Tool Alignment

and
Orientation

Sperry Drilling Services

2006
 Tool Alignment and Orientation
Alignment

• Where is the toolface position ?

- on fixed housing : marked
- on adjustable bent housing : where the numbers
met

• Adjust position of bent subs, kick pad(s) to motor toolface

• Align survey instrument to bent sub / motor toolface

• Measure toolface offset to MWD

Orientation

• Orient the motor toolface when on bottom

- compensate for reactive torque
- adjust toolface direction as drilling progresses
 Toolface Direction

• Represents the orientation of the bent sub or

bend of the bent housing on a mud motor

• The TF direction could be :

– Magnetic North referenced …

“Magnetic Toolface” (MTF) given as Azimuth

– High Side referenced …

“Gravity Toolface” (GTF) given as
X degrees Right or Left (… from the recent
hole direction known from the last survey)
Magnetic North Referenced Toolface Direction

MTF (Magnetic Toolface)

• Used if inclination is < 5-8º

• Referenced to Magnetic North
• Less accurate than high-sideTF (GTF)

W
S
Note the toolface direction :

Nm
E
MTF
 High-side Toolface

GTF (Gravity Toolface)

HS • Referenced to the high-side of

hole
• Used if inclination is >5-8º

90L

LS HS

Note the toolface direction :

GTF
90R
 Magnetic Toolface vs. High-side Toolface

hole direction
Magnetic North

MTF

GTF

TF
High-side

TF
 Toolface Examples

MN
HS AZ 315 MN 20L
HS
GTF 0 MTF 315

AZ 135 MN MTF 110

HS
37R
 Sensor Configuration in Electronic Survey Systems

probe axis

Acceleration vectors
Gx Gy
Magnetic toolface : Gx,Gy,Gz Gz
Bx,By,Bz
Gravity toolface : Gx,Gy

Magnetic field vectors

Bx By

Bz
The toolface must be pointing
in the X direction ! TF
 The X Direction Marked on Hang-off Collars

Gy
By

Gx
Bx TF

The machined notch is called “scribeline”

 MWD - Motor Toolface Alignment

MWD HOC A
B
scribeline

chalkmark offset

B A
TFO

mud motor
or
turbine
Why should we do this?
toolface
 Measuring the Toolface Offset

MWD HOC
A
B A
scribeline B
TFO
chalkmark offset
AB
TFO   360 (degrees)
ODDC  

or TFO  AB  360 (degrees)

mud motor AA

Note : AB distance is in the same units

as AA or ODDC
toolface
TFO (toolface offset) is measured
in degrees
 Toolface Offset - Example

Distances measured :

AA = 50.3 in (8 inch hang-off collar)

AB = 4.7 in B A
TFO
4 .7
TFO  AB  360   360  33.6 scribeline
AA 50.3 motor
toolface

Note : check the method of angle measurement with the directional drilling company !
 Bent Sub Alignment

If bent sub is used on top of a bent housing motor :

The motor toolface and bent sub scribeline has to be lined up

cut off
or
add shims
direction of bend
on bent sub

direction of bend
on motor
 Bent Sub – Orienting Sub

BTTM

set screws

HS of bend

TOP key is lined up

with the bend HS

sleeve is pushed
into place
 Orienting Sub Muleshoe Sleeve

grooves for O-rings

machined steel key to here
 Orienting Sub Muleshoe Sleeve

top

machined steel key

 Orienting Sub Muleshoe Sleeve with Key

Top view
Inside shoulder

toolface direction
 Tell-tale (tattle-tale)
plug (plastic or led)

a y
eyw
k

Muleshoe Stinger Details

Shock Absorbers

T-head

Different type of
Rotating nut shock absorber

Pressure case connection

Groove for O-ring

Connection for spacer bar

or muleshoe stinger
T-Head

toolface direction
 T-Head and Slot

T-slot

compass shock absorber

Compass Connnected to a Shock Absorber

set screw

Rotating nut for adjusting the TF direction

 TOTCO Ring

correct position

Fits between the end of the pin and bottom of the box
in the drill collar connections. Choose the right size ring
and it will never flip over !
Calculation of the Required Toolface Setting
For Wellpath Correction

• The Ragland – diagram

• Polar graph paper

• The Ouija board (slide rule)

• Computer programs (Pluto, DrillQuest)

Vectorial Sum and Difference

B A B

A B

A
 The Ragland Diagram

Scales ! I2
clination
in
final
DL
azimuth change TF
HS
0 initial inclination I1 toolface
change

dogleg circle

Note : DLS or BUR = DL / MD x 100

Ragland Diagram
 Building or Dropping Inclination

I2
DL
AZ TF
HS
0 I1

Ragland Diagram
 Dropping Angle I2< I 1
AZ Changes

I2

DL
AZ
HS
0 I1

Ragland Diagram
 Dropping Angle I2< I 1
No AZ change
AZ = 0

TF = 180°

I2 5° DL
HS
0 I1 I1

Ragland Diagram
 Building Angle I2> I 1
No AZ change
AZ = 0

DL = 5°
TF = 0°
HS
0 I1 I2

Ragland Diagram
 Example

= 13.6°
I2

DL = 5°
AZ = 20.17°
HS
TF=110°
0 I1 =14.5°

Note : how long should you drill for the above correction ?

Ragland Diagram
Maximum Azimuth Change (1)

I2

DL
Azmax TF
HS
0 I1

Note : TF > 90° !

Ragland Diagram
Maximum Azimuth Change (2)

 DLS 
AZmax  a sin   deg
 I1 

TF = 90 + AZmax

Example : DLS = 5 (deg/100’) I1 = 14.5 (deg)

 5 
AZmax  a sin    20.17 deg
 14.5 

when drilling over the dogleg reference interval

with GTF = 90 + 20.17 = 110 deg from HS

continued …
… continued

I2 < I 1

I2  I12  DL2  13.6 

Note : the maximum direction change causes inclination drop

 The Ouija-board

initial inclination

direction change

TF rotation from HS DL circles final inclination

Note :

The Ouija-board is based on the same vector calculations as the Ragland diagram
 Ouija Board Calculation
(DrillQuest)

Projection to
target TVD

Corr. run length