Directional Drilling Tools Assessment and the Impact of Bottom Hole Assembly Configuration on the Well Trajectory and Operation Optimization

Innovative Drilling Technologies Directional drilling and steering a well with a 3D trajectory path has become very popular to satisfy multiple objectives such as enables reaching farther and more complex targets, surface versus target location, well anti-collision on a crowded platform, completion and artificial lift needs, landing the reservoir section in a favorable direction, and maximizing the length of the lateral for optimum production. Accurate directional design and wellbore positioning are some of the pillars of the safety and economy of the project and affect the entire drilling program. The operator’s objective mainly is to drill the section from shoe to shoe in one run by increase bottom hole assembly (BHA), surveying (MWD/LWD), and drill bit consistency and using optimized parameters. This must be validated by the ability of the planned BHA to drill the well path and deliver the expected build/drop/turn/hold as per required dogleg severity (DLS), thus, the design and selection of BHA is a crucial aspect. Since the BHA is considered the drill string’s backbone which is the main element in the successful well path drilling and different configurations can change the drilling performance noticeably. So, this thesis studied these three BHA components, investigate the different technologies and the deflection methods used in directional drilling, and evaluating its BHA that is used to control the directional drilling with its application criteria and areas. Details methods of steerable systems and the new technology now available to the high volume market. Investigate drilling surveying (MWD/LWD) and data transmission techniques and the recent advanced technology. Because the bit design should be matched with the BHA for giving a good performance, the thesis documents the technologies of the drill bit, specifications, and factors involving improving its design, requirements of operational compatibility, functional challenges, and stabilization. Moreover, it provided the technical characterizations of these keys in the BHAs and it introduced what these components pose of some limitations and risks that must be identified and managed closely, to avoid sacrificing the overall success of a project. This work came up with the BHA engineering considerations in the planning phase and how the total system consistency is necessary to pave the way to the design and modeling phase that will lead to delivering the most appropriate selection.