Toolface control while sliding is an important element in saving costly rig time in directional drilling applications. One of the basic problems that a directional driller faces is to accurately set a specific toolface orientation. After a connection, the driller must rotate the pipe at the surface and experiment with the weight-on-bit and top drive quill position to orient the toolface. The driller has to work with throttles, clutches, brakes, and a forward or reverse control to orient the drillpipe to the correct position. The challenge is to properly orientate the downhole tool to steer the well bore in a desired direction. This can only be done manually by feel, timing, experience, and estimation due to the fact that a certain amount of rotation at the surface may not necessarily result in equal rotation at the downhole tool. This obviously takes time.
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