Patent ID: 9726003
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. An autodrilling system for a drilling rig with a hydraulic cylinder-driven hoist system having at least one hydraulic cylinder, the autodrilling system comprising: an autodrilling interface having an input system configured for input of drilling parameter settings including rate of penetration (ROP), weight on bit (WOB) and differential pressure (DP) of drilling fluid across a drill bit, and a display system enabling display of system output data during drilling; a controller operatively connected to the autodrilling interface; a hydraulic cylinder control system for raising and lowering a rotary drill string, the hydraulic cylinder control system operatively connected to the controller, the hydraulic cylinder and a mud pump; any one of or a combination of a blind end pressure sensor and a rod end pressure sensor operatively connected to the hydraulic control system for measuring the hydraulic pressure within the hydraulic cylinder; and a combination of sensors for calculation of differential mud pressure upstream and downstream of a mud motor; wherein the controller is configured to compare one or more of the drilling parameter settings with one or more of the current ROP, WOB and DP and to provide output instructions to the hydraulic cylinder control system to automatically control drilling by adjusting the function of the hydraulic cylinder and the mud pump to adjust one or more of the current ROP, WOB and DP to maintain the drilling parameter settings.