4.

Deflection Tools and Technique

4.1 Whipstocks

4.2 Jetting

4.3 Downhole motor with bent sub

4.4 Downhole motor with bent housing

4.5 Steerable Motor Assemblies

4.6 Rotary Steerable Systems

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4. Deflection Tools and Technique

Whipstocks – main deflection tool in 1930-1950

Jetting – technique was developed in mid-1950s

Downhole motors with bent sub – superseded whipstocks and jetting

Most commonly used today:

• Downhole motors with fixed bent housing

• Steerable motor assemblies with adjustable bent housing

• Rotary steerable systems

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.1 Whipstocks
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

1 – Standard Removable Whipstock

is used to kick off wells
2 – Circulating Whipstock
permits more efficient cleaning
of the bottom
3 – Casing Whipstock
is used where a “window” is to
be cut in casing for sidetracking

1 2 3

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.1 Standard Removable Whipstock
Courtesy: French Oil & Gas Industry Association

1 – Lowering and orientating

whipstock assembly
1 2 3
2 – Drilling the rat hole.
Pulling whipstock out of
the hole

3 – Running the hole opener

assembly

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.1 Standard Removable Whipstock

Advantages:
• Simple equipment
• Requires little maintenance
• No temperature limitations

Disadvantages:
• Large number of trips for kick-off (at least three)
• Produces high initial DLS (dogleg severity)

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.2 Jetting
Courtesy: Short. Directional & Horizontal Drilling

Jetting is a technique used to deviate wellbores in soft formations

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.2 Procedure for Jetting
Courtesy: French Oil & Gas Industry Association

1 2 3

1 – Jetting

2 – Spudding

3 – Drilling

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.2 Jetting

Requirements for jetting:

• A special jet bit or standard soft formation tri-cone bit, with one
very large nozzle and two smaller ones can be used

• The formations must be soft enough (penetration rates of

greater than 80 ft/hr using normal drilling parameters) to be
suitable for jetting

• Adequate rig hydraulic horsepower must be available (mud

velocity through the large jet should be at least 500 ft/sec)

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.3 Downhole Motor with Bent Sub
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

 Downhole motor with bent

sub may be used for:
• kicking off wells
• correction runs
• sidetracking

 Bent sub is placed directly

above the motor

10-30

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.3 Bent Sub

 Bent sub’s lower thread (on the pin)

is inclined 1° - 3° from the axis of the
sub body
 Dogleg severity (DLS) depends on:
• Bent sub angle
• OD of motor, bent sub, and drill
collars
• Length of motor
• Hole diameter
 Usually DLS= 1°- 2°/10m (10° -
20°/30ft)
10-30

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.4 Downhole Motor with Bent Housing
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

Stabilizer Bent Housing Stabilizer

Bit Bearing Section Motor Section MWD

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.4 Turbine with Bent Housing
Courtesy: Neyrfor Turbodrill

Drive Shaft

Turbine Stages
Flexible Drive Shaft Turbine Section Body

Lower Bearing Replaceable Stabilizer

Bit Bent Housing

Thrust Bearing

Lower Stabilizer

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.4 Bent Housing vs Bent Sub

Bent housing is more effective than the bent sub

because of a shorter bit to bend distance, which:
• Reduces the bit offset
• Creates a higher build rate for a given bend angle
• Reduces the moment arm
• Reduces the bending stress at the bend
• Allows assembly easier to orient

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Steerable Motor Assemblies

Steerable Motor Assemblies are used in two modes:

- Oriented (non-rotational) mode – for drilling a curved path
- Rotary mode – for drilling a straight path

Benefits:
• Elimination of trips for directional assembly changes, saving rig
time
• More complex well paths can be drilled
• Wells areDTU ABH
drilled more closely to the plan at all times

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.5 Steerable Motor Assemblies
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

DTU – Double Tilted

U-joint Housing
ABH – Adjustable
Bent Housing

DTU ABH

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.5 Adjustable Bent Housing (ABH)

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Downhole Motor with ABH

Benefits:
• Bent angle easily can be changed by drilling crew on a rig floor
• Shorter bit to bent distance (between bearing and motor
sections)
• Wider variety of DLS from 0 (tangent section) to 4 degrees/30 ft
• Possibility to use in two modes: oriented and rotary
• MWD system allows continual control on borehole trajectory
and high accuracy of bent housing orientation

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Downhole Motor with ABH

Rotation of the drill string while drilling with downhole motor

and adjustable bent housing (ABH):

• Negates the effect of bit tilt and allows to drill the straight hole
• Drills slightly oversize hole
• Decreases the risk of stuck pipe
• Improves hole cleaning
• Decreases friction between drill string and borehole
• Increases ROP due to higher power at bit

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.5 Maximum Recommended Bend Angle for Rotary
Mode (Speeds up to 100 RPM)
Courtesy: Tomahawk Downhole

6- ¾” Down Hole Motor Hole Size, inch Maximum Bend, degrees

Slick 7-7/8 1.25
8-1/2 1.50
8-3/4 1.50
9-7/8 1.75
Partially Stabilized 7-7/8 1.25
Motor has a 1/8” under
8-1/2 1.50
gauge near-bit stabilizer
8-3/4 1.75
9-7/8 1.75
Fully Stabilized 7-7/8 1.25
Motor has a 1/8” under
8-1/2 1.25
gauge near-bit stabilizer and
a 1/8” under gauge top 8-3/4 1.25
stabilizer above the motor 9-7/8 1.25

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Bit Offset
Courtesy: Short. Directional & Horizontal Drilling

DTU Bent Sub Bent Sub & Bent Housing

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Theoretical Build Rates
“Three-Point-Curvature” Calculations

Motor Top
Stabilizer

L2
i – build rate, deg/100ft
θ – bent angle, deg
L1 – distance from bit to bent housing, ft
Bent L2 – distance from bent housing to motor
θ Housing top stabilizer, ft

L1
Bit

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.5 Build Rates (deg/100ft) for 6-3/4” Mud Motor
Courtesy: Tomahawk Downhole

Angle Hole Size(in) – Slick Sleeve Hole Size(in) – Stabilized

(deg) 7-7/8 8-1/2 8-3/4 9-7/8 7-7/8 8-1/2 8-3/4 9-7/8
0.50 0.82 0.93 2.92 3.39 3.58 4.42
0.75 2.80 1.05 0.36 4.47 4.94 5.13 5.97
1.00 4.78 3.03 2.34 6.02 6.49 6.68 7.52
1.25 6.76 5.02 4.32 1.18 7.57 8.04 8.22 9.07
1.50 8.74 7.00 6.30 3.16 9.12 9.58 9.77 10.61
1.75 10.72 8.98 8.28 5.14 10.66 11.13 11.32 12.16
2.00 12.70 10.96 10.26 7.12 12.21 12.68 12.87 13.71
2.25 14.69 12.94 12.24 9.10 13.76 14.23 14.42 15.26
2.50 16.67 14.92 14.22 11.08 15.31 15.78 15.97 16.81
2.75 18.65 16.90 16.20 13.06 16.86 17.33 17.51 18.36
3.00 20.63 18.88 18.18 15.04 18.41 18.88 19.06 19.91
Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.
 4.6 Rotary Steerable Systems

 Auto Trak (Baker Hughes)

 Power Drive (Schlumberger)
 Geo-Pilot (Halliburton)

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.6 AutoTrak
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.6 AutoTrak
Courtesy: Baker Hughes

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.6 Power Drive
Courtesy: Schlumberger

Control Unit Steering Unit

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

4.6 Power Drive Steering Unit
Courtesy: Schlumberger

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.

 4.6 Rotary Steerable Systems

• Deliver consistent steering and high ROP

• Improve hole quality by reducing tortuosity
• Reduce torque and drag due to continuous string rotation
• Better hole cleaning and less clean up time
• Recommended for use in offshore and extended reach
applications

Oktay Mamedbekov. Directional Drilling. Deflection Tools.