Directional Drilling
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Drillstring Components
Sperry-Sun 2004
Directional Drilling
Drill Collars
Sperry-Sun Drilling Services
2004
Drill Collars
Sizes (OD) :
2-7/8 12
ID range :
1 4
Weights :
19 342 lb/ft
Material (fmin):
6-7/8 110 kpsi
7 100 kpsi
Drill Collar Materials
Comparison of properties 8 OD x 2 ID drill collars :
SG lbs/ft EI = (x 1010 lb-in2)
Steel AISI 4145H
7.68
160
Tungsten Carbide 17.8
326
Uranium, depleted 18.4
367
Notes :
0.57
0.43
0.90
Tungsten carbide featured memory effect, brittle
Uranium consisted of 2% Mo + 98% U corrosive,
needed a steel jacket, dangerous material
SG = Specific Gravity
AISI 4145H as per API Specification 7
EI = Stiffness Coefficient (Youngs Modulus of Elasticity x Moment of
Inertia (l))
Selection of Drill Collars
Issues :
Weight
Stiffness
Hydraulic
resistance
Using Drill Collars
Provides WOB (weight - on bit) with a stiff tubular
When keeping neutral point of tension within DC column (use
approx. 90% of the DC weight only)
Minimum effective hole diameter (after Lubinski) :
MEHD = (D bit + D dc) / 2
Minimum required drill collar diameter (after Koch) :
min DC = 2(Dcsgcoupling) D bit
D dc
2
D bit
2
MEHD
running casing
Stiffness
Moment of Inertia (l) :
I
OD 4 ID 4
64
In4
(note: if you use radius in place of diameter = /4 in place of /64)
(Polar Moment of Inertia (J) = 2 x Moment of Inertia (l) =/32)
Valid for thick wall cylinders, when OD/ID > 1.7
Youngs Modulus of Elasticity : Strain (Deformation) = ( / E)
(function of ( = stress) / (E = Youngs modulus of Elasticity))
Valid within the elastic strain region
Values :
29 x 106 psi for
51.5 x 106
10 x 106
26 x 106
Stiffness Coefficient :
common steels (29,000 kpsi)
tungsten carbide
aluminium
Monel K500
SC = E x I
lb-in2
Triangular Drill Collar for Increased Stiffness
Note : there are rectangular drill collars, too
Spiral Groove on Drill Collar
Drill collars can be spiral grooved to reduce
differential sticking (approx. 4% weight loss)
DC Connections
Thread profile : V-038R (V-065 is obsolete)
Preferred connections : REG, NC, FH, H-90 (IF and XH are not preferred but are common in the oilfield)
Bending Strength Ratio : BSR ~ 2.5 (stiffness of box / stiffness of pin)
Make-up torque : essential
Low- torque connection features
Pipe dope
Stress Reduction on Pins
stress relief groove
Note : not recommended for connections smaller than NC-38
Stress Reduction on Box
Low torque shoulder
on the box
Bore - back
Drill Collar
Lbs / Ft
Non-Magnetic Drill Collars
NM drill collars, hang-off collars and hang-off subs - house the
survey probes in non-magnetic environment
NM extension bars keep the survey probe in the (NM) drill
collars far enough away from the steel components to avoid or
minimize interference
NM orienting subs (e.g. UBHO) to reduce interference
NM string stabilizers, flex collars are available, too
NM pressure cases and other parts for survey instruments
Non-Magnetic Materials
Regular steel for drill collars : AISI 4145H (API Spec 7)
Non-magnetic steels :
chrome-manganese alloys (P530, P530HS, P550)
chrome-nickel alloys
(SMI SM2035, SCF-19)
copper/copper-nickel alloys (MONEL K-500)
Material strength (y) :
steel (DC)
nm
AISI 4145H
P530
P530HS
P550
SCF-19
Staballoy
Monel K-500
110/100 kpsi (3-1/2 to 6-7/8; 7 to 11 OD)
110/100
120/110
140/130
100
100
115
SG 8.44 !
Note : Make-up torque depends on the yield strength, too
Composition of the Most Common NM Alloys
Monel K-500
27-33% Cu + 63% Ni+
(expensive)
2.30-3.15% Al + 2.00% Fe
Cr-Ni steel
~ 18% Cr + >13% Ni
(tend to gall)
Austenitic
steel
Cr - Mn alloys
(>18% Mn + 4%Cu-Be)
(SCC) used for LWD
Be-Cu bronze
(expensive)
AUSTENITIC STEEL
Steel which, because of the presence of alloying elements, such as manganese, nickel, chromium, etc., shows stability of
Austenite at normal temperatures.
AUSTENITE
Phase in certain steels, characterized as a solid solution, usually off carbon or iron carbide, in the gamma form of iron.
Such steels are known as austenitic. Austenite is stable only above 1333F. in a plain carbon steel, but the presence
of certain alloying elements, such as nickel and manganese, stabilizes the austenitic form, even at normal temperatures.
NM Drill Collars and Flex Collars
Spiral NM Drill Collars
NMDC End - Without SRG
low-torque
shoulder
no SRG
Non-Magnetic Drill Collars
Problems with non-magnetic LWD and
drill collars are:
Galling on tool joints
Corrosion
Cracking
Frequent re-cutting the tool joints might be needed
(hard on tooling)
Occasionally Hot spots could be developed
Price is high
Non-Mag
Galled Threads
Corrosion-Erosion Pitting
Drill Collar
Abrasive OD Wear
Non-magnetic Pup Joints
Note the 18 shoulder on tool joints
Directional Drilling
Hevi-Wate Drill Pipe
Spiral-Wate
Sperry-Sun Drilling Services
2004
Hevi-Wate Drillpipes
Intermediate weight pipes with longer tool joints and additional upset (s)
on the pipe body (1 or 3)
Size range available : 3-1/2 4 4-1/2 - 5 5-1/2 6-5/8
ID and weights are depending on manufacturer
Standard, spiral- and non-magnetic versions
Manufacturers / suppliers : Drilco, Grant-Prideco, Weatherford
Not covered by API Specification
Comparison of DP to HWDP
5 19.50 lb/ft Grade G NC50 drillpipe approx. wt.21.92 lb/ft
5 x 3 HWDP ( Drilco), standard, adjusted wt.
49.70
Weight increase 2.27x
Comparison of Hevi-Wate Drillpipes
Grant Prideco standard
Drilco - standard
- spiral
Weatherford - standard
- spiral
5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3
49.3 lb/ft
49.7
54.0
50.6
53.8
1 upset
1
3
1
1
Hevi-Wate Drillpipes
pipe upset
long TJ
large bore
SRG
HWDP Pin
SRG
HWDP Pipe Upsets
hardfacing
upset
hardfacing
HWDP and DP Racked Back
HWDP
DP
old API marking :
long TJ
hi-strength DP
wt and grade codes in slots
