By Chris Welch

Supervisor: Dr Martin Homer

Oil and it's products are used constantly in everyday life. This project is concerned

Previous Work

Results

with the modelling of the torsional waves that occur during the oil drilling process,

Balanov et al 2003 paper contains an analysis of the torsional waves of a driven drill string via

The two frictional models although similar, gave rise to very different torsional waves for the same

which can lead to damage of the drilling equipment.

numerical simulation, using the NDDE at various values of two parameters in the system. These

parameters A and .

parameters were the weight on bit (downwards force applied to the drill bit), A, and the speed of

Introduction

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x(t- )

There are three main parts of the

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a period 2 limit cycle from a period 1 limit cycle when was varied, multi-stability (possibly

apparatus that need to be

(a)

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rotation of the drill bit, . The simulations produced interesting results including; the evolution of

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marking a transition into chaos) and tori [3].

considered, these are illustrated in

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Figure 1 and outlined below:

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In part of this project numerical simulations were produced and the results supported the claims

OIL RIG contains the motor and

made by Balanov et al. However the frictional model used in Balanov et al does not allow for the

control electronics.

possibility of 'slip stick oscillations thus a new frictional model was introduced.

DRILL STRING a long hollow

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x(t )
Figure 5: Continuous friction model (a) Period 1 Limit cycle A=0.65 =0.3, (b) Period 2 limit cycle A=0.65
=0.46

Figure 5 a and b show the rise of a period 2 limit cycle from a period 1 limit cycle. Figure 5 (a)

shaft which penetrates several

shows a period 1 limit cycle, the plot repeats after one orbit and follows the same path in phase

Slip Stick Analysis

kilometres through the earths

Coulomb friction may be a more realistic model of the frictional force rather than the continuous

surface and holds the drill bit.

friction model proposed by Balanov et al. As the drill bit spins, Coulomb friction opposes the

DRILL BIT the cutting tool at the

Figure 1 Oil Drilling Equipment [1]

end of the drill string.

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direction of the velocity, but does not depend upon the magnitude of the velocity. At zero velocity,

space and figure 5(b) shows a period 2 limit cycle, the trajectory of the first half period travels
around once but does not rejoin, only during the second half period does the trajectory reconnect
and repeat i.e. it takes 2 periods for the trajectory to repeat itself.
(a)

the frictional force can take any value between certain fixed limits, thus a better model of slip stick
The drill string is driven by a motor housed within the oil rig, which applies a torque at the top of
the drill string, causing it to rotate, making the drill bit rotate and cut through the rock. As the drill

might be obtained by coulomb friction. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the differences between the two

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bit cuts non-linear reaction torques act upon the drill bit due to friction [2].
Figure 3: Coulomb Friction

The frictional torques at the drill bit can reduce the speed of rotation and may even stop the drill

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frictional models.

FRICTIONAL FORCE

Figure 4: Continuous Friction

FRICTIONAL FORCE

string, causing the drill bit to stick. As the motor continues to apply a torque to the drill string,

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Figure 6: Coulomb friction model (a) Plot for A=0.65

=0.3 for one period, (b) Plot for A=0.65 =0.3 for
the final 100 s of the simulation.

and the motion at the drill bit is slower due to friction, the drill string can twist. When the energy

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(b) x(t-)

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Figure 7: Coulomb friction model (a) Plot for A=0.65 =0.46

for one period, (b) Plot for A=0.46 =0.3 for two periods.
(c) Plot for A=0.46 =0.3 for the final 100s of the simulation.

within the drill string is reaches a certain level and overcomes the frictional force against the
motion of the drill bit, the drill bit slips. This is known as the slip-stick scenario and can destroy
VERLOCITY

the drilling equipment [2].

VERLOCITY

Figure 6 shows a phase plot that has the appearance of a period 1 limit cycle, the trajectory appears to rejoins
after one period. However if the attractor were period 1 it would follow the same path every consecutive

Equation for Modelling Torsional Waves

period. Figure 6(b) shows this is not the case, as it shows many periods but none are identical. Demonstrating

The equation below models the motion of the torsional waves:

that the attractor is not period 1, but may be period 1 with a ripple of chaos.

F x(t ) x t x t x t
x t x t
J
It is a Neutral Delay Differential Equation (NDDE), which has a delay in a derivative of the state

Coulomb friction was applied to the NDDE and numerical simulations were produced to determine
if a change in the frictional model used would have any effects on the results produced by

Figure 7(a) the trajectory does not rejoin itself after one period but does seem to rejoin itself after 2 periods

Balanov et al

Figure 7(b), However Figure 7(c) illustrates the system over a longer time period, which possibly has the
characteristics of a torus.

variable and a delay in the system state. Due to these characteristics more initial conditions are
required to solve the equation. Knowledge is required not only of the current state, but also of the

Conclusions

system state certain time period ago ( in figure 2), to be able to solve NDDEs.
In this project numerical simulations of a neutral delay differential equation were made by implementing a continuous frictional model, described in Balanov et al 2003, and a coulomb friction which

System
Output

allowed slip stick to take place. Although the two frictional models were similar, the systems behaviour and the resulting self sustained oscillations were very different for both frictional models. The

Initial
Condition

magnitude and behaviour of the torsional waves is very different in each frictional model.
This shows that friction model must be very carefully chosen when applied to the modelling equation, if the frictional model used for numerical simulation is not the same as that of the frictional

time period
later
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relationship between the drill bit and surface then the data obtained from the numerical simulation will be incorrect.

time period
later
t-

Figure 2: How the system obtains the delay value

References
[1] Freunderrich C,C. 2005. How Oil Drilling Works http://science.howstuffworks.com/oil-drilling2.htm
[2] J Wilkinson. 2004 Slip Stick Delay Equations of Drill String Dynamics. University of Bristol Project Thesis
[3] Balanov AG, NB Janson, PVE McClintock, RW Tucker, CHT Wang. 2003 Bifurcation analysis of a Neutral delay differential equation modelling the torsional motion of a driven drill string. Chaos Solutions and
Fractals 15 pgs 381-394

x(t)

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