Technology Focus Welcome back to the Wellbore Tubulars feature. Let me begin by stating that once again we have been presented with excellent work in the tubulars area. Of most recent note was the quality work discussed at the 2008 IADC/SPE Drilling Conference. A colleague commented recently on how amazed he was to see the level of fundamental tubulars work (e.g., buckling, collapse, and fatigue). I hope this trend continues. In 2006, this feature focused on fundamentals, and we still need this level of examination. As applications evolve, we need to know what we can really expect. Just as importantly, we need to step forward with new technologies and to embrace twists on old technologies, or ones that finally have come of age. Last year, this feature looked at technologies that have been taken to the field, and this year, we will look at new technologies for both field and laboratory use. One of the first avenues we look toward to gain an advantage is use of new materials: We want them lighter, stronger, and more resistant to whatever we can throw at them. Market conditions sometimes drive the consideration of alternatives—titanium and aluminum alloys come to mind immediately for strength and weight considerations. Other application-specific needs may not require material changes. For example, modifications to traditional metallurgies may enhance drilling capability in sour environments or tubular longevity in erosive environments. Remote sensing also is becoming mainstream. The desire for real-time knowledge about the rock, hole, or tubular condition drives us to new applications of data transmission such as drillpipe telemetry for measurement-while-drilling and logging-while-drilling operations. In addition, we are seeing the growth of fiber optics to collect downhole data during production, not solely for pressure and temperature, but also to assess the mechanical integrity of tubulars. Technology evolution need not be only for field use, but can be of benefit in a laboratory environment as well. A more thorough understanding developed during laboratory evaluation reduces the risk during field installation and use. Wellbore Tubulars additional reading available at the SPE eLibrary: www.spe.org SPE 109722 • "Aluminium-Alloy Tubulars—Assessment for Ultralong-Well Construction" by Mikhail Ya. Gelfgat, SPE, Aquatic Company, et al. SPE 108707 • "Enhanced Steel Alloys Outperform Typical Bottomhole-Assembly Chemistries in Sour-Service Applications" by Alvaro Chan, SPE, Grant Prideco, et al. SPE 110939 • "The First Offshore Use of an Ultrahigh-Speed Drillstring-Telemetry Network Involving a Full LWD Logging Suite and Rotary-Steerable Drilling System" by H. Wolter, SPE, StatoilHydro, et al.
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