PowerDrive Xceed

Designed for productive drilling that

gets wells to the best place in less time
A FULLY ROTATING RSS IMPROVES
DRILLING PERFORMANCE
SEVERAL W­­AYS:
■ Drilled cuttings flow past the BHA
is enhanced because the RSS does
not create annular bottlenecks in
the wellbore.
■ ROP increases because efficient
cuttings removal keeps cuttings from
being reground.
■ Penetration rates improve
because there are no stationary
components to create friction.
■ Both mechanical and differential
sticking are reduced because
there are no stationary components
contacting the casing, whipstock,
or borehole. The absence of
stationary components also reduces
the chance that the BHA will pack off.

T
hese fully rotating, point- STEERABILITY

PowerDrive Xceed the-bit systems, which

PowerDrive Xceed* rotary steerable systems
are engineered to be accurate and reliable
in challenging drilling conditions and harsh,
rugged environments.
have internal steering
mechanisms, extend the
Because PowerDrive Xceed systems
do not depend on contact with the
borehole wall to build angle, they can
benefits of rotary steerable drilling drill doglegs and sidetracks at build
to applications that exceed the rates as high as 8°/100 ft [8°/30.5 m]
performance limits of externally to put wells in the best place in the
steered tools. The totally enclosed, reservoir. These reliable systems also
rugged, internal steering mechanisms reduce the tendency of the hole to
of PowerDrive Xceed systems spiral due to variations in trajectory.
provide significant wear and
reliability advantages for productive
drilling in abrasive environments.
They also reduce dependence on
wellbore contact for steering.

That makes PowerDrive Xceed systems

ideal for openhole sidetracking in
overgauge or washed-out holes,
and for productive drilling in soft and
interbedded formations. It also allows
directional drilling with bicenter bits.

REAL-TIME WELL PLACEMENT
Combining a PowerDrive Xceed
rotary steerable system (RSS) with
a PowerPulse* MWD telemetry system
provides real-time transmission of
at-the-bit inclination and azimuth
readings. Using this real-time near-bit
information to update the well trajectory
enables the drilling team to steer
the wellbore to the best place for
optimum production. In addition, the
independence of the PowerDrive Xceed
steering response from formation
influences helps to punch through
hard interbedded streaks in the
reservoir at high angles and keep
the wellbore in the target window.
Steer wells to the
best place in less time
ENVIRONMENTAL TOUGHNESS
PowerDrive Xceed systems can
operate in temperatures as high as
302 degF [150 degC] and in all types
of fluid environments. Because their
steering mechanisms are internal,
PowerDrive Xceed systems are
much less susceptible to wear in
sandstones and other highly abrasive
environments than externally steered
tools are. Internal seals that are not
exposed to fluids containing abrasive
cuttings further enhance the life of
these systems.
BENEFITS
■ Lower drilling costs, due to
increased ROP, better hole
cleaning, and fewer stuck
pipe incidents
■ Accurate, responsive steering
independent of formation
or hole gauge
■ More consistent, reliable,
and predictable doglegs
and sidetracks
■ Ability to steer while using
a bicenter bit
■ On-bottom downlinking
without interrupting
drilling operations
■ Real-time telemetry providing
at-the-bit inclination and
azimuth, when combined with
PowerPulse telemetry system

FULL ROTATION FOR PRODUCTIVE DRILLING
IN CHALLENGING APPLICATIONS
■ Extended-reach wells
■ Openhole sidetracks and overgauge holes
■ Doglegs to accommodate difficult well designs
in hard and soft formations
■ Real-time well placement
■ Directional drilling with bicenter bits
STEERING WITH A BICENTER BIT
A bicenter bit can be used with
a PowerDrive Xceed RSS to increase
hole gauge during directional drilling.
This ability to open the hole while
rotary steering is particularly
advantageous for the productive
drilling of extended-reach and
deepwater wells.
HYDRAULICS OPTIMIZATION
PowerDrive Xceed systems do not
require pressure drop across the bit
to operate. This gives the driller
flexibility to optimize hydraulics and
drill extended-reach wells without
exceeding rig pressure limitations.
HOLD-THE-LINE OPERATION
In hold-the-line mode,
a PowerDrive Xceed RSS follows the
desired trajectory and automatically
corrects inclination and azimuth if
they deviate from it. This closed-loop
correction is especially helpful for
drilling long tangent sections and
staying inside very tight target
windows to put wells in the best place.
It allows the driller to focus on drilling
optimization and maximizing ROP to
reach TD in less time.
FIELD EXPERIENCE BENEFITS OF FULL ROTATION
A PowerDrive Xceed 900 RSS helped PowerDrive Xceed systems are part
put a well in the best place in less time of a family of PowerDrive* rotary
in the North Sea’s Dumbarton field. steerable systems. These systems
The RSS achieved an ROP of 450 ft/h all have a fully rotating design, which
[137 m/h] and provided high ­dogleg gives them significant advantages over
angles in soft formations while drilling systems that have nonrotating parts
the well’s 121⁄4-in [311.12-mm] section. or components that rotate very slowly.
This fully rotating design requires
A PowerDrive Xceed 675 RSS provided
no compromises in drilling operations.
excellent geosteering control for
There is no need for special equipment
Maersk Oil Qatar A.S. while drilling
or procedures.
in thin sands in Qatar’s Nahr Umr
reservoir. The bit stayed in the sand
section through 99% of the 6,581-ft
[2,006-m] long, 81⁄2-in [215.9-mm] hole
section, and more than 90% of the
drain section was drilled within the
optimum zone of the sand.

During the drilling, the RSS changed

the trajectory 90º at an extended
step-out. This kind of performance
has proved very difficult to achieve
with conventional technology. The PowerDrive Xceed internal steering mechanism
continuously orients the tilted bit shaft to control
drilling direction.
 Steering section: Assembly Control system: Electronics Power generation
continuously orients the and sensor package take module: Turbine-driven
tilted bit shaft to control the measurements to control alternator supplies power
drilling direction and the streering assembly. for steering and control.
dogleg severity of the borehole.

Mechanical Specifications and Operating Limits

PowerDrive Xceed 675 PowerDrive Xceed 900
Nominal (API) OD, in [mm] 63⁄4 [171.5] 9 [228.6]
Hole size range, in [mm] 83⁄8–97⁄8 [212.7–250.8] 121⁄4–171⁄2 [311.2–444.5]
Maximum body OD, in [mm] 7.625 [193.7] (collar) 9.8 [248.92] (collar)
Minimum ID, in [mm] 3.935 [99.9] (collar) 5.25 [133.4] (collar)
Maximum external upset, in [mm] 7.625 [193.7] 9.8 [248.9]
Upset type and location Thread, 161 in [4.1 m] from top Thread, 178 in [4.5 m] from top
Collar fishing neck length (from top sub), ft [m] 3 [0.9] 13 [4]
Sub length (no optional subs), ft [m] 25 [7.6] 28 [8.5]
Sub weight—loaded (in air), lbm [kg] 2,620 [1,188] 4,500 [2,041]
Top thread connection (API) 51⁄2 FH box 65⁄8 FH box or 75⁄8 H-90 box
Top thread joint yield torque, ft-lbf [N.m] 23,000–26,000 [31,184–35,251] 42,000–46,000 [56,944–62,368]
Bottom thread connection 41⁄2 Reg box 65⁄8 Reg box or 75⁄8 Reg box
Bottom thread joint yield torque, ft-lbf [N.m] 13,000–15,000 [17,626–20,337] 28,000–32,000 [37,963–43,386]
Top connection bending stress ratio 2.02 2.44
Bottom connection bending stress ratio 2.03 2.12
Average moment of inertia, in4 76.22 252
Equivalent bending stiffness, ft of drill collar 31 (6.75-in OD × 2.81-in ID) 35.9 (9.0-in OD × 3.0-in ID)
Maximum collar dogleg, rotating, °/100 ft 8 6.5
Maximum collar dogleg, pass-through, °/100 ft 15 12
Maximum dogleg severity, rotating, °/100 ft 8 6.5
Maximum dogleg severity, pass-through, °/100 ft 15 12
Maximum dogleg capability, °/100 ft 8 6.5
Maximum weight on bit, lbf [N] 55,000 [244,652] 75,000 [366,617]
Maximum operating speed, rpm 350† 350†
Maximum operating torque, ft-lbf [N.m] 20,000 [27,116] 35,000 [47,454]
Maximum operating tensile load, lbm [kg] 5­0,000 [22,680] 75,000 [34,019]
Maximum jarring load, lbm [kg] 1,000,000 [453,592] 1,000,000 [453,592]
Maximum shock, g/Hz 250 250
Maximum operating pressure, psi [kPa] 20,000 [137,900] 20,000 [137,900]
Maximum differential pressure, psi [kPa] 2,000 [13,790] internal to external 2,000 [13,790] internal to external
1,000 [6,895] external to internal 1,500 [10,342] external to internal
Sub pressure drop constant, C 28,000‡ 100,000‡
Maximum operating temperature, degF [degC] 302 [150] 302 [150]
Magnetic field cone of exclusion, steering, ° ±5 ±5
Maximum flow limit, galUS/min [L/min] 800 [3,028] 1,800 [6,814]
Maximum operating flow rate, galUS/min [L/min] 800 [3,028] 1,800 [6,814]
Minimum operating flow rate, galUS/min [L/min] 290 [1,098] 450 [1,703]
Turbine sets, galUS/min [L/min] 290–410 [1,098–1,552] 450–750 [1,703–2,839]
360–570 [1,363–2,158] 600–1,200 [2,271–4,542]
475–800 [1,798–3,028] 900–1,800 [3,407–6,814]
Maximum mud sand content, % 2 2
Maximum lost circulation material Medium-size nut plug Medium-size nut plug
Maximum concentration, lbm/bbl 50 50
Nonmagnetic sub Yes Yes
Sub magnetic permeability Negligible Negligible
† Minimum speed is 2 rpm
‡ The pressure drop constant (C) is entered in this equation (for each sub): Pressure drop = MWlbm/galUS × Q 2 where MW is the mud weight in lbm/galUS, Q is the flow rate in galUS/min, and C is the pressure drop constant
C
PowerDrive Xceed
FEATURES
■ Rugged and fully rotating
■ Totally enclosed design resistant
to wear and stress
■ Internal steering mechanism
with minimal dependence
on wellbore contact
■ Hold-the-line closed-loop downhole
control for tangent sections
■ Optional integrated power section
to maximize drilling performance

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