Down-Hole Motors for Improved Drilling

Down-hole motors can be used successfully in conventional or straight-hole

work, and are no longer limited to directional drilling. Recent development
work and field tests involving hydraulics, bit design, and stabilization have
defined the conditions under which down-hole motor costs and performance
can be optimized in straight-hole drilling.

The possibility of using a down-hole motor to power a drill bit was first
recognized in 1873 when a U. S. patent was issued covering the down-hole
rotary patent was issued covering the down-hole rotary hydraulic motor.
Conventional rotary drilling was later patented in 1884, and since that time an
increasing patented in 1884, and since that time an increasing effort has been
aimed at finding improved drilling tools or systems to reduce drilling costs.

One approach to improving drilling practices has been to design and test a
variety of down-hole motors. These have included mud-driven turbines.
positive displacement mud motors, and electrically positive displacement
mud motors, and electrically powered motors. Of these types, the most
appealing powered motors. Of these types, the most appealing have been the
turbines and the positive displacement mud motors, since mud is already
used to remove cuttings from the wellbore in most drilling operations, its
presence makes it a likely candidate for providing presence makes it a likely
candidate for providing power to a drilling motor. power to a drilling motor.
Mud-driven turbines have been under continuous development in Russia since
the late 1920's or early 1930's, and their use of the turbine as a practical
drilling technique was announced in the early 1950's. In 1955, development
work on a positive displacement down-hole motor began in the U. S. The first
effort was directed toward straight-hole drilling; but the tool was not
considered economical because of bearing problems and because of the lack
of bits capable of operating at high rotational speeds.

However, the motor did prove to be an economic and technical success as a

directional tool. Since the early 1960's down-hole motors have performed
thousands of successful jobs. They have been effective in drilling rat and
mouse holes, in controlled directional drilling, side tracking, and hole
straightening all in a variety of formations both onshore and offshore.

As wells are drilled deeper and costs continue to rise, it becomes even more
desirable to locate the power to rotate the bit near the bit itself, and not at
power to rotate the bit near the bit itself, and not at the surface. Drillpipe
torque and tensile strength requirements, the quality and cost of drillpipe, and
damage to the hole and to the protection casing can be minimized by having
the rotating power at the bit.

Considering these advantages, recent developments in down-hole motors

have again been aimed at straight-hole drilling. Key improvements in this
direction have been in the areas of horsepower output and bearing design.
These improvements have made it possible to increase both the penetration
rate and the duration of the run to more nearly match the performance of the
diamond bit. Development work is performance of the diamond bit.
Development work is still proceeding, but a considerable amount of data can
now be presented to illustrate the present state of the art.