Deformation Mechanisms and Safe Drilling Fluids Density in Extremely Thick Salt Formations

Hydrocarbons are very often associated with salt structures. The oil and gas industry is often required to drill along and through long salt sections to reach and recover hydrocarbons. The unique physical properties of salt require special techniques to ensure borehole stability and adequate casing design. This paper assumed that the mechanical behavior of salt is regulated by the magnitude of mean stress and octahedral shear stress and under the influence of different stress conditions the deformation of rock salt can be represented by three domains, i.e. compression domain, volume unchanged domain, and dilatancy domain, which are separated by a stress dependent boundary. In the compression domain, the volume of salt decreases until all microcracks are closed, with only elastic deformation and pure creep; in the volume unchanged domain the deformation is considered steady incompressible flow controlled by pure creep; and in the dilatancy domain the volume of salt increases during deformation due to micro-cracking, causing damage and accelerating ＂creep＂ until failure. This paper presents a hypothesis that the borehole is stable only when the magnitude of octahedral shear stress is below the dilatancy boundary. It gives the design method for determining drilling fluids density, and calculates the closure rate ofborehole with the recommended drilling fluids density. If the closure rate of the borehole is less than 0.1%, the drilling fluids density window can be used during drilling through extremely thick salt formations.

Stimulus-responsive mechanism of salt-responsive polymer and its application in saturated saltwater drilling fluid

AM-AMPS-TAC polymers with different charge distribution are synthesized using acrylamide(AM),2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate(AMPS)and 3-acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium(TAC)at different feed ratios by polymerization in solution.The salt-responsive behavior,reasons leading to salt-responsiveness,and effects of polymers molecular structure on salt-responsiveness are studied by laboratory experiments to find out the adaptability of the polymers.Rheology test under stepwise shear mode shows that the AM-AMPS-TAC polymers have salt responsiveness,and the closer the feeds of AMPS and ATC,the more significant the salt responsiveness will be.Conformation change of polymers molecular chain under salt stimulus is studied by turbidity test and micro-morphology analysis,and the responsive mechanism is further investigated by intrinsic viscosity test and copolymer composition analysis.Results indicate that the salt-responsive behavior of AM-AMPS-TAC polymers derives from the"curled to expanded"transition of chain conformation under salt stimulus,and this transition is led by the screening effect of salt which weakens polymers intramolecular ionic bond.Application in saturated saltwater drilling fluid shows that the AM90-AMPS5-TAC5 polymer has the best salt-tolerance and temperature-tolerance when used together with fluid loss controller PAC-Lv.The drilling fluid saturated with NaCl can maintain stable viscosity,good dispersion and low fluid loss for long time under 150℃.

Leak-Off Mechanism and Pressure Prediction for Shallow Sediments in Deepwater Drilling

Deepwater sediments are prone to loss circulation in drilling due to a low overburden gradient. How to predict the magnitude of leak-off pressure more accurately is an important issue in the protection of drilling safety and the reduction of drilling cost in deep water. Starting from the mechanical properties of a shallow formation and based on the basic theory of rock-soil mechanics, the stress distribution around a borehole was analyzed. It was found that the rock or soil on a borehole is in the plastic yield state before the effective tensile stress is generated, and the effective tangential and vertical stresses increase as the drilling fluid density increases; thus, tensile failure will not occur on the borehole wall. Based on the results of stress calculation, two mechanisms and leak-off pressure prediction models for shallow sediments in deepwater drilling were put forward, and the calculated values of these models were compared with the measured value of shallow leak-off pressure in actual drilling. The results show that the MHPS(minimum horizontal principle stress) model and the FIF(fracturing in formation) model can predict the lower and upper limits of leak-off pressure. The PLC(permeable lost circulation) model can comprehensively analyze the factors influencing permeable leakage and provide a theoretical basis for leak-off prevention and plugging in deepwater drilling.

Mechanism and experiment of substituting high drainage roadway with directional long drilling group to extract pressure-relief gas

By establishing the numerical model in the vertical plane and the similar model in the horizontal plane of gas flow in goaf, the influence of high drainage roadway or drilling on the gas seepage field was analyzed, and the extraction mechanism was clarified. On this basis, the academic thought of directional long drilling group instead of high drainage roadway was put forward. And then using complex function theory, the permeation mechanical model of drilling group with circle distribution in the mining-induced fracture zone was established to explore the coupling relationship between the drilling quantity, extraction volume and the equivalent extraction rate of single drilling. Finally, combined with the concrete geological production conditions, the main parameters of directional long drilling group were determined. The distance between the drilling group center and the air-return roadway is 24 m, the height is 18 m, and the three drillings are in an approximate equilateral triangle distribution with a space of 8 m. The equivalent extraction square is 4.15 m2. It is shown that the effect of directional long drilling group is evident. The gas content in the upper comer is controlled below 0.95%, the content in the tail roadway is kept below the alarm value, and the content is over 50% in the drill, realizing the secure and effective extraction of coal and gas.

STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF CHATTER VIBRATION OF INITIAL PENETRATION IN DRILLING

Using time domain data, orbital plots, and spectrum analysis of drill point displacement, cutting force and torque signals, the initial penetration in drilling is experimentally investigated. The mechanisms of drill wandering motion are analyzed by means of three principles of selfexcited vibration, i.e. the regenerative principle, velocity component principle and mode coupling principle.

A BiGRU joint optimized attention network for recognition of drilling conditions

The identification and recording of drilling conditions are crucial for ensuring drilling safety and efficiency. However, the traditional approach of relying on the subjective determination of drilling masters based on experience formulas is slow and not suitable for rapid drilling. In this paper, we propose a drilling condition classification method based on a neural network model. The model uses an improved Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (BiGRU) combined with an attention mechanism to accurately classify seven common drilling conditions simultaneously, achieving an average accuracy of 91.63%. The model also demonstrates excellent generalization ability, real-time performance, and accuracy, making it suitable for actual production. Additionally, the model has excellent expandability, which enhances its potential for further application.

Experimental studies on rock failure mechanisms under impact load by single polycrystalline diamond compact cutter

Percussive drilling shows excellent potential for promoting the rate of penetration(ROP)in drilling hard formations.Polycrystalline diamond compact(PDC)bits account for most of the footage drilled in the oil and gas fields.To reveal the rock failure mechanisms under the impact load by PDC bits,a series of drop tests with a single PDC cutter were conducted to four kinds of rocks at different back rake angles,drop heights,drop mass,and drop times.Then the morphology characteristics of the craters were obtained and quantified by using a three-dimensional profilometer.The fracture micrographs can be observed by using scanning electron microscope(SEM).The distribution and propagation process of subsurface cracks were captured in rock-like silica glass by a high-speed photography system.The results can indicate that percussive drilling has a higher efficiency and ROP when the rock fractures in brittle mode.The failure mode of rock is related with the type of rock,the impact speed,and the back rake angle of the cutter.Both the penetration depth and fragmentation volume get the maximum values at a back rake angle of about 45°.Increasing the weight and speed of falling hammer is beneficial to improving the rock breaking effects and efficiency.The subsurface cracks under the impact load by a single PDC cutter is shaped like a clamshell,and its size is much larger than the crater volume.These findings can help to shed light on the rock failure mechanisms under the impact of load by a single PDC cutter and provide a theoretical explanation for better field application of percussive drilling.

Optimization of Drilling Parameters by Analysis of Formation Strength Properties with Utilization of Mechanical Specific Energy

By increasing the daily needs of human energy, human manipulation of natural energy sources is expanded and encouraged the human society to developing science, knowledge and technology. Mechanical specific energy required energy for drilling the unit of formation volume. This parameter can be used for functional analysis of drilling, drilling bit optimization and investigating of instability has been made during drilling operations. This parameter can be used for decreasing of drilling costs by increasing drilling speed, optimized the useful life of the drilling bit and determine the right time to replace the drilling bit, and in some cases reduced to a minimum amount. In South Pars field in Iran, many wells have been drilled;however detailed statistics processes hadn’t done for optimizing drilling parameters and their impact on mechanical specific energy. By results of these studies, we can analyze performance and drilling parameters such as weight on drilling bit, rotational speed, penetration rate, etc. In the most investigated cases, mechanical specific energy at the final period time of drilling on each wells has been increased gradually due to the speed movement reduction. Although by investigating middle formations in section of 12.25 inch, all existing wells on a platform in one of the phases of Iran’s South Pars field are being studied, which contains formations such as Hith, Surmeh, Neyriz, Dashtak and Kangan. Studies were done in two parts. In the first part, the range of optimized drilling parameters that is increasing drilling speed and reducing the required amount of energy for drilling formation. This process by investigating mechanical specific energy and its relationship with uniaxial compressive strength in five studied formation have been presented. In the second part, correlations to predict the mechanical specific energy in this area by statistical methods by SPSS software, presented and reviewed. Then, by the most appropriate relationship, the most influential drilling parameters on mechanical specific energy have been set. However, for drilling the next wells in this area drilling parameters with the most priority influences on mechanical specific energy, proposed in the optimum range, will be recommended.

Design and Implementation of a Control System to Mitigate Osteonecrosis in Orthopedic Bone Drilling Procedures

The drilling process in orthopedic surgery can sometimes lead to an undesired increase in temperature,which can cause serious damage to bones and soft tissues.This overheating is typically identified as a temperature above 47℃,known as the critical limit,and can result in the condition known as osteonecrosis.This study aims to develop a new control system,using a proportional-integral-derivative(PID)controller,to prevent overheating and the resulting osteonecrosis.The bone temperature is constantly measured using a thermocouple and,when it reaches the critical temperature of 47℃,the cooling device is activated by the PID-controlled system.This new control system makes the drill machine with cooling device more user-friendly and allows surgeons to set a desired temperature level manually.

Limit analysis of extended reach drilling in South China Sea

Extended reach wells （ERWs）, especially horizontal extended reach well with a high HD （horizontal displacement） to TVD （true vertical depth） ratio, represent a frontier technology and challenge the drilling limitations. Oil and gas reservoir in beaches or lakes and offshore can be effectively exploited by using extended reach drilling （ERD） technology. This paper focuses on the difficult technological problems encountered during exploiting the Liuhua 11-1 oil field in the South China Sea, China. Emphasis is on investigating the key subjects including prediction and control of open hole limit extension in offshore ERD, prediction of casing wear and its prevention and torque reduction, φ244.5mm casing running with floating collars to control drag force, and steerable drilling modes. The basic concept of limit extension in ERD is presented and the prediction method for open hole limit extension is given in this paper. A set of advanced drilling mechanics and control technology has been established and its practical results are verified by field cases. All those efforts may be significant for further investigating and practicing ERD limit theory and control technology in the future.

Modeling and experimental investigation of drilling into lunar soils

Dry drilling only with the assistance of an auger is a reliable and realistic approach to remove abundant soils from the side of a bit in the harsh, dry conditions on the Moon. Based on an elementary analysis, using Janssen's model to reflect the coupling effect among the different components of the stress, the present paper models the conveying dynamics along the helical groove and the sampling mechanism in the centering hole of the stem for an auger drilling into lunar soil simulant. Combining the two parts as well as a simple cutting model for the bit, a whole drilling model is established to investigate the complicated relation among the conveying ability of the auger, the coring rate, and drilling parameters such as the penetration and rotation speeds. The relation is revealed by the complicated transition between different sub-models with the help of the physical transition conditions. A series of experiments with constant penetration and rotation speeds are conducted to verify the model. Three aspects of characteristics of the drilling dynamics are manifested,(i) the loads on the bit are almost independent of penetration;(ii) three obvious drilling stages with respect to cut per revolution are grouped;(iii) a linear relationship is found between the coring rate and the revolution per penetration.

Investigation of active vibration drilling using acoustic emission and cutting size analysis

This paper describes an investigation of active bit vibration on the penetration mechanisms and bit-rock interaction for drilling with a diamond impregnated coring bit. A series of drill-off tests(DOTs) were conducted where the drilling rate-of-penetration(ROP) was measured at a series of step-wise increasing static bit thrusts or weight-on-bits(WOBs). Two active DOTs were conducted by applying 60 Hz axial vibration at the bit-rock interface using an electromagnetic vibrating table mounted underneath the drilling samples, and a passive DOT was conducted where the bit was allowed to vibrate naturally with lower amplitude due to the compliance of the drilling sample mountings. During drilling, an acoustic emission(AE) system was used to record the AE signals generated by the diamond cutter penetration and the cuttings were collected for grain size analysis. The instrumented drilling system recorded the dynamic motions of the bit-rock interface using a laser displacement sensor, a load cell, and an LVDT(linear variable differential transformer) recorded the dynamic WOB and the ROP, respectively. Calibration with the drilling system showed that rotary speed was approximately the same at any given WOB, facilitating comparison of the results at the same WOB. Analysis of the experimental results shows that the ROP of the bit at any given WOB increased with higher amplitude of axial bit-rock vibration, and the drill cuttings increased in size with a higher ROP. Spectral analysis of the AEs indicated that the higher ROP and larger cutting size were correlated with a higher AE energy and a lower AE frequency. This indicated that larger fractures were being created to generate larger cutting size. Overall, these results indicate that a greater magnitude of axial bit-rock vibration produces larger fractures and generates larger cuttings which, at the same rotary speed, results in a higher ROP.

Fluid-solid coupling model for studying wellbore instability in drilling of gas hydrate bearing sediments

As the oil or gas exploration and development activities in deep and ultra- deep waters become more and more, encountering gas hydrate bearing sediments （HBS） is almost inevitable. The variation in temperature and pressure can destabilize gas hydrate in nearby formation around the borehole, which may reduce the strength of the formation and result in wellbore instability. A non-isothermal, transient, two-phase, and fluid-solid coupling mathematical model is proposed to simulate the complex stability performance of a wellbore drilled in HBS. In the model, the phase transition of hydrate dissociation, the heat exchange between drilling fluid and formation, the change of mechanical and petrophysical properties, the gas-water two-phase seepage, and its interaction with rock deformation are considered. A finite element simulator is developed, and the impact of drilling mud on wellbore instability in HBS is simulated. Results indicate that the re- duction in pressure and the increase in temperature of the drilling fluid can accelerate hydrate decomposition and lead to mechanical properties getting worse tremendously. The cohesion decreases by 25% when the hydrate totally dissociates in HBS. This easily causes the wellbore instability accordingly. In the first two hours after the formation is drilled, the regions of hydrate dissociation and wellbore instability extend quickly. Then, with the soaking time of drilling fluid increasing, the regions enlarge little. Choosing the low temperature drilling fluid and increasing the drilling mud pressure appropriately can benefit the wellbore stability of HBS. The established model turns out to be an efficient tool in numerical studies of the hydrate dissociation behavior and wellbore stability of HBS.

Relationship between rock uniaxial compressive strength and digital core drilling parameters and its forecast method

The rock uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)is the basic parameter for support designs in underground engineering.In particular,the rock UCS should be obtained rapidly for underground engineering with complex geological conditions,such as soft rock,fracture areas,and high stress,to adjust the excavation and support plan and ensure construction safety.To solve the problem of obtaining real-time rock UCS at engineering sites,a rock UCS forecast idea is proposed using digital core drilling.The digital core drilling tests and uniaxial compression tests are performed based on the developed rock mass digital drilling system.The results indicate that the drilling parameters are highly responsive to the rock UCS.Based on the cutting and fracture characteristics of the rock digital core drilling,the mechanical analysis of rock cutting provides the digital core drilling strength,and a quantitative relationship model(CDP-UCS model)for the digital core drilling parameters and rock UCS is established.Thus,the digital core drilling-based rock UCS forecast method is proposed to provide a theoretical basis for continuous and quick testing of the surrounding rock UCS.

Entrance and Exit Defects During Coarse Pitch Orbital Drilling of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic Plates

Formation of entrance and exit defects in coarse pitch orbital drilling(CPOD)of carbon fiber reinforced plastic(CFRP)plates was investigated.Deep observation on entrance and exit morphology shows tear and burr are typical defects.Meanwhile,tear is more obvious than burr,and more entrance tears emerge than exit tears.As one of the major causes of entrance and exit defects in CPOD,cutting forces were substaintially studied by contrast experiments.Then,the effect of cutting parameters on entrance and exit tear was qualitatively analyzed through a single factor test.Experiment results indicate that the variation of rotation speed has little influence on entrance and exit tear.Increasing tangential feed per tooth can enlarge entrance tear,but bring little effect on exit tear.By increasing axial feed pitch,the hole entrance and exit show severe tear.When revolution radius grows bigger and bigger,entrance and exit tear firstly decreases,and then increases.Finally,the models of tear and delamination during CPOD of CFRP were established,the formation mechanisms of entrance and exit defects were revealed,and the control strategies were accordingly put forward.

Variation of vertical and horizontal drilling rates depending on some rock properties in the marble quarries

The main objective of this study is to determine the rates of vertically and horizontally oriented drilling processes in marble quarries and to observe the factors affecting the drilling rates in terms of physical and mechanical properties of the rocks. In situ drilling tests were performed in different marble quarries with different marble types and drilling times and penetration rates for a series of successive depthincrements were trying to be determined under vertically and horizontally oriented conditions. In order to understand the relation between the parameters that are investigated within the scope of this research, uniaxial compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, impact strength, Bohme abrasion strength, P-wave velocity, porosity, unit volume weight, Schmidt hardness index and brittleness index values were correlated with the drilling rates. It was noticed that the porosity and unit volume weight could be taken as the key parameters among them for obtaining meaningful correlation with drilling performance. It was also observed that the physical and mechanical rock properties are more relevant in vertical drilling than horizontal drilling.

Notoginsenoside as an environmentally friendly shale inhibitor in water-based drilling fluid

The demand for non-toxic and biodegradable shale inhibitors is growing in the drilling industry.In this paper,the effect of notoginsenoside(NS)as a new,environmentally friendly inhibitor of shale hydration is systematically studied for the first time.The inhibition performance of NS was evaluated via inhibition evaluation tests,including mud ball immersion tests,linear expansion tests,shale rolling recovery tests,and compressive strength tests.The inhibition mechanism of NS was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),contact angle measurements,particle size distribution determination,thermogravimetric analysis(TGA),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The experimental results demonstrate that NS is able to adhere to the clay surface,forming a hydrophobic film that prevents the entry of water molecules and inhibiting the hydration dispersion of the clay.Because of this,NS can maintain the original state of bentonite pellets in water,which can effectively reduce the swelling rate of bentonite,increase the recovery rate of shale drill cuttings,maintain the strength of the shale,and therefore maintain the stability of the borehole wall during drilling.In addition,NS is non-toxic,degradable,and compatible with water-based drilling fluids.The above advantages make NS a promising candidate for use as an environmentally friendly shale inhibitor.

A new method of combined rock drilling

Based on the technologies of traditionally mechanical drilling and water jet,we propose a new method of abrasive water jet in combination with rock drilling,and establish a combined rock drilling system for the gas pre-drainage.This study chose the common sandstone and silicon limestone as the rock sample.A series of experiments were completed in the case of dry drilling,existing technology drilling,combined drilling with high pressure water jet and combined drilling with abrasive water jet,respectively.The drilling efficiency and performance were contrasted and analyzed in detail.The results indicate that it is better to choose the method of combined drilling with the high-pressure water jet for soft rocks.The method of combined drilling with abrasive water jet is feasible for the hard rock drilling and has higher drilling efficiency and performance.In this paper,compared with the existing technology,the drilling depth has increased by about 65%,the axial force and torque have reduced by about 14%and 17%,respectively,and the drill wear reduces obviously in the same conditions.

Research progress and development direction of low-temperature drilling fluid for Antarctic region

By combing the characteristics of drilling in Antarctic region, performance requirements on drilling fluid for Antarctic low temperature conditions, and research progress of low temperature drilling fluid, current problems of the drilling fluid have been sorted out, and the development direction of the drilling fluid has been pointed out. Drilling in the Antarctic region mainly includes drilling in snow, ice and subglacial rock formations, and drilling in Antarctic low temperature conditions will face problems in four aspects:(1) low temperature and large temperature changes in the drilling area;(2) likely well leakage and drillstring-sticking in the snow layer, creep in the ice layer, ice chip gathering jamming in the warm ice layer, well wall collapse in the subglacial rock formations;(3) lack of infrastructure and difficulty in logistical support;(4) fragile environment and low carrying capacity. After years of development, progresses have been made on low-temperature drilling fluids for the Antarctic region. Low-temperature petroleum-based drilling fluid, ethanol/ethylene glycol-based drilling fluid, ester-based drilling fluid and silicone oil-based drilling fluid have been developed. However, these drilling fluids have problems such as insufficient low-temperature tolerance, low environmental performance and weak wellbore stability, etc. In order to meet the performance requirements of drilling fluid under low-temperature conditions in Antarctic region, the working mechanisms of low-temperature drilling fluid must be examined in depth;environment-friendly low-temperature base fluid of drilling fluid and related additives must be developed to prepare environmentally friendly low temperature drilling fluid systems;multi-functional integrated adjustment method for drilling fluid must be worked out to ensure well wall stability and improve cutting-carry capacity when drilling ice formations and ice-rock interlayers;and on-site support operation codes must be established to provide technical support for Antarctic drilling.

Experimental study on motion and mechanical characteristics of the vertical wheel in the rock-breaking process

Polycrystalline diamond compact(PDC)drill bit often performs with low ROP,short service life and poor stability under complicated and difficult to drill formations.Therefore,a vertical wheel PDC bit is proposed,which is a new drill bit technology applying an integrated unit combining the tooth wheel and the rotary shaft thereof.Besides,the experiments on motion and mechanical characteristics of the vertical wheel under the conditions of tooth shape and number of teeth,normal deflection angle of the wheel,and different cutting depth were carried out using variable parameter experimental device,and the movement,force law,and crushing specific work of vertical wheel under different experimental conditions were obtained.The comparative experiments of PDC cutting rock breaking under the conditions of parallel cutting of PDC unit and pre-damage of the wheel were also carried out,and the cutting load of PDC teeth under pre-damage conditions is between 38.72% and 70.95%lower than that of parallel cutting was obtained.Finally,a comparative experiment of indoor drilling between vertical wheel PDC bit and conventional PDC bit was carried out.Results show than when drilling in gravel rock,under the same WOB,the torque response of vertical wheel PDC bit is equivalent to that of the PDC bit,while the ROP of vertical wheel PDC bit is 22.94%-53.33% higher than that of conventional PDC bit,and the threedimensional acceleration of the vertical wheel PDC bit is 19.17%-76.23% of that of the PDC bit.The experimental results contribute to a better understanding of vertical wheels and provide technical support for their use in PDC bits.