Laboratory Scale Arrangement for Experimental Studies of Drill-String Motions

Background & Objectives Drilling systems are used to identify geological reservoirs and carry out extraction of oil or natural gas from these reservoirs. Deep wells are drilled by using rock-cutting tools driven from the surface by a slender structure of pipes called a drill string. These slender rotating structures can experience undesired dynamics, which can be detrimental to the drilling system. As an example, it is mentioned that stick-slip oscillations can be an important cause for drilling inefficiency and failure of drill-string components, as violent torsional motions and large amplitude lateral motions can occur during these oscillations. As a step towards the development of appropriate vibration attenuation schemes, it is intended to study the nonlinear behavior of slender rotating structures representative of drill strings. In particular, efforts underway at Qatar University to develop a laboratory scale experimental arrangement to study these structures will be presented and discussed. Prior e...