Patent ID: 9482054
Filing Date: 2016-11-01
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus for forming a wellbore in an earthen formation, comprising: a drill string having a drill bit; a hole-enlargement device positioned along the drill string, the hole-enlargement device having at least one selectively extendable cutting element configured to form a substantially circular wellbore having a diameter larger than the wellbore formed by the drill bit; a controller programmed to activate the hole-enlargement device upon receiving a first signal and deactivate the hole-enlargement device upon receiving a second signal; a first sensor positioned on the hole-enlargement device uphole from the at least one selectively extendable cutting element and configured to measure a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is at least one of weight on the hole-enlargement device and torque on the hole-enlargement device; and a second sensor proximate the drill bit configured to measure a second parameter, wherein the second parameter relates to at least one of weight at the drill bit and torque at the drill bit, and wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal are automatically generated at least partially in response to a difference between the first parameter and the second parameter.