Ministry of Higher Education and

Scientific Research
University of Technology
Petroleum Technology Department
Scientific
Report

Rotary System

Homam Mohammad Radhy

3rd Stage Morning
Drilling
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Rotary System

Homam M. Radhy A.
September/2020
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction …………………………………………………. 3
2. Drill String Components …………………………………… 3
3. Rotary Table and Components ………………………….…. 4
4. Rotary power requirements …………...…………………... 6
5. Top-drive rotation …………………………………………... 7
References ……………………………………………………. 8
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1. Introduction
The rotary system (fig. 1) includes all of the rig components that are used to achieve bit
rotation. These are drill pipe, drill collar, swivel, rotary table, kelly bushing and drive,
and kelly. Some rigs are equipped with a top-drive motor to induce bit rotation instead
of the conventional rotary table technique. Also, in directional well drilling, downhole
motors are used to rotate the drill bit.

Fig. 1. Rotary system (Reprinted by permission; courtesy IADC)

The swivel supports the drill stem, allows rotation, and serves as a passageway for
drilling fluids. The kelly is the first section of the drill stem just below the swivel. In
conventional rotary table technique, it allows drilling ahead, at a total depth equal to its
length, before a new section of drill pipe has to be added. Recently, top drives have
become popular for inducing rotation to the drill bit—particularly in offshore drilling.
They are more efficient and safer than the conventional rotary table system. They allow
rotation and circulation during tripping in addition to full-stand-length connections
during drilling.

2. Drill String Components

The basic drill string is composed of the following components:
• Swivel
• Kelly and accessories
• Rotary table and components
• Drillstring tubulars (drill pipe, drill collars, etc.)
• BHA
• Drill bit
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• The main components are:

• Rotary table
• Kelly
• Top Drive
• Swivel
• Rotary hose
The rotary horse power requirement is usually between 1.5 to 2 times the rotary speed,
depending on hole depth.
Hence for rotary speed of 200 rpm, the power requirement is about 400 HP.

3. Rotary Table and Components

Master Bushing and Master Casing Bushing
❖ The kelly bushing fits in the master bushing
➢ which, in turn, attach to the rotary
table.
➢ It connects to the master bushing either by pins
of by a squared link.
➢ The master bushing transmits torque and
rotation from the rotary table to the kelly
bushing.
❖ A master casing bushing is used to handle casings.
Kelly bushing and master bushing
✓ Figure shows a Kelly bushing, master
bushing, and rotary table assembly.

Drillpipe slip (detail when set in the master bushing)

✓ The master bushing (and also the master casing bushing) has
a tapered internal hole.
➢ The purpose of the tapered hole is to receive the pipe slips.
➢ During pipe connection or drillstring trip operations, this tapered hole
receives either the drill pipe slips, or the drill collar slips, or the casing
slips, which grips the tubular and frees the hook from its weight.
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✓ Because of the slick shape of most drill collars,

➢ a safety clamp is always used above the drill collar slips (mandatory!)
➢ If the drill collars slides in the slips, the safety clamp works as a stop to
force the slips to grip the drill collar.
DC slips, safety collar, casing slips and A rotary table
✓ A drill collar slips (a), a safety collar (b),
and a casing slips (c) are shown in the
Figure.
✓ The rotary table receives power from the
power system
➢ (either mechanical or electric.)
✓ A gearbox allows several combinations of torque and speed.

Kelly set
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4. Rotary power requirements

The rotary power requirement is generally small in vertical hole drilling, where
rotational torque is approximately less than 15,000 ft-lbs. In directional drilling, high
drill pipe rotational torque may exceed 80,000 ft-lbs and often requires high input rotary
horsepower.
A computer model can be used to estimate the drill string torque; thus, the minimum
required rotary power can be established. Less than 100 horsepower is usually required
in vertical hole drilling. In directional drilling, the rotary power required may amount
to several hundred horsepower.

Rotary horsepower can be calculated as follows:

Where
N is the rotary table speed, in rpm
T is the torque, in ft-lbs
The difficulty of predicting rotary horsepower results from the unpredictable nature of
the drill pipe torque. A number of factors influence the drill pipe torque, such as hole
size, depth, type of bit, drill collar size, drill pipe size, bit weight, rpm, mud properties,
hole inclination and severity and location of doglegs, use of reamers and stabilizers,
and formation characteristics.
The drill pipe must transmit rotating power to the bottomhole assembly (BHA) and the
bit. The following example illustrates calculation of the horsepower that the drill pipe
can transmit without torsion failure. For example, if a drill pipe has a maximum
recommended makeup torque of 20,000 ft-lbs, the rotary horsepower that can be
transmitted at 100 rpm is

An empirical approach has been developed for estimating rotary horsepower

requirements:
Hrp = FN
Where

F is the torque factor

N is the rotary speed, in rpm
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The torque factor, F, is generally estimated as follows:

1.5 ± 1.75 for shallow holes less than 10,000 ft with light drill string
1.75 ± 2.0 for 10,000–15,000 ft wells with average conditions
F = 2.0 ± 2.25 for deep holes with heavy drill string
2.0 ± 3.0 for high torque
These empirical estimates are subject to many variables, but have proved to be
reasonable estimates of rotary requirements. However, for highly deviated wells,
torque/Hrp requirements must be closely calculated using available computer software
programs.

5. Top-drive rotation
It has been reported that use of top-drive systems (electric or hydraulic motors) can
result in total drilling cost savings of 10–20%. Even though the day rate of rigs equipped
with top drive is higher than with the conventional rotary table system, this can be
justified by consideration of overall cost savings. Below is a description of benefits and
some disadvantages in the use of top drives.
Benefits. Operational time savings lead to actual cost savings, as follows:
• Connection. Two kelly connections are eliminated, assuming the stands are
already made up on the rig floor.
• Laying down drill pipe. The top drive eliminates the need to lay down drill pipe
when moving to next well.
• Trip time. Top drive eliminates the use of the kelly; therefore, less time is
involved in handling it during trips.
• Washing and reaming. When washing and reaming is being conducted with
conventional rotary table, two or three singles of pipe must be laid down and
then picked up again to wash and ream down, with several minutes of
circulation between connections. The top-drive system is made up on the last
stand, with immediate rotation and circulation available to wash and ream. It
also allows back reaming in tight hole during tripping out.
• Underreaming and hole opening. If a hole interval must be underreamed or
opened, the entire interval length in drill pipe must be laid down. When top
drive is used, the time of laying down drill pipe and two-thirds of all connections
are eliminated
• Improved safety. Because there are fewer connections during drilling and rotary
equipment has been eliminated on the rig floor, there is less exposure of the rig
crew to potential safety hazards.
• Well control improvement. A hydraulic safety valve above the saver sub enables
the driller to shut in the drill pipe faster during drilling and tripping. This
eliminates the need to stab a safety valve manually if a kick is taken.
• Stuck pipe. The ability of reaming and back-reaming in full stands while
tripping in or out minimizes the potential of pipe sticking.
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Disadvantages. The are some operational drawbacks associated with top drive:
• More wear on drilling line
• More maintenance
• Derrick capacity reduction
• Lack of experience of rig crew
• Major top-drive failure can lead to considerable expense in down time to set
aside equipment to allow conventional drilling.

References
1. (CDF) Jorge H.B. Sampaio Jr. “Drilling Engineering Fundamentals.” Master of
Petroleum Engineering. Curtin University of Technology, 2007.
2. (WEC) Rabia, Hussain. Well Engineering & Construction. Entrac Consulting
Limited, 2002.
3. Aadnoy, B. S. 1987. “Modeling of the Stability of Highly Inclined Boreholes in
Anisotropic Rock Formations.” Paper SPE 16526, presented at SPE Offshore
Europe ’87, Aberdeen.