Directional Drilling

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Drillstring Components

Sperry-Sun 2004

Directional Drilling
Drill Collars

Sperry-Sun Drilling Services

2004

Drill Collars
Sizes (OD) :
2-7/8 12
ID range :
1 4
Weights :
19 342 lb/ft
Material (fmin):
6-7/8 110 kpsi
7 100 kpsi

Drill Collar Materials

Comparison of properties 8 OD x 2 ID drill collars :

SG lbs/ft EI = (x 1010 lb-in2)

Steel AISI 4145H
7.68
160
Tungsten Carbide 17.8
326
Uranium, depleted 18.4
367

Notes :

0.57
0.43
0.90

Tungsten carbide featured memory effect, brittle

Uranium consisted of 2% Mo + 98% U corrosive,
needed a steel jacket, dangerous material
SG = Specific Gravity
AISI 4145H as per API Specification 7
EI = Stiffness Coefficient (Youngs Modulus of Elasticity x Moment of
Inertia (l))

Selection of Drill Collars

Issues :
Weight
Stiffness
Hydraulic
resistance

Using Drill Collars

Provides WOB (weight - on bit) with a stiff tubular

When keeping neutral point of tension within DC column (use

approx. 90% of the DC weight only)

Minimum effective hole diameter (after Lubinski) :

MEHD = (D bit + D dc) / 2

Minimum required drill collar diameter (after Koch) :

min DC = 2(Dcsgcoupling) D bit

D dc
2

D bit
2

MEHD

running casing

Stiffness

Moment of Inertia (l) :

I
OD 4 ID 4
64

In4

(note: if you use radius in place of diameter = /4 in place of /64)

(Polar Moment of Inertia (J) = 2 x Moment of Inertia (l) =/32)

Valid for thick wall cylinders, when OD/ID > 1.7

Youngs Modulus of Elasticity : Strain (Deformation) = ( / E)

(function of ( = stress) / (E = Youngs modulus of Elasticity))

Valid within the elastic strain region

Values :

29 x 106 psi for

51.5 x 106
10 x 106
26 x 106

Stiffness Coefficient :

common steels (29,000 kpsi)

tungsten carbide
aluminium
Monel K500

SC = E x I

lb-in2

Triangular Drill Collar for Increased Stiffness

Note : there are rectangular drill collars, too

Spiral Groove on Drill Collar

Drill collars can be spiral grooved to reduce

differential sticking (approx. 4% weight loss)

DC Connections

Thread profile : V-038R (V-065 is obsolete)

Preferred connections : REG, NC, FH, H-90 (IF and XH are not preferred but are common in the oilfield)
Bending Strength Ratio : BSR ~ 2.5 (stiffness of box / stiffness of pin)
Make-up torque : essential
Low- torque connection features
Pipe dope

Stress Reduction on Pins

stress relief groove

Note : not recommended for connections smaller than NC-38

Stress Reduction on Box

Low torque shoulder

on the box

Bore - back

Drill Collar
Lbs / Ft

Non-Magnetic Drill Collars

NM drill collars, hang-off collars and hang-off subs - house the

survey probes in non-magnetic environment

NM extension bars keep the survey probe in the (NM) drill

collars far enough away from the steel components to avoid or
minimize interference

NM orienting subs (e.g. UBHO) to reduce interference

NM string stabilizers, flex collars are available, too

NM pressure cases and other parts for survey instruments

Non-Magnetic Materials

Regular steel for drill collars : AISI 4145H (API Spec 7)

Non-magnetic steels :

chrome-manganese alloys (P530, P530HS, P550)

chrome-nickel alloys
(SMI SM2035, SCF-19)
copper/copper-nickel alloys (MONEL K-500)

Material strength (y) :

steel (DC)
nm

AISI 4145H
P530
P530HS
P550
SCF-19
Staballoy
Monel K-500

110/100 kpsi (3-1/2 to 6-7/8; 7 to 11 OD)

110/100
120/110
140/130
100
100
115
SG 8.44 !

Note : Make-up torque depends on the yield strength, too

Composition of the Most Common NM Alloys

Monel K-500

27-33% Cu + 63% Ni+

(expensive)
2.30-3.15% Al + 2.00% Fe

Cr-Ni steel

~ 18% Cr + >13% Ni

(tend to gall)

Austenitic
steel

Cr - Mn alloys
(>18% Mn + 4%Cu-Be)

(SCC) used for LWD

Be-Cu bronze

(expensive)

AUSTENITIC STEEL
Steel which, because of the presence of alloying elements, such as manganese, nickel, chromium, etc., shows stability of
Austenite at normal temperatures.
AUSTENITE
Phase in certain steels, characterized as a solid solution, usually off carbon or iron carbide, in the gamma form of iron.
Such steels are known as austenitic. Austenite is stable only above 1333F. in a plain carbon steel, but the presence
of certain alloying elements, such as nickel and manganese, stabilizes the austenitic form, even at normal temperatures.

NM Drill Collars and Flex Collars

Spiral NM Drill Collars

NMDC End - Without SRG

low-torque
shoulder
no SRG

Non-Magnetic Drill Collars

Problems with non-magnetic LWD and

drill collars are:

Galling on tool joints

Corrosion
Cracking
Frequent re-cutting the tool joints might be needed
(hard on tooling)
Occasionally Hot spots could be developed
Price is high

Non-Mag
Galled Threads

Corrosion-Erosion Pitting

Drill Collar
Abrasive OD Wear

Non-magnetic Pup Joints

Note the 18 shoulder on tool joints

Directional Drilling
Hevi-Wate Drill Pipe
Spiral-Wate

Sperry-Sun Drilling Services

2004

Hevi-Wate Drillpipes

Intermediate weight pipes with longer tool joints and additional upset (s)
on the pipe body (1 or 3)

Size range available : 3-1/2 4 4-1/2 - 5 5-1/2 6-5/8

ID and weights are depending on manufacturer

Standard, spiral- and non-magnetic versions

Manufacturers / suppliers : Drilco, Grant-Prideco, Weatherford

Not covered by API Specification

Comparison of DP to HWDP

5 19.50 lb/ft Grade G NC50 drillpipe approx. wt.21.92 lb/ft

5 x 3 HWDP ( Drilco), standard, adjusted wt.
49.70

Weight increase 2.27x

Comparison of Hevi-Wate Drillpipes

Grant Prideco standard

Drilco - standard
- spiral
Weatherford - standard
- spiral

5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3
5 x 3

49.3 lb/ft
49.7
54.0
50.6
53.8

1 upset
1
3
1
1

Hevi-Wate Drillpipes

pipe upset

long TJ

large bore
SRG

HWDP Pin

SRG

HWDP Pipe Upsets

hardfacing

upset

hardfacing

HWDP and DP Racked Back

HWDP

DP

old API marking :

long TJ

hi-strength DP

wt and grade codes in slots