Field Proof of the New Sliding Technology for Directional Drilling

Abstract

Abstract This work shows how sliding to make a trajectory correction can significantly improve directional drilling with a mud motor and measurement while drilling (MWD) system using a new surface only technology called Slider. Slider deploys a small robot to interface with the trop drive control panel that automatically rocks the pipe to the right and left following a rigorous analysis of torque by a computer/software that receives the surface torque and stand pipe pressure values as feedback. Improvements from this sliding technique included the following: Increasing sliding rate of penetration (ROP) by more than three-fold in some cases. Reducing motor stalls to zero (sometimes seven stalls per slide were recorded for the conventional method on a slide distance that ranged from 5 ft to 15 ft). Reducing time to orient tool face by an order of magnitude. Tool face orientation was obtained in about 1½ to 2 minutes without coming off bottom, as compared to enormous difficulties while trying to do this manually for the larger horizontal departures. Providing a means to release the bottomhole assembly (BHA) when becoming differentially stuck without having to come off bottom and with minimal disturbance to the tool face. Removing the tedious work the directional driller had in "rocking" the pipe, which also reduces the risk of torque breakouts.