Assuring Efficient PDC Drilling
Authors: Curry D , Pessier R , Spencer R , Al Alawi M , Wingate J , Kuesters A 
Published: March 2017

An operator experienced sub-optimal drilling performance in a multi-rig, multi-well drilling campaign in the Sultanate of Oman. This paper describes collaboration between the operator and a bit vendor to establish key operating parameters for efficient drilling based on fundamental drilling mechanics and laboratory testing. The concept was implemented and validated in that field's 12 ¼″ section.

The method makes minimum weight on bit (WOB) and torque recommendations based on the observation that a critical depth of cut (DOC) should be exceeded if a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit is to drill efficiently. Below this DOC the drilling efficiency, which is inversely related to the mechanical specific energy (MSE), can decrease significantly depending on the rock strength and the downhole environment. This behaviour has been associated with a transition between shearing and grinding as the predominant rock destruction mechanism. Critical DOCs and corresponding WOB and torque levels were determined from a wide range of laboratory drilling tests in carbonate rocks. Initially bit design details and anticipated formation properties were used before a bit run to develop minimum WOB recommendations and torque targets which were communicated to rig site personnel in a run-specific drilling roadmap. Rig crews were encouraged to maintain WOB above the minimum whenever possible while avoiding damaging stick/slip vibration and observing pre-agreed bit, bottom hole assembly (BHA) and rig imposed limits. Later the pre-drill recommendations were supplemented by computing the real time instantaneous DOC during drilling and comparing this with the critical value for efficient drilling to indicate whether the current WOB should be increased.

Sub-optimal performance in early wells was frequently associated with parameters insufficient to achieve the critical DOC and torque. Penetration rate performance showed a significant and consistent improvement after adoption of the roadmap. The section average penetration rates increased by 45% and routine shoe to shoe bit runs were achieved where previously an average of 2.6 bits per well were required for this hole section. We conclude that ensuring DOC and torque exceeded the thresholds for mechanically efficient drilling provided an engineering basis for selecting WOB and was a major factor in the observed drilling performance increase.

In the planning phase this approach generates an engineered parameter roadmap tailored to each specific application and bit design, and provides WOB and torque targets as input for BHA design. Many other drilling parameter optimisation schemes require significant intervals of steady drilling to calibrate underlying models. Rapid changes in formation properties over the calibration interval could make the parameter recommendations inappropriate for the rock actually drilled. In contrast the method described in this paper uses real time, instantaneous performance measurements to determine whether the parameters are delivering mechanically efficient drilling. Its recommendations are consequently more robust against fluctuations in formation drilling properties, at least for the predominantly carbonate formations so far evaluated.