Maximizing Drilling Performance with Real-Time Drilling Vibration Mitigation in the Deep Wells

The present Tarim Basin of China presents drilling chanllenges moving toward deeper hydrocarbon reservoirs, which includes more complex formation, poor bit cutting efficiency and wellbore integrity. The paper introduces the development and application of optimizer of drilling operating parameters named as Smart Driller Indicator (SDI) which worked to deliver continuous improvement in axial vibration and stick-slip mitigation for the presented field. SDI is based on a soft-closed-loop solution called NAVO real-time vibration monitoring and calculating the optimal drilling parameters for that formation by maintaining an optimum relationship between ROP and energy input. From the perspectives of rock mechanics and conservation of energy, the ideal performance in the optimum proportion among drilling parameters, ROP and MSE have been derived from comprehensive analysis of optimized drilling mechanism. An advanced damped forced torsional vibrarion model in frenquency-domain was developed. Field validation for real-time estimates produced by the model was conducted by a drilling mechanics module sub. In drlling process, if the ROP is not as good as expected, SDI will automatically evaluates the new hole conditions including the mechanical properties of the formation, bit wear condition and vibration etc, and updates the optimum drilling parameters. The drillers just adjust drilling parameters to follow them, a higher ROP (rate of penetration) and a longer bit run can be achieved. SDI has been applied for more than 20 wells with total footage of over 30,000ft and has shown about 20%-54% ROP improvement and longer bit life compared with conventional driller's drilling habits and totally 125 days and about 1 million dollars have been saved. As an effective tool for further excavating the potential of ROP, SDI might achieve satisfactory outcomes that overcome the drilling challenges of carbonate formation, gravel and igneous in deep wells.