Huge potential

Oil and gas production is a multi-billion pound business worldwide. Unfortunately, these lucrative reserves are not always easy to extract. Conventional drilling techniques can be both expensive and time consuming, because they apply a rotary action to the cutting head.

While this is designed to scrape away and/or crush the formation, it often requires high weight on bit (WOB) and torque. The result is large cuttings, relatively rough bore holes, directional deviations and reduced bit life.

The big idea

A novel technology called Resonance Enhanced Drilling (RED) potentially provides a solution to all of these problems. By introducing a controllable dynamic loading, RED signifi cantly reduces the WOB and dramatically speeds up the drilling process, as the diagrams overleaf show.

The fact that this loading can be adjusted to varying drilling conditions also means that RED makes it possible to drill through different formations with the same drill bit, rather than having to stop for bit changes as is currently the case.

The story so far

This four year programme was launched in 2008. Currently, researchers at the University of Aberdeen are demonstrating the technology’s effectiveness at an intermediate scale, which involves drilling bore holes up to 3.75 inches in diameter in a range of rock materials.

Once this practical feasibility study is complete, the programme will produce a design specification for a large scale test arrangement, using a combination of mathematical modelling, computer simulation and scale testing methodologies.

The third and final phase of the programme aims to provide a demonstration of the RED technology for a full scale drill size.

Key benefits

RED offers the following potential benefits:

• Significantly faster drilling times
• Substantial cost savings – potentially up to $500,000 per day for drilling ships/barges
• Potential to unlock resources currently considered inaccessible or uneconomic using conventional drilling technology
• Continuous operation through different formations rather than interrupted progress
• Straighter, smoother bore holes
• Increased drill bit life and reduced hole deviation, both thanks to reduced WOB

Further potential

RED has enormous potential in the area of hydrocarbon exploration and production, both offshore and onshore. Although in the early stages of development, RED has already established potential further research opportunities and new innovations in the following areas:

• Drill bit technology
• Downhole power generation
• Resonance components
• Sensor technology
• Control algorithms

The novel technology at the heart of RED also has other potential applications in fields as diverse as home improvements and dentistry. Wherever drilling is used, RED can offer substantial benefits.

The next step

If you are interested in exploring any of these exciting opportunities further, from either a research or commercialisation perspective, please contact us