Key technologies and prospects for digital wellbore construction in drilling

Drilling digital twin technology, as a core method for virtually mapping actual drilling processes and enabling visual monitoring and intelligent decision-making, has become one of the inevitable trends in the future development of intelligent drilling. Drilling digital twins primarily involve two aspects: surface drilling rigs and subsurface wellbores. While surface rigs have entered systematic research phases globally due to their relatively stable nature and abundant mature experience, subsurface wellbores present significant challenges. These include invisibility, tangibility issues, high uncertainty, complex operating conditions, and the involvement of multi-medium and multi-physics coupling phenomena. This paper systematically elaborates on the core theories, key technologies, and development trends of constructing and applying digital wellbore models for drilling operations. It aims to provide a reference for subsequent research and engineering practice in this field.