Rotary Bottom Hole

Assembly Design

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

Objectives
Upon Completion of this module you will be able to:

 Describe the minimum number of BHA changes needed to

drill:
– A Build & Hold Well (simple “J” profile)
– An “S” type well

 Describe what is meant by:

– Bit side force
– Fulcrum effect
– Pendulum effect

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

Objectives
Upon Completion of this module you will be able to:

 Explain the effect of drill collar stiffness in BHA design.

 Explain why minimizing the number of components in a

directional BHA is advisable

 Describe the effect of under-gauge near bit stabilizers have

in:
– Drop-off BHAs
– Build-up BHAs

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

Objectives
Upon Completion of this module you will be able to:

 Show why an under-gauge second stabilizer is usually

used in a “Packed Hole” assembly for drilling tangent
sections

 Describe the effect of hole washout on BHA behavior

 Describe the effect that changing drilling parameters can

have on each type of assembly

 Explain why frequent surveying is advisable when an MWD

is in the string

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

Objectives
Upon Completion of this module you will be able to:

 Give examples of typical BHA design for each section of a

well profile.

 Give examples of:

– A Jetting BHA
– An open hole whip-stock BHA
– A “Gilligan” BHA

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

 The Principals

Forces acting on a Bit in an inclined hole

 (for a string rotating off bottom).
Available weight:

W = w x L x BF x cos()
Where:
 is the hole inclination in degrees
W is the available weight of the DCs
w is weight per unit length
L is the length of DCs available
BF is the buoyancy factor

Available weight
BF = 1-(mwt/65.5) (for ppg)

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The Principals

Bar of mass M

Weight of 1/2 M Weight of 1/2 M

When we consider the side force, we are only able to use the unsupported weight
that lies between the tangent and the bit. Because the weight is supported at each
end, only half of the weight is available at the bit as side-force.

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

The Principals

Forces acting on a bit in an inclined hole

Pendulum force with zero WOB:

H = w x L x BF x sin(inc)/2

Where:
H is side force
W is the weight of the DCs
w is weight per unit lenght
L is the length of unsupported DCs below the Tangent
BF is the buoyancy factor

Pendulum force (negative side force)

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 The Principals
Weight on Bit

With WOB we can induce Bit Tilt by

moving the tangent closer to the bit
and thus generate a Build Force
(positive side force).

If the Build Force is great enough it will

become greater than the pendulum
force and an increase in hole angle will
result.

Bit Tilt

Hole Direction

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The Principals
Increased WOB
results in a shorter
tangent to bit
distance

This reduces the

pendulum effect
and increases bit
tilt, resulting in
greater positive
side force

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

 The Principals
Drill Collar Stiffness:

Stiffness Coefficient = Moment of Inertia X Young’s Modulus of Elasticity

I = (OD4 - ID4)/64, E = 30 x 106

For a 8 1/4” x 2 13/16” DC

SC = (OD4 - ID4)/64 x 30 x 106

= (8.254 - 2.81254)/64 x 30 x 106 = 6.73 x 109

For a 7” x 2 13/16” DC

SC = (OD4 - ID4)/64 x 30 x 106

= (74 - 2.81254)/64 x 30 x 106 = 3.44 x 109

For a change in O.D. of 1 1/4” the stiffness has almost halved

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The Principals

Collar O.D Moment of Inertia W eight /ft

4.75 25 45
6.50 85 100
8.00 200 160
9.50 400 235

I.D.

O.D.

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

The Principals
The effect of a single stabilizer
changes with it’s proximity to
the bit.
As the distance reduces it’s
effect goes from none, when the
tangent is the same distance as
if no stabilizer was run, to
maximum build when it becomes
a Near Bit Stabilizer.

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC

The Principals
With Two stabilizers, by
controlling their relative position
to the bit create almost any
behavioral tendency that we
require.

The spacing in this example is

twice that of the Tangent point
from the first stabilizer, so there
is no effect from the second
stabilizer.

United Kingdom Training Center - UTC