APPLICATIONSAutomation of slide drilling to maximize drilling efficiency in horizontal wells

BENEFITS ■ Increases ROP and reach capability by

sensing the amount of surface torque needed to transfer the proper amount of weight to the bit

■ Avoids stalling, which increases motor life and reduces trips

■ Saves time with on-bottom toolface correction

■ Reduces wellbore tortuosity, enabling longer lateral sections and increasing production potential

■ Provides additional skill at the rig site without adding additional personnel

■ Saves time required to train rig personnel

FEATURES ■ Automated control of

● torque ● toolface ● pressure differential ● hook load

■ Automatic determination of torque and bumping set points

■ Compatibility with most rigs and topdrives ■ Optional advisory mode, enabling manual

rocking if desired

The Slider Plus* fully automated slide drilling system helps increase drilling efficiency in directional and horizontal drilling operations performed with motors and MWD directional systems. With this system in place, the directional driller simply enters the target toolface. Then, the Slider Plus system takes over by automatically maintaining toolface within acceptable limits and optimizing sliding ROP—providing more skill at the rig without adding more people.

The Slider Plus system is compatible with most rig types, including new and advanced rigs, and requires minimal operational training for drillers.

Improve sliding efficiency and ROPThe Slider Plus system’s automated surface rotation control increases the efficiency of motors and MWD directional systems—more than 250% in some cases—during the drilling of directional and horizontal wells. The system applies oscillatory movements to the right and left at the topdrive during sliding operations to steer the BHA. It uses torque readings as feedback for an automated system to control the rocking movement.

Maximize drag reductionAs well profiles become more complex, they produce higher torque and drag. Moreover, the downhole toolface orientation becomes harder to obtain. The Slider Plus system is able to handle more challenging wells by using fully automated torque-rocking technology during sliding. This technology enables the maximum amount of drag reduction while accurately controlling the downhole toolface, which is achieved without pulling the bit off bottom to enhance ROP. The system also enables steering of positive displacement motors in any direction without interrupting the drilling process and works with any BHA, including bicenter bits.

Slider Plus system automatically adjusts the rocking torque to the correct target toolface determined by the directional driller.

Slider PlusFully automated slide drilling system

*Mark of SchlumbergerOther company, product, and service names are the properties of their respective owners.Copyright © 2013 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 13-PF-0072

Get torque-rocking technologyThe Slider Plus system enables the drillstring to behave during sliding as if it were rotating. The torque-rocking technology reduces drag with oscillatory movements applied at the topdrive during sliding, using torque as the basic feedback mechanism to control the rocking movement. Longitudinal drag can be reduced from the surface down to the point where friction and imposed torque are in balance. By manipulating the surface torque oscillations, this point can be moved deep enough to make the reduction substantial. Similarly, reactive bit torque produces vibrations and propagates back uphole from the motor to break friction over the bottom section of the drillstring up to a point where it is also balanced by friction. The reactive torque is also monitored by the system in the sliding mode, avoiding much of the guesswork that existed in the past.

There is a middle section of the drillstring that is unaffected by rocking and reactive torque. By continuously measuring torque, WOB, and penetration rate while sliding, the Slider Plus system minimizes the length of the middle section—and, consequently, the longitudinal drag. The remaining drag is minimized and kept constant to prevent the surface torque-rocking motion from unintentionally changing the toolface and to increase sliding ROP.

Slider Plus

slb.com/SliderPlus

Data shows the Slider Plus system helping improve the sliding ROP by 64% compared with a manual system.

0.0 Hook Load, 1,000 lbm 300.0 On-Bottom ROP, ft/h

Rotary Torque0.0 WOB, 1,000 lbm 125.00.0 Toolface 300.0

Rotary Speed, rpm 0.0 Standpipe Pressure, psi 200.00.0 Differential Pressure, psi 800.0

0.0 50.0

0.0 43,581.00.0 218.0

Less WOB

Good toolface control

Manual system slide Average ROP= 22 ft/h

Slider Plus system slide Average ROP= 36 ft/h

Bit depth, ft

Aug 09, 2013

12,32612,33012,33412,33812,342

12,34112,343

12,342

12,343

12,344

12,345

12,346

12,347

12,348

12,349

12,350

12,351

12,352

12,353

12,354

12,355

12,356

12,357

12,358

12,35912,36012,36112,36212,36312,36412,36512,36612,367

12,368

12,369

12,370

13:28

13:32

13:36

13:40

13:44

13:48

13:52

13:56

14:00

14:04

14:08

14:12

14:16

14:20

14:24

14:28

14:32

14:36

14:40

14:44

12,341