TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Bit Technology and Bottomhole Assemblies

Performance DrillingMoving Beyond the Basics The industrys continuous push into harsher and more-challenging drilling environments, in terms of formation types, depths, and well profiles, presents several performance challenges. Performance drilling is accepted widely as one of the enablers that will help reverse the high-cost implications of this trend. Consequently, the drive to understand the basics, as it relates to this realization, has preoccupied the industry for some time now. This effort, which has focused primarily on elements such as rock mechanics and failure mechanisms, bottomhole-assembly (BHA) design, drilling mechanics and hydraulics, and the operational environment, has proved highly beneficial. Extensive amounts of data have been collected as a result of this focus. Additionally, several performance-enhancing tools and processes have been developed. Having deepened our understanding of the basics, we now must question data to reveal how and why events occursuccesses as well as failures. Through this process, we must identify trends, behaviors, and relationships. These observations must be explained because we have the basics. We cannot expect to improve, and effectively confront our looming challenges, when we merely recycle the basics. Performance-improvement objectives will be met only if we turn data into actionable information. There are tools to help design and understand BHA performance. In addition, there is agreement on the different vibration modes. Field data clearly establish the need for different bit technologies and for different drive mechanisms [e.g., positivedisplacement motor, rotary-steerable-system (RSS) push the bit, or RSS point the bit]. Contrary to what computer programs and models sometimes tell us, reality must always be considered as an option. We have the data and the understanding JPT now we need to move beyond the basics.
Bit Technology and Bottomhole Assemblies additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org IPTC 11945 State-of-the-Art BHA Program Produces Unprecedented Results by David C-K Chen, SPE, Halliburton, et al. SPE 119375 Roller Reamers Improve Drilling Performance in Wells Limited by Bit and Bottomhole-Assembly Vibrations by Steven F. Sowers, SPE, ExxonMobil, et al. SPE 119302 Experimental Study of MSE of a Single PDC Cutter Under Simulated Pressurized Conditions by Navid Rafatian, SPE, Schlumberger, et al.

Graham Mensa-Wilmot, SPE, is Drilling Engineering Advisor in Chevrons Global Drilling and Completions Upstream organization. He has more than 20 years experience in drillingapplications research, downhole-tool development, and drilling-performance improvement. Mensa-Wilmot serves on the SPE/IADC Drilling Conference Program Committee, the Technical Review Committee of SPE Drilling and Completions, and the JPT Editorial Committee. He earned an MS degree in drilling engineering from Romanias University of Petroleum and Gas.

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BIT TECHNOLOGY

Bit Selection Using Mathematically Modeled Indices

Despite the development of models describing fixed-cutter (FC) bit performance, selection still is made on the basis of visible geometric features. Optimal selection is complicated further by the large variation in characteristics of cutting structures, in combination with a diverse range of gauge lengths and geometries. The full-length paper presents a set of performance indices for FC bits that are derived from a sophisticated mathematical model and describe performance in terms of rate of penetration (ROP), durability, stability, and steerability.

Introduction Offshore drilling in West Africa poses several drilling challenges that have limited drilling performance and build-rate capabilities in directional applications. The extremely soft sandstone and shale lithologies in the vertical intermediate section are prone to erosion and hole enlargement with high hydraulic energy. Hole enlargement reduces deflection forces for commercial rotary-steerable (RS) tools as well as mud motors, which significantly decreases build-rate capabilities and limits directional plans and
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper OTC 19915, Bit Selection Using Mathematically Modeled Indices Deliver Significant Improvement in Directional-Drilling Performance, by Steve Barton, SPE, Kirk Card, SPE, and David Nwachukwu, SPE, NOV ReedHycalog; Bertrand Cozon, SPE, and Cristina Marinho, Schlumberger; and Adebowale Solarin, SPE, ADDAX, originally prepared for the 2009 Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 47 May. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2009 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission.

Fig. 1Interface for the system-matching tool.

capabilities. The associated hole enlargement in the vertical section creates a drilling environment that is subject to increased risk of lateral vibration (bit whirl), which even in soft formations is capable of catastrophic damage to bottomhole-assembly (BHA) components and the bit cutting structure. Compromising mud flow and hydraulic energy in these soft and fast drilling sections increases risk of loading the hole with cuttings, of increased equivalent circulating density (ECD), and of stuck pipe. As depth increases, formation integrity increases, which helps to improve directional response because the increased weight on bit (WOB) provides flex to the BHA and improves control. However, in many of these applications, high hole angle, limited drilling parameters, and interbedded lithologies (with high compressive-strength variability) combine to increase risk of torsional vibration. Aside from mechanical damage to the components of the BHA, this also will lead to unpredictable directional response and reduced directional capabilities. As such, it is extremely important to select a drill bit that is matched to the specific requirements of the system,

thus maximizing directional efficiency. Unfortunately, the ideal design can be difficult to identify visually. A traditional approach to bit selection involves recording actual performance in bit records and then using examples of good performance in close offsets to justify repeat runs of specific designs. To a limited extent, this technique can be effective, but the danger is that because not all possible options are considered, there is little assurance that the bit selected will be optimal for the application. There also have been publications of methods of classification of bits according to geometric features (e.g., cutting profile, number of blades, and number of cutters). Despite the existence of models describing bit performance, bit selection often is made on the basis of visible, geometric features. For example, an FC bit with many blades would be selected for a hard or abrasive formation, or a bit with few blades and large cutters where ROP was most important. Although easy to understand, these simplistic selection methods miss one crucial point: that subtle differences between bit designs can lead to signifi-

The full-length paper is available for purchase at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org.

JPT DECEMBER 2009 59

cant changes in bit performance. And by their nature, these subtle differences cannot be discerned visually or by using geometrical measures such as cutter size, count, or profile. To optimize bit selection effectively, first an accurate model must be developed that calculates the indices for each drill bit. Second, the relative importance of each index must be established. Finally, tools must be available that allow the best bit to be selected for the specific application on the basis of the relative importance of the indices, the drive system, and the directional requirements. Bit Indices A proprietary software program is used to calculate the four indices for a bit. Development of this mathematical-modeling software started more than 15 years ago. The model allows the user to attach a drill bit to a drillstring and simulate the motion of both at prescribed parameters. The model is based on forces measured using a single-cutter test rig with a variety of formations, depths of cut, cut shapes, and cutting directions. This facilitates the accurate calculation of forces as the bit starts to vibrate or whirl, at which point cutters move sideways and backward. The model allows the bit designer to iterate toward a more dynamically stable bit solution. Although there are many outputs from this software, the full-length paper focuses on the four key indices that are derived from analysis of the cutting-structure design. These are the ROP index, which describes how fast the bit will drill relative to other designs; the durability index, which describes how far the bit will drill relative to other designs; the lateral-stability index, which describes how resistant to backward whirl the bit will be; and the side-cutting index (SCI), which describes the sidecutting ability the bit will have. Uses of Indices in Bit Selection for Directional Applications Use of RS systems (RSSs) has increased steadily since their introduction in the mid-1990s. Improvements in durability, reliability, and operator familiarity have moved these systems further into mainstream drilling use around the globe. The large majority of footage drilled with RSSs is still with sideforce (push-the-bit) tools. These tend to require some degree of side cutting and, thus, use drill bits that have specifically engineered cutting structure,

profile, and gauge design to achieve this. Because of the common availability of this type of bit design, plus extensive experience with operators, these bits also often are used on the growing number of point-the-bit RSSs. As a result of the significant difference in operating mechanism, these bit designs can be poorly suited, resulting in suboptimal drilling performance. Likewise, designs engineered for point tools may be misapplied on push systems. Historically, often it was easy to visualize FC designs for push systems because they tended to have very short gauge length with laterally aggressive gauge cutting structures. However, with modern RS designs, it is more difficult to distinguish between those designed for a specific push or point system. Iterations to the cutting structure and gauge geometry so that a design is matched specifically to a system may be impossible to detect on visual inspection of the bit or from its general specifications. To ensure consistent and accurate matching of the drill bit, an interactive, intranet tool was developed to optimize bit selection. This unique and innovative software incorporates logic regarding tool operation and trajectory requirement, and it assesses these against key characteristics of the drill bit including bit length, profile, gauge geometry, cutting structure, and side-cutting capability. System-Matching Tool This software is a specialist interface for a database that contains logic tables. For every RS tool, a logic table has been created that is a matrix of trajectory requirement against key characteristics of the drill bit. The matrix contains the following items. Length of the drill bit. Gauge length. Gauge design, including cutting structure, profile, and geometry. Presence or absence of a full or partial ring gauge. Presence or absence of a tapered gauge. SCI. Because of the vast diversity of features required to accomplish the system-matched concept, there are more than 20 drill-bit variables assessed within the logic tables, not including the factors that are encapsulated within the SCI calculation. The trajectory requirement within the matrix is segmented into multiple

options to provide a comprehensive range of directional objectives in which RS tools are used. Aside from segmentation by dogleg requirement (high, medium, and low), it also includes specific objectives such as kickoff from vertical and openhole sidetracks. The effect of hole angle also is incorporated within the matrix, with options existing for drilling at differing degrees of inclination, as well as vertical sections with varying bed-dip angles. For each variation in both drill-bit characteristic and trajectory option, a number is entered into the matrix. This number depicts the degree of match of the feature to the trajectory, for the specific RS tool. A high score represents a good match, whereas a zero score represents incompatibility. The number results from intensive communication, research, and testing with the directional-tool providers; mathematical modeling; development of innovative features and technologies for specific tools; analysis of the thousands of runs accumulated; and use of field verification tools and techniques. The logic tables are linked to an interface that allows the user to enter three sets of search criteria (Fig. 1): bit size, the specific RS tool used, and the well profile. Once defined, the search function can begin. This links the specific logic table to the drill-bit characteristics for the entire FC product line. For each defined characteristic of the drill bit, a number is provided from the logic table that correlates to its suitability to the specific tool and trajectory. The search results generated provide a list of all the drill bits of that size with their corresponding total score expressed as a percentage. The ideal bit design will return a 100% total score. The user will have a number of drillbit designs returned by the selection tool. They are arranged in rows, with each row detailing an individual product or version. These rows are sorted by descending suitability, thus revealing the optimal designs toward the top of the screen. Of the four indices, this tool primarily looks at the SCI in its calculation when matching bit to tool and to trajectory. However, the SCI values can be compared and plotted directly against any of the three remaining indices so that all are brought into consideration to match to the challenges of the formation and the specific application, as well as to the tool and the trajectory. JPT

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BIT TECHNOLOGY

MWD Vibration Measurements: A Time for Standardization

Since downhole vibration measurements were introduced in the early 1990s, these measurements have become extremely useful for improving drilling efficiency. Most operators will specify a vibration sensor of some sort to be run with most measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) applications. Unlike most other downhole measurements, there is no industrial standard for how to sample, process, and present the vibration data. This raises a few issues that the fulllength paper attempts to address.

Introduction The lack of standardization of vibration measurements and vibration-data methodology recently has become apparent from several different points of view: Vibration readings cannot be correlated easily and compared from well to well, making it difficult to learn from experiences with different drill bits and drilling tools. It is difficult to use a fair and consistent policy to handle charges from service companies for tools that allegedly have been damaged or scrapped as a result of severe vibrations. Tool specifications from different service companies cannot be compared easily during tender evaluations.
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 119877, MWD Vibration Measurements: A Time for Standardisation, by Svein Magne Osnes, SPE, StatoilHydro ASA; Per Amund Amundsen, SPE, University of Stavanger; and Tore Weltzin, SPE, Erik Nyrnes, SPE, Brita Lucie Hundstad, SPE, and Gaute Grindhaug, SPE, StatoilHydro ASA, originally prepared for the 2009 SPE/IADC Drilling Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, 1719 March. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

It is difficult to perform any form of quality control of contractors vibration data, including calibration of vibration sensors. It is difficult for drilling engineers or drilling-contractor personnel to develop any universal skills in realtime drilling optimization on the basis of vibration data because the data are not comparable. Unlike vibration measurements, most other MWD and LWD data have been subjected to strict standardization. Similar standards exist for other formation measurements such as neutron porosity logging, density logging, and sonic logging, but no industry procedure or standards exist for the calibration, measurement range, or measurement principle of downhole vibration tools. Background During drilling, bottomhole equipment is subject to severe accelerations in the form of single or repetitive shocks and as sustained vibrations of the drillstring, both in the drilling direction and transverse to it. Such accelerations can interfere with the drilling operation and can cause equipment failures and destruction of downhole tools, which again has an undesirable effect on the operational costs as a result of time lost for tripping and charges for damaged equipment. It is customary and convenient to discern between several possible modes of violent motion of the drillstring: Axial shocks, in the wellbore direction, typically generated by events such as bit bouncing and jarring Torsional shocks in the drillstring (twisting) predominantly generated when drilling under stick/slip conditions Lateral shocks and vibrations, transverse to the wellbore, often associated with bottomhole assembly (BHA) whirl that occurs when the BHA rotates

eccentrically around the center of the wellbore For large-amplitude vibrations, these modes will not be independent but will excite each other more or less efficiently, a phenomenon called mode coupling. As an example, severe bit bouncing will tend to bend the drillstring and thus also excite lateral vibrations. Mode coupling can be particularly strong at bends in the drillstring (e.g., as occur at a change in the wellpath). Particularly severe vibrations occur when the revolutions per minute resonates with the natural frequencies of some part of the drillstring or BHA. It also may happen that severe vibrations occur because the rotating drillstring induces oscillations in the couplings between the vibration modes and the rest of the systems, socalled parametric resonance. Torsional shocks (stick/slip) have been documented well by all the service companies in numerous papers. Harmonic oscillations usually are eliminated by engineering design before the drillstring is built. The vibration of the drillstring and BHA is damped by internal friction in the string itself, friction and deformation caused by collisions against the wellbore and casing, and by energy transfer to the drilling fluid. The efficiency of the different damping processes depends strongly on the vibration mode. In addition to parameters directly controlled by the driller, such as rotation rate, weight on bit, and bottomhole pressure, the severity of the vibrations depends on the design and choice of materials for the drillstring and BHA, and the density and viscoelastic properties of the drilling fluid and the formations encountered. Physical Measurements The motions of the BHA currently are monitored routinely by a set of acceler-

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62 JPT DECEMBER 2009

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ometers in the MWD system. Typically, three instruments are orthogonally mounted, one measuring the axial motion and two the transverse motion. Additional accelerometers also may be present, and magnetometers also can be used (e.g., to obtain the absolute rate of rotation). Taking the z-axis along the borehole and the x- and y-axis transverse to it, one thus measures the axial acceleration and the two components of the transverse acceleration at different times. Alternatively, one may measure radial and azimuthal accelerations. This information is transmitted to the surface in real time, and a more complete record may be logged by the MWD tool for later analysis. An important point is that during drilling, the instruments will rotate, and so the measured transverse accelerations will be measured in a rotating frame of reference. This is advantageous as far as it reflects the actual mechanical forces acting on the equipment, but it complicates the visualization and analysis of the motion of the drillstring. Axial shocks interfere directly with the drilling operation (e.g., bit bouncing, jarring) and are at shallow depths directly detected by the driller. Because the drillstring is stiff in its length direction, any longitudinal oscillations are of high frequency and strongly damped by the string itself. These vibrations mostly are generated by interaction between the formation and roller-cone bits and are rarely a problem when using diamond bits. One mostly detects separate primary shocks as they are caused by external disturbances. Absorbing elements (e.g., shock subassemblies) can be added to the BHA, which may reduce potential damages. As a result of the large masses that have to be set in motion, the recorded axial accelerations generally are significantly lower than the transverse ones. On the other hand, equipment specifications often put more-stringent operational limits on axial accelerations as compared to transverse ones. Torsional vibrations, caused mainly by stick/slip during drilling, are damped by the torsional stiffness of the drillstring and by friction against the wellbore and casing walls. The damping typically is not as strong as for axial shocks, and stick/slip can be detected by surface measurement even in highly deviated wells and thus can be reduced or removed by driller interaction. Torsional vibrations cannot be read directly from the accelerometer data,

although the difference can be used to obtain an indication of the severity of the problem. Additional information can be obtained from direct rotation measurements on the drillstring and/or by using magnetic sensors. The strongest accelerations of the drillstring generally are recorded in the transverse direction. These shocks can be caused by an eccentric rotation of the BHA around the wellbore (BHA whirl). This sets up a helical vibration pattern along the drillstring. However, the wellbore geometry may cause other transverse vibration patterns also to occur. Because of mode coupling, other types of disturbances also can result in significant lateral vibrations, and the total vibration pattern can become quite chaotic. The long and slender string, once set in motion, will tend to vibrate with a fairly low resonance frequency without strong damping. The damping is caused by internal friction and the surrounding drilling fluid. If the vibration amplitude is sufficiently large, parts of the drillstring may hit the wellbore wall or the casing, causing particularly severe shocks. These resonances can be reduced, but not completely removed, by including stabilizers and other design elements in the drillstring. The problems caused by transverse vibrations are made worse by the fact that they are not detected easily at the surface and therefore may not so easily catch the attention of the driller. Introduction to Measurement Procedures No standards exist in the industry for downhole vibration testing, reporting, or qualification. Different service companies have developed different ways to measure and quantify downhole shocks and vibrations. Accelerometers measure instantaneous acceleration. This can be substantial; repeated peak values of 10 g (g=9.81 m/s2) are unproblematic for any type of equipment, and values nine times this still may be tolerable for transverse shocks if they do not occur too frequently. However, while such large peak values are relevant for some kind of damage (crushing of brittle material, inelastic deformation), each event tends not to carry very much energy. Some kind of average acceleration or the energy content of the vibrations is more relevant for predicting material fatigue.

Modern vibration monitors produce real-time readings and very frequent samples of measurements, which can be logged, although there are still bandwidth problems in transferring these data to the surface in nearly real time. However, these detailed logs rarely are used for operational purposes. Instead, one relies on average values and/or counts of the number of shocks exceeding some predetermined value. Service-Company Measurements Four service companies provided specifications for their downhole vibration monitors. This information focuses mainly on how to interpret and react to the data provided, and not so much on how the data are generated from raw readings. More-technical background material and design considerations were presumably regarded as proprietary information, but a varying amount of information was released from all four companies upon request. All four companies specify equipment operational limits by grouping the measured accelerations in some manner, but each company has a different number of groups, a different naming scheme, and, most importantly, a different choice of measured or extracted quantity used for the grouping. Conclusions This survey shows that there is little agreement among the service companies regarding how one should measure, report, and classify shocks and vibrations during drilling operations. Furthermore, little or no specific open information seems to be available on the criteria used to determine acceptable risk levels. This makes it difficult for an operator to compare and judge the quality of the services offered by different companies, and to determine which actions to implement at what time to reduce risk and cost. Currently, a given physical situation can lead to widely different actions and reactions during drilling, depending on which service company supplies the vibration measurements and advice. It is recommended that the industry seek to establish agreed-upon standards and best practices for how to measure, classify, and report measurements of shocks and vibrations during drilling operations. Such a new standard need not imply any changes in tool or sensor hardware; only downhole and surface JPT software should be affected.

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BIT TECHNOLOGY

Analysis of Drilling-Dynamics Data Solves Severe Vibration Issues

The main concern in the 171/2-in. section is the vibration experienced while drilling through the interbedded sand and shale formations. This section is drilled with a rotary-steerable system (RSS), and thus vibration control is very important. To provide a better understanding of the dynamics involved during the drilling of the 171/2-in. sections, a downhole drilling-dynamics tool was used to capture in-depth vibration data while drilling.

while drilling through the interbedded sand and shale formations. Project Background and Operator Expectations Six development wells were drilled during the major Cashima development campaign. The six wells were comparable in terms of profile and lithology encountered. During the drilling of the six wells studied, downhole-tool failures were experienced on Well 2, Well 3, and during Run 1 of Well 4. The three wells where failures were recorded were drilled with the same type of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit. The wells where no downhole-tool failures were experiencedWell 1, Run 2 of Well 4, Well 5, and Well 6were drilled using a different PDC bit . Both bits had six blades and 19-mm cutters. The six 171/2-in. sections became the focus of a study to investigate changes made to the bit design with the objective of reducing the downhole vibration experienced during drilling. The ultimate objective was to protect the RSS from vibration-induced failure and drill the 171/2-in. sections safely in one run. Drilling Assembly It is well known in the drilling industry that severe vibration is one of the main causes of catastrophic downhole-tool failures, poor borehole quality, and low drilling efficiency. When drilling large hole sizes with heavier and stiffer bottomhole-assembly (BHA) components, vibration hazards are maximized. To mitigate the risk of severe destructive vibration, a comprehensive downhole drilling-dynamics tool was placed on top of the RSS. The downhole drilling-dynamics tool simultaneously acquires high-rate measurements from 14 sensor channels and diagnoses the occurrence and severity of various drilling-dynamics phenom-

Introduction The Cashima field was discovered offshore southeast Trinidad in 2001. The field is approximately 45 miles east of Galeota Point, in water depths of approximately 270 ft. The geology of the Cashima field is characterized by sequences of inner-toouter-shelf deltaic sandstone reservoirs. The 171/2-in. sections typically are drilled from a start depth of 2,800 ft to a total depth (TD) at measured depth (MD) of 9,800 to 12,500 ft. The 171/2-in. section is drilled directionally, though the level of deviation varies from well to well, depending on the target reservoir. The main concern in the 171/2-in. section is the vibration experienced
This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 122051, In-Depth Analysis of Drilling-Dynamics Data Solves Severe Vibration Issues Drilling Interbedded Sand/Shale Sequences in 3D-Directional Well Profiles, by J.E. Armour and R. Sankar, BP Trinidad and Tobago, and I. Thomson, SPE, D. Ramchune, and M. Sas, Baker Hughes, originally prepared for the 2009 SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference, Cartagena, Colombia, 31 May3 June. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

ena. The tool has the unique ability to measure downhole bending loads, torque, and weight accurately. Many drillstring and downhole-tool failures occur as a result of excessive bendingload cycling. The ability to measure real-time vibration levels together with bending loads is crucial for proper drilling-parameter management. Data from a third vibration-sensor package, that is a standard component of the measurement-while-drilling (MWD) suite, also were used. Having multiple distributed sensor packages gives a greater insight into the vibrations generated in the drillstring. BHA Design Considerations A 91/2-in. RSS with steering head configured for a 171/2-in. hole was chosen to achieve the required directional plan while drilling and cleaning the wellbore efficiently. During the 171/2-in. section, two BHA designs were used, on the basis of the different directional work requirement for each well. On Wells 1, 3, 4, and 6, the 171/2-in. sections were drilled at an approximately 1.5/100-ft build rate up to 15 inclination and with low turn rates. In those wells, a stiffer BHA design was used. Failure Analysis Analysis of the RSS tools where failures were experienced determined the following: Well 2: The RSS suffered a steeringrib failure after drilling 125 ft. An investigation identified the cause as a pressure-transducer failure, observed immediately after high-lateral-vibration events had been recorded. Well 3: The RSS tool suffered a steering-rib failure after drilling 255 ft. An analysis showed that the BHA had been subjected to high levels of backward whirl, lateral vibration, and stick/ slip during the run.

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JPT DECEMBER 2009 65

 Well 4: The RSS tool suffered failures to two ribs after drilling 3,171 ft. An analysis showed that the BHA had been subjected to high levels of whirl and lateral vibration throughout the run. Description of Case Wells From the type of damage seen in the RSS tools, the failure modes were determined to have been caused by severe vibration and excessive cyclicbending loads. Subsequent analysis of recorded surface parameters, together with study of the memory data obtained from the downhole drillingdynamics tool and MWD readings, provided evidence of high levels of backward whirl and lateral vibration. In most instances, these high-vibration events correlated with an increase in bending moment. Well 1. The first Cashima 171/2-in. section was built from vertical to 13 inclination, per plan. Low levels of vibration were observed during the run, with particularly low levels of whirl. Very occasional whirl of moderate-intensity levels was observed, though increases

were not associated with any increases in lateral vibration or bending moment. Bending moment was low and steady throughout the run. Well 2. Analysis of memory data from the tool used on this well indicated that problems had been experienced first with one of the steering ribs from 3,145 ft. From memory data, it also was apparent that at 3,143 ft severe backward whirl was experienced, followed by an associated increase in lateral vibration. An increase in bending moment was observed 10 ft after the onset of the whirl. Gamma ray data over the same interval indicate that a sand was being drilled when the high vibration levels were observed, with the whirl showing a dramatic reduction immediately as the sand was exited. A further instance of extremely high whirl with accompanying high lateralvibration levels was observed at 4,412 ft, again while drilling a sand. High bending moments again were seen 11 ft after the onset of whirl. Bendingmoment readings displayed an erratic trend from the initial failure depth throughout the near-vertical (5 incli-

nation) section as a result of the rib failure, though a more regular trace was observed after starting to build angle to 40 inclination, per plan, because of the RSS receiving support from the low side of the hole. Well 3. An RSS steering-rib failure was experienced on this well at 6,366 ft. Before the failure, numerous instances of high levels of backward whirl, with accompanying high lateral acceleration and high bending moments, were experienced. Each instance correlated with the drilling of a sand bed. Immediately before the failure at 6,366 ft occurred, a spike in the whirl was observed. From then on, the bending moment was erratic, again as a result of drilling with two ribs in the low-angle (14 inclination) section. On this particular well, the steering rib did start to work again from 6,620 ft, during which time the bending moment displayed a low level steady state. The rib failed terminally at 6,916 ft, after which depth erratic bending moment was observed to TD. Well 4. The first part of the 171/2-in. section on this well was drilled with

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JPT DECEMBER 2009

the same PDC-bit design as that used on Wells 2 and 3. As with the two previous wells, a high level of whirl with accompanying high lateral-vibration levels and high bending moments was seen when sand was encountered. At 6,062 ft, a rib failure again was experienced by the RSS; thus, although the 171/2-in. hole was a low-angle (14 inclination) tangent section, the decision was made to trip the assembly in light of the spiral hole and casing problems experienced on the previous wells. The second assembly on Well 4 used the same BHA configuration as used on the first run, but this time the BHA was run with the same PDC-bit design as used on the first well (Well 1). Immediately, it was apparent that vibration levels were reduced greatly, particularly when drilling sand intervals. Some brief episodes of moderatelevel whirl were observed, though no accompanying increases in lateral vibration were seen, thus indicating that no rapid acceleration of the BHA was taking place. In addition, bending moment remained low and steady throughout the second bit run.

No lateral movement limiter

With lateral movement limiter

Fig. 1PDC blade without lateral-movement limiter and PDC blade with the feature.

Well 5. This well was drilled with the same type of BHA as used on Well 2 and the same bit design as used on Well 1 and the second run of Well 4. No whirl was observed in the vertical

or build section of this well. After the section had been built to a 53 tangent, some low-level whirl was observed, although (as with the second run of Well 4) no increase in lateral vibra-

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tion was seen, and bending moment remained low and constant. Well 6. This well was drilled with the same type of BHA as used on Wells 1, 3, and 4, with the same bit design as used on Well 1, the second run of Well 4, and Well 5. Vibrations were low throughout this 15 tangent section, with rare instances of moderate-level whirl that showed no correlation with increases in lateral vibration or bending moment. Results/Findings After thorough analysis and evaluation of the wells drilled, there is definitive evidence that the PDC-bit design used in Well 2, Well 3, and Run 1 of Well 4 was the cause of the unstable drilling conditions experienced in those wells. It is important to stress that despite having a downhole drilling-dynamics tool in the BHA, the efforts of the directional drillers to mitigate or eliminate the high vibration levels by varying drilling parameters and applying best drilling practices were unsuccessful in eradicating the vibration totally. This indicates that the backward-whirl events were constant and inherent to the unstable bit design. It is apparent that on the wells where low vibration levels were experienced, a more stable bit design was deployed. The penetration rates obtained when using the two different bits were very close, especially in the wells that were directionally comparable. Bit Stability Bit stability is one of the key elements of a PDC-bit design because it will affect most of the drilling operation. Different methods and techniques are used to achieve the desired stabilization; however, stabilization is not the result of a single change in a bit design but the outcome of several design features in each bit. Bit stability also is important for rotary-steerable operations because it affects system steerability directly and affects borehole quality, drilling performance, and BHA reliability. Cutter layout primarily controls stability. Lateral-movement limiter is a feature formed by building up the blade behind and around the gauge cutters, as shown in Fig. 1. The objective is to provide a bearing surface that limits lateral motion when bits are experiencing lateral vibration. JPT

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JPT DECEMBER 2009