Drilling motor introduction

The drilling motor (see Figure1) is a hydraulically actuated device that converts hydraulic energy into
mechanical energy. The purpose of the motor is to generate the rotational speed (RPM) and torque
needed to operate the drill bit. The drilling motor takes its energy from a succession of isolated working
fluid volumes that force their way, under pressure, through the motor by displacing or deforming the
spaces in which they are confined.

Drilling motor design

The Toro motor is a positive-displacement motor (PDM). As drilling fluid is pumped down the drill-string.
the fluid flows through the cavities in the power section. The fluid pressure reacts against the lobes of
the rotor and the walls of the stator causing the rotor to rotate. Torque is then transmitted through the
coupling section, bearing section and down to the drill bit.
The Toro drilling motor is comprised of 6 basic components:

• Top Sub

• Safety catch

• Power-section

• Coupling section

• Bearing section

• Bit Box

Figure 2 is a cutaway view of the entire motor with these basic components identified.
DRILLING MOTOR APPLICATIONS

Operators, drilling contractors, service, and tool supply companies have worked diligently over the years
to improve drilling technology. Their common goal has been to reach their drilling targets, quickly,
efficiently, and at a reasonable cost. Over the years, these drilling targets have become more complex
and difficult to reach. Delivering horsepower directly to the bit has become increasingly important. To
date, the best way to achieve RPM and torque to the bit, independent of rotating the drill-string, is with
a down hole drilling motor.

The need for motors in different applications has led to the design of several types of downhole motors.
These motors are specifically configured to the drilling application for which they are needed. Typical
drilling applications and their corresponding motors are presented in this section.
Performance Drilling (straight-hole) Applications

A Toro drilling motor can be used for performance drilling applications. By turning the drill bit several
times faster than the drill-string. a motor can effectively provide an increased rate of penetration (ROP).
Since the motor is providing the rotation to the drill bit, rotational speed (RPM) of the drill-string can be
significantly reduced from standard rotary drilling speeds.

A drilling motor can also provide angle control during adverse conditions commonly found in many
vertical applications. Typically, a motor with an adjustable bend housing (ABH) can be used in
conjunction with single-shot survey orientation instrumentation. This arrangement is effective for
course corrections, angle control, kickoff, and sidetracking.

Compared to rotary drilling technology, downhole motors offer considerable benefits that must be
taken into consideration in the economical analysis between drilling with and drilling without a motor.
Benefits from drilling with a motor include:

 Faster rate of penetration (ROP)

 Reduced drilling times

 Reduced drill-string rotational speed (RPM)

 Less wear and fatigue of drill-string connections

 Less drill-string torque

 Reduced number of BHA trips in and out of the hole

 Straighter holes, providing faster and smoother casing setting

Another applications are directional drilling, air-foam drilling, coring, casing drilling,…
Examples of using drilling motor by Haliburton

GeoForce Motor Saves Operator 7.5 Drilling Days with Fewest Number of Bit
®

Runs in History of Field:

IN VERTICAL WELL, OPERATOR IMPROVES DRILLING EFFICIENCY AND MAINTAINS
WELL VERTICALITY IN ABRASIVE AMIN FORMATION
OMAN

OVERVIEW

An operator in Oman had been using two different bottomhole assemblies (BHAs) to drill a 12-1/4-inch vertical section for
unconventional wells. The fist BHA contained a conventional vertical drilling system (VDS) to drill to the top of the abrasive and
conglomerate Amin formation. As the VDS did not have enough torque to drill through the remainder of the Amin formation,
which was very hard, the operator was forced to trip out of the hole to change to a high-torque, low-speed-motor BHA to drill
through the last section until total depth (TD). With a conventional drilling solution, the operator typically drilled these sections
in an average of 31 days and fie bit runs. To improve drilling effiiency and reduce costs, the operator sought a new BHA design
and service for this vertical section.

OPERATOR SEEKS NEW WAY TO EFFICIENTLY DRILL VERTICAL SECTION IN ABRASIVE FORMATION:

Hard and abrasive formations can cause issues for operators, such as high vibration and low rate of penetration (ROP). An
optimal solution would include a BHA with suffiient rotations per minute (RPM) and horsepower to maintain adequate ROP,
eliminating extra days and bit trips. With similar problematic drilling issues in the Amin formation, the operator in Oman
needed to drill at a low speed with high torque to withstand the vibrations, while improving drilling effiiency to save costs of rig
time.

GEOFORCE® MOTOR IMPROVES EFFICIENCY WITH VERTICAL DRILLING SOLUTION

The Sperry Drilling team chose a 9-5/8-inch GeoForce® enhanced performance motor, while also utilizing MaxBHA™ design
software to determine optimal stabilizer placement and a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit to increase drilling
reliability and performance in this vertical section of the well. The Sperry Drilling team also recommended using measurement-
while-drilling (MWD) services that provided directional surveys to determine the wellpath and to maintain the hole verticality
while drilling. Compared with conventional mud motor or VDS assemblies, the GeoForce motor provides more consistent torque
applied to the bit – thus increasing ROP, motor life, and bit life. The Sperry Drilling experts utilized MaxBHA software to
perform BHA modeling to determine the optimal stabilizer placements for reducing vibration, which improved the steerability
while reducing wear and tear of internal motor components. The combination of customized adjustable-bend housings and even-
layer stator motors that incorporate a special invertcompatible hard elastomer provides consistent power to the bit while
withstanding high differential pressures, improving longer bit runs, and reducing the number of bit trips, especially in abrasive
environments.
USE OF GEOFORCE MOTOR IN VERTICAL DRILLING SOLUTION SETS NEW FIELD RECORD

The GeoForce motor enabled the operator to drill 9,062 feet (2,762 meters) in one run – drilling with no issues for 14 days and
setting a new fild record. The operator was able to increase RPM and weight on bit (WOB), eliminating three runs and reducing
drilling time by 7.5 days. In addition, the operator drilled the well within vertical section tolerance with only 11.5 feet (3.5
meters) displacement at the section TD. GeoForce motors demonstrated superior performances in wells XXX-32 and XXX-33
compared to other offset wells drilled with two BHAs that consisted of a VDS and then a motor.