Comparison of Field and Laboratory Vibration Assisted Rotary Drilling Available to Purchase

The Drilling Technology Laboratory (DTL) at Memorial University has conducted field trials using a passive vibration tool for use in the bottom hole assembly (BHA) of a drill string. The tool, known as pVARD or “Passive Vibration Assisted Rotary Drilling”, is designed to utilize naturally occurring vibrations for the drilling process to increase drilling efficiency. The current paper compares the results of the DTL’s field trial work with scaled laboratory experiments using the DTL’s laboratory drilling rig with a scaled pVARD tool. The paper examines the effect of the pVARD tool on mechanical specific energy (MSE), and compares the effects seen in the lab to those seen during the field trails. It was found that in specific instances the pVARD tool causes a reduction in MSE. The laboratory scale tool saw the best result as more varied operational ranges could be experimented with than could be in the field trials.