Apparatus for automated slide drilling

1. A drilling system, comprising:

a computer system coupled to at least one control system of a drilling rig, wherein the computer system further comprises a processor, a memory, and instructions stored in the memory that are capable of execution by the processor, wherein the computer system comprises or is adapted to receive a well plan, wherein the well plan comprises information relating to a well comprising a plurality of zones, wherein each of the plurality of zones corresponds to a different segment of a well borehole according to a well plan along a path that is to be drilled, and wherein the computer system is adapted to receive data during drilling of the well and the instructions are adapted to perform the following operations:

(i) determine that a bottom hole assembly (BHA) is approaching a first zone of the plurality of zones during drilling, wherein the first zone is a zone in which a slide drilling operation is to occur;

(ii) receive first zone characteristics associated with the first zone;

(iii) begin the slide drilling operation of the first zone with one or more drilling parameters associated with the first zone characteristics;

(iv) determine that the BHA is approaching a second zone of the plurality of zones during drilling, wherein the second zone is a zone in which a rotary drilling operation is to occur;

(v) receive second zone characteristics associated with the second zone; and

(vi) begin the rotary drilling operation of the second zone with one or more drilling parameters associated with the second zone characteristics.

2. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer system is adapted to perform any one or more of the operations (i)-(iv) after first obtaining a user input to proceed.

3. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer system is adapted to perform any one or more of the operations (i)-(iv) after first providing a display of the slide drilling operation or operations to be performed.

4. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the data comprises at least one of: input from a surface sensor, and input from a downhole sensor.

5. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more drilling parameters are associated with at least one of: an equipment parameter, a drilling parameter, and a formation parameter.

6. The drilling system according to claim 5 , wherein the equipment parameter comprises information relating to at least one of: a type of drill bit, and a type of bottom hole assembly.

7. The drilling system according to claim 5 , wherein the drilling parameter comprises at least one of: weight on the drill bit, rate of penetration, motor torque, motor speed, and pressure differential.

8. The drilling system according to claim 5 , wherein the formation parameter comprises at least one of: a formation hardness, a formation structure, inclination, a current zone of the plurality of zones, a measured depth, a vertical section, and a formation identity.

9. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions to perform step (i) further comprise instructions for:

determining a torque value for a drill string for the slide drilling operation; and

outputting a first control signal to the control system to establish the torque value.

10. The drilling system according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions to perform step (iii) further comprise instructions for:

determining a target tool face for the slide drilling operation; and

outputting a control signal to the control system to establish the target tool face.

11. A drilling system for drilling a well borehole, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor and storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions comprise instructions for:

receiving well plan information and information from a measurement-while-drilling (MWD) system, at least one sensor, and a rig control system during drilling of a well borehole by a drilling rig, wherein the well plan information comprises information associated with a plurality of zones of the well borehole and a plurality of drilling parameters associated with each of the plurality of zones, wherein each of the plurality of zones corresponds to a different segment of the well borehole according to a well plan along a path that is to be drilled;

determining that a bottom hole assembly (BHA) is approaching a first zone of the plurality of zones of the well borehole, wherein the first zone is a zone in which a slide drilling operation is to occur;

receiving first zone characteristics associated with the first zone;

determining, responsive to the well plan information and the first zone characteristics received, whether the slide drilling operation is to be performed and, when the slide drilling operation is to be performed, a length and a direction of the slide drilling operation and, responsive to the first zone characteristics, at least one drilling parameter for the slide drilling operation;

sending a first control signal to the rig control system to begin the slide drilling operation when the BHA is in the first zone and drill in accordance with the at least one drilling parameter associated with the first zone characteristics; and

determining that the BHA is approaching a second zone of the plurality of zones during drilling, where the second zone begins at a location along the well borehole that the first zone ends and the second zone is a zone in which a rotary drilling operation is to occur; and

sending a second control signal to the rig control system to stop the slide when the BHA transitions from the first zone to the second zone.

12. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for establishing a desired torque in a drill string.

13. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for engaging a bottom of the well borehole with a drill bit.

14. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for beginning the rotary drilling operation of the second zone with one or more drilling parameters associated with second zone characteristics of the second zone after the slide drilling operation is complete.

15. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for returning control of drilling to another drilling control system or to an operator after the slide drilling operation is complete.

16. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for displaying a status of the slide drilling operation during the slide drilling operation.

17. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for:

receiving updated information from the MWD system, the at least one sensor, and the rig control system during the slide drilling operation; and

determining whether at least one drilling parameter should be adjusted during the slide drilling operation, and, when the at least one drilling parameter is to be adjusted, sending a third control signal to adjust the at least one drilling parameters.

18. The drilling system according to claim 11 , further comprising instructions for:

receiving updated information from the MWD system, the at least one sensor, and the rig control system during the slide drilling operation; and

responsive to at least some of the updated information, displaying an updated status of the slide drilling operation during the slide drilling operation.

19. The drilling system according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of: a downhole sensor and a surface sensor.

20. The drilling system according to claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for providing a graphical user interface further comprising at least one of:

a plot of current toolface versus a target toolface; and

a plot of toolface limits.

21. The drilling system according to claim 20 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for comparing a current toolface reading with a previous toolface reading and, based on a difference between the current toolface reading and the previous toolface reading, and a confidence level associated with the current toolface reading, determining whether to take an action to correct the current toolface.

22. The drilling system according to claim 11 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

determining if oscillation of a drill string is indicated during the slide drilling operation and, when the oscillation is indicated, identifying a magnitude and a frequency of the oscillation, and sending a fourth control signal to the rig control system to implement the magnitude and the frequency of the oscillation; and

sending a fifth control signal to a drilling rig control system to rotate a drill bit.