If off bottom high speed string rotation during clean up cycle is a concern (vibrations, tool failures, etc.), a PBL tool can be used as an alternative for achieving the hole cleaning objective. Activating the tool to bypass flow above the BHA will allow for higher flow rate by eliminating the BHA and bit pressure losses. Depending on the hydraulics and ECD limitations, if high flowrate can achieve a turbulent regime across the drill pipe annulus, this can be effectively used to achieve the hole cleaning objective without subjecting the BHA to high speed off bottom rotation, thus preventing any further risk of damage/ failure to the BHA.

Use Case

Farhod Hamidov, BICO Drilling Tools, Inc., and Sachin Rajadhyaksha & Meghan Paulson,

K&M Technology Group, show how operators can use bypass tools to optimise hole cleaning and off bottom vibration mitigation in horizontal wells.

Key-Facts