Development of a New Concept of Steerable PDC Bit for Directional Drilling

Roberts, Tom

doi:10.2118/39307-ms

Cited by 34 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The lateral stability benefits of the gauge ring design, when incorporated into fixed cutter drill bits, are well documented 10 . Use on the directional stabilizer will also have distinct advantages:…”

Section: Continuous Gauge Near-bit Stabilizermentioning

confidence: 99%

Delivering Steering Success in Problematic Soft Formation Directional Wells

Barton¹,

Card²,

Graham³

2008

Proceedings of IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

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Development and diversification of directional drilling tools continues, as do the applications in which they operate. As a result, there is continual demand for development and refinement of drill bits and string tools to meet the latest challenges and issues faced. One such challenge is the ability to reliably deliver consistent directional performance in very soft formation applications. Issues such as hole washout, inappropriate drilling parameters, stabilization, and hole quality can all contribute to poor directional drilling performance.Several commercial projects are reviewed where technical merit has justified use of Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS), but due to the very soft lithologies, these systems have been unable to deliver the required directional control. In each example, a separate engineered solution is introduced. These include;• An innovative concentric string reamer, featuring a mid-reamer section that enables effective stabilization of the reamer even if the pilot borehole is of poor quality or is over gauge • A soft formation fixed cutter drill bit design with an engineered hydraulic configuration to avoid hole washout and extended circumferential gauge geometry • A near-bit stabilizer incorporating a full ring gauge that delivers 360 degree circumferential coverage, thus providing greater contact with the wellbore and higher potential for deviation • A specific Bi-center design that utilizes a secondary component configuration on the face of the pilot to enable appropriate drilling parameters to be utilized for efficient directional control. The gauge geometry and profile is also tailored to suit soft formation drilling.Global case studies document where these solutions, in combination with both Push and Point RSS, have proven extremely successful. These have provided greater flexibility with regard to tool selection, well planning options, and delivering lower cost per foot in RS projects.

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Section: Continuous Gauge Near-bit Stabilizermentioning

confidence: 99%

Delivering Steering Success in Problematic Soft Formation Directional Wells

Barton¹,

Card²,

Graham³

2008

Proceedings of IADC/SPE Asia Pacific Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition

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“…A 7 blade, 16-mm PDC bit was selected to complete the 12 ¼-inch interval as it would provide a smoother torque response and less risk of torsional vibration events 7 . The design was also fitted with premium thermostable PDC cutters and an active gauge configuration, both to enhance durability, with the latter to assist efficient steering.…”

Section: Well #1mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme Drilling Environment Forces Evolution of Rotary Steerable Systems and Rotary Steerable Bit Technology

Cox¹,

Romo²,

Champion³

et al. 2007

Proceedings of SPE/IADC Drilling Conference

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TX 75083-3836 U.S.A., fax 1.972.952.9435. AbstractWells drilled in the Tuscaloosa Trend located near Baton Rouge have long been recognized for the extreme nature of the High-Pressure / High-Temperature (HP/HT) operating environment and potential for well control problems 1 . The current focal point, however concerns drilling the highly abrasive formations contained within the intermediate and drilling liner sections to depths of ± 20,000-ft. These sections have been a major cause of bit, directional tool and drill string failures. The directional complexity of the wells has increased exponentially in recent years due to surface location constraints and reservoir compartmentalization. New drills are therefore primarily directional in order to penetrate multiple stacked targets, fault-out depletion; which would otherwise result in drilling differentials in excess of 13,000 pounds per square inch (psi) and adhere to regulatory constraints imposed upon building surface locations in certain areas.Directional control in the intermediate hole section is challenging as it requires drilling through the abrasive and damaging Wilcox formation and still risks the wellbore drifting out of the target. However, below the intermediate section we encounter significant directional tool constraints as in situ temperatures range from 300-ºF to 400-ºF. Poor directional response, low penetration rates as well as increased motor failures due to stator deterioration have traditionally resulted in long and costly sections. The impact of conducting directional operations in the intermediate or drilling liner hole sections has resulted in an incremental spend of up to $3.0-MM on some wells and a 30-day to 45-day delay in first production.This paper focuses on the improvements which have been achieved over a 5-year period due to the implementation of Powered Rotary Steerable Systems (PRSS) coupled with Rotary Steerable Bit Technology. The step-change in performance has been evidenced by reduction in days per 10,000-ft (D/10K) drilled from 86-D/10K to 55-D/10K. The improved time to first production has been attributed to the systematic learning and the successes of several office based, well site and third party teams.

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“…5) with a 360° ring gauge (SteeringWheel). 2 The difference in gauge geometry was expected to have a significant effect on the tests. The ring gauge design has been proven, both in the laboratory and the field, to restrict lateral movement and control the cut of outer gauge cutters into the formation, leading to reduced bit whirl and smoother torque response.…”

Section: Test Bit Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupling of Downhole Dynamics Recorder Enhances System-Matched Approach to Drill-Bit Design and Application With a Specific Rotary-Steerable System

Barton¹,

Lockley²,

Stroud³

et al. 2006

SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThe combination of the large number of rotary-steerable systems (RSS) currently available and the variety of well trajectories in which they are applied requires a customized range of drill bits to optimize system performance. A clear understanding of the specific tool operation, combined with in-depth modeling and physical testing, is the ideal approach for determining the demands placed on the drill bit and thus deriving its key characteristics.This paper describes a series of tests that were performed at a purpose-built drilling facility to examine the variation in directional response with different bit features. Steerability is one of the key criteria involved in RSS bit design, but stability is of equal importance, particularly in ensuring good-quality, gauge borehole for maximum steering potential. To monitor the testing, a proprietary downhole dynamics recorder was used. The recorder consists of a small, sophisticated electronic measuring device that can be either housed in a sub or positioned in a specially modified housing within an existing drillstring component. The recorder was used to gather actual downhole data at a high frequency sample rate to determine both the lateral and torsional stability of the drill bit and RSS assembly with different wellbore trajectories and parameters.Results identified that specific gauge features are crucial to the directional response of the RSS tool. In addition, the dynamics recorder allowed quantitative assessment of stability versus steerability of the critical drill bit features tested. Lessons learned from this laboratory testing have been taken to the drilling environment with excellent field results, demonstrating that matching the bit to a specific RSS tool as part of the system delivers proven drilling success.

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Development of a New Concept of Steerable PDC Bit for Directional Drilling

Cited by 34 publications

References 13 publications

Delivering Steering Success in Problematic Soft Formation Directional Wells

Delivering Steering Success in Problematic Soft Formation Directional Wells

Extreme Drilling Environment Forces Evolution of Rotary Steerable Systems and Rotary Steerable Bit Technology

Coupling of Downhole Dynamics Recorder Enhances System-Matched Approach to Drill-Bit Design and Application With a Specific Rotary-Steerable System

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