Coordinated Control For Mud Circulation Optimization

Abstract

Two control strategies may be implemented to optimize mud circulation in a drilling mud circulation system. In a networked control strategy, the mud circulation system does not involve any centralized controller yet all the local controllers can exchange information in real-time via a central data storage. The master-slave control strategy involves a centralized optimizer, and the subsystems are treated as slave systems and are driven by a visual master control system.

1 . A method comprising:
 circulating a drilling mud through a mud circulation system that includes a plurality of subsystems each having a controller coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of subsystems comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of a pump, a drill pipe, a choke, a mud cleaning unit, a mud treatment unit, and a mud tank;   transferring one or more operational parameters from each of the controllers of the plurality of subsystems to a central data storage;   a first controller coupled to a first subsystem of the plurality of subsystems, accessing a first operational parameter from the one or more operational parameters from the central data storage; and   the first controller optimizing a second operational parameter related to the first subsystem coupled thereto based on the first operational parameter operational parameter from the central data storage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the pump and the first operational parameter of the pump comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of pump rate and rate of change of pump rate. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the drill pipe and the first operational parameter of the drill pipe comprises one or more one selected from the group consisting of weight on bit, rate of penetration, and revolution per minute. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the choke and the first operational parameter of the choke comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of bottom hole pressure and rate of change of bottom hole pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud cleaning unit and the first operational parameter of the mud cleaning unit comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of shaker operational parameters, centrifuge operational parameters, hydrocyclone operational parameters, and separator operational parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud treatment unit and the first operational parameter of the mud treatment unit comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of mixing rate, concentration of materials added to the mud, and rate of addition of the materials to the mud. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud tank and the first operational parameter of the mud tank comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of retention time and mixing parameters. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 circulating a drilling mud through a mud circulation system that includes a plurality of subsystems each having a controller coupled thereto, wherein the plurality of subsystems comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of a pump, a drill pipe, a choke, a mud cleaning unit, a mud treatment unit, and a mud tank;   optimizing one or more operational parameters of each of the plurality of subsystems with an optimization function at a supervisory optimizer controller to produce one or more optimized operational parameters for each of the plurality of subsystems;   transferring the one or more optimized operational parameters to the controller coupled to each of the plurality of subsystems; and   operating the plurality of subsystems based on the one or more optimized operational parameters.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the drill pipe and the operational parameter of the drill pipe comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of weight on bit, rate of penetration, revolution per. minute. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the choke and the operational parameter of the choke comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of bottom hole pressure and rate of change of bottom hole pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud cleaning unit and the operational parameter of the mud cleaning unit comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of shaker operational parameters, centrifuge operational parameters, hydrocyclone operational parameters, and separator operational parameters. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud treatment unit and the operational parameter of the mud treatment unit comprises one selected from the group consisting of mixing rate, concentration of materials added to the mud, and rate of addition of the materials to the mud. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of subsystems include the mud tank and the operational parameter of the mud tank comprises one selected from the group consisting of retention time and mixing parameters. 
     
     
         14 . A mud circulation system comprising:
 a drill pipe within a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation and coupled to a first controller;   a pump configured to convey a drilling mud through the drill string and the wellbore and coupled to a second controller;   at least one subsystem coupled to a third controller that include one selected from the group consisting of a choke, a mud cleaning unit, a mud treatment unit, and a mud tank;   a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the drill string, the pump, or both and encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause the system to perform a method comprising:
 circulating a drilling mud through the mud circulation system; 
 transferring a plurality of operational parameters from each of the controllers to a central data storage; 
 at least one of the controllers accessing a first operational parameter of the plurality of operational parameters from the central data storage; and 
 the at least one of the controllers optimizing a second operational parameter based on the first operational parameter from the central data storage. 
   
     
     
         15 . The mud circulation system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is coupled to the drill pipe and the operational parameter of the drill pipe comprises one selected from the group consisting of weight on bit, rate of penetration, and revolution per minute. 
     
     
         16 . The mud circulation system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is coupled to the choke and the operational parameter of the choke comprises one selected from the group consisting of bottom hole pressure and rate of change of bottom hole pressure. 
     
     
         17 . The mud circulation system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is coupled to the mud cleaning unit and the operational parameter of the mud cleaning unit comprises one selected from the group consisting of shaker operational parameters, centrifuge operational parameters, hydrocyclone operational parameters, and separator operational parameters. 
     
     
         18 . The mud circulation system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is coupled to the mud treatment unit and the operational parameter of the mud treatment unit comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of mixing rate, concentration of materials added to the mud, and rate of addition of the materials to the mud. 
     
     
         19 . The mud circulation system of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one controller is coupled to the mud tank and the operational parameter of the mud tank comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of retention time, and mixing parameters. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)