Alexandria University student chapter of The

AAPG

Presents

Weatherford School
By: Mohamed Ashraf Samir
Mud logger Geologist, Weatherford
international, Kuwait Branch

Day 2

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 Content
1) Drill string Assembly
A) BHA (Bottom Hole assembly) consists of:
- Drill Bits.
- Drill collars.
- Heavy weight drill pipes
- Drilling Accessories.
B) Drill Pipes

2) Oilfield Companies

3) Field personnel.

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 1) Drill string Assembly

Drill string or drill assembly consists of BHA and drill pipes.

A) BHA (Bottom Hole Assembly) consists of:

- Drill Bits.
- Drill collars.
- Heavy weight drill pipes
- Drilling Accessories.

B) Drill pipes:

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Drill Bits:

- Roller cone Bit

- Fixed cone Bit

Roller cone bit:

Roller Cone Bits, commonly called tri-cone bits, are the most common bits used
today. They are named tri-cone because the cutting structures are located on three
rolling cones attached to the bit body.
Involved Two main categories of tri-cone bits: are milled-tooth and insert bits.

1. Milled-Tooth Bits: These bits have steel teeth which have been milled on the
cones. The teeth vary in size and shape, depending on the formation they are
expected to drill. Long, slender teeth are used in soft formations and short, broad
teeth are used in harder formations.

2. Insert Bits: These bits differ from milled-tooth bits in that the cones do not have
steel teeth milled into them; instead, Tungsten carbide inserts (teeth) are pressed
into the cones. These are very much harder and last longer (and much more
expensive), when drilling hard formations, The inserts can come in a variety of
shapes, from long chisel shapes for firm formations to short round buttons for hard,
brittle formations.

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Fixed Cutter Bits:
Fixed Cutter Bits have no moving parts. The bit body and cutting structures rotate
as one (i.e. there are no cones). These were the earliest type of bits, with the cutting
structure still evolving. The main categories of fixed cutter bits are: PDC
(Polycrystalline Diamond Compact) bits, diamond bits, and Core bits.

1. PDC Bits: The cutting structure of these bits is composed of man-made diamond
dust/crystals bonded to a tungsten carbide stud. These studs are then either pressed
or molded into the bit body. They are used in soft to medium-hard formations.

2. Diamond Bits: These bits use natural diamond (the hardest substance known) as
the cutting structure. They are usually slightly smaller than tri-cone bits to prevent
diamond damage while being run into the borehole. The design of diamond bits
varies greatly in the shape of the head, the size and setting of the diamonds, and the
water courses for cooling. The main advantage of diamond bits is that, they can be
run for long periods of time and they can drill almost any formation.

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Drill Collar
- Heavy, thick-walled steel tubes having large outer diameter and small inner
diameter.
- Have spiral grooves.
Importance of Drill Collar:
- Provide weight to the bit for drilling
- Allow the lighter drill pipe to remain in tension.
- The spiral grooves are to minimize the surface of contact between hole and pipe
reducing the risk of getting stuck. This also helps the drilling fluid to flow up the
annulus in case of tight hole.

Heavy weight Drill Pipe (HWDP)

- This is the same as a drill pipe but with a smaller inner diameter and longer tool
joints.

Importance of HWDP:
- inserted as a section between the drill pipe section up and the lower drill collars
section to serve as a transition section between the two of them, this gives the drill
string the required elasticity.

B) Drill Pipe:
- Has tool joints (box and pin) which are separate parts that are welded onto the
outside of the pipe; Tool joints are of thicker outer diameter to withstand the torque
applied by tongs to tighten the connection.
- A single drill pipe is called a joint or joint of pipe.

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Importance of DP:
- The drill pipe furnishes the necessary length for the drill string and serves as a
conduit for the drilling fluid.

Heavy
Weight Drill Pipe
drill pipe (DP)
(HWDP)

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Drilling Accessories:

Stabilizers:
- These are run between the drill collars and are of a blade type construction.
Drilling fluid can pass freely between the blades while the outer edge of the blades
contacts the wall of the hole and holds the drill collars firmly centered in the hole. -
- They do exactly as their name implies, they provide stability to the bit and
collars. This is important as it improves bit life, in addition to keeping the direction
of the hole under control.

Reamers:

These usually have the same diameter as the bit and are run a little distance above
it. As the bit wears out it tends to decrease in diameter and consequently start
drilling a smaller hole. The reamers’ function is to cut the hole out to full size
behind the bit.

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Jars:
Jars are fitted into the drill string and are used in the event of the drill string
becoming stuck. They provide upward or downward jarring blows that help freeing
the string.

Subs:
A sub refers to any short Length of pipe, collar or casing that is made to perform a
specific job. The most common types of subs you can find on rigsite are the
following:

a. Crossover Sub:
A crossover sub is designed with different threaded ends for changes between
different sizes and types of drill pipe or collars.

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b. Bit Sub:
This sub is used to save the thread of the bit from excessive break out such as to
change nozzles or BHA, so the break out of the bit is usually done at the
connection between the sub and the upper collar pipe. The sub is ended with a box
on both ends so that pipe and collars are always run pin down.

c. Shock Sub:
This is run behind the bit with a steel spring or rubber packing to absorb the impact
of the bit bouncing on hard formations and prevent damaging the rest of the drill
string.

2) Oilfield Companies:

A. Operating company:

The operating company is the oil or gas company which has a license to drill for
and produce petroleum within a specified area. The actual license may be held by a
number of companies who are working as a partnership. in such a case one of the
partners is usually nominated as “ the operator”.

B. Drilling contractor:

To do the actual drilling of the well the operator will employ a drilling contractor.
Usually, the contractor is the owner of the drilling rig and is responsible for
providing the personnel who make up the drilling crew.

C. Drilling service companies:

As you will shortly see, there are many special drilling services required during the
drilling of the well. It is the responsibility of the operator to engage these
companies and coordinate their activities.

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 3) Field personnel:

Company man: (Operation Company representative)

Operations supervisor, responsible of ensuring the well is drilled safely.

The performance of drilling supervisor is essentially judged on how quick the well
is drilled – as time is definitely equated to money in oil industry.

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Wellsite geologist: (Operation Company representative)

Supervise and report on the performance of the geological service contractors (e.g.
Mud logging and Coring)
Responsible of sample description and formation tops determination.

Mud logging Service personnel:

Pressure engineer:
Responsible for formation’s pore pressure estimation.

Data Engineer:
Responsible for:
- ensuring that all incoming data are of good quality and are recorded correctly
- monitoring all of the drilling parameters.
- Providing a number of reports and logs.
- Maintenance and calibration of the unit equipment.
- House keeping of mud logging unit.

Mud logger:
Responsible for:
- Sample collection and processing all samples as mentioned in the drilling
program.
- Maintenance and calibration of the unit equipment.
- House keeping of mud logging unit.

Directional driller:
Responsible for:
Deviating a wellbore along a planned path to a target located a given lateral
distance and direction from vertical. This includes drilling as vertically as possible
from a given TVD.

MWD Engineer: (Measuring While Drilling Engineer):

Responsible for:
Measuring directional Survey information, hole deviation and direction (Measured
depth, Inclination, Azimuth)
(More important for drilling team- especially directional surveying, Kick off, and
steering in horizontal well)

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LWD Engineer: (Logging While Drilling Engineer):
Responsible for:
Calibration and logging physical rock characteristics (such as Gamma Ray and
Resistivity) during drilling.
(Important and useful for Geology team especially for casing and coring point
selection).
Wireline Logging Engineer:

Responsible for:
Calibration and logging physical rock characteristics after drilling hole section.

Core engineer:
Responsible for:
Providing core bits and barrels.
Insuring that equipment is made up into the BHA properly.
Monitoring and supervising all coring operations (drilling, L/D core samples, cut
core)

Cement Engineer:
Responsible for
Supervising the whole Cement Job
(Pressure testing cement line, supervise R/U and installing cement equipment,
mixing Cement and pumping Cement)

Mud Engineer:
Responsible for:
Supervising Mixing mud as per well program.
Keeping the mud parameters within the desire specifications.
(The performance of the mud can have great bearing on the quality of hole
cleaning and hole condition)

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Rig Contractor Crew:

Tool pusher/ Rig Manager:

-The rig contractor manager is in charge of the drilling crew.
-When there is a requirement to get something done (for example to clear a space)
then it is the best option to ask about tool pusher.

Driller:
- Controls the activity on the rig floor and under instructions from the drilling
supervisor and the tool pusher.
- Perform the drilling operation (the driller will control the force applied to the bit,
rotary speed, and the amount of drilling fluid circulated).
- In charge of handling the pipe on connections and trips.
- Along with the mud loggers, the driller will monitor the drilling parameters such
as: pits, torque, standpipe pressure, gases…etc.

Assistant driller:
- Second in charge, stands in for driller for meal breaks…etc.
- Along with derrick man responsible for measuring BHA’s.
- Help in looking after operation and maintenance of pump.

Derrick man:
During drilling: monitor mud pits, help make up (mixing) and transfer mud, and
periodically check mud density, viscosity and volume.
During Trips: Work up on monkey board; manually pulling in or pushing out
stands.

Shaker hand:
- In charge of maintenance and smooth running of the shale shaker.

Floor hands:
- Do all the manual work on rig floor and help with maintenance of equipment.

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Roughneck
- Their work includes handling the tongs, cleaning, general repair and
maintenance, and pretty much anything that has to be done to keep the rig
operating.

Roustabout:
- Their work includes: cleaning, general repair and maintenance, and pretty much
anything that has to be done to keep the rig operating

Radio operator:
- In charge of communications to and from the rig.
- Organize passenger arrangement for crew change helicopters and also handles
data and equipment sent off on the helicopter.

Store man:
- In charge of monitoring the movement of all equipment and supplies to and from
the rig.
- Storage of these supplies on the rig.

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