The first steps involve a lot of brainstorming and probably a lot of research. (Feel free to look at previous entries for some guidance. Prior year’s submissions are in the archives.
The solution to this year’s problem begins with student creativity. What will the drilling rig look like? Will it be electrically powered or driven by something else? What type of sensors are needed and how accurate must they be? How will the data be collected, processed and displayed? This year a downhole sensor is required. Where will it fit? What type of telemetry will be needed? How can all this be modeled for a virtual rig and a virtual well?
For a virtual rig, how do you model the rig itself, the downhole interactions, and typical drilling dysfunctions? How will you step through all of the tasks needed to drill a directional well? How can you map out the process to demonstrate your understanding? What display should you use to show how your model is progressing?
