Volant Oil Tools Inc.

4110 – 56 Avenue NW Tel: 780.490.5185

Edmonton, AB T6B 3R8 Fax: 780.437.2187
Canada

20025A-OperatingBulletin
Date: 2011-07-12 Email Address:
To: CRTi Customer Support File
From: Matthew Allen mhallen@volantproducts.ca
Pages: 2

Re: Casing Drilling with Volant Internal Casing Running Tools (CRTi)
 Urgent  For Review  Original to follow by mail  Please reply

Volant’s CRTi family of casing running tools are designed with casing drilling applications in mind. The basic operational
conditions and requirements for casing drilling are similar in nature to casing running in that hoist, torque and flow (fluid
pressure) are applied to the tool alone and in combination. However, a few key differences must be accounted for.
Operational Stresses
During typical casing drilling operations, hoist loads are experienced in combination with torque. The hoist load that the
CRTi carries during casing drilling is reduced by the required weight on bit (WOB), however this also tends to induce load
fluctuations. This increased number of hoist load fluctuations affects the fatigue loading calculations on the Volant CRTi and
as a result the rated hoist capacity of the tool is reduced for these operations. In addition the relative number of torque
loading cycles is significantly higher for a typical operation, so drilling torque load fluctuations need to occur at a stress
state where infinite life is expected under all possible combined loads so that drilling loads do not contribute to cumulative
damage in the tool. Accounting for the increased number of cycles and the requirement for a rated 20 year fatigue life,
requires calculating a new hoist / torque loading envelope. While the mechanical activation and “locking in” of pre-stress
from makeup torque applied to the tool results in a reduction of the alternating stress component during drilling
operations, calculations and load envelopes are created on a conservative basis assuming load fluctuations occur from zero
to max in both torque and hoist. The load envelopes are specific to casing grade and weight to account for limits resulting
from slip/casing interaction, casing yield and casing running tool limits, and maps the simultaneous pressure end load, hoist
and torque fatigue life curves. A sample load envelope is provided as Figure 1 for CRTi3-7.0 running 9.63” 43.5ppf L80
casing. Not included in this are fatigue load limits for the box of the tool joint connection, or any of the equipment situated
in line above the casing running tool.
 Volant Oil Tools Inc.
4110 – 56 Avenue NW Tel: 780.490.5185
Edmonton, AB T6B 3R8 Fax: 780.437.2187
Canada

700000

600000
Circulating
500000
0 psi
400000 500 psi
Hoist (lbs)
300000 1000 psi
1500 psi
200000 2000 psi
100000

0
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000
Torque (ft-lbs)
Figure 1 Combined Load Limit for CRTi3-7.0 running 9.63" 43.5 ppf L80 Casing

Fluid Flow

Drilling applications can require higher sustained mud flow rates. In some cases this flow rate can be high enough to result
in excessive mandrel and seal carrier erosion. The tool bore should be regularly checked for erosion if used for casing
drilling. Areas where erosion will be particularly evident is at or near transition regions where turbulence may be induced
by the flow changing direction, changing speed or by passing by some type of disturbance. Erosion rates will depend on the
flow rates and the abrasiveness of the fluid being used. Experience has provided the following general rule, and we
recommend using this as an operating limit, please maintain average fluid velocities less than 36 m/s. This velocity limits as
applied to the Volant’s CRTi tool fleet is shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Maximum CRTi Flow Rates

Tool Maximum Flow Rate
3
CRTi2-4.5 1.1 m /min
3
CRTi2-5.5 1.7 m /min
3
CRTi3-7.0 2.5 m /min
3
CRTi4-7.0 2.5 m /min
3
CRTi2-8.63 4.4 m /min

Please note that some casing seal assemblies may have reduced diameter sections or more tortuous flow paths and as such
may warrant further reductions in flow rate. Please contact Volant product support for any specific enquiries.

The CRTi supports the necessary hoist, torque and flow requirements for conducting casing drilling operations and these
tools are currently being used successfully for this application by several operators.

Sincerely,
Volant Oil Tools Inc.,
Per:

Matthew Allen, P.Eng.

Engineering Manager