n the evolving pursuit of consistent performance drilling, slim-hole curve-lateral intervals in New Mexico’s Delaware Basin present unique challenges for optimization through both drill bit design and motor performance. The engineering partnership of Matador Resources Co. allowed Patterson-UTI Drilling, MS Directional and Taurex Drill Bits to work jointly to solve these challenges.
Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter technology has rapidly improved in terms of performance and reliability over the past few years, highlighting some of the reliability concerns in slim-hole tools.
While rotary steerable tools have been a solution for different parts of the Permian Basin, the technology has proved to have its own limitations, which can be cost prohibitive.
The high hydrostatic and lithostatic pressures encountered while drilling deep Delaware Basin targets often decrease buildup rates in the curve and reduce penetration rates in the lateral. Additionally, the interbedded nature of these strata, consisting of sandstones, shales and carbonates, creates a challenging drilling environment.
For a bottomhole assembly (BHA) to drill through this target without premature drill bit or tool failure, it must be able to withstand excessive shocks and vibrations, high-torque events as well as provide directional control while drilling varying rock types.
A collaborative approach to parameter management, directional control, tool reliability and penetration rate is imperative for improved BHA performance. Ultimately, the operators of today require equipment and downhole tools that can endure harsh drilling environments, particularly in extended-reach, slim-hole lateral applications for reduced overall lateral footage costs.
The V+ utilizes Mpact’s enlarged two-piece transmission design with a torque capacity of 12,500-plus ft-lb. The Mpact V+ has provided a direct benefit to operators yielding up to 50% reduction in lateral slide and 20% increase in total ROP on average.
Equally crucial is appropriate PDC cutter selection. The deep Delaware Basin lithology rapidly leads to several forms of premature cutter failure. This application demands PDC cutters with high axial and torsional impact toughness without sacrificing thermal and abrasion resistance.
Taurex’s rapid cutter development and robust cutter selection procedures have led to unrivaled durability in this application. Taurex’s recent design optimization strategies have centered on precise wear measurements and sophisticated data analytics performed after every drill bit run. These careful measurements are performed in house at Taurex’s Automated Metrology Laboratory, which quantifies drill bit wear data autonomously with unparalleled accuracy. Evaluation of wear data has allowed the identification of underlying relationships between drill bit wear, drilling parameters, cutters and design characteristics to drive scientific recommendations. The superior accuracy and reliability of drill bit wear analysis accelerates the speed of learning for superior optimization strategies, maximizing drill bit performance faster than ever before.
Through the PTEN+ performance center, these technologies are extended to 24/7 real-time monitoring, communication and automation. Additionally, the rig is equipped with a high-torque top drive, racking capacity of 25,610 ft of 5 inches for extended laterals and three mud pumps with 7,500-psi fluid ends.
Furthermore, MS Directional’s most recent MPower fleet Mercury MWD enhancements have provided the latest data compression rates all while improving mean-time-between-failure hours in excess of 3,000. Technology in conjunction with its Remote Optimization Center provides ongoing support with best practices for drilling excellence.
In addition, Taurex’s drill bit design software, BitLogic, can accurately model forces exerted on individual PDC cutters. This complex rock-bit interaction capability provides Taurex with the ability to predict behavior of the bit in different strength formations and mitigates cutter damage while achieving superior penetration rates. BitLogic’s analytical capabilities coupled with the empirical data collection ability of Taurex’s Automated Metrology Laboratory have resulted in unparalleled speed of learning, which has translated into unprecedented drill bit performance.