar profile wells per field
Well Manufacturing ●
Repetitively drill to plan with minimal risk and cost
10
Source: Baker Hughes
 DSA Drivers
Don’t exceed Don’t exceed make-up
maximum weight torque of the drill
Don’t exceed the ●on the bit
Difficult profiles, bottomhole
string pressure margins
Well Complexity
maximum RPM of ●
Mitigate risk and control costs
the bit Drill efficiently
Drill faster
Stay on target
Data ●
Real-time measurements, complex operations
Clean the hole
Drill this section
Overload
Avoid lateral
●
Manage, interpret, act on large volumes of data
without tripping; i.e.
vibrations with one bit
Don’t stall the top
drive
NPT ● Time is money
35 to 40% of deep-water drilling costs
Don’t exceed the Minimized by responding predictably to events
Significant
maximum RPM of
●

the top drive

Safety first
Avoid stick-slip Condition
● Go back
Drill many similar to bottom
profile wells per field
vibrations
Well Manufacturing ● fast and safely the hole
Repetitively drill to plan with minimal risk and cost
Don’t buckle the Connect a new
Source: Mark
Don’t stall the 11 fast
pipe joint
pipe
Anderson, Shell downhole motor and safely
 DSA Drivers
●
Difficult profiles, bottomhole pressure margins
Well Complexity ●
Mitigate risk and control costs

Data ●
Real-time measurements, complex operations
Overload ●
Manage, interpret, act on large volumes of data

NPT ●
35 to 40% of deep-water drilling costs
Significant ●
Minimized by responding predictably to events

●
Drill many similar profile wells per field
Well Manufacturing ●
Repetitively drill to plan with minimal risk and cost
12
 DSA Drivers
●
Difficult profiles, bottomhole pressure margins
Well Complexity ●
Mitigate risk and control costs

Data ●
Real-time measurements, complex operations
Overload ●
Manage, interpret, act on large volumes of data

NPT ●
35 to 40% of deep-water drilling costs
Significant ●
Minimized by responding predictably to events

●
Drill many similar profile wells per field
Well Manufacturing ●
Repetitively drill to plan with minimal risk and cost

Source: SPE 178875, 2016, Livingston etal, Team Approach to Horizontal Drilling 13
Optimization in the Marcellus Delivers Record Setting Performance
 DSA Drivers
●
Difficult profiles, bottomhole pressure margins
Well Complexity ●
Mitigate risk and control costs

Data ●
Real-time measurements, complex operations
Overload ●
Manage, interpret, act on large volumes of data

NPT ●
35 to 40% of deep-water drilling costs
Significant ●
Minimized by responding predictably to events

●
Drill many similar profile wells per field
Well Manufacturing ●
Repetitively drill to plan with minimal risk and cost
14
 DSA Drivers

●
Operations starved for expertise
Expert Resources ●
Will make available scarce expert resources

●
Skilled employees exiting the industry
Knowledge Transfer ●
Transfer knowledge from skilled to new employees

●
Driver is to make the work environment a safer place
HS & E ●
Reduce the number of people in “red zones.”

15
 Technology and Business

• There are significant business drivers behind

drilling systems automation

• But to make DSA happen we have to

communicate the technology to the business

16
 Technology: DSA is Challenging
Task uncertainty

Necessity of domain expertise in technology enablers

17
Source: UT Austin RAPID Consortium
 DSA Decision Making and Control
Framework

Remote
4
• Well Design, Budget, Data Repository,
Enterprise • Data mining &WITSML
analytics
Non-deterministic

3 Operations
Protocol
• Wellsite & Remote Operations
• Monitoring, Modeling, Simulation

2 • Process Control Systems

Wellsite
Execution • Onsite Interpretation & Control
OPC UA
OPC UA
Deterministic
1 Machine
Control
• Machine Control Systems
Protocol
• Instrumentation & Measurement

0 Well
Construction
• Physical Drilling Process
• No Intelligent Sensing

Modified from ISA 95 for the Drilling Process

18
Source: de Wardt etal, 2015, SPE 173010
 DSATS Rig Control System

Operators,
Service
Companies,
Drilling
Contractors,
Equipment
Suppliers,
…

SPE Drilling Systems Automation Technical Section

19
DSATS Communications Guidelines

• OPC UA protocol for automation communications

• Interface to proprietary or other standards
• Machine independent software
• data-to-information
• control algorithms
• Standardized method for real-time drilling data
• Simplified device control architecture for drilling rigs
• Standardized units, security, rig-information-model

Next Step: Data

20
 DSA Decision Making and Control
Framework

4
• Well Design, Budget, Data Repository,
Enterprise • Data mining & analytics Data Mining
Analytics
3 Operations
• Wellsite & Remote Operations
• Monitoring, Modeling, Simulation
Subsurface
Predictions
Predictions
2 Execution
• Process Control Systems
• Onsite Interpretation & Control
Swab Surge
ROP
1 Machine
Control
• Machine Control Systems
• Instrumentation & Measurement
Machine
0 Well
Construction
• Physical Drilling Process
• No Intelligent Sensing
Control

Data flow between levels of the framework (NO SILOS) 21

Data in Systems Automation

• Without data there is no automation

• “First comes data” (Lord Kelvin)
• Who owns the data?
– Separation of Ownership and Confidentiality
– Data Silos versus Open System
– Embedded in the business model

22
 Systems 1
Architecture

Machines 2 3 Human 8
Communications
Equipment Factors

data telemetry, latency

Completeness

Data Aggregator
4 Simulation & 7
Logic Modeling
Sensors Calibration Data, Derived Proximity
Data, System Accuracy
& IMS Validity State Conversion
Control 6
Criticality
Systems
Availability

accuracy, precision

Certification & 5
Standards

Instrumentation and Measurement System (IMS) -centric view of drilling

systems automation, showing relationship with other challenges 23
 Data Flow and Value
ENTERPRISE MODELING
4 Enterprise

3 Operations IN STREAM
ANALYTICS
ACTIVE
ADVISORY
2 Execution

SENSOR VISUALIZATION
1 Machine Control DATA CONTROL

0
Well
Construction REAL-TIME PERFORMANCE

Source: DSATS Luncheon Presentation, 2015, SPE Digital Energy Conference 24

 Data Flow and Value
HUMAN COMPUTER
Level 2: Execution

Level 1: Machine
Control

Level 0:Physical
process

Source: Iversen et al., 2016 SPE-181047-MS

A BRIEF LOOK INTO SYSTEMS

1. Control Loops
2. Concept: Drilling Control System
3. Implementation: Real-Time Data Modeling
4. Implementation: Wired Pipe and DSA

26
 1 Control Loops:
Flight Trajectory Control
Pilot Pilot Servo System

Attitude Rudder Action Rudder

Needed Needed Action
Trajectory Trajectory
We Want Flight We Get
Plane Attitude Rudder
Trajectory Plane
Control Loop Control Loop
Control Loop

Plane Position and Attitude

Source: SPE-173396 • Automated Slide Drilling System and Multi-Body
Dynamics Aided Slide Drilling Simulation • Ningyu Wang
 1 Control Loops:
Well Trajectory Control
Directional Servo
Driller
Driller System
Drilling State Actuator Action Actuator
Needed Needed Action
Trajectory Trajectory
We Want Well Trajectory Motor and We Get
Drilling State
Actuator Drill String
Control Loop Control Loop
Control Loop

Well Bottom/Bit Position and Attitude

Source: SPE-173396 • Automated Slide Drilling System and Multi-Body
Dynamics Aided Slide Drilling Simulation • Ningyu Wang
2
Drilling Control System

Rd(t)
Ad(tmd- d) drilling
C(t) Drilling downhole responses
“delayed” equipment controls Process Rs(t)
action
surface downhole
response measurement
s
E(t) H surface
Rd(td)
tools
Driller
MWD
Cdcs(tm) Rs (ts) telemetry

command Drilling decimated surface

Control responses
Adcs(tm) System Rd(tT-T)
advice decimated and delayed
downhole responses

Source: Dashevskiy etal, 2003, AADE-03-NTCE-10 29

2
Drilling Control System
ROP (ft/hr)
240

180

120

60

time (min)

End of training set

Source: Dashevskiy etal, 2003, AADE-03-NTCE-10 30
 3
Modeling for DSA

Use of mechanical, hydraulic and thermal models, in

real-time, to derive “virtual sensor data”

Model data
and sensor
data deviate
indicating a
problem

Model more
accurate over
time

Source: Chmela et al, 2014, SPE 168018 31

 3
Modeling for DSA
• Example, models predict
safe “pull-window” during
tripping
• Set-points and operational
constraints for safe,
efficient operations
• Staged introduction:
monitoring, shadow
system, then control

Source: Chmela et al, 2014, SPE 168018 32

 3
Modeling for DSA
• Automated Tripping System
Manual System Automated System
CSG SHOE DEPTH CSG SHOE DEPTH

DEPTH (m)
DEPTH (m)

BITDEPTH BITDEPTH
Pore Pore
Pressure Pressure

ECD ECD

• System automatically adjusts running speed

and acceleration to avoid swab
Source: Chmela, etal. 2014, SPE 168018 33
 4
Wired pipe and DSA

Data Rate: 57kbps, low latency

Surface Equipment

Wired Tubulars

Network Repeaters
Interface to
MWD/LWD

Source: Pixton and Craig, 2014, IADC/SPE 167965 34

4
Wired pipe and DSA
• Drilling shallow gas sands, offshore
• MPD with wired pipe and downhole pressure measurements

Dynamic Annular
Drill String Pressure Control
Wired pipe Systems

Telemetry
Hydraulic
Hydraulic
Controller PLC Model
Model

Measurement
While Drilling Surface Data Logger
Surface System

MWD Source: Fredericks etal, 2008, IADC/SPE 112651 35

 4
Wired pipe and DSA

Bottom Hole Connection

Pressure from MWD BHP +/-45psi
Bottom Hole and Casing Shoe Pressure (psi)

Drilling
BHP +/-15psi

Connections

Casing Shoe pressure

Backpressure

36
Source: Fredericks etal, 2008, IADC/SPE 112651
 Summary

• Drilling Systems Automation (DSA)

– The process of creating a borehole with systems
and sub-systems,
– That are computer controlled, and which
– Lead to reduced human intervention

• Impact is across the entire organization and

drilling process: Drill Bit to Enterprise
37
 Conclusions

While drilling equipment is highly automated, the

drilling system/process is poorly automated.

Drilling systems automation is technically

challenging, requires a holistic approach, and is
rewarding with significant business drivers:

Performance, Safety and Cost

38
 Further Reading
• SPE 166263, “Drilling Systems Automation: Current
State, Initiatives and Potential Impact”, SPE ATCE,
October 2013

• SPE 173010, “Drilling Systems Automation Roadmap -

The Means to Accelerate Adoption”, SPE/IADC
Drilling Conference, London, March 2015

39
Drilling Systems Automation
Sources of Information

connect.spe.org/dsats/home/

connect.spe.org/dsaroadmap/home/

www.iadc.org/dsaroadmap

www.iadc.org/advanced-rig-technology-
committee/#access

40
Your Feedback is Important
Enter your section in the DL Evaluation Contest by
completing the evaluation form for this presentation
Visit SPE.org/dl

Society of Petroleum Engineers

Distinguished Lecturer Program
www.spe.org/dl 41