Field tests show aluminum drill pipe can extend operating envelope for extended-reach drilling

摘要

ONE CHALLENGE FOR the industry is how to extend the limits of rig capacities without significantly increasing cost. A way to address this challenge is to use a lighter drillstring. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether, by reducing string weight and changing the material properties of the drillstring, it is possible to extend the operational envelope of the drilling rig without having a detrimental impact on the drilling process. A field-testing program was carried out on a full-scale experimental drilling rig in Oklahoma. Steel drill pipe (SDP) was exchanged for aluminum drill pipe (ADP) to greatly reduce the weight of the drill-string without significantly reducing its mechanical integrity.