Patent ID: 8061440

Claim:
A computer usable medium comprising computer usable program code for determining an oilfield parameter for a drilling operation in an oilfield, the oilfield having a well site with a drilling tool advanced into a subterranean formation with geological structures and reservoirs therein, the computer usable program code when executed causing a processor to: identify a first set of decision factors about the drilling operation and a second set of decision factors about the drilling operation, wherein each of the first set of decision factors is contained within a first set of nodes, and wherein each of the second set of decision factors is contained within a second set of nodes, wherein both the first set of nodes and the second set of nodes contain a set of common nodes; associate the first set of nodes to create a first belief network and associate the second set of nodes to create a second belief network; associate the set of common nodes of the first belief network with the set of common nodes of the second belief network to form a multinet belief network; and generate at least one oilfield parameter from the multinet belief network, wherein the at least one oilfield parameter is at least one of a group consisting of a potential problem in an oil well, measured and controlled values, downhole tool settings, signal event detection, and validity of entered or measured oilfield parameters, wherein the potential problem in the oil well is at least one selected from a group consisting of hole cleaning, sticking, borehole analysis design, trajectory design, whirl, vibration, shock, stability, tendency, bit design, bit selection, offset correlation, kick detection, swab/surge, motor efficiency, drilling automation, positional uncertainty, and a survey program detection, wherein the measured and controlled values is at least one selected from a group consisting of a weight on a bit, a hookload, a surface weight on the bit, a pump flow rate, and a mud rheology, wherein the downhole tool setting is at least one selected from a group consisting of a preferred tool face, a rotary steerable system idle mode, and a logging while drilling control parameter, and wherein the signal event detection is at least one selected from a group consisting of telemetry, logging while drilling, formation determination, signal filtering, and change point determination.