Part 6

Drill string Design

Contents:
•Introduction.
•Rotary System.
•Drill Pipe.
•Bottom Hole Assembly.
•HWDP.
•Drill Collars.
•Jars.
• Stabilizers.
•Subs.
• Bits.
•Drill String Design.
 Introduction:
The term drill string is used to describe the tubular
and accessories on which the drill bit is run to the
bottom of the borehole. The drill string consists of
drill pipe, HWDP, drill collars, the other pieces of
equipment such as stabilizers, subs and Jars, which
are included in the drill string just above the drill
bit. The drill collars and the other equipment which
is made up just above the bit are collectively called
the Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA).
The functions of the drill string:

•To transmit rotary torque from the Kelly to the bit.

•To provide a conduit for circulating drilling fluid to the bit.
•Hole Cleaning.
•Directional Control.

Drill String Problem:

•Drill String Failure (Overloading, Fatigue).

•Stack Pipe.
Under Tension= DP
Under Compression= BHA
 Down Hole Motors:

•Used in horizontal and Deviated

wells.
• High RPM.
• High ROP.
• Positive displacement motor.
DRILL PIPE:
Drill pipe is the major component of the drill string It
generally constitutes 90-95% of the entire length of the drill
string. Drill pipe is a seamless pipe with threaded
connections, known as tool joints. At one end of the pipe
there is the box, at the other end of each length of drill pipe
is known as the pin. The wall thickness and therefore the
outer diameter of the tool joint must be larger than the wall
thickness of the main body of the drill pipe in order to
accommodate the threads of the connection. Hence the tool
joints are clearly visible in the drill string.
It is used to:
• Transmit Rotary Power from the surface to the bottom of the hole.
• Supply fluid at sufficient volume and pressure to the bit.
• Suspend Drill Collar tension strength.

Drill Pipe Length:

Drill pipe is available in singles or joints which refers to one piece of tube
with a tool joint at each end. The standard dimensions for drill pipe are
specified by the American Petroleum Institute. Singles are available in
three API length “ranges "with range 2 being the most common. The
length not including the tool joint.

API Range Length (ft)

Range I 18-22ft.
Range II 27-30ft.
Range III 28-45ft.
 Drill Pipe Size (OD):

• When referring to the size of drill pipe we are talking about the
outside diameter (OD) of the drill pipe tube.
• The size most commonly used is 5”.

This allows an increased annular flow for the same maximum pump
pressure and improves hole cleaning.
 Drill Pipe Weight:

• The drill pipe weight per foot is determined by the tube wall
thickness and the dimensions of the tool joint.

• This weight depends on the type of tool joint and range of pipe
used …… It is known as the approximate weight or adjusted
weight and is quoted either in kg/m or lbs/ft (mass).
• The nominal weight per foot should not therefore be used to
calculate the string weight in drill string design calculations …
as it is not an actual representative for drill string weight.
Drill Pipe Grade:

• The grade of drill pipe is a letter code given to drill

pipe to indicate its tensile yield strength.
• Drill pipe is available in the four grades as:
• The number in the drill pipe grade refers to the
minimum yield strength of the steel expressed
in 1000 lb’s per every square inch of the cross
sectional area.

• An understanding of the response of metal to

stress and strain is required.
• Stress is the total load divided by the original
cross-sectional area of the test piece.

• Strain is the deformation or elongation

between two gauge points marked on a test
piece divided by the original gauge length.
 Stress (psi)

Tensile Strength

Fracture Point
Upper Yield Point
B
Lower Yield Point
A
Prop. Elastic Limit
Yield Strength

API 0.5 to 0.6 %

C
Perm. Set 0.2% Strain %
CLASSIFICATION FOR DRILL PIPE:

• The API takes this into account and classifies drill pipe into
three different classes - C l as s 1 , P re m iu m and C l as s 2 -
based on the amount and type of wear/defects. (Class 1 drill
pipe is as new with no defects.)

• For easy recognition in the field the API also recommends that
the different classes should be color coded, using bands at the
box end of the pipe.
THE TOOL JOINT :

• A tool joint is a heavy coupling element for drill pipe.

• Tool joints have coarse, tapered threads and seating
shoulders designed to:
• (1) suspend the weight of the drill string.
• (2) withstand the strain of frequent make-up
and breakout.
• (3) provide a leak proof seal.
• The tool joint is welded (pin & box) during the
manufacture of the drill pipe joint.
TYPES OF TOOL JOINT :

• There are two API standard tool joints:

1. Flash-weld tool joints.
2. friction welded tool joints.
Flash-welding:
• The pipe and tool joint are held in correct alignment while the
weld zone is heated by a surrounding induction coil.
• An arc is struck between the two items, and at welding
temperature they are forced together with a pressure
sufficient to weld them and extrude molten metal from the
joint.
• The physical properties of the weld area are subsequently
restored by quenching and tempering (quick cooling followed
by re-heating and slow cooling).
Inertia friction welding:

• The pipe is clamped and the tool joint is rotated while

being pressed against the pipe.
• The friction heat increases the temperature of the
pipe in a very localized zone until welding
temperature has been achieved.
• Rotation is then stopped and the tool joint is pressed
onto the pipe.
DRILL PIPE UPSETS :

• At each end of the drill pipe tube, where the tool joint is

attached, the wall thickness of the pipe is increased.

• This is called an "upset".

• Upsets increase the strength of the welding areas and change

the transition from pipe to tool joint more gradually.

• Internal, external or internal/external upsets are used.

Bottom Hole Assembly:

•HWDP.
•Drill Collars.
•Jars.
• Stabilizers.
•Subs.
•Bits.

80% to 85% from BHA Under Compression

HWDP:
Heavy-wall drill pipe, normally called Hevi-Wate drill
pipe and abbreviated to HWDP, is an intermediate
weight drill string member.

It consists of heavy-wall tubes with an upset in the

middle, called the centre wear pad and special long
tool joints, up to twice as long as normal drill pipe.
The external dimensions of HWDP are the same as drill
pipe dimensions for easy handling.

The extra weight comes from the additional wall

thickness of the tube, the wear pad and the longer
tool joints.

Because of its weight and construction, HWDP can be

run in compression in a similar way to drill collars,
except in large diameter vertical holes.
HWDP is used:

• For slim hole drilling because it has less chance of

becoming differentially stuck than drill collars.
• The contact area for unsterilized drill collars is the full
length of the collars where as HWDP has a contact
area equal to the length of the tool joints and the wear
pad (normally about 6 ft per joint).
• For high angle drilling because it is less rigid than drill collars
and has a much lower wall contact area possibly reducing
torque.
• As a transition between DC's and DP, to make the
crossover gradual. HWDP is more resilient to fatigue
than standard drill pipe, especially in compression.
Other advantages of HWDP are:

• It permits high speed drilling with less torque which

reduces drill stem wear and tear and simplifies
directional control.

• Tripping is faster than with drill collars due to HWDP

being handled the same as normal DP.

• There is no loss of BOP control when handling HWDP,

since pipe rams can be used around it.
Drill collars (DCs):

• Are heavy, thick-walled steel tubes with threaded connections

cut (not welded) on both ends.
• They are designed to withstand down hole conditions while
under compression as well as under tension.
• Collars are manufactured in a wide range of sizes(ODs) and are
available in length ranges ……..
• Ra nge II: 9·15 - 9·76 m (30 - 32 ft) ….. and ….. Ra nge III: 12·8
- 13·27 m (42 ft-43 ft).
Drill collars are used to:

•To provide enoug h w e i g h t o n b i t fo r

e f f i ci e n t d r i l l i n g ( W O B ) .

•To keep the dril l string in ten si on , th ereb y

re d u ci n g b e n d i n g s t re s s e s a n d fa i l u re s d u e
to fatigue .

•To p ro v i d e s t i f f n e s s in the BHA fo r

direc tional control .
The parameters used to specify drill collars are:

• OD: 91/2", 8", 6", 43/4" etc.,

• ID: 31/2", 3", 21/2", 23/8" etc.,

• Length: Usually range II.

• Material: Steel, Monel.

• Connection: 6-5/8" REG etc.

DRILL COLLARS TYPES :
(1) S p i ra l d r i l l c o l l a r s
• These are commonly used and have spiral flats or shallow
depressions machined in their surface along the greater part of
their lengths.

• This reduces their effective weight per unit length by

approximately 4%.
(2) S q u a re d r i l l c o l l a r s
These are drill collars with a square section and a diagonal
dimension (1/16") less than the bit size, with hard facing
material applied to the corners.

They are run in the string when drilling crooked hole formations
to provide maximum stabilization and prevent deviation from
the existing course of the hole.

Their use is, however, not commonplace.

(3)Non-magnetic drill collars (NMDCs):
These are drill collars manufactured from a non-magnetic steel
alloy and are used to s hi e l d di recti ona l s urvey
i n s t r u m e nt s f ro m t h e i n f l u e n c e o f t h e m a g n e t i c
f i e l d that exists around a normal steel drill collar.
Special care should be taken when making up NMDCs
b e c a u s e t h e m a t e r i a l i s m o re s u s c e p t i b l e to
ga l l i n g of the threads and shoulders than normal DCs.
Stabilizers:
•They are usually almost the same diameter as the bit and are
located in a drill string at various points in the drill collars of
the BHA, including just above the bit.

Types:
1) Sleeve.
2) Replaceable blades.
3) Integral.
4) Long integral.
5) Nipple with welded-on blades .
Role in:

1) Directional drilling
2) BHA Centralizing
3) Prevention of buckling
4) Rock cutting
5) BHA Vibration
6) Pipe stuck
7) Torque and drag
SUBS:
• Subs are short pieces of tubular material used to
increase the versatility of the main component of the
string.

• The simplest is a crossover sub, used to connect two

items that have different threads.
Other subs are:

• Float sub.

• Dart sub.

• Circulating sub.

• Bent sub.

• Orientating sub.

• Totco ring.
FLOAT SUB:

A float sub is a non-return valve run just above the bit.

One of its functions is to prevent back-flow of drilling

fluid into the drill string.

This can occur when cuttings increase the effective

density of the drilling fluid in the annulus, and may
result in the bit nozzles being plugged by cuttings.
This problem is very prevalent when drilling top hole
sections because of the large volume of cuttings
produced at high penetration rates.

Another reason for running a float sub is prevent the

possibility of a blowout through the string.

In top hole, high volume swabbing can lower the level

of fluid in the string very rapidly due to the large
differential between the string and hole capacities.
When running in a string that has a float sub installed,
the string has to be filled up while running in.

If empty pipe should suddenly be filled by the annulus

(failure of the valve) this would cause a significant
drop of head in the open hole and could possibly
induce a kick.

A float sub in the string also increases the surge

pressures created while running in.
DART SUB:

The dart sub is a landing sub for a drop-in and pump-down

back pressure valve.

Its function is to prevent a kick through the drill string in the

same way as a float sub.

The landing sub is installed near the drill collars.

This provides the driller with a means to land the valve prior to
pulling out.

The valve is pumped into the sub and will latch in place
automatically.
BENT SUB:

A bent sub is actually made to have one tool joint set

at a pre-determined offset angle, thereby creating a
bend in the drill string which in turn allows the
deflection tool to be faced in a certain direction.

Bent subs can be supplied with angles of 1° - 3º in 1/2º

increments.
CIRCULATING SUB:

This sub can be incorporated in the drill string and, if

required, operated while drilling to provide a large
opening to circulate through.

When drilling with a directional BHA it is run directly

above the MWD sub or down-hole motor; in rotary
drilling it is run directly above the bit sub.
There are two principal reasons for using a circulating
sub:
When lost circulation material is to be pumped
through the string it could plug up the small nozzles in
the bit or jam the inside of a turbine.
A circulating sub in the string could be used to
circulate the coarse material through.
To allow increased circulation rates for hole cleaning
prior to pulling out of the hole.
In order to operate the sub a ball is dropped down the
drill string.
The ball will seat on the sleeve and seal off the fluid
flow.
When the fluid pressure increases to approximately
20,000 kPa (3,000 psi) the shear bolt will break.
Ball and sleeve will then be forced downwards and
uncover the fluid ports.
The drilling fluid flow will then effectively by-pass
everything below the circulating sub.
After use a conventional circulation sub will have to be
pulled to recover the ball and re-set the sleeve.

To avoid this problem, a different type of circulating

sub is now available.

One ball is dropped to open the sub and a second ball

is dropped to close it.

This cycle can be repeated a few times until the ball

catcher, installed below the sub, is full.
CROSSOVER SUBS:

These are short sections of drill collar material 0.6 m (2 ft)

or longer, which provide crossovers between different
diameters and types of threaded connection.

They are available configured with the following

connections;
box/box … pin/pin … pin/box … box/pin subs.
ORIENTING SUB:

• This sub is used in a directional drilling assembly to

align the survey equipment with the deflection tool as
described in the previous paragraphs.

• This is done so that the path of the well can be

recorded and observed.

• The orienting sub is usually a straight one and is often

called a UBHO, "universal bottom hole orienting" sub.
TOTCO RING:

• A Totco ring is not really a sub, but it is included here

for convenience.

• It is a small insert that is placed inside the drill string

between a pin and a box connection.
• It does not interfere with the connection.

• It does not significantly restrict the flow of fluid down

the string but it does act as a trap for survey tools that
are dropped from surface and retrieved later when the
string is removed from the hole.