A 300 Degree Celsius Directional Drilling System

Abstract

Abstract The typical rating for downhole measurement-while-drilling equipment for oil and gas drilling is between 150°C and 175°C. There are currently few available drilling systems rated for operation at temperatures above 200°C. This paper describes the development, testing and field deployment of a drilling system comprised of drill bits, positive displacement motors and drilling fluids capable of drilling at operating temperatures up to 300°C. It also describes the development and testing of a 300°C capable measurement-while-drilling platform. The development of 300°C technologies for geothermal drilling also extends tool capabilities, longevity and reliability at lower oilfield temperatures. New technologies developed in this project include 300°C drill bits, metal-to-metal motors, and drilling fluid, and an advanced hybrid electronics and downhole cooling system for a measurement-while-drilling platform. The overall approach was to remove elastomers from the drilling system and to provide a robust "drilling-ready" downhole cooling system for electronics. The project included laboratory testing, field testing and full field deployment of the drilling system. The US Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office partially funded the project. The use of a sub-optimal drilling system due to the limited availability of very high temperature technology can result in unnecessarily high overall wellbore construction costs. It can lead to short runs, downhole tool failures and poor drilling rates. The paper presents results from the testing and deployment of the 300°C drilling system. It describes successful laboratory testing of individual bottom-hole-assembly components, and full-scale integration tests on an in-house research rig. The paper also describes the successful deployment of the 300°C drilling system in the exploratory geothermal well IDDP-2 as part of the Iceland Deep Drilling Project. The well reached a measured depth of 4659m, by far the deepest in Iceland. The paper includes drilling performance data and the results of post-run analysis of bits and motors used in this well, which confirm the encouraging results obtained during laboratory tests. The paper also discusses testing and performance of the 300°C rated measurement-while-drilling components – hybrid electronics, power and telemetry - and the performance of the drilling tolerant cooling system. This is the industry's first 300°C capable drilling system, comprising metal-to-metal motors, drill bits, drilling fluid and accompanying measurement-while-drilling system. These new technologies provide opportunities for drilling oil and gas wells in previously undrillable ultra-high temperature environments.