I N NOVATI N G WH I LE DR I LLI N G
TOP: A rig in the Marcellus/Utica that is running TSC’s PTECH+.

The connection was designed with the principle that having a
large radius at the root of the thread form reduces peak
stresses in the connection. Being able to reduce this peak
stress mitigates the potential for connection fatigue and fail-
ure when exposed to downhole bending, according to TSC.

BOTTOM: TSC says it focused on factors like hydraulic perfor-
mance, makeup torque and fatigue resistance when devel-
oping its PTECH+ connection to ensure it would be ideal for
drilling extended laterals.

threaded connections, and we have realized successes in over-
coming that challenge.” As higher torque thresholds are required
for drilling programs to achieve deeper wells and longer laterals,
a growing number of land rigs are being retrofitted with upgraded
components, raising the threshold capability of drillstring con-
nection makeup torque.

The proprietary PTECH+ connection technology has the poten-
tial to be utilized in a variety of applications in addition to drill
pipe, including subsea tubulars, workover risers and other down-
hole components. While it is currently used primarily in land
drilling, it can also be used for offshore and other specialized drill-
ing programs by incorporating a gas-tight seal feature.

BHA and drilling engineering software
In the BHA segment of the market, Stéphane Menand, Technical
Fellow at Helmerich and Payne (H&P), said that, while there have
been few true breakthroughs in BHA components over the past
few years, there has been a lot of ongoing work refining exist-
ing technologies to increase durability and enable more rotating
hours downhole.

“We’ve pushed the limit with RSS and high-powered mud
motors. We’ve also seen the development of several accessories
that go in the BHA to remove friction, dampen vibration and
reduce stick-slip. Lastly, we’ve seen more providers with high-
frequency torsional oscillation mitigation technology that can be
implemented directly inside the RSS.”
For technologies that have the potential to drive step-changes
in the future, Mr Menand said he is “intrigued by at-bit steering
technology, where there is a drill bit with active pads to allow
better trajectory control and more accurate wellbore placement.”
Another point of interest, he said, is putting very small sensors
along the BHA and in the bit to get better data, which can help to
validate H&P’s models.

Mr Menand also highlighted the benefits of drill bit forensics,
which use pictures from a scanning device and analyzes them
with artificial intelligence-driven algorithms to provide detailed
3D imaging for dull grading. “The idea is to better measure the
wear of the bit, and then reduce the time necessary to design a
new bit for a new application,” he said. “This eliminates the need
to manually measure the type and amount of wear on individual
cutters, which would otherwise take a significant amount of time
and could be inaccurate. It’s a great process for the bit providers
when it comes to iterative design improvements.”
D R I L L I N G C O N T R AC T O R • M A R C H/A P R I L 2023
25