TAB LE OF CONTE NTS
To drill more cost-effective extended
laterals and help keep downhole tools in
the hole for as long as possible,
Patterson-UTI has focused on improving
the accuracy of horizontal wellbore
placement. Read more on Page 14. Cover
illustration courtesy of Patterson-UTI.
Official magazine of
the International
Association of Drilling
Contractors MAR/APR 2023
Volume 79 • Number 2
drillingcontractor.org iadc.org
I N N OVATI N G WH I LE D R I LLI N G
14 Going the distance: Drillers push innovations
to drill extended laterals
Extreme depths necessitate solutions to handle high torques and lateral vibrations,
ensure accurate horizontal wellbore placement
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
18 Preventing lost circulation, instability offshore Malaysia
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
20 Combination of extended-reach drilling, maximum reservoir contact wells
and artificial islands helps ADNOC access offshore reserves with land rig
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
22 Drill pipes, BHAs evolve as wellbore
geometries push existing boundaries
Industry steps up downhole performance by giving connections greater fatigue
resistance and enhancing BHA steering capabilities
BY STEPHEN FORRESTER, CONTRIBUTOR
27 Case study: Laser measurements, machine learning help operator improve
its motor performance
BY LONNIE SMITH, TURNCO
28 Digital tools streamline design, testing
process during drill bit selection
Digital twins, in-bit sensors among innovations shortening the iteration cycle
to help operators get bits into the field faster
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING ADVANCES
33 Sensor-based system allows
real-time detection, monitoring of
emissions in frac operations
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
34 Centralized start-stop system helps reduce
fuel consumption, emissions from idling
engines in hydraulic fracturing operations
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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
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