Patent ID: 8672055

Claim:
A method of drilling to a target location which comprises: receiving an input comprising a planned drilling path to a target location; determining a projected location of a bottom hole assembly of a drilling system; wherein determining a projected location of a bottom hole assembly includes using a real-time survey projection as a directional trend, the real-time survey projection being based on real-time data obtained during drilling; comparing the projected location of the bottom hole assembly to the planned drilling path to determine a deviation amount; creating a modified drilling path to the target location as selected based on the amount of deviation from the planned drilling path, wherein creating a modified drilling path to the target location comprises creating a modified drilling path that intersects the planned drilling path if the amount of deviation from the planned path exceeds a first threshold amount of deviation, including determining a curve profile having the smallest rate of curvature that avoids drilling overshoot by: a) calculating the curve profile to a first location in the planned drilling path, b) calculating the curve profile to a second incremental location before the first location in the planned drilling path, c) making the second location the first location and repeating step (b) until the calculation fails, and d) producing the modified drilling path with the curve profile corresponding to the curve profile calculated before the calculation failed; and automatically and electronically generating one or more drilling rig control signals at the surface of a well that steer the bottom hole assembly of the drilling system to the target location along the modified drilling path.