Downhole motors

INTRODUCTION
The idea of using a downhole motor to directly turn the bit is not a new
one. Indeed, the first commercial motor used was turbine driven. The first
patent for a turbodrill existed in 1873. The USSR focused efforts in
developing downhole motors as far back as the 1920s and has continued
to use motors extensively in their drilling activity. After 1945, the West
focused efforts more on rotary drilling but the field of application for
downhole motors increased spectacularly from about 1980 onwards.
The turbine consists of a multistage vane type rotor and stator section, a
bearing section, a drive shaft and a bit rotating sub. Each stage consists
of a rotor and stator of identical profile. The stators are stationary, locked
to the turbine body, and deflect the flow of drilling fluid onto the rotors
which are locked to the drive shaft. The rotors are forced to turn; the drive
shaft is thus forced to turn, causing the bit sub and the bit to rotate.
A positive displacement motor is a hydraulically driven downhole motor
that uses the Moineau principle to drive the drilling bit, independent of
drill string rotation.

Figure1 : Differences between the turbine motor (left) and positive displacement motor (right)
designs

Prepared By: Eng. Fayez Amin Shehata

TURBINES
The turbine is made up of several sections:

The drive stages or motor section.

The axial thrust bearing assembly and radial bearings.
The bit drive sub.

The drive stages, or motor section, consists of a series of stators and

rotors of a bladed design. One stator and one rotor together form a stage.
Turbines will be referred to as 90 stage, 250 stage, etc. The number of
stages will determine the torque generated. Each stage, theoretically,
applies an equal amount of torque to the control shaft and it is the sum of
those torques which will be output to the bit.

Figure 2 : Turbine details

The drive sub is simply the bit connection and bearing shaft. The radial
bearings protect the shaft from lateral loading. The thrust bearings
support the downwards hydraulic thrust from drilling fluid being pumped
through the tool and the upward thrust of weight being applied to the bit.
Theoretically, weight on bit should be applied to equalize the hydraulic
thrust and therefore unload the bearings and prolong their life.

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DRIVE SECTION
This consists of a series of bladed stators, fixed to the outer tool housing
and bladed rotors fixed to the central rotating shaft. Drilling fluid flow is
deflected at a pre-determined angle off the stator blades to hit the rotor
blades and cause the shaft to rotate. The angle of the blades will affect the
torque and speed output of the turbine. (Figure 2)

BEARING SECTION
Usually, thrust bearings are made up of rubber discs (Figure 2) which are
non-rotating, being fixed to the outer housing of the tool, and rotating
steel discs attached to the central rotating shaft. Long bearing sections
known as cartridges are used for long life in tangent or straight hole
drilling sections. These are changeable on the rig. If the bearings wear
past the maximum point, considerable damage can be inflicted as the
steel rotors will crash into the stators below.

DIRECTIONAL TURBINE
This is a short tool which has a set number of stages and its bearing
section entirely within one housing. That is, it is not a sectional tool and
will be typically less than 30 ft (9 m) long. It is designed for short runs to
kick off or correct a directional well, using a bent sub as the deflection
device. Steerable turbodrills do exist and will be discussed later.
CHARACTERISTICS

Torque and RPM are inversely proportional (i.e., as RPM increases,

torque decreases and vice versa).
RPM is directly proportional to flow rate (at a constant torque).
Torque is a function of flow rate, drilling fluid density, blade angle
and the number of stages, and is affected by varying weight on bit.
Optimum power output takes place when thrust bearings are
balanced.
Changing the flow rate causes the characteristic curve to shift.
Off bottom, the turbine RPM will reach "runaway speed" and torque
is zero.
Optimum performance is at half the stall torque and at half the
runaway speed, the turbine then achieves maximum horsepower.
A stabilized turbine used in tangent sections will normally cause
the hole to "walk" to the left.

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OBSERVATIONS

There is minimal surface indication of a turbine stalling.

Turbines do not readily allow the pumping of LCM.
Sand content of the drilling fluid should be kept to a minimum.
Due to minimal rubber components, the turbine is able to operate in
high temperature wells.
Pressure drop through the tool is typically high and can be
anything from 500 psi to over 2,000 psi.
Turbines do not require a by-pass valve.
Usually, the maximum allowable bearing wear is of the order of 4
mm

POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MOTORS

The PDM is made up of several sections:

The by-pass valve or dump sub.

The motor section.
The universal joint or connecting rod section.
The bearing section with drive sub.

BY-PASS VALVE
A by-pass valve allows fluid to fill the drill string while tripping in the hole
and drain while tripping out. While drilling fluid is being pumped, the
valve closes to cause fluid to move through the tool. Most valves are of a
spring piston type which closes under pressure to seal off ports to the
annulus. When there is no downward pressure, the spring forces the
piston up so fluid can channel through the ports to the annulus. (Figure
3).

Figure 3 : Bypass Valve

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MOTOR SECTION
This is a reverse application of Rene Moineau's pump principle. The motor
section consists of a rubber stator and steel rotor. The simple type is a
helical rotor which is continuous and round. This is said to be a single
lobe type. The stator is moulded inside the outer steel housing and is of
an elastomer compound. The stator will always have one more lobe than
the rotor. Hence motors will be described as 1/2, 3/4, 5/6 or 9/10 motors.
Both the rotor and stator have a certain pitch length and the ratio of the
pitch lengths is equal to the ratio of the number of lobes on the rotor to
the number of lobes on the stator.
As drilling fluid is pumped through the motor, it fills the cavities between
the dissimilar shapes of the rotor and stator. The rotor is forced to give
way by turning or, in other words, is displaced; hence the name positive
displacement motor. It is the rotation of the rotor shaft which is eventually
transmitted to the bit.

Figure 4. Motor details

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Prepared By: Eng. Fayez Amin Shehata

Geo-Pilot Rotary Steerable System

Sperry, in collaboration with JNOC (Japan National Oil Corporation) and
Security DBS, has designed a new approach to rotary steerable drilling.
The Geo-Pilot system uses point-the-bit technology, where bit direction
is controlled by deflection of the bit drive shaft rather than relying on bit
side forces to steer the well while rotating the drillstring. Because the tool
does not try to push the bit sideways to deviate, as other systems do, the
Geo-Pilot system can utilize patented Security DBS FullDrift extendedgauge bits. These bits have been proved to yield truly high-quality wells
with lower friction factors than have ever before been measured.
Push-the-bit concepts, in contrast, deliberately use bits that have strong
side-cutting capability in order to deviate the well. These bits tend to drill
a hole slightly larger than the bit diameter and are the root cause of bit
spiraling, whirl, and high vibration, all of which lead to premature bit and
MWD/LWD tool failures, excessive time for hole cleaning and
backreaming, and difficulty running casing and logging tools. The GeoPilot system also uses the Geo-Span two-way communication downlink
system, the most advanced downlink system on the market. Furthermore,
the Geo-Pilot system is built using the same Sperry engineering and
manufacturing expertise that has created the industry's most reliable
MWD/LWD systems.
Although the push-the-bit concept dominated early rotary steerable tool
commercial designs, its limitations and detrimental effects on wellbore
quality were soon noticed. As such, Sperry aggressively proceeded with
designing and manufacturing the industry's most robust point-the-bit
system to date. The 7600 Series (6-3/4-inch tool) is used for hole sizes 83/8 to 10-5/8 inches, and the 9600 Series (9-5/8-inch tool) is used for hole
sizes 12-1/4 to 17-1/2 inches.
The Geo-Pilot system minimizes the vibration caused by aggressive
sidecutting bits and can be used for extended-reach and designer well
applications in which excessive torque and drag could inhibit drilling
operations. It helps to eliminate hole spiraling, minimizes wellbore
tortuosity, and improves directional control, drilling efficiency, and hole
cleaning while reducing drill time to TD. It also allows more efficient
casing running and wireline operations. Tests comparing MWD reliability
of conventional drilling equipment with that of the Geo-Pilot system show
clear evidence that MTBF (mean time between failure) is almost tripled
with the Geo-Pilot system.
Innovative features of the Geo-Pilot rotary steerable system include:

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Compact bias unitA pair of eccentric rings, one nested inside the
other, deviate a drive shaft mounted on bearings at each end and
enclosed in a non-rotating outer sleeve.
Automatic self-correcting guidance systemUsing near-bit inclination
sensors, the self-correcting electronics automatically maintain directional
tool face and inclination.
"On-the-fly" two-way control communications between the tool and
surface software systems allow directional drillers to precisely control the
wellbore trajectory while on bottom with zero rig time impact.
An anti-rotation device prevents slippage of the outer housing while the
tool is in the deflected, steering mode, allowing for a stable toolface
orientation. Shaft deflection is achieved by a pair of eccentric rings that
can be rotated to any desired toolface setting and to varying degrees of
offset from center. The tool's precision electronics work with downhole
software to automatically avoid excessive deviations from desired
toolface orientation.
There are two methods for steering the Geo-Pilot system. In manual
steering mode, the tool is pointed and controlled by the directional driller.
In automated mode, the tool is self-guiding along a pre-programmed
trajectory using the Geo-Span downlink system, which allows the tool
to be controlled on the fly. With this downlink, changes to the azimuth and
inclination can be made while on bottom. Quick acknowledgement of the
commands is then sent back to the surface. Average time to send a
command and receive confirmation is 90 seconds. Should this system
ever fail, it is always possible to control the system by starting pumps and
rotation in a prescribed pattern that is recognized by the tool.
Because the Geo-Pilot system has the ability to place the wellbore
through multiple targets, it can greatly improve recovery from a single
well. By using the Geo-Pilot system's unique ability to perform "flat-turn"
open hole sidetracks, six laterals were drilled from two main bores for an
operator in the North Sea. The open hole sidetracks in the second quad
(four-branch) lateral were performed while keeping the wellbore within +/1 ft of the planned TVD horizon.

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Figure 5

Figure 6
For maximum operating life and reliability, the Geo-Pilot system's
bearings, seals, and other internal moving components are all immersed
in lubricating oil. And, because the tool operates independently of
wellbore fluids, there are virtually no mud compatibility problems.
In addition to having its own internal electronic controls and sensors, the
Geo-Pilot system interfaces with our LWD system. While you drill with
Geo- Pilot technology, our LWD system pulses detailed steering
information about at-bit inclination, toolface, percent, deflection, and
system status information back to the surface, along with standard
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formation evaluation data from our standard sensors located above the
Geo-Pilot system.
A specially designed pressure compensator maintains a slight positive
internal pressure across the rotary seals. It features an integral
displacement transducer to provide an indication of low compensation
volumes to the surface system. Other advanced sensorsall powered by
a long-lasting internal battery monitor bit position, string RPM, and
internal tool parameters.
Plus, the Geo-Pilot system is integrated into our INSITE rig information
system, making the tool even easier to control. The INSITE system
features an enhanced driller's display unit that enables you to monitor the
current status of the toolface and precisely what the Geo-Pilot system is
doing downhole. This capability maximizes your wellbore steering quality
and provides the best steering control possible for your well.
The Geo-Pilot system thinks for itself: "smart" software monitors toolface
setting and maintenance and continuously modifies adjustment
procedures in the light of lessons learned. With operational costs on the
rise and dollars at a premium, you need to make the most of your valuable
assets and extend their reach.
Sperry Drill motors are primarily classified by their output speed and
output power characteristics, which relate to the rotor/stator lobe
configuration and power unit length. Power units are designated as
standard or performance, the performance power units being longer and
capable of producing greater output power than standard power units of
similar lobe configuration. Some performance power units have lobe
configurations that are not available in standard power unit form.
For specific applications, tandem motors can be configured, in which two
power units are connected. Specialty motors are available for air/foam
and short-/intermediate- and medium-radius drilling.

Low-Speed Motors
Low-speed motors are characterized by rotor-to-stator lobe
configurations of 5:6, 6:7, 7:8, 8:9, and 9:10. The use of adjustable bent
housings with high torque output and relatively low bit speed makes the
low-speed motors ideal for use in steerable drilling applications, including
horizontal wells and wells in troublesome formations. The output
characteristics of the low-speed motors can be utilized in various
specialist applications, such as short- and intermediate-radius drilling.

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Medium-Speed Motors
Medium-speed motors are characterized by rotor-to-stator lobe
configurations of 3:4 and 4:5. The operational characteristics of mediumspeed motors permit fine-tuning of operational parameters and rates of
penetration while maximizing bit life and on-bottom time, therefore
reducing costs. Applications for medium-speed motors include steerable
straight hole drilling, extended-reach drilling, and performance drilling.

High-Speed Motors
High-speed motors are characterized by rotor-to-stator lobe
configurations of 1:2 and 2:3. The high-speed motor operational
characteristics make them suitable for use in correction and sidetrack
applications where precise directional control permits efficient
establishment of the required well inclination and direction.

Figure 6

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Figure 7

Adjustable Gauge Motor

The AGM is the first tool to incorporate an adjustable stabilizer directly
into a PDM. Using an adjustable stabilizer above a motor allows for small
changes in inclination (+/- 1degree/30m) to help maintain a smooth well
profile. But adjustable gauge stabilizers are not effective when larger
inclination changes are desired or when extended length power sections
push the stabilizer so far back that it becomes ineffective. Experiments
using an adjustable gauge stabilizer below a PDM (between the motor and
the bit) were successful in producing larger inclination changes, but
motor reliability suffered as a result and the number of BHA connections
was increased.
The AGM system has been used in the Gulf of Mexico, Middle East, and
North Sea, where it has proved to be particularly effective in long
horizontal sections. Using the AGM in extended-reach and horizontal
drilling applications allows inclination to be fine tuned while continuously
rotating. The result is a higher quality borehole with tighter TVD control,
better hole cleaning, and higher rates of penetration.
It is available in three tool sizes4 3/4, 6 3/4, and 8 inchesand allows
inclination control between 1 and 3 degrees/100 feet build and drop in the
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12

extended/flush positions. The exact variation is dependent on the power

section length, motor top stabilizer position, and the formation being
drilled.

Adjustable Gauge Stabilizers

Sperry offers two different adjustable gauge stabilizersthe AGS
(adjustable gauge stabilizer) tool and the TRACS telemetry
regulated angle control system. Adjustable gauge stabilizers allow
changes in the build or drop tendencies of directional drilling
assemblies in rotary mode without tripping to reposition
stabilizers or change the gauge.
These tools can be combined or run independently in rotary
assemblies. Both can be used with the full range of Sperry Drill
mud motors. Both offer the ability to adjust the BHA's rotary
tendency from build to drop, thus giving control over inclination
while rotating. Inclination tends to be more important than azimuth
on most wells. They are, in effect, two-dimensional rotary
steerable systems and improve efficiency by allowing you to
spend more time rotating the pipe. This improves hole cleaning
and weight transfer to the bit, resulting in faster drilling and
straighter boreholes.
The AGS tool is a simple, rugged, purely mechanical device that
works off of pump pressure and has only two positions. The
mandrel has several inclined surfaces or ramps machined into the
outer surface. Each ramp has an associated piston that is locked
into the ramp face via a T-slot. By toggling between two different
positions, the inclination tendency of the BHA can be manipulated
while in rotary mode. More time rotating means more efficient
weight transfer, better hole cleaning, and higher quality wellbores
with greater reach capacityall with fewer trips for BHA changes.
This makes Sperry's AGS tool perfectly suited for extendedreach and horizontal well applications.
The TRACS tool is more sophisticated and is typically
programmed with six different positions. If the two tools are used
together, one tool can be used to make radical BHA behavior
changes and the other can be used for fine-tuning. The BHA
configuration determines which tool is used for which purpose.
The TRACS tool is controlled from surface by a sequence of pump
cycles. Two cycles tell the tool to get ready to receive data. The third time
the pumps come up, the duration of the pumps-up cycle determines the
new blade position. The internal electronics control the movement of the
downhole piston or mandrel and ramp. The stroke of the mandrel
determines the distance the blade moves outward.

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13

On the 8-1/2-inch tool, the maximum stroke is 1 1/4 inches. On the 12-1/4inch tool, the maximum stroke is 1 3/4 inches. When using the TRACS
tool, the MWD signal is simply set to delay transmission until after the
window required for telemetry, which is typically 3 minutes.
Both the AGS and the TRACS tools can be used in conjunction with
the SlickBore matched drilling system. The combination provides a
powerful and efficient drilling assembly that can achieve the drilling
efficiencies of rotary steerables at a much lower cost. This makes the
SlickBore Plus stabilizer system an alternative for areas that do not
justify the cost of a rotary steerable system.

ABI Sensor
The ABI sensor consists of a triaxial accelerometer package and is
installed next to the bit box of specially modified Sperry Drill mud
motors. An acoustic telemetry link transmits the inclination data from the
ABI sensor to the standard MWD/LWD tool located above the motor.
The ABI data are then transmitted to the surface via mud pulse
telemetry. Real-time inclination from the ABI sensor can be compared
with the inclination from the standard MWD/LWD directional sensor above
the motor to determine the angle-building or -holding tendencies of the
BHA. This information is particularly useful when building angle in a
medium-radius horizontal well or when maintaining angle in a tangent or
lateral section. The ABI service can be a cost-effective alternative to
more expensive and complex geosteering tools in many applications.

Figure 7

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The ABI sensor can be used in the following:

Horizontal sectionsWith the ABI sensor, it is possible to determine
whether the BHA is building or dropping by comparing the inclination at
the bit and inclination at the MWD tool when taking surveys. It aids in
reducing wellbore tortuosity, which in turn reduces the effects of drag,
enabling longer horizontal sections to be drilled.
Build sectionsThe ABI sensor allows the operator to know whether
the required build rates are being achieved at the bottom of the hole. The
occurrence of plug backs or unnecessary tripping is reduced because the
BHA build performance can be examined immediately rather than waiting
for measurements from the MWD tool, which in many cases is located
more than 60 feet behind the bit.
Detecting casing sag before drilling out of the shoe, corrective
steering can be performed by sliding high side instead of rotating out of
the shoe. Often, the final inclination at a casing point can be reduced by
the washout that occurs while conditioning the well prior to running
casing. This casing sag can be detected immediately by the ABI sensor
once tripped to bottom.
High-accuracy modeThe ABI sensor enables inclination at the bit
to be determined within 0.2 degrees, which is accomplished by taking
multiple rotational check shots so that systematic inclination errors
associated with the influence of the motor bend are removed.

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